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  • Washington (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 20:34

    Tax cut passes US House, heads to Senate for crunch vote

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    Five dead as protests rock Iraqi Kurdistan: medical official

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    Saudi economy shrinks for first time in 8 years: ministry

  • United Nations (United States) (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 16:17

    UN renews aid to Syria opposition areas as Russia abstains

  • Riyadh (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 15:37

    Saudi projects budget deficit for fifth year running

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    Saudi Arabia says missile fired at Riyadh was 'Iranian-Huthi'

  • Riyadh (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 12:25

    Saudi intercepts Yemen rebel missile over Riyadh: state media

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    German business morale eases back from record high: Ifo

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    Derailed US train was going 80 mph in 30 mph zone: transport authority

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    65 journalists and media workers killed in 2017: Reporters Without Borders

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    'Multiple fatalities' in Washington state trail derailment: official

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    Nasdaq tops 7,000 for first time as Wall Street rally continues

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    Ramaphosa elected head of S.Africa's ruling ANC party: official

  • Geneva (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 17:53

    Myanmar 'planned' Rohingya attacks, possibly 'genocide': UN rights chief

  • Los Angeles (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 17:39

    Passenger train derails onto highway in Washington state

  • Geneva (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 16:57

    New Austria coalition marks 'dangerous development': UN rights chief

  • Sulaimaniyah (Iraq) (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 14:10

    Protesters torch political party offices in Iraqi Kurdistan

  • Damascus (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 14:04

    Syria's Assad calls US-backed Kurdish fighters 'traitors'

  • Kabul (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 13:03

    Assault on Kabul spy training centre ends as attackers killed: police 

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    Ikea says Dutch tax deals comply with EU rules

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    Istanbul court orders conditional release of German reporter Tolu: lawyers

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    EU launches probe into Ikea's Dutch tax deals: statement

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    New Austrian rightwing government sworn in

  • Johannesburg (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 11:20

    Counting underway in S.African ANC leadership vote: statement

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    IS claims attack on Kabul intelligence training centre

  • Tripoli (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 10:05

    Mayor of Libya's Misrata abducted and killed: security source

  • Kabul (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 07:56

    Militant attack ongoing at Kabul intelligence training centre: ministry

  • Washington (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 07:14

    Atlanta airport says power back after major flight delays

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    Homicide team to probe 'suspicious' deaths of Canada billionaire couple

  • Tegucigalpa (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 01:07

    Honduran president declared winner of disputed poll

  • Santiago (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 23:51

    Billionaire Pinera to return as Chile's president: results

  • Johannesburg (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 23:49

    S.Africa's ANC reverses decision and starts leadership vote: statement

  • Santiago (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 23:18

    Billionaire ex-president Pinera leads in Chile election

  • Washington (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 23:15

    Trump says no plans to fire Mueller

  • Johannesburg (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 22:42

    S.African ANC party leader vote delayed until Monday: statement

  • Santiago (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 22:11

    Voting closes in apparently tight Chile presidential election

  • Paris (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 20:25

    War against IS in Syria will be won by February: France's Macron

  • United Nations (United States) (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 20:05

    UN Security Council to vote Monday on draft rejecting US decision on Jerusalem

  • Beirut (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 18:33

    British embassy worker found murdered in Lebanon: official

  • Washington (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 18:26

    'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' second-highest opening ever in N. America

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    Putin thanks Trump for help in foiling attack plot: Kremlin

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    Polls open in Chilean presidential election

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    26 dead from landslides after Philippine storm: officials

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    At least five killed in suicide attack on Pakistan church: officials

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    Two rookie astronauts, cosmonaut blast off to ISS 

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    Two Danish nationals wounded in Gabon knife attack: minister

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  • Washington (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 20:34

    Tax cut passes US House, heads to Senate for crunch vote

  • Mexico City (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 20:20

    Mexico bus crash kills 11 tourists including foreigners

  • Sulaimaniyah (Iraq) (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 17:17

    Five dead as protests rock Iraqi Kurdistan: medical official

  • Riyadh (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 17:02

    Saudi economy shrinks for first time in 8 years: ministry

  • United Nations (United States) (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 16:17

    UN renews aid to Syria opposition areas as Russia abstains

  • Riyadh (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 15:37

    Saudi projects budget deficit for fifth year running

  • Riyadh (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 13:19

    Saudi Arabia says missile fired at Riyadh was 'Iranian-Huthi'

  • Riyadh (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 12:25

    Saudi intercepts Yemen rebel missile over Riyadh: state media

  • Moscow (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 10:25

    Kremlin denounces 'imperialist character' of US strategic report

  • Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 10:13

    German business morale eases back from record high: Ifo

  • Beijing (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 09:47

    China slams US security strategy as 'Cold War mentality'

