Cairo, Egypt | AFP | Egypt’s ultra-conservative Islamist Al-Nour party has decided to support President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in his bid to be re-elected in March, the party said on Sunday. Sisi, who has been in power since 2014, appears set to run unopposed after all other presidential hopefuls announced …
Read More »Gaza police block women from attending football match
Palestinian Territories | AFP | Police blocked dozens of women from attending a football match Sunday in the Gaza Strip, in what activists said they hoped would have been the first such permission under Hamas’s rule. Authorities in the Palestinian enclave run by Islamist movement Hamas told the women they …
Read More »Isolated Qatar signs agreements with Oman
Muscat, Oman | AFP | Qatar signed a memorandum of understanding with Oman on the development of bilateral investment and trade Sunday, nearly eight months into a crisis between the emirate and its Arab neighbours. The Omani news agency ONA said the agreement signed in Muscat covers a wide range …
Read More »Bomb attacks target police in northern Colombia
Bogota, Colombia | AFP | A rash of bombings hit police stations in northern Colombia over the weekend, killing seven police and injuring dozens more in what authorities said appeared to be the work of drug gangs. The attacks began early Saturday in the city of Barranquilla, where five police officers …
Read More »IMF invites Arab nations to tackle public ‘frustration’
Rabat, Morocco | AFP | The International Monetary Fund is holding a two-day regional conference from Monday in Morocco with a message of reform amid growing “frustration” among the population of some Arab states. “Rising social tensions and protests in several countries across the Middle East and North Africa are …
Read More »Man City keep quadruple dream alive, Chelsea also through
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Kevin De Bruyne starred as Manchester City stayed on course for an unprecedented quadruple as a 2-0 win at Cardiff on Sunday put the runaway Premier League leaders into the last 16 of the FA Cup. City, 12 points clear at the summit of …
Read More »Drama as Nigeria, Libya reach CHAN semi-finals
Agadir, Morocco | AFP | Nigeria clawed back from the brink of defeat to edge Angola 2-1 after extra time on Sunday in cold, windy Tangiers and book an African Nations Championship (CHAN) semi-final against Sudan. In the last quarter-final, former champions Libya pipped Congo Brazzaville 5-3 on penalties after …
Read More »Federer credits wife for keeping him going
Melbourne, Australia | AFP | Roger Federer has credited his wife Mirka with keeping him motivated and still going strong at 36, although his longevity has “many pieces to the puzzle”. The Swiss master won his 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Sunday when he defeated Marin …
Read More »US senator fires top aide over ‘improper relations’ with staff
Washington, United States | AFP | A prominent US senator on Saturday fired his chief of staff for improper relations with subordinates, as US lawmakers increasingly grapple with the issue of sexual harassment. Republican Senator Marco Rubio said he received by Saturday “sufficient evidence to conclude that while employed by this …
Read More »Cambodia arrests foreigners for ‘pornographic dancing
Phnom Penh, Cambodia | AFP | Cambodia has charged 10 foreigners arrested for “singing and dancing pornographically”, officials said Sunday, as the kingdom cracks down on racy behaviour at popular tourist sites. The group appeared in court three days after police arrested them Thursday at a villa in Siem Reap, …
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