London, United Kingdom | AFP | New England women’s head coach Phil Neville said on Monday he “cannot be more qualified” to take on the role, defending his appointment that was overshadowed by sexist tweets. The 41-year-old was named Lionesses boss last Tuesday, but has no past experience of working …
Read More »Failing access to agriculture funding
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Despite increased allocations by government, private players and the donor community towards Uganda’s agriculture financing, the sector has remained underserved. A 2017 report by the Uganda Agribusiness Alliance on agriculture financing notes that whereas several government and donor facilities have been established to provide …
Read More »Aubameyang slammed for failing to testify at Dortmund attack trial
Dortmund, Germany | AFP | German authorities criticised Borussia Dortmund player Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for failing to testify Monday in a trial over the bomb attack targeting the team last year. Aubameyang, who is reportedly closing in on a lucrative switch to Arsenal, was due to speak at the trial of the …
Read More »Colombia freezes peace talks with rebels after attacks
Bogota, Colombia | AFP | Colombia’s president on Monday froze peace negotiations with the ELN rebel group after weekend bomb attacks blamed on the guerrillas killed seven police officers. The developments threw into peril efforts to definitively end Colombia’s half century of conflict that recently had looked close to resolution. …
Read More »Mali president declares three days mourning for dozens killed
Bamako, Mali | AFP | Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared three days of mourning on Monday for the dozens of people killed over the last week in jihadist attacks and bombings. Keita cancelled travel plans to an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia over the weekend to visit central …
Read More »Africa aims for cheaper air travel with free market launch
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Africans have for years paid sky-high airfares when travelling within the continent but a major aviation trade agreement launched Monday by the African Union aims to change that. Twenty-three African countries have signed on to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), which is …
Read More »Aubameyang close to Arsenal move – reports
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is closing on a switch from Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal as Arsene Wenger looks to boost his forward options, reports in Germany and Britain said on Monday. German magazine Kicker reported the clubs had agreed on a 63-million-euro ($78 million, £55 million) …
Read More »Good, bad and ugly for African footballers in Europe
Paris, France | AFP | African stars were involved in the good, bad and ugly across the major leagues of Europe at the weekend. Naturalised Malian Fousseni Diabate bagged a brace on his debut for Leicester in a 5-1 FA Cup rout of lower league Peterborough. Want-away Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from …
Read More »Ed Sheeran picks up two pop Grammys
New York, United States | AFP | English pop songwriter Ed Sheeran, one of the most successful artists of the past year, on Sunday won his third and fourth Grammys — both outside the major categories. Sheeran won Best Pop Vocal Album for “Divide” and Best Pop Solo Performance for …
Read More »Exercise tracking app reveals details of military sites
Washington, United States | AFP | A map showing paths taken by users of an exercise tracking app reveals potentially sensitive information about American and allied military personnel in places including Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. While some bases are well known to groups that want to attack them, the map …
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