San Francisco, United States | AFP | Google on Friday said that people looking to place US election ads on its platform will need to show identification, and make clear who is paying. Policy changes being rolled out come as online ad ‘duopoly’ Google and Facebook strive to avoid being …
Read More »Zimbabwe’s Mnangagwa launches election campaign
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday called for his ruling ZANU-PF party to “humbly” appeal for votes as he launched his campaign ahead of elections expected in July. The election will be the first without Robert Mugabe in power since the country won independence from …
Read More »Court provisionally blocks Tanzania’s new blogging law
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Tanzania’s high court on Friday temporarily suspended a controversial new law that would impose major fees on bloggers and other online media. Due to come into force on Saturday, the law would compel bloggers to pay $900 (750 euros) for a permit, a huge sum …
Read More »Death of Mozambique rebel leader shakes peace process
Maputo, Mozambique | AFP | Mozambique’s president said the country’s fragile peace process must not collapse after rebel leader Afonso Dhlakama, who had opened talks with the government, died unexpectedly aged 65. President Filipe Nyusi hailed Dhlakama as “a citizen who has always worked for Mozambique” and said he was …
Read More »Chad PM resigns as constitutional changes boost president’s powers
N’Djamena, Chad | AFP | Chad’s prime minister and his government resigned on Thursday, according to a presidential statement, as controversial constitutional changes took effect in a move that bolsters President Idriss Deby’s powers. Deby — in power for more than two decades in the oil-rich landlocked African state — …
Read More »Mozambique rebel leader Dhlakama dead
Maputo, Mozambique | AFP | Mozambique’s veteran rebel leader Afonso Dhlakama, who mixed guerrilla warfare with opposition politics, has died aged 65, party sources said Thursday. Several sources in Dhlakama’s Renamo party told AFP that Dhlakama passed away after an unconfirmed heart attack, with local television stations also reporting …
Read More »Trump confirms ‘reimbursement’ under porn star deal
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Thursday confirmed a “reimbursement” as part of a hush agreement with porn star Stormy Daniels over allegations of a decade-old affair, but he said campaign money wasn’t involved. Trump’s comments in a series of tweets, which contradicted his earlier …
Read More »Church opposes Burundi constitutional referendum
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundi’s influential Catholic bishops said Thursday that they were opposed to fundamental constitutional changes to be voted on in a referendum this month. If passed, the proposed changes could see President Pierre Nkurunziza remain in charge for another 16 years. A statement, signed by 10 …
Read More »Naked Trump statue goes for $28,000 at auction
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | A naked statue of Donald Trump, complete with a distended belly and jowly sneer, is to go on display at a Haunted Museum after a paranormal investigator bought it at auction. Julien’s Auctions announced Wednesday it sold the artwork — believed to be …
Read More »Cambridge Analytica to close after Facebook data scandal
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Cambridge Analytica, the British marketing analytics firm, announced Wednesday that it was closing and would file for insolvency in Britain and the United States after failing to recover from the Facebook data scandal. The decision follows weeks of intense pressure on the company, hired …
Read More »