International News

Mexico ruling party hit by major defeats in elections

  • MEXICO CITY, June 7 (APP/AFP): Mexico’s ruling party on Monday tumbled toward historic defeats in several gubernatorial elections seen as a gauge for its hopes of retaining the presidency in 2018. Before Sunday’s vote, President Enrique Pena Nieto’s Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) held nine of the 12 states at play. There are 32 federal jurisdictions […]

  • Down’s syndrome ‘treated’ with green tea: study

    PARIS, June 7 (APP/AFP): A chemical in green tea has been shown to improve cognitive ability in persons with Down’s syndrome, scientists and doctors said Tuesday. In a year-long clinical trial, the treatment led to improved scores on memory and behaviour tests, they reported in a study, published in the The Lancet Neurology. The positive […]

  • Saudi still reviewing hajj stampede: minister

    JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, June 7, (APP/AFP) – Saudi authorities are still reviewing a deadly stampede which struck last year’s hajj pilgrimage, the minister of hajj and umra said on Tuesday. It was a rare comment by a senior Saudi official about the tragedy. More than 2,000 pilgrims died in the stampede, the worst disaster to […]

  • Terror attack’ kills 5 Jordan intelligence agents

    AMMAN, (APP/AFP) – Five Jordanian intelligence agents were killed in an attack on their office in a Palestinian refugee camp north of the capital Amman on Monday, government spokesman Mohammed Momani said. “The intelligence agency office in the Baqaa camp was the target of a cowardly attack shortly before 7:00 am (0400 GMT) today that […]

  • Saudi economic diversification plan finalised

    JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, (APP/AFP) – Saudi officials have finalised a detailed plan to diversify the kingdom’s economy away from oil and have sent it for cabinet approval, official media said on Monday. The National Transformation Programme (NTP) will elaborate upon Vision 2030, an 84-page document released in April by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, […]

  • Australian PM pours raw emotions into election campaign

    SYDNEY, (APP/AFP) – Australia’s election campaign took a personal turn Monday, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull telling voters how his father raised him alone after his mother walked out. The multi-millionaire from Sydney’s wealthy eastern suburbs posted an emotional online video tribute to his late father Bruce, saying: “I wouldn’t be where I am today […]