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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, looks at US President Donald Trump before posing for a family photo before the G20 summit in Argentina, 30 November, 2018. Photo: Vladimir Astapkovich / Sputnik via AFP By Vladimir Soldatkin, Reuters Russia President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Donald Trump on winning the US presidential election, praising him for showing bravery when a gunman tried to assassinate him, and said Moscow was ready to talk to the Republican president-elect. "I would like to congratulate him on his election as president," Putin told the Valdai discussion club in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Trump said during campaigning that he could bring peace in Ukraine within 24 hours if he was elected, but has given few details on how he would seek to end the biggest land w...

By Enas Alashray and Bart H. Meijer, Reuters Dutch police officers stand guard after several scuffles broke out after a football match between Ajax Amsterdam and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Photo: VLN Niews Israeli PM sends rescue planes to Amsterdam Dutch PM "horrified" by attacks after soccer match Police detain 57 after pro-Palestinian protests Dutch PM tells Netanyahu perpetrators will be prosecuted Israel sent two planes to bring back fans of an Israeli soccer team from the Netherlands on Friday (local time) after overnight attacks in the streets that officials described as antisemitic. Videos circulating on social media showed riot police intervening in street clashes, with some attackers shouting anti-Israeli slurs. Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters wer...

By Nectar Gan, CNN Xi and Trump during the latter's first term. Photo: Brendan Smialowski / AFP China is bracing for what could be a volatile and highly unpredictable path ahead in its escalating great power rivalry with the United States, after Donald Trump made a historic political comeback to win the race to the White House. His return could bring tariffs as high as 60 percent on Chinese goods - which could devastate economic growth in the world's second largest economy and upend global supply chains - more technology controls and fiery rhetoric on Beijing, heightening tension in already rocky relations between the superpowers. But Trump's protectionist trade posture and transactional approach to foreign policy may also weaken US alliances and global leadership, presenting opportu...

A firefighter tries to control the fire burning down a house in Camarillo, California, on 6 November 2024. Photo: AFP / Etienne Laurent Terrie Morin, 60, and her husband, Dave, were at the barber shop when they heard about a raging wildfire making headway toward their Camarillo home in California on Wednesday (local time) morning. The couple were hosting two guests at the time, but because their guests worked late, Morin suspected they slept through the residence's fire alarms. "I run in the house, and I'm banging on the door, and they did not hear me. They were knocked out," Morin told CNN. "Get the dog. Get out of here. You don't have time, just get out!" she recalled telling them. Ten minutes later, Dave noticed sparks in their backyard. The temperature was also picking up. "It was h...

By Nidal al-Mughrabi for Reuters Children stare at the destruction following an Israeli strike in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on 7 November. Photo: EYAD BABA/AFP Israeli forces have stepped up bombardment across the Gaza Strip and ordered more evacuations, creating a fresh wave of displacement from northern Gaza, to which Palestinians fear they will not be able to return. Palestinian health officials said at least 10 people had been killed and several others wounded in an Israeli air strike on a school housing displaced families in Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. The Israeli military said the strike targeted a Hamas command centre embedded inside the compound that previously served as a UN-run school. It accused Hamas of exploiting civilian facilities for mil...

New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive officer Philip Gregan said there was "a little bit of nervousness". Photo: 123RF Kiwi winemakers are anxiously waiting to see if and when they'll be hit by high tariffs exporting into the US, following the election of Donald Trump. President-elect Trump campaigned on introducing tariffs of up to 20 percent on imported goods as part of his 'America First' economic policy. If he goes through with that promise, it could hit our exporters hard - and with the US market accounting for some 40 percent of New Zealand's wine exports, it could be devastating for the $800 million industry here. New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive officer Philip Gregan told Checkpoint on Friday there was "a little bit of nervousness" about the "hypothetical" hit to busine...