Yangon, Myanmar | AFP | Facebook has removed hundreds of pages and accounts in Myanmar with hidden links to the military, the platform said Wednesday, as the company scrambles to respond to criticism over failures to control hate speech and misinformation. The social media giant — Myanmar’s most popular and …
Read More »US offers $4.5 bn investment in Central America, Mexico
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States, hoping to stem migration, said Tuesday it was ready to support $4.5 billion in investment in Central America and southern Mexico. The United States promised to back new Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s push for development in Central America, the …
Read More »IMF board approves new Ukraine loan package, releases $1.4 bn immediately
Washington, United States | AFP | The International Monetary Fund executive board on Tuesday gave final approval to a new loan package for Ukraine and released $1.4 billion for immediate use. The IMF had agreed on the $4 billion, 14-month loan in mid-October but the board was waiting for the …
Read More »At least 53 journalists killed on the job this year
New York, US | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 53 journalists were killed on the job this year, 34 of whom were targeted for murder in reprisal for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) found in its annual analysis. The numbers, which represent those killed between January 1 and …
Read More »$5 billion for his border wall? Trump eases shutdown threat
Washington, United States | AFP | Donald Trump has stood firm for days: no spending deal to keep government operating if Congress does not approve $5 billion to build a US-Mexico border wall. On Tuesday he softened his position. “We have other ways that we can get to that …
Read More »CPJ announces legal support to defend fearless journalists
New York, US | THE INDEPENDENT | The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and First Look Media’s Press Freedom Defense Fund today announced they are partnering on a fundraising campaign to provide legal support for journalists facing extensive legal battles meant to suppress critical journalism. The International Center for Journalists …
Read More »Electricity is creating new hope in medicine
A radical new approach to treating disease Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. This saying is particularly apt in medicine where doctors treat nearly every condition–from depression to hypertension–with a pill. If your doctor prescribed you anything other …
Read More »Man United sack Mourinho, eye Zidane
Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | Manchester United have sacked manager Jose Mourinho after their worst start to a season in almost 30 years, the club announced on Tuesday. The 55-year-old Portuguese’s last match in charge was the 3-1 defeat by Premier League league leaders Liverpool on Sunday which left …
Read More »Latest Spider-Man spin-off scales box office heights
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” snared North American viewers in its web this weekend, earning $35.4 million in ticket sales, final figures showed Monday. Sony’s action-packed animation sees Peter Parker make way for Miles Morales as Spider-Man — a black, Latino character new to …
Read More »Colombian ELN rebels announce Christmas ceasefire
Bogota, Colombia | AFP | Colombia’s ELN Marxist guerrilla group announced Monday a Christmas ceasefire as peace talks with the country’s government have been on hold since August. Such moves by the ELN are common this time of year and the group said it was granting a unilateral truce “at …
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