Zelensky denies Trump tried to 'blackmail' him

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said there was no blackmail threat directed at him in a controversial phone call on July 25 with his US counterpart Donald Trump that sparked an impeachment inquiry in the United States.

Swahili making inroads in Africa

When the Southern African Development Community adopted Swahili as its fourth official language in August, some people questioned the practicality of the decision. After all, English, Portuguese and French were already lubricating the wheels of the intergovernmental organization tasked with promoting economic and social integration within the region.

Power cuts blasted as fire risk spreads

LOS ANGELES - Hundreds of thousands of Californians were still without electricity due to preemptive blackouts on Thursday as hot, windy conditions causing wildfires spread south toward Los Angeles, with the state's governor blasting the predicament of householders as unacceptable.

New Huawei office hailed as spur for UK growth

Huawei has opened a new office in Manchester, drawing praise from local officials who say the Chinese telecommunications company will provide a major boost to the tech economy in northern England.

IN BRIEF (Page 7)

Missile strike on Iran tanker keeps heat on

TEHERAN - Two missiles struck an Iranian tanker traveling through the Red Sea off Saudi Arabia on Friday, Iranian officials said, the latest incident in the Persian Gulf region amid months of heightened tensions between Teheran and Washington.

Collaboration key to restoring China-US ties, forum told

Greater efforts at collaboration and understanding between China and the United States have been urged by experts as a way of shoring up a bilateral relationship that is being challenged on a number of fronts.

First Turkish soldier killed during Syria operation

AKKALE, Turkey - Turkey said on Friday that one of its soldiers was killed in northern Syria, the first such fatality in its offensive against a Kurdish militia for a third day, while tens of thousands of people were forced to flee.

Ethiopian PM Abiy wins Nobel Peace Prize

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 in recognition of his efforts to end his country's long-running border conflict with Eritrea.

Tokyo braces for worst typhoon in 60 years

TOKYO - A typhoon was forecast to bring at least 60 centimeters of rainfall and damaging winds to the Tokyo area this weekend, with an even greater deluge in store for central Japan's Pacific coast.

STAR market to lift global participation

Shanghai's sci-tech innovation board may see increased foreign participation over the next few quarters, as a key global index provider is expected to include eligible STAR-listed firms and as the new board provides a larger investable pool, analysts said.

SF expands retail footprint with Benlai investment

Delivery giant SF Express has expanded its retail footprint with a $200 million investment in fresh food e-commerce platform Benlai Holdings.