Author: Sunfire

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LONDON (AP) — The inflation rate in Britain has risen to its highest level in four years, as the drop in the pound since the Brexit vote pushes up the cost of living. The Office for National Statistics said Tuesday that consumer prices were up 2.9 percent on the year in May, from 2.7 percent in April. That was mainly due to rising prices for recreational and cultural goods and services, such as games, toys and hobbies.

Inflation has been rising steadily in recent months, as the drop in the pound — by as much as a fifth against the dollar since Britain voted in June last year to leave the European Union — makes imports more expensive.   Continue reading “British inflation rate rises to 4-year high as Brexit bites”

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BERLIN (AP) — A police officer was shot in the head after a man grabbed her service pistol and opened fire, also injuring two bystanders, in an incident at a Munich subway station early Tuesday morning, police said.

The officer’s injuries were considered life-threatening, while those to the two bystanders shot at the Unterfoehring station were less serious, Munich police spokesman Marcus da Gloria Martins said. The suspect was seriously injured by gunfire, he said.   Continue reading “Police officer, others injured in Munich subway shooting”

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PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Nearly complete results in Kosovo’s national election are showing that a coalition of ethnic Albanian former leaders of a war of independence against Serbian troops in 1998-1999 is leading with a third of the vote.

The Central Election Commission reported mid-afternoon Monday that the ex-rebels’ coalition came in first with around 34 percent of the vote. With almost 98 percent of votes counted, the nationalist Movement for Self-determination had about 27 percent, a point ahead of a coalition led by former Prime Minister Isa Mustafa.   Continue reading “Preliminary result: Kosovo leaders of anti-Serb war win”

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MOSCOW (AP) — Thousands of anti-government activists challenging President Vladimir Putin’s rule were protesting across Russia on Monday, with police arresting main opposition leader Alexei Navalny outside his Moscow home before he could reach the main demonstration and scores of others.

Navalny’s wife, Yulia, said on his Twitter feed that he was arrested about a half-hour before the Moscow demonstration was to begin. Police later confirmed the arrest, saying he could get up to 15 days in jail on charges of failing to follow police orders and violating public order.   Continue reading “Thousands of Russians protest Putin’s rule; Navalny arrested”

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BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian government forces and rebels traded fire across Daraa on Monday as opposition activists warned the government was preparing to try and retake the remainder of the southern city in spite of a “de-escalation agreement” that came into force a month ago.

The activist-run Nabaa Media outlet released footage of thick black smoke rising over the city following a string of blasts. It alleged the government was using napalm-like weapons. The footage was filmed Sunday.   Continue reading “Fighting for Syria’s Daraa intensifies”

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea’s latest launches of several suspected anti-ship missiles were short-range and landed well short of past efforts, but they still served as a defiant message for its enemies that Pyongyang will continue to pursue a weapons program that has rattled its neighbors and Washington.

The projectiles were fired Thursday from the North Korean eastern coastal town of Wonsan and likely flew about 200 kilometers (125 miles), South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. They landed in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, where U.S. aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson and USS Ronald Reagan participated in joint exercises with the South Korean navy that ended earlier this week.   Continue reading “S. Korea leader warns North after latest missile launch”

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — A young woman charged with leaking U.S. government secrets to a reporter poses no flight risk if she’s released from pre-trial confinement, her parents said Wednesday, though they fear prosecutors will seek to use the case to send a tough message from the Trump administration.

It will be difficult for 25-year-old Reality Winner to get a fair trial if her case becomes “this big thing where we’re not going to tolerate leakers,” Winner’s mother, Billie Winner-Davis, told The Associated Press in an interview.   Continue reading “Alleged leaker’s parents fear Trump will be tough on case”

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LONDON (AP) — Polling stations across Britain opened for national elections amid heightened security Thursday as one senior police official said the country was living through “unprecedented times” following a series of terror attacks in recent weeks.

