Washington, United States | AFP | Terrorists and hate groups continue to get their propaganda onto social media platforms despite efforts by Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to shut them down, a US Senate panel heard Wednesday. Islamic State, Al Qaeda, and others have stepped up their use of bots and other …
Read More »Zimbabwe elections in ‘4 to 5’ months: president
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe will hold elections in four to five months, the country’s new president has said, pointing to an earlier date than expected following the ousting of long-time ruler Robert Mugabe. President Emmerson Mnangagwa took office in November after a shock military takeover ended Mugabe’s 37-year …
Read More »Trump to speak at anti-abortion rally in Washington
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump will appear via video link during this year’s March for Life, a mass rally of anti-abortion activists taking place Friday in Washington, the White House said. Trump “will become the first sitting president to address the March for Life from the …
Read More »UN chief defends Iran deal after Trump demands changes
United Nations, United States | AFP | UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday warned that any bid to address concerns about Iran should not jeopardize the hard-won nuclear deal after US President Donald Trump demanded changes to the accord. The United States is concerned the deal, thrashed out over 12 years …
Read More »Ghana vigilant on extremist threat: president
Accra, Ghana | AFP | Ghana’s president, Nana Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday vowed no let-up in security after an investigation was launched into a possible extremist plot in the capital. Three men were charged on Tuesday with possession of explosives after suspected hand grenades were found in the Odorkor area of Accra. …
Read More »E. Guinea leader denies opposition death in custody claims
Libreville, Gabon | AFP | Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema has rejected opposition claims that one of its activists died in custody after being tortured, and that some 200 of their number are under arrest. In an interview late Tuesday with French radio station RFI and France 24 television, …
Read More »UK appoints ‘minister for loneliness’
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain appointed a “minister for loneliness” on Wednesday to tackle what Prime Minister Theresa May described as “the sad reality of modern life” affecting millions of people. Tracey Crouch, a junior minister for sport and civil society, will take on the role as part …
Read More »Mr President, can you identify this animal?
Washington, United States | AFP | Identifying animals and reciting a list of words are among the type of challenges contained in the cognitive fitness test taken by US President Donald Trump. According to White House doctor Ronny Jackson, Trump scored “exceedingly well” (30 out of 30) on the Montreal …
Read More »S.Africa seeks cash from firms linked to Zuma graft scandal
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African prosecutors said Tuesday they are seeking $130 million from global consultancy McKinsey and a local firm linked to a graft scandal that has engulfed President Jacob Zuma. The announcement was the first move against the Gupta family that is accused of corrupt …
Read More »Morocco sentences man to death over MP killing
Rabat, Morocco | AFP | A Moroccan court sentenced to death a man over the murder of a member of parliament and jailed his widow, in a case involving sex and money, the government said Tuesday. Abdellatif Merdas, who was a member of the liberal Constitutional Union party, was gunned …
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