New York, United States | AFP | Time magazine named as Person of the Year Wednesday “the silence breakers” who triggered a national reckoning by revealing the pervasiveness of sexual harassment, assault and abuse in US life. President Donald Trump was runner-up in the prestigious ranking, ahead of his Chinese …
Read More »UK Catholic school master convicted of sex abuse
London, United Kingdom | AFP | A former master at a top British Catholic school was convicted Wednesday of raping and sexual abusing boys in crimes dating back to the 1970s. Andrew Soper, 74, fled to Kosovo in 2011 to avoid prosecution over charges he molested boys at St Benedict’s …
Read More »Ministry of gender retires eight officers
Kampala, Uganda | FRANK MUGABI | The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development took advantage of its end of year party to also accord its retiring officers a warm and affectionate send off. The event was held on Tuesday December 5, 2017 at the Nomo gallery in Kampala. A total …
Read More »US-Israeli relations since 1948
Washington, United States | AFP | A recap of key developments in Israeli-US relations, after President Donald Trump on Wednesday recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in a major break with his predecessors. – Recognition, despite divergences – On May 14, 1948, David Ben Gurion founds the Jewish state of Israel, …
Read More »France’s Macron seeks warmer ties in former colony Algeria
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday made his first official visit to Algeria, announcing that he came as a “friend” despite France’s historically prickly relationship with its former colony. Ties between Paris and Algiers have defrosted in recent years, a half-century after French forces brutally …
Read More »Libya kicks off bid to hold elections
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | Libya on Wednesday launched a UN-brokered effort to hold elections in the strife-torn country with a campaign to register new voters. Imed al-Sayeh, head of the country’s High National Election Commission (HNEC), announced the launch in Tripoli alongside the UN envoy Ghassan Salame. The campaign …
Read More »About 11,000 displaced people flee violence in C.Africa
Bangui, Central African Republic | AFP | Violence near the northern border of Central African Republican has forced thousands of people to flock to the tiny town of Paoua, the Red Cross said Wednesday. About 11,000 people have found refuge in the northwestern townlet since fighting between various armed groups …
Read More »Tillerson plans Africa trip for early 2018
Ramstein, Germany | AFP | Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met US military officers on Wednesday to prepare for a trip to better coordinate American security and diplomatic strategy in Africa. Tillerson plans to make the trip in the first quarter of 2018, the State Department said, after he dismissed …
Read More »Netanyahu hails Trump’s Jerusalem declaration as ‘historic’
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Wednesday as “historic” and a “courageous and just decision”. Netanyahu also pledged no change to the status quo at Jerusalem’s highly sensitive holy sites in the city sacred to …
Read More »Turkey says Trump move on Jerusalem ‘irresponsible’, illegal
Istanbul, Turkey | AFP | Turkey on Wednesday slammed as irresponsible and illegal the announcement by US President Donald Trump that Washington was recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “We condemn the irresponsible statement of the US administration… the decision is against international law and relevant UN resolutions,” Turkish Foreign Minister …
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