Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Police on Friday fanned out across the DR Congo capital Kinshasa and other main cities as thousands of opposition supporters marched seeking the withdrawal of electronic voting machines in a long-delayed election due at the end of December. The regime of President Joseph Kabila …
Read More »African growth key to stemming migrant flows: Merkel
Prague, Czech Republic | AFP | German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Czech premier Andrej Babis agreed Friday to focus on economic development in Africa to try to slow migration into the European Union. “We are both convinced that we must achieve a win-win situation where the economic development of African …
Read More »FIFA announce increased prize money for women’s World Cup
Kigali, Rwanda | AFP | FIFA are to double the prize money on offer at the women’s World Cup in time for next year’s tournament in France, president Gianni Infantino confirmed on Friday. Speaking at the end of a FIFA Council meeting in the Rwandan capital Kigali, Infantino confirmed an …
Read More »Pompeo says US to fight China ’empire’ of ‘bribes’
Washington, United States | AFP | US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday accused China of seeking to build an “empire” by bribing leaders with investment and vowed to fight it “at every turn.” As tensions led by trade disputes soar between China and President Donald Trump’s administration, the …
Read More »FIFA put plans for lucrative new Club World Cup, Nations League on hold
Kigali, Rwanda | AFP | FIFA President Gianni Infantino has delayed any decision over his plans for a lucrative new Club World Cup and global Nations League amid widespread opposition, instead setting up a taskforce to further look into the proposals. Speaking at a press conference in the Rwandan capital …
Read More »Africa needs to beef up cyber security urgently: experts
Abidjan, Ivory Coast | AFP | Africa is being increasingly targeted by hackers and must invest in cyber security, industry leaders said at the third Africa Cyber Security Conference closing Friday in Ivory Coast. Although Africa is not a prime target, “cyber threats have no more borders” and data pirates …
Read More »Transgender activist Caitlyn Jenner says regrets backing Trump
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Former Olympic US athlete and transgender activist Caitlyn Jenner has penned an op-ed voicing regret for backing President Donald Trump, and saying “I was wrong” about Trump’s commitment to LGBTQ rights. “Trump was the first Republican presidential candidate to claim to support this …
Read More »Vatican stalls on married Catholic priests
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | A bid by Belgium bishops to allow young married men to take the cloth has fallen flat at a Vatican meet — though Pope Francis is considering testing out the idea in the Amazon. The suggestion of easing the rules on celibacy was …
Read More »Bolt has ‘touch like a trampoline’ – A-League striker
Sydney, Australia | AFP | Former Ireland striker Andy Keogh blasted Usain Bolt as having “a touch like a trampoline” Friday as the coach of the Central Coast Mariners refused to say whether he believes the sprint star can make it as a footballer. Keogh, who plays for Perth Glory, …
Read More »Africa’s largest train-making plant opens in Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday unveiled the continent’s largest train manufacturing plant, a joint venture between the national rail firm and French transport group Alstom. The factory is a part of a 51-billion-rand ($3.5 billion, 3.1 billion-euro) deal between Alstom and the …
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