Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump has accused Saudi Arabia of lying about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, his strongest comments to date on the affair as pressure builds on the administration to strike a tougher line. In an interview with the Washington Post published late …
Read More »Saudi Arabia admits critic Khashoggi killed in Istanbul consulate
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi Arabia admitted on Saturday that critic Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its Istanbul consulate, saying he died during a “brawl”, an explanation that President Donald Trump called credible but drew scepticism from top US lawmakers. Riyadh announced the arrest of 18 Saudis in …
Read More »Facebook hires British ex-deputy PM Clegg as global affairs head
London, United Kingdom | AFP | British former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, a leading anti-Brexit advocate, said on Friday he would be starting a job at Facebook, as the US giant faces up to regulatory pressures. “I am delighted to be joining Facebook. After almost 20 years in European …
Read More »Burundi opposition MP accused of plot to kill president
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundi’s public security ministry has accused a prominent opposition MP of planning the assassination of President Pierre Nkurunziza and other top officials, in an address on state television. The authorities announced the arrest of a “commando unit” over the alleged plot to murder the president, …
Read More »Zimbabwe post-poll violence inquiry to summon army, police
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | An inquiry probing the killing of six people after soldiers opened fire on post-election protesters in Zimbabwe will summon police and the army to appear before it, an official said Friday. Kgalema Motlanthe, the former president of South Africa and the commission chairman, said the …
Read More »Ethiopia PM accuses ‘plotters’ over soldiers’ protest
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Thursday an incident last week in which dozens of soldiers marched on his office was instigated by “plotters” and revealed the troops were armed. Ahmed, in office since April, said the soldiers had been intent on derailing …
Read More »Opposition politician in Benin jailed for 20 years on drugs charges
Porto-Novo, Benin | AFP | A court in Benin on Thursday sentenced opposition politician Sebastien Ajavon to 20 years in prison on drugs charges and issued an international warrant for his arrest. The former presidential candidate was not at the hearing in the West African country’s administrative capital, Porto-Novo, which …
Read More »Civilians flee Comoros bloodshed as govt forces reinforced
Mutsamudu, Comoros | AFP | Comoros security forces intensified their crackdown against anti-government rebels on the island of Anjouan on Thursday, with witnesses reporting heavy gunfire and residents fleeing on the fourth day of clashes. Moroni sent in reinforcements to quell the unrest that follows months of tension as President …
Read More »Putin says US bears some responsibility for Khashoggi disappearance
Sochi, Russia | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said the US bears a “certain responsibility” for the fate of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, adding that there is not enough evidence that Riyadh is behind his disappearance. “As far as I know, the journalist that disappeared lived in …
Read More »Harry and pregnant Meghan get baby gifts, meet koalas Down Under
Sydney, Australia | AFP | British royals Harry and Meghan received baby gifts, met a koala couple and posed in front of Sydney’s dazzling Opera House Tuesday, on their first public outing since announcing they are to become parents. The happy prince and his US-born wife laughed as they were …
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