  • DuPont (United States) (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 09:18

    Derailed US train was going 80 mph in 30 mph zone: transport authority

  • Paris (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 06:01

    65 journalists and media workers killed in 2017: Reporters Without Borders

  • DuPont (United States) (AFP) - 12/19/2017 - 02:04

    Three dead, 100 hurt in US train derailment: police

  • Washington (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 23:18

    Pence delays Mideast visit: White House

  • New York (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 22:06

    Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq close at records as US tax cut feeds rally

  • Los Angeles (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 21:36

    'The Last Jedi' rakes in $450.8mn worldwide in opening

  • Washington (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 20:41

    Trump hails terror tip-off that saved 'thousands' in Russia

  • Jerusalem (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 19:33

    Netanyahu: 'Thank you, Ambassador Haley' for US veto at UN

  • Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 19:21

    Palestinians slam 'unacceptable' US veto of Jerusalem UN resolution

  • Washington (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 19:11

    US says China, Russia working to undermine American interests

  • United Nations (United States) (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 18:58

    Haley slams defeated UN measure on Jerusalem as 'an insult'

  • United Nations (United States) (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 18:41

    US vetoes UN resolution rejecting Trump's Jerusalem decision

  • Los Angeles (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 18:28

    'Multiple fatalities' in Washington state trail derailment: official

  • Qamishli (Syria) (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 18:28

    Syria Kurds accuse Assad of opening borders to 'terrorists'

  • New York (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 18:17

    Nasdaq tops 7,000 for first time as Wall Street rally continues

  • Johannesburg (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 18:01

    Ramaphosa elected head of S.Africa's ruling ANC party: official

  • Geneva (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 17:53

    Myanmar 'planned' Rohingya attacks, possibly 'genocide': UN rights chief

  • Los Angeles (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 17:39

    Passenger train derails onto highway in Washington state

  • Geneva (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 16:57

    New Austria coalition marks 'dangerous development': UN rights chief

  • Sulaimaniyah (Iraq) (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 14:10

    Protesters torch political party offices in Iraqi Kurdistan

  • Damascus (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 14:04

    Syria's Assad calls US-backed Kurdish fighters 'traitors'

  • Kabul (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 13:03

    Assault on Kabul spy training centre ends as attackers killed: police 

  • Stockholm (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 12:50

    Ikea says Dutch tax deals comply with EU rules

  • Istanbul (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 12:15

    Istanbul court orders conditional release of German reporter Tolu: lawyers

  • Brussels (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 12:03

    EU launches probe into Ikea's Dutch tax deals: statement

  • Vienna (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 11:20

    New Austrian rightwing government sworn in

  • Johannesburg (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 11:20

    Counting underway in S.African ANC leadership vote: statement

  • Beirut (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 10:10

    IS claims attack on Kabul intelligence training centre

  • Tripoli (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 10:05

    Mayor of Libya's Misrata abducted and killed: security source

  • Kabul (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 07:56

    Militant attack ongoing at Kabul intelligence training centre: ministry

  • Washington (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 07:14

    Atlanta airport says power back after major flight delays

  • Montreal (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 01:55

    Homicide team to probe 'suspicious' deaths of Canada billionaire couple

  • Tegucigalpa (AFP) - 12/18/2017 - 01:07

    Honduran president declared winner of disputed poll

  • Santiago (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 23:51

    Billionaire Pinera to return as Chile's president: results

  • Johannesburg (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 23:49

    S.Africa's ANC reverses decision and starts leadership vote: statement

  • Santiago (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 23:18

    Billionaire ex-president Pinera leads in Chile election

  • Washington (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 23:15

    Trump says no plans to fire Mueller

  • Johannesburg (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 22:42

    S.African ANC party leader vote delayed until Monday: statement

  • Santiago (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 22:11

    Voting closes in apparently tight Chile presidential election

  • Paris (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 20:25

    War against IS in Syria will be won by February: France's Macron

  • United Nations (United States) (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 20:05

    UN Security Council to vote Monday on draft rejecting US decision on Jerusalem

  • Beirut (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 18:33

    British embassy worker found murdered in Lebanon: official

  • Washington (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 18:26

    'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' second-highest opening ever in N. America

