Category: World news

Mike Pompeo spoke in a recorded video from a Jerusalem rooftop.US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised President Donald Trump's foreign policy record in a Republican National Convention speech on Tuesday that Democrats criticized as a breach of protocol and perhaps the law.Speaking in a recorded video from a Jerusalem rooftop during an official trip, Pompeo, a Trump appointee widely believed to harbor presidential aspirations, said the president had exposed the "predatory aggression" of the Chinese Communist Party, while defeating Islamic State militants and lowering the threat from North Korea.Even before he spoke, critics pounced, saying Pompeo had broken with decades of protocol in using his appointed office for partisan purposes.The chairman of a Democratic-led U.S. House of Repre

Williams is a two-time winner of the Western and Southern OpenSerena Williams said there were "really no excuses" as she was knocked out of the Western and Southern Open in the third round by Greek Maria Sakkari.Thirteenth seed Sakkari had trailed by a set and a break before beating the American 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 6-1.Sakkari will play Britain's Johanna Konta in the quarter-finals."It was tough," said Williams, who will chase a seventh US Open singles title next week. "I literally should have won that match. There was no excuse. "It was hard, but I had so many opportunities to win, and I have to figure that one out, like how to start winning those matches again. "There is really no excuses, to be honest."Third seed Williams, 38, had started the match at pace, racing into a 5-2 lead after an

New Zealand mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant has refused the right to speak at his hearing.Christchurch, New Zealand: New Zealand mosque shooter Brenton Tarrant has refused the right to speak at his sentencing for last year's murder of 51 Muslim worshippers, court officials said Wednesday.Officials told reporters that Tarrant -- who sacked his legal team earlier this year -- had opted not to personally address the court, but a court-appointed lawyer would make a brief statement on his behalf on Thursday.The 29-year-old Australian white supremacist is expected to become the first person in New Zealand to be imprisoned for life without the possibility of parole. Source link

Tiffany Trump urged that "working outside political comfort zones" would lead to "more" accomplishments.Washington: US President Donald Trump's youngest daughter Tiffany Trump on Tuesday urged young voters to "make a judgement based on results and not on rhetoric" in the upcoming presidential elections."For opportunity versus stagnation, a fight to keep America true to all Americans, I urge you all to make a judgement based on results and not on rhetoric. If you believe in criminal justice reform, there is only one president that passed an act giving people a second chance and if you believe in expanding the quality and affordable healthcare, only president Trump -- my father -- signed the Favourite Nations clause to lower drug prices to keep Americans from getting ripped off," Tiffany

The United States will elect its next president in November.Opinion polls tracking the US presidential elections - Trump vs Biden - are reported almost daily in the media. Few analysts, however, track the betting odds on who will be the next POTUS.After almost all the opinion polls went wrong in the previous US elections - by predicting a clear win for Hillary Clinton over Trump - the question being asked now is which of the two is the more reliable indicator of results.Believers in opinion polls - who dismiss the 2016 election error as an aberration - point to clear and unequivocal evidence that Biden will be the winner (though there is always the fear that if Biden's percentage lead narrows, Trump may walk away with the larger electoral college - a repeat of Clinton in 2016). Perhaps

Former world number one Andy Murray is ranked 134th after his injury problemsAndy Murray's run at the Western and Southern Open came to an end after he was outpowered by Canada's Milos Raonic in a last-16 defeat in New York.The loss means Johanna Konta is the only Briton left in the singles.Eighth seed Konta beat former champion Vera Zvonareva and plays Greece's Maria Sakkari in Wednesday's quarter-finals.Sakkari knocked out 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 6-1.British number one Konta, 29, produced another powerful performance to win 6-4 6-2 against Russian qualifier Zvonareva, who is ranked 270th.The Western and Southern Open is usually held in Cincinnati but was moved to Flushing Meadows to create a two-tournament safety bubble that also incorporates

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Kim's appearance contradicts recent rumours that he was gravely ill Kim Jong-un has warned North Korean authorities to prepare for the dangers posed to the country by the coronavirus pandemic and a looming typhoon. Mr Kim's appearance at a party meeting comes after widespread speculation over his state of health. North Korea had not confirmed any Covid-19 cases and it is thought that a large outbreak would have a devastating effect on the impoverished nation. Meanwhile Typhoon Bavi is expected to hit North Korea later this week.Speaking at a meeting of the politburo on Tu...

The incident happened at a Citigroup unit that serves as the administrative agent for loans.For years Citigroup Inc. has been an anomaly among big banks, relying on an obscure piece of software it helped develop to manage loan payments. Just as the bank tried to replace it, things went terribly wrong.The saga began emerging in court this week as the firm blamed human errors for mistakenly sending $900 million to a fleet of hedge funds reluctant to return it. But the backdrop, according to people with knowledge of what happened, is a tale of arcane technology stretching back to the 1990s. It culminates with the bank's decision last year to replace software with the industry standard. That rollout is still underway, adding to upheaval at a time when employees are working from home.An inte

Image caption A survey suggests topless sunbathing is becoming less common in France France's interior minister has defended topless sunbathing after police asked a group of women on a Mediterranean beach to cover up. The three were approached by offers on the beach in Sainte-Marie-La-Mer following a complaint from a holidaying family. The incident generated a huge backlash against the officers.Backing the women, the minister, Gérald Darmanin, tweeted: "Freedom is a precious commodity".He said it was wrong the women were asked to put on clothing.A press release posted on Facebook by the Pyrenees-Orientales police said the incident happened last week.Two ...

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Lam Cheuk-ting (left) and Ted Hui Chi-fung were arrested at home in the early hours Two Hong Kong opposition lawmakers are among 16 people arrested over anti-government protests, as a crackdown on democracy supporters widens.Lam Cheuk-ting and Ted Hui Chi-fung from the Democratic Party were arrested at their homes on Wednesday morning.Mr Lam is accused of rioting over a July 2019 incident when masked men attacked protesters after a rally.He was one of dozens injured in the attack, where police were accused of failing to protect democracy activists.A police source tol...