Lyon, France | AFP | The nearly intact skeleton of a woolly mammoth that lived at least 10,000 years ago was sold at auction for more than a half million euros Saturday in the southeastern French city of Lyon. The giant skeleton — mounted in a forward walking position with …
Read More »Macron criticised for celebrating 40th birthday in royal style
Paris, France | AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday celebrated his birthday at the iconic chateau of King Francois I, a choice denounced by critics as an example of how he is “cut off from the people”. Macron, who turns 40 on Thursday, is spending the weekend with his …
Read More »Wenger expects Arsenal revival over Christmas
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Newcastle will breed the confidence they need to cope with a hectic Christmas schedule. After seeing his side end a three-match winless run thanks to Mesut Ozil’s spectacular first-half goal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, Gunners …
Read More »More protests in Togo as president chairs ECOWAS summit
Lome, Togo | AFP | Protesters again took to the streets of Togo’s capital Lome on Saturday to demonstrate against the rule of President Faure Gnassingbe, who was in Nigeria chairing a summit of West African leaders. Anti-government marches have been held across the country nearly every week since August, attracting …
Read More »De Bruyne is my Man City blueprint – Guardiola
Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | Pep Guardiola said Kevin De Bruyne incarnated Manchester City’s future after the Belgian’s sublime display inspired his side to an emphatic 4-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. De Bruyne smashed in City’s second goal on Saturday and had a hand in their third, scored by …
Read More »Zuma admits S.Africans ‘not happy’ with ruling ANC party
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African President Jacob Zuma admitted Saturday that voters were “not happy” with the ruling ANC party as it began a five-day conference to elect his successor as party leader. Zuma said in his keynote conference address that the African National Congress’s poor local …
Read More »Zuma bemoans ANC infighting as party chooses new leader
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African President Jacob Zuma on Saturday blamed infighting and perceived corruption for the troubles of the ANC party, which risks losing power for the first time since the end of apartheid. Zuma, whose reign has been marred by graft scandals, spoke at a party …
Read More »Anti-graft protesters throng Israel’s Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv, Israel | AFP | Thousands of Israelis marched on Saturday night for the third week running in central Tel Aviv to demand legal action against “corrupt” people in the government and their resignation. The demonstration comes a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was questioned for the seventh time …
Read More »UN says life terms for DRCongo child rapists a ‘major advance’
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo Saturday hailed as a “major advance” life sentences served this week on a provincial lawmaker and ten militiamen convicted of raping young girls. The group were jailed for life on Wednesday in the east of the …
Read More »ECOWAS threatens Guinea-Bissau sanctions as crisis drags
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | West African leaders on Saturday threatened to slap Guinea-Bissau with sanctions unless the country’s grinding political crisis was resolved within two months. In a summit in Nigeria, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said it was “disappointed with the absence of progress in …
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