Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump’s deputy chief of staff is leaving her post, a senior US official said Thursday, in a significant White House shake-up after a series of political setbacks. “Katie Walsh has accepted a position with an outside organization,” an official told AFP, signalling the …
Read More »South Korea’s former president Park Geun-Hye arrested
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | South Korea’s ousted president Park Geun-Hye was arrested early Friday over the corruption and abuse of power scandal that brought her down. The Seoul Central District Court issued a warrant to arrest Park on charges of bribery, abuse of authority, coercion, and leaking government …
Read More »Kim body to be sent to North Korea, Malaysians freed
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | AFP | The body of Kim Jong-Nam will be returned to North Korea and nine Malaysians in Pyongyang allowed to leave under a deal struck between the two countries, Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak said Thursday. North Korean citizens in Kuala Lumpur will also be allowed to …
Read More »London, Paris, Seoul launch ‘name-and-shame’ polluting car index
Paris, France | AFP | The mayors of Paris, London and Seoul on Wednesday launched an initiative to rate the most polluting vehicles in a bid to keep them off the roads of their cities. The aim of the “Air’volution” scheme is to help drivers avoid buying the most harmful …
Read More »‘Down with Zuma’ chants at S.Africa freedom icon’s funeral
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | The funeral of celebrated South African anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada on Wednesday was transformed into a rally against President Jacob Zuma, who had been barred from the event. The family of the African National Congress (ANC) stalwart, one of Nelson Mandela’s closest colleagues in …
Read More »Kenya court orders parliament to pass gender quota
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Kenya’s High Court on Wednesday gave parliament 60 days to enact legislation that would make it obligatory to have more female lawmakers, or face dissolution. The 2010 constitution requires that no more than two thirds of lawmakers should be men, a principle hailed at the …
Read More »Trump love not enough to bring back coal
New York, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump pledged Tuesday to revive America’s coal industry by rolling back regulation, but energy experts expressed doubt his moves would significantly boost prospects for the controversial energy source. Trump, flanked by coal miners and Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, a …
Read More »Spanish woman sentenced for Twitter jokes about Franco-era assassination
Madrid, Spain | AFP | A Spanish court on Wednesday sentenced a young woman to jail for posting jokes on Twitter about the 1973 assassination of a senior figure in the Franco dictatorship. The National Audience, Spain’s top criminal court, found Cassandra Vera, 21, guilty of glorifying terrorism and humiliating victims …
Read More »Britain delivers letter launching Brexit process
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | Britain formally launched the process to leave the EU on Wednesday, handing a letter to EU president Donald Tusk formally notifying the bloc, an AFP journalist said. Tim Barrow, Britain’s ambassador to the European Union, personally delivered the letter signed by British Prime Minister Theresa May …
Read More »Zuma asked to stay away from funeral of South Africa anti-apartheid icon Kathrada
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | President Jacob Zuma will not attend the funeral on Wednesday of celebrated South African anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada, who in recent years had become fiercely critical of the government. While most of the country’s leadership will be present, Kathrada’s family asked Zuma to skip the …
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