Washington, United States | AFP | The BuzzFeed story was a bombshell: President Donald Trump instructed his lawyer to lie to Congress about plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. It sparked immediate calls for impeachment. Less than 24 hours later, the story was struck down by a rare statement …
Read More »DR Congo set for historic political transition
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Felix Tshisekedi is to be sworn in on Thursday as president of Democratic Republic of Congo, marking the country’s first-ever peaceful handover of power after chaotic and bitterly-disputed elections. At 55, opposition leader Tshisekedi takes over from Joseph Kabila who is stepping aside after 18 …
Read More »COMESA trade barriers
COMESA: Experts call for harmonisation of standards within the trading bloc Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa bloc presents huge opportunities for businesses but a number of challenges remain. Delegates from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Malawi said at a recent meeting …
Read More »Juan Guaido: the ‘kid’ taking on Venezuela’s Maduro
Caracas, Venezuela | AFP | Juan Guaido proudly calls himself a “survivor.” He will need to be: the bold young politician, head of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled legislature, became public enemy number one when he declared himself interim president Wednesday, defying embattled President Nicolas Maduro. Guaido did not set out to …
Read More »Oscar nominations: all the fun facts
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | The nominations for the 91st Oscars were announced Tuesday, with “Roma” and “The Favourite” leading the pack. But the statistical quirks that the annual event throws up can be as intriguing as tracking which movies get the most nods. Here are some fun …
Read More »Bleeding risks may offset aspirin’s benefit vs heart disease
Tampa, United States | AFP | Should healthy people take aspirin to ward off heart disease? The notion has been controversial, and the medical advice mixed. But a review of scientific data on the topic Tuesday showed that any benefits are slight, and are counterbalanced by a matching rise in …
Read More »Construction without coordination: how ants build megaprojects
Paris, France | AFP | Leaf-cutter ants build super highways to transfer food and building materials hundreds of metres without communicating with each other, scientists claimed Wednesday, in findings that could prompt a rethink about how some insect communities organise themselves. Each leaf-cutter colony can carve out nearly three kilometres of …
Read More »10 years after crisis, bank CEO pay swells again
New York, United States | AFP | Ten years after Wall Street recklessness helped lead to the Great Recession, compensation for top bank CEOs is soaring even as pay flattens at junior levels. Compensation figures released so far by large banks this year suggest a rich season for CEOs, despite …
Read More »US video game industry scored $43.4 bn record sales in 2018
San Francisco, United States | AFP | From “Fortnite” to “Pokemon Go,” play in the US drove video-game industry revenue to a record-setting $43.4 billion last year, according to data released Tuesday. Spending on games in the US in 2018 climbed 18 percent from the previous year, according to figures from …
Read More »From Prince William to Mike Pompeo: top quotes at Davos
Davos, Switzerland | AFP | Here is a serving of quotes from the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Tuesday, where a year after US President Donald Trump stole the show, Brazil’s new far-right leader grabbed the limelight. “I’d like to say it’s a personal treat for me to be …
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