Toretsk (Ukraine) (AFP) – First there was a teasing crackle of small arms fire then a burst of sharp bangs as Ukrainian assault infantry fired their US-made grenade launder at the Russian positions opposite. The frontline in this part of the Donetsk re…
NASA kicked asteroid off course in test to save Earth
Washington (AFP) – NASA on Tuesday celebrated exceeding expectations during a mission to deflect a distant asteroid, in a sci-fi like test of humanity’s ability to stop an incoming cosmic object from devastating life on Earth. The fridge-sized Double A…
The Big Lie: Scandal in US as Fat Bear Week uncovers ballot stuffing
Los Angeles (AFP) – A hugely popular web poll to find the fattest bear in an Alaskan national park has become the target of rampant ballot stuffing, according to organizers who said they had pounced to protect US democracy from another hammer blow. Wit…
Zelensky pleads for Ukraine ‘air shield’ after Russian onslaught
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky called on Tuesday for wealthy Western nations to help Kyiv create an “air shield” after a rash of deadly Russian aerial attacks. Zelensky, who told the G7 club of rich nations “millions of peop…
Biden to ‘re-evaluate’ Saudi ties after OPEC snub
Washington (AFP) – President Joe Biden is to “re-evaluate” the US relationship with Riyadh, the White House said Tuesday, after a Saudi-led coalition of oil-producing nations sided with Russia to slash output. The 13-nation OPEC cartel and its 10 allie…
US Supreme Court hears case of Texas man on death row
Washington (AFP) – The US Supreme Court heard an appeal Tuesday from a Texas man on death row who maintains his innocence and whose case has drawn the attention of celebrities, lawmakers and millions of Americans. The court did not address the merits o…
Murder charges dropped in ‘Serial’ podcast case
Washington (AFP) – Prosecutors in the US city of Baltimore dropped charges on Tuesday against a man who served over two decades in prison for his ex-girlfriend’s murder — a case that drew worldwide attention thanks to the hit podcast “Serial.” The pub…
Weinstein sex assault trial opens in Los Angeles
Los Angeles (AFP) – Jury selection began Monday in the Los Angeles trial of disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, with five alleged victims expected to take the stand during the two-month case. The 70-year-old “Pulp Fiction” producer is already s…
Instagram, Twitter restrict Kanye West accounts over posts deemed anti-Semitic
Washington (AFP) – Instagram and Twitter said they have restricted the accounts of US rapper Kanye West over posts slammed as anti-Semitic. A spokeswoman for Twitter told AFP on Sunday that West’s account was locked due to a violation of the social m…
‘Smile’ beats ‘Lyle’ to top N.American box office
Los Angeles (AFP) – Paramount executives kept the “Smile” on their face Sunday, as the deceptively named horror film topped North America’s box office for a second weekend, scaring up an estimated $17.6 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations sai…