New York, United States | AFP | US prosecutors asked a New York court Friday to hand down a “substantial” prison sentence to President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen, rejecting the lawyer’s request for significant leniency based on his cooperation with law enforcement. But one of two sentencing …
Read More »Nigeria’s president blocks electoral reform bill
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday refused to sign off on plans to overhaul the country’s electoral laws, judging that new rules would cause “disruption and confusion” so close to an election. Africa’s most populous nation goes to the polls to elect a new president …
Read More »Malawi MPs back bid to draft bill on medical marijuana use
Blantyre, Malawi | AFP | Malawi’s parliament has approved steps to draft a bill for the legalisation of marijuana for medical use, which could be ready for scrutiny as early as next week. Deputies agreed to let independent deputy Boniface Kadzamira draw up the bill. It would propose licensing farmers …
Read More »E.Guinea army chief-of-staff fired: presidency
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | AFP | Equatorial Guinea’s army chief-of-staff, who was only appointed to the post in October, has been sacked by the president, state television has reported. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who has ruled the oil-rich country with an iron fist for 39 years, fired Colonel Ruslan Hermes …
Read More »Tillerson: Trump ‘undisciplined,’ wanted to break law
Washington, United States | AFP | Former US secretary of state Rex Tillerson says that President Donald Trump repeatedly wanted to violate the law, describing him as “undisciplined” and uninterested in details. Tillerson, who was fired in March, made no attempt to deny his poor relationship with Trump during a …
Read More »Oil prices surge as OPEC agrees joint 1.2 mn bpd cut with partners
Vienna, Austria | AFP | OPEC members and 10 other oil producing nations, including Russia, agreed Friday to cut output by 1.2 million barrels a day in a bid to reverse falls in prices in recent months. Energy ministers reached the deal — which takes effect from January 1 but …
Read More »Ex-FBI director Comey grilled again in US Congress
Washington, United States | AFP | Former FBI director James Comey, sacked by President Donald Trump in 2017, testified Friday before US lawmakers for the first time in over a year, but this time out of the camera glare. The hours-long Capitol Hill grilling comes amid turbulence at the White …
Read More »Sara Netanyahu grilled on new fraud allegation
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Police questioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife Sara on Friday, her lawyer said, with media saying it was over new suspicions of fraudulently misusing public funds. Public radio said that Sara Netanyahu arrived at the headquarters of the National Fraud Squad, near Tel Aviv, …
Read More »End of an era: Merkel passes torch to new party leader
Hamburg, Germany | AFP | German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hand off leadership of her party Friday after nearly two decades at the helm, with the race wide open between a loyal deputy and a longtime rival. The contest’s outcome is expected to be crucial in deciding whether Merkel, Europe’s …
Read More »Morocco meeting to adopt UN migration pact despite withdrawals
Marrakesh, Morocco | AFP | Representatives from around the globe are gearing up for a major conference in Morocco to endorse a United Nations migration pact, despite a string of countries shunning the accord. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration was finalised at the UN in July …
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