Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  Jailed Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was taken to hospital Thursday for overnight observation, an official said, as local media reported he was suffering chest pains. Pistorius, 30, is serving a six-year jail term for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, …

  Washington, United States | AFP |  US President Donald Trump claimed relations with Russia had hit an all-time and “very dangerous” low Thursday, putting the blame on Congress after he reluctantly approved sanctions against Moscow. After Moscow called the sanctions a declaration of “economic war” that had exposed the …

Washington, United States | AFP | Special counsel Robert Mueller has impaneled a grand jury to investigate Russia’s interference with the 2016 presidential election, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday — a step toward possible criminal indictments. The newspaper, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the matter, reported that the …

Banjul, Gambia | AFP |  The Gambia has revoked the diplomatic passports of ex-leader Yahya Jammeh and his associates, the foreign ministry said Thursday, as the new government pursues former regime figures it believes embezzled state funds. Jammeh plundered an estimated $50 million before leaving for exile in Equatorial Guinea …

  Dubai, United Arab Emirates | AFP |  With the anticipated transfer of football phenomenon Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain, Qatar is hitting back at its Gulf rivals with a high-profile soft power play. Paris Saint-Germain — owned by sanctions-hit Qatar — are poised to sign Brazilian forward Neymar from Barcelona …

Sredojevic named coach of struggling Pirates Soweto, South Africa | AFP |  Serb Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic was confirmed Thursday in Soweto as coach of popular but underachieving South African club Orlando Pirates. “There is huge room for improvement,” said the 47-year-old of a team that has won just one trophy …

Neymar signs five-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain  Paris, France | AFP |  Neymar completed his world record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday when he signed a five-year contract, the French club announced. The 25-year-old Brazilian earlier broke his contract with Barcelona by paying a 222 million-euro ($264 million, £201 …

Berlin, Germany | AFP |  Ukraine’s former world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko announced his retirement from boxing on Thursday to scupper any hopes of a November rematch against Britain’s Anthony Joshua. Hamburg-based Klitschko, 41, hangs up his gloves as one of the all-time greats of the ring after a nine-and-a-half …

  Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Mujib Kasule is seeking an interim order restraining soccer governing body FUFA and president Moses Magogo from conducting elections on Saturday, pending the disposal of his application contesting why he was ruled out of the polls. High Court, Civil Division before the Lady Justice …

Thousands of Rwandans in Uganda happy to vote next President Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE |  The queues started forming as early as 7am as thousands of Rwandan living in Uganda on Aug.03 thronged their embassy to vote in the presidential election. Many of them told The Independent that they …