LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- Six years ago, "Frozen" shattered box office records, melted the hearts of youngsters and spawned a franchise so popular Disney was never likely to let it go.And so Queen Elsa and Princess Anna return this month in "Frozen II" -- a sequel its creators promise will be "even bigger and more epic," with its world premiere taking place in Los Angeles Thursday night.Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," the original follow

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) -- Twitter said Wednesday it is rolling out a feature that lets users follow topics the way they do people, starting with sports and K-pop, as part of its efforts to bring in and keep more users on the service.The new "Topics" option was expected to be available to Twitter users on mobile devices powered by Android or Apple software or through web browsers by November 13."We are starting with topics that have the most volume on Twitter for now -- sports, K-pop

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The first open impeachment hearings into US President Donald Trump will begin next week, the congressman leading the probe said Wednesday, as the investigation heads into a highly anticipated public phase.William Taylor, Washington's top diplomat to Ukraine, and deputy assistant secretary of state George Kent are scheduled to testify next Wednesday.People will be able to see "the degree to which the president enlisted whole departments of government in the illicit aim of

North Korea on Wednesday slammed Washington for plans to conduct a joint military exercise with Seoul next month, as negotiations over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal remain deadlocked.The allies cancelled the combined air exercise known as Vigilant Ace along with several other joint drills last year amid a rapid diplomatic thaw with the North, which considers them a rehearsal for invasion.But Pentagon spokesman David Eastburn said this week that the US had "no plans to skip upcoming combined e

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- A top ally of President Donald Trump admitted he told a Ukraine official that US military aid was contingent on Kiev investigating Trump's Democratic rival Joe Biden, testimony released Tuesday showed.In some of the most damning evidence yet to the House impeachment inquiry of Trump, Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, said he told a senior Ukraine official that military aid would likely not be released until Kiev made clear it would investigate Biden an

SHANGHAI (AFP) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed a "high degree of trust" in Hong Kong's unpopular leader Carrie Lam as the two met after months of increasingly violent protests in the semi-autonomous city.Xi's show of support follows speculation that Beijing was preparing to remove Lam as city authorities struggle to contain pro-democracy demonstrations that have rocked the financial hub.Their meeting on the sidelines of an international trade fair Monday followed another

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The United States on Monday formally notified the United Nations that it was withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, making the world's largest economy the sole outlier from the agreement.President Donald Trump went ahead with the pullout despite mounting evidence of the reality and impact of climate change, with September the fourth month in the row with near- or record-breaking temperatures.The United States presented its withdrawal letter to the United Nations on the fi

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- US President Donald Trump called Sunday for the unmasking of the anonymous whistleblower whose complaint launched the House impeachment investigation, attacking the process against him as a "scam."Trump's demand comes amid an intensifying effort by Republicans to expose the whistleblower and attack his or her credibility as public impeachment hearings loom and support for the president erodes.Described only as an intelligence official who once worked at the White Ho

RIYADH (AFP) -- Saudi regulators on Sunday approved state energy giant Aramco's request to make its stock market debut, firing the starting gun on the highly anticipated offering which could be the world's largest.The Capital Markets Authority did not give any details of the Initial Public Offering but it is expected to begin trading in mid-December.The markets regulator "has issued its resolution approving the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco)... application for the registration and

TOKYO (AFP) -- A film festival in suburban Tokyo will show a documentary on the highly controversial issue of Japan's wartime military brothels, organisers said Sunday after coming under fire for dropping the movie.The film's screening was cancelled last week after concerns over the safety of volunteers and objections from local officials.But the decision was reversed after "lots of voices offering cooperation to address our safety concerns," a member of the organising committee told A

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Airbnb's boss announced Saturday that the online platform, which offers private homes for rent for short periods, is banning "party houses" after a deadly shooting at a Halloween event in California.Five people were killed and others wounded in a Thursday night shooting in Orinda, California, in a house that had been rented on Airbnb.More than 100 people were present at the event, which was announced on social media. "Starting today, we are banning 'party houses'

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Southeast Asian leaders meet for a second day in Thailand on Sunday, hoping for a breakthrough in talks over the world's largest trade deal to help throw off the torpor which has gripped the global economy since the US-China tariff war began.The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations opened its annual summit in Bangkok on Saturday hoping to secure a China-backed free trade pact at the three-day event, which knits together half the world's population and around 40 perce

BAMAKO (AFP) -- The Islamic State on Saturday claimed responsibility for a devastating raid that killed 49 Malian troops as well as a blast that led to the death of a French soldier who became the latest casualty in the conflict-torn region.The strikes underscored the fragility of an area straddling several West African countries battling increasing jihadist violence that has claimed hundreds of lives.Friday's assault on a Malian military outpost at Indelimane in the eastern Menaka region near N

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The US Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate for the third straight time on Wednesday but is likely to hold off before providing more stimulus as it gauges economic risks.Though President Donald Trump's trade war with China and Brexit concerns have created uncertainties that have crimped business investment and undermined manufacturing, the American economy has remained "resilient," and monetary policy is now "in a good place," Fed Chairman

SANTIAGO (AFP) -- Chile pulled out of hosting two major international summits on Wednesday as it struggled to restore order after more than ten days of civil unrest that have left at least 20 dead.President Sebastian Pinera said "common sense" dictated the decision to withdraw from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and the Cop 25 climate change conference.US President Donald Trump had said he was planning to meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to lock down a "phase