Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump on Monday announced he had ended a program to support rebels fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad because it was “massive, dangerous, and wasteful.” The comments came days after General Tony Thomas, the head of US special operations confirmed that …
Read More »N. Korea official: ‘We don’t care’ about US travel ban
Pyongyang, North Korea | AFP |Â Washington’s ban on US citizens travelling to North Korea will have no effect on the country’s tourism industry and Pyongyang does not care about it “at all”, a senior development official insisted Tuesday. The measure is due to be enacted this week and once it …
Read More »Nigeria’s ex-oil minister battles slew of graft cases
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP |Â Nigeria’s former oil minister faces charges only at home but her name crops up in a growing number of international cases that lift the lid on the scale of alleged corruption in the country’s oil sector. Since leaving office in 2015, Diezani Alison-Madueke has been implicated …
Read More »White House on edge as Mueller quietly pursues Russia probe
Washington, United States | AFP | For two months, Robert Mueller — the lanky, 72-year-old independent prosecutor investigating the Russia scandal — has worked in virtual silence in a nondescript government office building in downtown Washington. But even without saying a word, the former FBI director and no-nonsense prosecutor has …
Read More »Netanyahu faces pressure over holy site after violence kills eight
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced mounting pressure Sunday over new security measures at a sensitive Jerusalem holy site after a weekend of violence left eight people dead, with fears more unrest could follow. Israeli officials signalled they may be open to changing the measures …
Read More »Popularity tumbles for France’s Macron: poll
Paris, France | AFP |Â A poll out Sunday shows the popularity rating of France’s new President Emmanuel Macron has slumped 10 points to hit 54 percent over the past month. While Macron has made a strong start on the world stage and won a solid majority in parliament, his first …
Read More »Last chance to see North Korea for US tourists
Pyongyang, North Korea | AFP | The Westerners lined up on Sunday before giant statues of North Korea’s founder Kim Il-Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong-Il and, on command from their guide, bowed deeply. It is a ritual that the Trump administration intends to stop US tourists performing, with …
Read More »Football: De Gea ‘guaranteed’ to stay at United – Mourinho
Santa Clara, United States | AFP | Jose Mourinho has given a “guarantee” that David De Gea will stay at Manchester United this season, despite the long-running saga over a potential move to Real Madrid. Transfer speculation over De Gea returning to hometown club Real has stretched on for the …
Read More »Football: Ronaldo will remain Real player ‘2-3 more years’, says Zidane
Los Angeles, United States | AFP |Â Cristiano Ronaldo will remain a Real Madrid player for “the next 2-3 years”, coach Zinedine Zidane said Saturday, ending talk the Bernabeu superstar might depart for Manchester United. On the eve of Real’s pre-season friendly against United at Santa Clara, California, Zidane spoke in …
Read More »Football: Coutinho bid a waste of time, Klopp tells Barca
Hong Kong, China | AFP |Â Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has told Barcelona they are wasting their time trying to sign Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho — no matter the offer. Klopp has already rejected a $93 million bid for Coutinho, who scored a superb winner in Liverpool’s 2-1 Premier League Asia …
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