San Francisco, United States | AFP | Facebook backtracked Friday on a decision to censor an iconic Vietnam War photo of a naked girl escaping a napalm bombing, after its block on the historic image sparked outrage. The online giant stopped short of apologizing, saying the image had been …
Read More »Foiled Paris terror plot: What we know
Paris, France | AFP | Police are holding eight people in France after the discovery of a car laden with gas cylinders in the heart of Paris, with President Francois Hollande saying a plot has been foiled and a terrorist cell “destroyed”. Here is what we know so far about …
Read More »The hajj in numbers as the spiritual goes virtual
Mecca, Saudi Arabia | AFP | The Muslim hajj pilgrimage which begins on Saturday in western Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest annual gatherings. Here are some figures illustrating its scale, according to officials and local media: – More than 1.4 million foreign pilgrims from around the …
Read More »North Korea carries out ‘biggest ever’ nuclear test
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea has conducted a fifth nuclear test, its most powerful to date, South Korea’s President Park Geun-Hye said Friday, condemning the move as an act of “self-destruction” that would deepen its isolation. The test will send tensions soaring over the North’s nuclear and …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Trump’s Mexico trip haunts president
Mexico City, Mexico | AFP | Donald Trump may have visited Mexico for only a few hours, but President Enrique Pena Nieto is still feeling political pain from last week’s ridiculed meeting with the White House hopeful. Public anger over the trip continues to flare even after felling Pena Nieto’s …
Read More »China exports down 2.8% in August on-year
Beijing, China | AFP | China’s imports rose 1.5 percent year-on-year in August, figures showed Thursday, the first increase in nearly two years, in a positive sign for the world’s second-largest economy. Exports dropped 2.8 percent on-year to $190.6 billion, a smaller fall than the median forecast in a survey …
Read More »Apple makes splash with waterproof iPhones
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Apple is out to make a splash with new waterproof iPhones, a smartphone game starring Nintendo’s beloved “Mario” and a push on wireless headphones. The iPhone 7 and larger iPhone 7 Plus, with sophisticated camera technology, improved water resistance and other features, were …
Read More »Denmark to pay for Panama Papers data on tax evaders
Copenhagen, Denmark | AFP | The Danish government said on Wednesday it would pay an anonymous source for leaked data from the Panama Papers on hundreds of Danish taxpayers. “We must use the necessary measures to catch the tax evaders hiding fortunes in for example Panama with the aim to …
Read More »WHO: Safe sex for 6 months after visting Zika-hit areas
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization on Tuesday toughened its advice on preventing the spread of Zika, saying anyone returning from areas hit by the virus should practise safe sex for six months afterwards. The updated guidelines mean the UN health body’s recommendations regarding sexual transmission are …
Read More »Disgraced Bill Cosby faces June 5 sex assault trial
Norristown, United States | AFP | Disgraced US megastar Bill Cosby is due to stand trial for sexual assault on June 5, 2017 in what could see up to 13 other alleged victims testify against the award-winning comedian turned pariah. Judge Steven O’Neill set the date after the 79-year-old pioneering …
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