Seoul, South Korea | AFP | Thousands of protesters marched near the US embassy in Seoul on Saturday, accusing President Donald Trump of “forcing” South Korea to deploy a controversial American missile defence system opposed by China. The protest came as South Korea’s new president Moon Jae-In heads to Washington …
Read More »Trump wishes Muslims ‘warm greetings’ for Eid
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Saturday sent warm greetings” to Muslims celebrating the end of Ramadan, after his administration broke with the tradition of hosting a White House event to recognize the holy month. “On behalf of the American people, Melania and I send …
Read More »US strips Ghana lawmakers of visa privileges
Accra, Ghana | AFP | Former presidents, lawmakers and senior government officials in Ghana will no longer have special privileges for private travel to the United States, Washington’s envoy has said. Until now, such individuals were able to take advantage of “protocol services” where they did not have to physically …
Read More »Jury awards $218 mn to farmers in Syngenta GMO corn lawsuit
Chicago, United States | AFP | A US federal jury on Friday ordered Swiss agribusiness giant Syngenta to pay nearly $218 million to 7,000 Kansas farmers after selling them genetically-modified corn seeds not approved for export to China. The farmers suffered profound economic damage in 2013 when Chinese authorities refused …
Read More »Ghana court rules transfer of ex-Guantanamo detainees unconstitutional
Accra, Ghana | AFP | Ghana’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the transfer of two former Guantanamo Bay detainees to the country was unconstitutional without parliamentary approval. Ghana had signed an agreement with the US government in January 2016 allowing the two ex-Guantanamo prisoners to live in the country. …
Read More »Trump’s new idea a ‘solar wall’ on Mexican border
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump pitched a new concept to his supporters Wednesday for the wall he intends to erect on the Mexican border: cover it with solar panels — and use the energy to cover construction costs. “Yes, we will build a wall,” he …
Read More »Embattled Uber CEO Kalanick steps down
New York, United States | AFP | Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick has stepped down from his job after a shareholder revolt made it untenable for him to stay, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. Kalanick had already been on a leave of absence aimed at restoring confidence in …
Read More »Republican wins Georgia election, blow to anti-Trump effort
Washington, United States | AFP | Republican Karen Handel won a high-stakes, closely-watched special congressional election Tuesday, salvaging a seat in traditional conservative Georgia where Democrats had hoped to strike a blow against Donald Trump’s presidency. Handel, an establishment Republican and former state secretary of state, defeated Democratic challenger …
Read More »UN chief Guterres to lobby US Congress to save funding
United Nations, United States | AFP | Drastic cuts in US funding to the United Nations would create an insoluble problem for the world body, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday as he announced plans to lobby US lawmakers to reject the cutbacks. Guterres will travel to Washington next week …
Read More »Republican holds lead in Georgia race seen as Trump referendum
Washington, United States | AFP | Early results trickled in for Tuesday’s closely-watched election in Georgia, the most expensive congressional race ever, with the Republican narrowly leading a contest that Democrats have painted as a referendum on Donald Trump’s scandal-plagued presidency. The $60-million special election has been a nailbiter between …
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