The raging fire that tore through Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris was under control early Tuesday after the blaze brought its towering spire and roof crashing to the ground, wiping out centuries of priceless heritage central to French culture and history. French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild the cathedral described as the soul of the nation and expressed relief that "the worst had been avoided" in a blaze that had at one point threatened the entire edifice.French President Emm

In a major archaeological discovery, Egypt on Saturday unveiled the tomb of a Fifth Dynasty official adorned with colourful reliefs and well preserved inscriptions.The tomb, near Saqqara, a vast necropolis south of Cairo, belongs to a senior official named Khuwy who is believed to have been a nobleman during the Fifth Dynasty, which ruled over Egypt about 4300 years ago.  Archaelogists inside the newly discovered tomb of Khuwy, who is believed to have been a nobleman during the Fifth Dynasty, wh

KUALA LUMPUR -- A Vietnamese woman accused of killing the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will walk free on May 3, her lawyer said Saturday.Following diplomatic pressure from the Vietnamese government, Malaysian prosecutors had dropped the murder charge against Doan Thi Huong on April 1.Subsequently, the 30-year-old former hair salon worker pleaded guilty to "causing injury" and was handed a three year and four month jail term effective from the date of her arrest in February 201

JPMorgan Chase reported higher first-quarter profits Friday, pointing to a still-solid US economy reflected in more lending and better profit margins on loans.Earnings at the biggest US bank by assets were $9.2 billion, up 5.4 percent from the year-ago period.Revenues were $29.9 billion, up 4.7 percent.Shares rose following the results, which topped analyst expectations.A strong performance in the consumer and community banking division -- the biggest segment by revenues -- was the driver of hig

A Japanese court on Friday ruled that Carlos Ghosn will remain in detention until April 22, as prosecutors grill the former Nissan boss over allegations of financial misconduct.His lawyers immediately appealed the decision and have already asked the Supreme Court to intervene in his detention.But unless the appeals succeed, the 65-year-old will be held in custody at a detention centre in Tokyo until April 22, whereupon authorities will either have to press formal charges, release him or re-arres

HONG KONG, April  8, 2019 (AFP) - Three leading Hong Kong democracy campaigners will find out if they face jail Tuesday for their involvement in mass rallies, with their trial sparking renewed alarm over shrinking political freedoms under an assertive China.They are among nine activists facing rarely used colonial-era public nuisance charges for their participation in the 2014 Umbrella Movement protests calling for free elections for the city's leader.The charges carry steep jail terms of up to

BRUSSELS (AFP) -- EU leader Jean-Claude Juncker vowed Wednesday to work until the last moment to prevent a "no deal" Brexit, but admitted this now appears to be a likely result. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (left) (AFP-Yonhap)Addressing the European Parliament after Prime Minister Theresa May asked for a short postponement, Juncker said Britain remains on course for Brexit next week."I will do everything to avoid the United Kingdom's disorderly departure," Juncker said, warn

AUGUSTA, United States, April  3, 2019 (AFP) - Augusta National Golf Club, an all-male enclave from its 1933 formation until 2012, will crown a historic first woman as a tournament champion on Saturday ahead of next week's 83rd Masters.The inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur will conclude with 30 players driving down fabled Magnolia Lane and competing over the legendary 18-hole layout.Two earlier rounds at nearby Champions Retreat were set to get underway on Wednesday, a global field of 7

VATICAN CITY -- Internet-based “fake news” is fomenting prejudice and hatred, Pope Francis said on Tuesday, warning our culture “has lost its sense of truth and bends the facts to suit particular interests.”He issued the stark warning in a letter to young people around the world following last October‘s youth-themed bishops’ synod.Pope Francis (AP-Yonhap)“There are huge economic interests operating in the digital world, capable of exercising forms of control as subtle as they are invasive, creat

GENEVA -- Global trade growth is expected to be lower in 2019 than it was last year, the World Trade Organization forecast on Tuesday, citing widespread “tensions” and economic uncertainty. The WTO had in its preliminary estimates predicted a 3.7 percent expansion of trade for this year, but has revised that down to 2.6 percent, marking a decline on the three-percent growth recorded in 2018. “The fact that we don‘t have great news today should surprise no one who has

"Reiwa": Japan on Monday revealed the name of the era that will define the new emperor's reign when he ascends the Chrysanthemum Throne next month following a historic abdication.The name consists of two characters: "Rei", which can have meanings related to "order" but also "auspicious" and "Wa", usually translated as "peace" or "harmony."(AFP)After weeks of fevered speculation and top-secret discussions, the two "kanji" characters were unveiled to reveal a name that will last as long as new emp

SHAH ALAM, Malaysia, April  1, 2019 (AFP) - A Vietnamese woman accused of assassinating the North Korean leader's half-brother will walk free in May after pleading guilty to a lesser charge, her lawyer said. Doan Thi Huong welcomed the "fair sentence" after the judge handed down the verdict in a Malaysian court, where she has been on trial for the murder of Kim Jong Nam with a nerve agent.Huong was sentenced her to three years and four months in jail from her arrest in February 2017. But her leg

HANOI -- North Korean tourism officials on Thursday urged Vietnamese travellers to seize a "golden" opportunity to visit the country following a summit between Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi last month. With an economy crippled by international sanctions, isolated North Korea is keen to boost its nascent tourism sector by attracting more foreign visitors, the bulk of whom currently come from China. A North Korean tourism official said it is prime time for Vietnamese visitors

A German advertisement showing an Asian woman getting aroused after smelling dirty laundry worn by white men has fueled anger in Seoul, with many women calling it racist and demanding an apology.The commercial, produced by German DIY-store chain Hornbach, shows white men working outside in a garden before removing their sweaty clothing and dumping it in a box.The ad then cuts to a grey, industrial city that resembles Tokyo, where an Asian woman buys a bag of dirty clothes -- previously worn by t

India said Wednesday it destroyed a low-orbiting satellite in a missile test that proved the nation was among the world's most advanced space powers.In a rare address to the nation just weeks out from a national election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India had joined the United States, Russia and China in accomplishing the feat. A man watches Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on a local news channel in New Delhi on Wednesday. (AFP-Yonhap)A missile fired from a test