Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump’s White House barred several major US media outlets from a daily press briefing Friday, raising accusations of favoritism. The White House excluded some outlets that have provided critical coverage like CNN and the New York Times from an off-camera event that …
Read More »South African police fire rubber bullets at anti-immigrant march
Pretoria, South Africa | AFP | South African police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades to break up clashes between local protesters and immigrants in Pretoria on Friday at a march against foreigners. Shops and homes owned by migrants have been looted and torched over the last two …
Read More »Gambia’s ex-spy chief, 8 others charged with murder
Banjul, Gambia | AFP | Gambia’s dreaded former spy chief — whose watch was marred by allegations of killings and torture — and eight subordinates were charged Thursday with killing a leading opposition member in April. Yankuba Badjie headed the National Intelligence Agency, which rights groups say carried out arbitrary …
Read More »Malawi sacks minister amid ‘maizegate’ graft probe
Blantyre, Malawi | AFP | Malawi’s President Peter Mutharika on Wednesday fired the country’s agriculture minister who is alleged to have profited from a $35 million deal to import maize from Zambia. George Chaponda, seen as a close ally and potential successor of Mutharika, was dismissed from his post a …
Read More »Britain names first woman top police officer
London, United Kingdom | AFP | A woman will become Britain’s most senior police officer for the first time, the government announced on Wednesday, a controversial move due to her involvement in a fatal London shooting. Cressida Dick, 56, will succeed Bernard Hogan-Howe as commissioner of London’s Metropolitan Police, returning …
Read More »Somali president inaugurated, says no quick fix for woes
Mogadishu, Somalia | AFP | Somalia’s new President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed sought to downplay high expectations of his new administration at his inauguration Wednesday, saying it would take decades to fix the nation’s many problems. “Our government is facing so many challenges and even though I will be doing my …
Read More »South African court rules against govt plan to pull out of ICC
S.African court slaps down bid to leave ICC Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A South African court on Wednesday ordered the government to withdraw its “unconstitutional” bid to pull out of the International Criminal Court, in a boost to the embattled Hague-based institution. The decision was a blow to …
Read More »Le Pen in Lebanon controversy over headscarf refusal
Beirut, Lebanon | AFP | France’s far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen capped her visit to Lebanon with controversy on Tuesday when she refused to wear a headscarf to meet the country’s top Sunni Muslim cleric. On her last day in the Mediterranean country, Le Pen arrived at Sheikh Abdellatif …
Read More »US sets plan for sweeping crackdown on nearly all illegal immigrants
Washington, United States | AFP | The Department of Homeland Security issued tough new orders Tuesday to begin a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigrants, putting nearly all of the country’s 11 million undocumented foreigners in their cross-hairs. Two memos issued by DHS Secretary John Kelly order border patrol and immigration …
Read More »Mugabe marks 93rd birthday with faltering TV interview
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, the world’s oldest national ruler, turned 93 on Tuesday, using a long and occasionally rambling interview to vow to remain in power despite growing signs of frailty. He celebrated with his staff in a private ceremony in Harare as supporters and …
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