Authorities asked people to be alert and report any concerns to police as voters choose 650 lawmakers for the House of Commons. Atrocities near Parliament, a Manchester concert venue and London Bridge have left Britain on high alert, with the official threat level at severe, the second-highest rating, indicating an attack is “highly likely.”   Continue reading “Polls open in UK election after campaign marred by attacks”

RT

Bitcoin’s rocketing rise in value shows no sign of abating after breaking the $2,900 mark Tuesday.

The digital payment reached a value of $2,967.48 at around 1.20pm UTC Tuesday, according to the Coindesk Bitcoin Price Index. The pricing is a record high for the cryptocurrency which has been hit with periods of volatility.   Continue reading “Bitcoin smashes $2,900 barrier to hit record high”

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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Gunmen and suicide bombers attacked Iran’s parliament and the shrine of its revolutionary leader on Wednesday, killing at least two people, wounding dozens and igniting an hours-long siege at the legislature that ended with four attackers dead.

The Islamic State group claimed the attacks, marking the first time the Sunni extremists have taken responsibility for an assault in Shiite-majority Iran. The militants are at war with Iranian-backed forces in Syria and Iraq, and view Shiites as apostates.   Continue reading “Islamic State claims attacks on Iran’s parliament, shrine”

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MADRID (AP) — Spain’s Banco Santander is paying the symbolic sum of 1 euro to take over local rival Banco Popular, a long-troubled lender whose shares lost more than half of their value over the past week.

In a statement on Wednesday, Santander said it will take over all the stock in Banco Popular, which had 305,152 shareholders as of the end of March. It will raise around 7 billion euros ($7.9 billion) in a share issue “to reinforce the balance sheet of Banco Popular.”   Continue reading “Spain’s Santander bank buys failing local rival for 1 euro”

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BERLIN (AP) — A civil rights group is asking German authorities to issue an arrest warrant for the recently appointed deputy director of the CIA over claims she oversaw the torture of terrorism suspects 15 years ago.

The nonprofit European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights submitted a legal brief to German federal prosecutors Tuesday, alleging that Gina Haspel allowed the waterboarding of prisoners at a secret U.S. detention center in Thailand.   Continue reading “Rights group asks Germany to arrest CIA deputy director”

RT

The mainly-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the start of a long-awaited siege on ISIS stronghold Raqqa, Syria one week after the US confirmed delivery of arms to it.

SDF, a militia dominated by the Kurdish YPG (People’s Protection Units), said on Tuesday that it has begun a battle to capture Raqqa. “The campaign started yesterday [Monday] to liberate Raqqa city,” SDF spokesman Talal Silo told Reuters in a telephone interview.  Continue reading “US-backed militia says it has begun siege of ISIS ‘capital’ Raqqa”

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that President Donald Trump has asked him to rebuild the U.S. relationship with Russia and not allow the political turmoil over possible Russian ties to the Trump campaign to impede him.

Tillerson said relations with Russia are at a low point and deteriorating, and Trump asked him to try to stabilize the relationship and rebuild trust. The top U.S. diplomat spoke in Wellington, New Zealand, where he met with Prime Minister Bill English during a brief visit.   Continue reading “Tillerson: Trump says look past turmoil and re-engage Russia”

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CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A gunman who killed a man and took a woman hostage before dying in a police shootout had been acquitted of plotting a terror attack at a Sydney army base years earlier, police said Tuesday. Three police officers were wounded.

The siege Monday at an apartment building in a Melbourne suburb was being treated as an act of terror, but Victoria state Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said the gunman appeared to have acted alone and not as part of any ongoing plot or threat.   Continue reading “Hostage-taker in Australia had been acquitted of terror plot”

RT

Crude prices rose on Monday on the news Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen have severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing the country of supporting terrorism.

Brent crude jumped 32 cents to above $50 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate saw a 34 cent increase to $48 per barrel.   Continue reading “Oil jumps after Qatar shunned by Arab neighbors over alleged terrorism links”