Khartoum, Sudan | AFP |  President Omar al-Bashir on Saturday accused Amnesty International of spreading “lies” that Sudanese government forces had used chemical weapons against civilians in war-torn Darfur. Last month, Amnesty said in a report that Sudanese forces had carried out more than 30 suspected chemical weapons attacks in …

New York, United States | AFP |  Telecom giant AT&T has struck a deal to buy entertainment company Time Warner for more than $80 billion, to add in-house content to its distribution services, a banking source familiar with the negotiations said Saturday. An official announcement is expected before Monday’s trading …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Somali pirates have freed 26 Asian hostages held for nearly five years after the hijacking of their fishing vessel, the last commercial ship seized at the height of the country’s piracy scourge, negotiators said Saturday. The crew of the Naham 3, the second longest held …

Cairo, Egypt | AFP |  An Egyptian appeals court upheld on Saturday a 20-year sentence for ousted president Mohamed Morsi, the first final ruling in a string of trials for the deposed Islamist leader. The Court of Cassation also upheld sentences against eight of his codefendants, including seven who received …

The Hague, Netherlands | AFP |    The International Criminal Court on Saturday asked South Africa and Burundi to reconsider their decisions to withdraw from the troubled institution set up to try the world’s worst crimes. “Although withdrawing from a treaty is a sovereign act, I regret these decisions and …

Johnstown, United States | AFP | Pundits and pollsters say the bottom may be falling out of Donald Trump’s White House run, but diehard supporters in the western Pennsylvania city of Johnstown strongly disagree. A few hours’ drive north and west from liberal Washington, Johnstown — the beating heart of …

Ugandans mourned the sudden death Saturday of veteran TV journalist Andrew Patrick Luwandagga, praising him for his pioneering work in the sports field. Details of the cause of his death are still scanty, with initial reports saying he had collapsed and was confirmed dead at about 4.00am at his Namasuba home. …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  Zamalek of Egypt can draw comfort from the past as they seek to overturn a 3-0 deficit on Sunday in the second leg of the CAF Champions League final against Mamelodi Sundowns. Canon Yaounde (Cameroon), Mouloudia Alger (Algeria) and Asante Kotoko (Ghana) faced similar …

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  Security has been stepped up on the London Underground network, police said Saturday, following the arrest of a 19-year-old man after a suspicious item was discovered on a Tube train. “The public will see more officers, including armed police, in and around transport hubs,” …

Blantyre, Malawi | AFP |  Malawian President Peter Mutharika said Friday he was in “excellent health”, dismissing rumours of illness as he made his first comments after an extended trip to the United States. “I am not sick. I am still alive and I have more than nine lives,” the …