world news

China factory index at 19-month low as holiday slows work

HONG KONG –  China's manufacturing activity has weakened to its lowest level in 19 months as the extended Lunar New Year holiday left the month with fewer work days. The official purchasing managers' index released Wednesday slipped to 50.3 for…

UN experts: North Korea sent banned chemical items to Syria

UNITED NATIONS –  U.N. experts say North Korea sent items used in ballistic missile and chemical weapons programs to Syria along with missile technicians in violation of U.N. sanctions, and it transferred banned ballistic missiles systems to Myanmar. The panel…

Papua New Guinea quake killed at least 15, governor says

WELLINGTON, New Zealand –  The governor of the central Papua New Guinea region hit by an earthquake this week says at least 15 people were killed and the toll may rise. Southern Highlands Governor William Powi told The Associated Press…

Toronto chief comments on serial killer angers community

TORONTO –  Community leaders say a suggestion by Toronto's police chief that an alleged serial killer would have been arrested sooner if the public had been more cooperative with investigators has angered LGBTQ residents and could worsen already strained relations.…

4 powers condemn Iran for violating arms embargo on Yemen

UNITED NATIONS –  The four Western powers that are parties to the Iran nuclear deal are condemning Iran for violating an arms embargo on Yemen, a day after Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution that took aim at Tehran over…

New satellite photos show Iran establishing another base in Syria

Western intelligence sources have found that Iran has built a new permanent military base outside Syria’s capital city.  (ImageSat International) EXCLUSIVE –  Iran has built another permanent military base outside Syria’s capital city complete with hangers used to store missiles…

Brazil's federal police chief fired by new security minister

RIO DE JANEIRO –  Brazil's new public security minister has fired the head of the country's federal police following public remarks he made on an investigation into President Michel Temer. A spokeswoman for security minister Raul Jungmann said Tuesday he…

Vatican sex crimes investigator meets Chile Marist victims

SANTIAGO, Chile –  The Vatican's sex crimes investigator interviewed several victims of sexually abusive members of the Marist Brothers religious order Tuesday, suggesting that his mandate has expanded beyond investigating alleged abuse cover-up by a lone Chilean bishop. Archbishop Charles…

Lion fatally mauls woman at game lodge in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG –  South African media say a lion has killed a 22-year-old woman at a game lodge north of Pretoria. The African News Agency says the female lion mauled the woman in the Hammanskraal area on Tuesday. Nick Dollman of…

Protesters in Macedonia decry proposed name compromise

SKOPJE, Macedonia –  Several thousand protesters have gathered in front of Macedonia's parliament in the capital of Skopje to demand the government call off talks with neighboring Greece on a decades-long name dispute. The protesters marched peacefully from the main…

Nigeria sets up probe into girls' school attack, abductions

LAGOS, Nigeria –  Nigeria's government says it has set up a panel to investigate the abduction of 110 girls from their school last week by suspected members of the extremist Boko Haram group. Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed said…

Puerto Rico: Treasury cuts $5B disaster relief loan to $2B

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –  Puerto Rico's governor is demanding action from U.S. Congress after announcing that the Treasury Department has cut a nearly $5 billion disaster relief loan by more than half. Ricardo Rossello said Tuesday that federal officials…

Israel disputes Palestinian's account of being shot in head

RAMALLAH, West Bank –  Israel is disputing a Palestinian teenager's account of being shot in the head, an incident which is said to have led his cousin, protest icon Ahed Tamimi, to slap Israeli soldiers. Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai says…

Maldives urged to free detainees held in state of emergency

MALE, Maldives –  Amnesty International has urged authorities in the Maldives to immediately release officials detained during the state of emergency declared this month by President Yameen Abdul Gayoom. The group said in a statement Tuesday the detainees must be…

Sudan releases dozens arrested over bread protests

KHARTOUM, Sudan –  Activists say Sudanese authorities have released dozens of people arrested for taking part in last month's protests against rising bread prices. Two protesters, Imtenan Ali el-Radi and Amal Habany, say they were released Tuesday from Kober prison,…

Despite outcry, Iranian minister addresses UN rights body

GENEVA –  An Iranian government minister facing European Union and Swiss sanctions for human rights violations has criticized U.S. and Saudi policies at the U.N.'s top human rights body, defying calls for him to stay away. Justice Minister Seyyed Alireza…

UN official concerned by allegations of torture in Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey –  A top U.N. official has expressed concerns over increased allegations of torture and ill-treatment in police custody in Turkey. Nils Melzer, the U.N. special rapporteur on torture, said Tuesday he was alarmed by allegations that people detained…

UN humanitarian chief calls Yemen conditions 'catastrophic'

UNITED NATIONS –  The U.N. humanitarian chief is warning that conditions in Yemen are "catastrophic" after three years of war, with 22.2 million people needing aid. And the U.N. envoy is accusing both the Saudi-backed government and Shiite rebels of…

Israel delays ruling on Australian wanted for sex crimes

JERUSALEM –  An Israeli court said Tuesday that it will delay consideration of whether to extradite a woman accused of sex crimes in Australia until a psychiatrist can review her case. Australia wants 54-year-old Malka Leifer extradited for allegedly sexually…