Washington, United States | AFP | Babies born in the world’s poorest countries, most of them in Africa, still face “alarming” risks of death that can be 50 times as high as those in the richest countries, according to a UNICEF report released Tuesday. While the last quarter-century has seen …

Hammuriyeh, Syria | AFP | Heavy Syrian bombardment killed at least 77 civilians in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta on Monday, a monitor said, as regime forces appeared to prepare for an imminent ground assault. The escalation came as pro-government forces were also expected to enter the northern Kurdish-controlled enclave of Afrin, …

United Nations, United States | AFP | Two aid workers employed by a French charity that helps provide water were killed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and a third is still missing, the United Nations said Monday. The two Hydraulique Sans Frontieres (HYFRO) employees were killed Saturday near Mushikiri …

Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump signaled support Monday for improving background gun checks amid mounting pressure for reform in the wake of the Florida school shooting, as the accused gunman appeared in court. Nikolas Cruz, charged with killing 17 people, sat silently with his head …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A linchpin of South Africa’s Gupta business family, which has been closely associated with ex- president Jacob Zuma, fought back Monday against a corruption probe by contesting an assets freeze. Atul Gupta applied to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to force investigators probing a …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Belgian Paul Put on Monday quit as Kenya’s national football coach just two months after taking up the position. Football Kenya Federation (FKF) said 61-year-old Put, who took charge of the Harambee Stars in November and led the team to win the CECAFA Challenge Cup …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | About 224 million people are under-nourished in Africa as climate change and conflicts heighten food insecurity across the continent, a top UN food agency official said Monday. The official, speaking at a conference on Africa organised by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said …

Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Thousands of Zimbabweans and foreign mourners took to the streets of Harare Monday to pay tribute to Zimbabwe’s iconic opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai who died after a battle with cancer. Supporters wore the trademark red of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party which Tsvangirai …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Arsenal announced the club’s biggest-ever sponsorship deal worth a reported £200 million on Monday, extending their shirt partnership with Dubai-based airline Emirates by five years. The Gunners confirmed the branding of Emirates, which began its sponsorship agreement with the north London club in 2006, …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Barcelona’s visit to Chelsea on Tuesday gives Antonio Conte the perfect opportunity to reaffirm his stature as one of Europe’s greatest coaches. “To play against Barcelona is a great challenge for us,” Conte said after easing the pressure on his job with back-to-back home …