New York, United States | AFP | Facebook announced Tuesday that it will invest $300 million over three years in various projects related to journalism, especially to promote local news, which has been hit hard in the digital age. The move comes with online platforms under pressure for dominating the internet advertising ecosystem, making it …

Washington, United States | AFP | A judge in the United States on Monday blocked an order by President Donald Trump’s administration that would have stripped free birth control from some American women. In October 2017, the Trump administration annulled an Obamacare provision that obliged employer health plans to pay for contraception. The move extended …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | French midfielder Paul Pogba says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s arrival as interim manager at Manchester United has not only sparked his return to form but also put a smile back on his face. The 25-year-old — an integral figure in France’s World Cup triumph last year — has shown the …

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | In Nigeria, where religious and ethnic identity often determines support for a candidate, Mudi Bawa might well have been expected to vote for Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. Both are northern Muslims. But the fisherman had another reason to choose Buhari: the hope he could help him return to the home …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris admits his side are now looking over their shoulders at the teams chasing them in the race for the Premier League top four. Spurs have been considered title challengers after a superb run but two defeats in three games — the latest to Manchester United …

Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | Gabriel Jesus extended his productive start to the new year, scoring twice as Manchester City comfortably dealt with 10-man Wolves 3-0 to cut Liverpool’s Premier League lead to four points. The Brazilian scored twice in the first half, either side of a straight red card for Wolves’ French defender …

Cairo, Egypt | AFP | Eastern Mediterranean countries including Egypt and Israel agreed on Monday to boost energy ties through the creation of a body to strengthen the gas market. The decision came during a meeting bringing together seven energy ministers including those from Cyprus, Greece, Jordan, Italy and the Palestinian territories. The “East Mediterranean …

Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russia’s Alrosa, the world’s leading producer of diamonds, announced Monday it plans to launch in Zimbabwe on the eve of talks in Moscow between the country’s president and Vladimir Putin. “With support of the government of Zimbabwe, the company will develop new mining operations in the country,” Alrosa said in …

Dalian, China | AFP | A Chinese court sentenced a Canadian man to death on drug trafficking charges on Monday after his previous 15-year prison sentence was deemed too lenient, a ruling likely to deepen a diplomatic rift between Ottawa and Beijing. Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, 36, nodded as the judge in the northeast city of Dalian …

Ankara, Turkey | AFP | Turkey on Monday vowed it would not be intimidated by US President Donald Trump’s threats of economic devastation if Ankara attacks Kurdish forces as American troops withdraw. Trump’s threat came after Ankara repeatedly threatened a new cross-border operation against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which have been working closely …