  • Moscow (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 17:49

    Putin thanks Trump for help in foiling attack plot: Kremlin

  • Santiago (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 12:17

    Polls open in Chilean presidential election

  • Manila (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 10:42

    26 dead from landslides after Philippine storm: officials

  • Quetta (Pakistan) (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 09:23

    At least five killed in suicide attack on Pakistan church: officials

  • Baikonur (Kazakhstan) (AFP) - 12/17/2017 - 08:28

    Two rookie astronauts, cosmonaut blast off to ISS 

  • Libreville (AFP) - 12/16/2017 - 21:29

    Two Danish nationals wounded in Gabon knife attack: minister

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UN renews aid to Syria opposition areas as Russia abstains

AFP/File / Amer ALMOHIBANY The United Nations maintains that cross-border aid deliveries are a lifeline to Syrians living in rebel-held territory because the government in Damascus has heavily restricted aid shipments to those areas

The UN Security Council on Tuesday voted to renew cross-border aid deliveries to Syria's opposition-held areas for one year, but Russia abstained and said the relief operation should wind down.

Russia had demanded changes to the aid operation that has allowed since 2014 convoys to cross into Syria from Turkey and Jordan without the approval of the government in Damascus.

Russian Deputy Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov argued that the situation in Syria had "changed radically" over the past three years and that cross-border aid was "a legacy of the past."

"We think it is important to gradually draw down this rudimentary scheme which has worked for Syria's division," said Safronkov.

The resolution put forward by Egypt, Japan and Sweden was adopted by a vote of 12 in favor, Russia, China and Bolivia abstaining.

The United Nations maintains that the cross-border deliveries are a lifeline to Syrians living in rebel-held territory because the government in Damascus has heavily restricted aid shipments to those areas.

More than 13 million people need humanitarian aid in Syria, now in its seventh year of war.

Cross-border aid reaches one million Syrians per month, on average, according to UN aid officials.

The adoption of the resolution extending the aid operation came after Russia used its veto power to block a chemical weapons investigation, triggering a major clash at the council among big powers over Syria.

Russia has used its veto 11 times at the council to thwart action directed at its Syrian ally.

Moscow has argued that the aid operation undermines Syria's sovereignty because aid agencies must notify but not seek permission from Damascus for the deliveries inside Syria.

Safronkov said aid agencies must return to the "traditional" approach of working with the Syrian government on providing humanitarian assistance to the entire country.

The United Nations must "make plans for a gradual withdrawal from this cross-border scheme," he said.

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UN renews aid to Syria opposition areas as Russia abstains

AFP/File / Amer ALMOHIBANY The United Nations maintains that cross-border aid deliveries are a lifeline to Syrians living in rebel-held territory because the government in Damascus has heavily restricted aid shipments to those areas

The UN Security Council on Tuesday voted to renew cross-border aid deliveries to Syria's opposition-held areas for one year, but Russia abstained and said the relief operation should wind down.

Russia had demanded changes to the aid operation that has allowed since 2014 convoys to cross into Syria from Turkey and Jordan without the approval of the government in Damascus.

Russian Deputy Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov argued that the situation in Syria had "changed radically" over the past three years and that cross-border aid was "a legacy of the past."

"We think it is important to gradually draw down this rudimentary scheme which has worked for Syria's division," said Safronkov.

The resolution put forward by Egypt, Japan and Sweden was adopted by a vote of 12 in favor, Russia, China and Bolivia abstaining.

The United Nations maintains that the cross-border deliveries are a lifeline to Syrians living in rebel-held territory because the government in Damascus has heavily restricted aid shipments to those areas.

More than 13 million people need humanitarian aid in Syria, now in its seventh year of war.

Cross-border aid reaches one million Syrians per month, on average, according to UN aid officials.

The adoption of the resolution extending the aid operation came after Russia used its veto power to block a chemical weapons investigation, triggering a major clash at the council among big powers over Syria.

Russia has used its veto 11 times at the council to thwart action directed at its Syrian ally.

Moscow has argued that the aid operation undermines Syria's sovereignty because aid agencies must notify but not seek permission from Damascus for the deliveries inside Syria.

Safronkov said aid agencies must return to the "traditional" approach of working with the Syrian government on providing humanitarian assistance to the entire country.

The United Nations must "make plans for a gradual withdrawal from this cross-border scheme," he said.

AFP/File / Amer ALMOHIBANY The United Nations maintains that cross-border aid deliveries are a lifeline to Syrians living in rebel-held territory because the government in Damascus has heavily restricted aid shipments to those areas

The UN Security Council on Tuesday voted to renew cross-border aid deliveries to Syria's opposition-held areas for one year, but Russia abstained and said the relief operation should wind down.

Russia had demanded changes to the aid operation that has allowed since 2014 convoys to cross into Syria from Turkey and Jordan without the approval of the government in Damascus.

19 Dec 2017

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