Berlin, Germany | AFP | The nationalist Alternative for Germany was hit by party infighting Monday, just hours after winning its first seats in parliament, with its co-chief Frauke Petry declaring that she won’t join its Bundestag group. Citing “dissent” with more hardline colleagues, Petry dropped her bombshell at a morning …
Read More »Sudan student condemned to hang for killing of policeman
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | A court in Sudan on Sunday sentenced a university student to death after convicting him of killing a policeman during protests in the capital last year, a defence lawyer said. Asim Omer, who was studying at Khartoum University, was arrested in December 2016 and charged with …
Read More »Two more US Senators signal opposition to Obamacare overhaul
Washington, United States | AFP | Two Republican senators signalled strong opposition Sunday to their party’s latest bid to overhaul Obamacare, dealing a potentially fatal blow to one President Donald Trump’s top legislative goals. Senator Susan Collins of Maine said she cannot “envision a scenario” in which she would back the …
Read More »Trump removes Sudan, adds North Korea on new US travel ban
N. Korea, Venezuela, Chad among 8 countries on new US travel ban Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump issued a new open-ended travel ban Sunday that saw North Korea, Venezuela and Chad among a list of eight countries cited for poor security and lack of cooperation with …
Read More »Zimbabwean pastor arrested in church over video post
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwean activist pastor Evan Mawarire was on Sunday arrested during a church service after he posted a video bemoaning the country’s worsening economic troubles, his lawyer said. The charismatic pastor who has been arrested several times for his dissenting views informed the congregation about his …
Read More »Togo: how long can the grassroots pressure last?
Lome, Togo | AFP | Togo’s government was surprised by how many people took to the streets earlier this month to demand the removal of President Faure Gnassingbe. But with no end in sight to the protesters’ calls for change, questions are mounting about whether the pressure can be maintained to …
Read More »McCain torpedoes Republican effort to repeal Obamacare
Washington, United States | AFP | US Senator John McCain announced Friday his opposition to the latest Republican attempt to replace Barack Obama’s signature health care law, likely dooming the repeal effort. It is the second time in two months that he has defied his party and President Donald Trump over …
Read More »Trump v NBA, NFL – Who’s saying what
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump has triggered a furious backlash across the US professional sports world after branding NFL players “sons of bitches” for protesting the national anthem and withdrawing a White House invitation to NBA champion Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. AFP Sport …
Read More »Kenya stripped of 2018 CHAN hosting rights
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Kenya were stripped Saturday of the right to host the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) after a CAF executive committee meeting in Accra. The decision was announced at a media conference after a one-day gathering of the African football “cabinet” headed by president Ahmad …
Read More »Kremlin says not involved in Russia-linked Facebook ads
Moscow, Russia | AFP | The Kremlin on Friday distanced itself from the controversy over Russia-linked Facebook ads which may have influenced last year’s US election, saying Moscow had nothing to do with them. “We don’t know who places ads on Facebook and how,” President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told …
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