New York, United States | AFP | Rap superstar Kanye West, long a prolific user of Twitter, has disappeared from social media after months of erratic behavior. The husband of reality television star Kim Kardashian appeared to have deleted his accounts on Twitter and Instagram, with searches Friday for his …
Read More »American soldier killed during Somalia operation against Shabaab
Mogadishu, Somalia | AFP | An American soldier was shot dead and two others wounded in a night-time raid with Somali forces against Shabaab militants in Somalia, the US military said Friday. “On May 4, one US service member was killed during an operation against Al-Shabaab near Barii, Somalia, approximately …
Read More »Suspects in Uganda police murder claim they were tortured
Kampala, Uganda | AFP | Thirteen men accused of involvement in the murder of high-ranking police officer Andrew Kaweesi and two aides appeared in court Friday, with some claiming they had been tortured while in detention. Some of the suspects were limping heavily as they arrived at the magistrates’ …
Read More »Love conquers all: young couple break 300-year Chinese village curse
Beijing, China | AFP | A stream little more than a metre wide separates them, but for at least three centuries a bitter rivalry pitted two eastern Chinese villages against one another — until love brought the adversaries together. Wushan and Yuepu in Fujian province, which count between them some …
Read More »Made-in-China jet takes maiden flight
China’s homemade passenger jet aces first flight Shanghai, China | AFP | The first large made-in-China passenger plane successfully completed its maiden test flight Friday, marking a key milestone on the country’s ambitious journey to compete with the world’s leading aircraft makers. The narrow-body C919 jet — white with green …
Read More »Made-in-China passenger jet set to take wing today
Shanghai, China | AFP | China will on Friday conduct the maiden test flight of a home-grown passenger jet built to meet soaring domestic travel demand and challenge the dominance of Boeing and Airbus. The C919, built by state-owned aerospace manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), was set to take wing …
Read More »Former transport minister Steven Chebrot loses election appeal
The Court of Appeal on Thursday confirmed Kenneth Soyekwo Cheborion as the validly elected MP for Tingey County in Kapchorwa District. This after three Justices including Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma, Elizabeth Musoke and Paul Mugamba dismissed an election appeal filed by Dr. Steven Chebrot on grounds that he has …
Read More »Pope Francis to receive Donald Trump on May 24: Vatican
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis will receive US President Donald Trump at the Vatican on May 24, the Holy See said Thursday, ahead of a G7 summit meeting in Sicily. Trump’s audience with Francis in the morning will be followed by meetings with his Secretary of …
Read More »President returns to Mogadishu after young Somalia minister’s killing
Mogadishu, Somalia | AFP | Somalia’s president cut short a trip to Ethiopia on Thursday, the day after a cabinet minister was accidentally shot and killed in Mogadishu by another official’s guards. “The president of the republic, who is now outside the country, decided to cut his trip short to …
Read More »South African court orders Zuma to explain shock cabinet reshuffle
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A South African High Court Thursday ordered President Jacob Zuma to reveal the documents he used to justify the controversial sacking of a widely respected finance minister, sparking economic turmoil. The main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) went to court to force Zuma to explain …
Read More »