Washington, United States | AFP | The United States marks the end of slavery by celebrating Juneteenth on Friday, with the annual unofficial holiday taking on renewed significance as millions of Americans confront the nation’s living legacy of racial injustice. Demonstrations, prayers and cultural celebrations of food and music will enliven …
Read More »Juneteenth, commemorating end of slavery in US
Washington, United States | AFP | Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army on April 9, 1865, effectively ending the bloody Civil War between the slave-holding South and the North. But it wasn’t until two months later that African American slaves in the Texas town of Galveston were informed that …
Read More »Trump presidency in turmoil after bombshell book, Supreme Court vote
Washington, United States | AFP | Donald Trump’s presidency was in turmoil Thursday after top ex-aide John Bolton declared him unfit for office in a bombshell book and the Supreme Court blocked a key part of his re-election vow to deport undocumented migrants. The mounting drama around the Republican’s already rocky …
Read More »Facebook pulls Trump ads which used Nazi symbol
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Facebook on Thursday removed ads by President Donald Trump’s campaign containing a symbol used by Nazi Germany, the latest move in a heated battle over inflammatory political content on social media. The leading social network, which has drawn fire over its hands-off approach to …
Read More »WHO eyes hundreds of millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses before 2021
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization said Thursday that a few hundred million COVID-19 vaccine doses could be produced by the end of the year — and be targeted at those most vulnerable to the virus. The UN health agency said it was working on that assumption, with …
Read More »UN urged to hold US ‘accountable’ over racism, police violence
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The UN on Thursday wrapped up a historic debate about structural racism and police brutality in the United States and beyond — but rights groups voiced concern that countries might be backing away from committing to concrete action. The urgent debate at the United Nations Human …
Read More »Supreme Court rejects Trump bid to end ‘Dreamer’ immigrant program
Washington, United States | AFP | The US Supreme Court dealt President Donald Trump’s efforts to choke off immigration a fresh blow Thursday when it rejected his cancellation of the DACA program protecting 700,000 “Dreamers,” undocumented migrants brought to the United States as children. The high court said Trump’s 2017 move to cancel his predecessor …
Read More »Troubled Trump attacks ex-aide who calls him not ‘fit’ for office
Washington, United States | AFP | Donald Trump’s presidency was in turmoil Thursday after top ex-aide John Bolton declared him unfit for office, raising the stakes on a controversial re-election rally meant to boost his flailing campaign — yet facing troubles of its own. Trump’s once supremely self-confident march toward a …
Read More »Serbian city stands defiant against ruling party domination
Šabac, Serbia | AFP | Lying due west of Belgrade on a bend in the Sava river, the small city of Sabac and its cafe-lined streets resemble those of any other typical Serbian town. Yet Sabac has a claim to fame: it is home to one of the last opposition mayors …
Read More »Tunisia rediscovers traditional art of calligraphy
Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | Tunisia’s president has become a surprise champion of Arabic calligraphy in his country, shining a light on the artistic tradition as Arab states lobby for its recognition by UNESCO. President Kais Saied sparked both admiration and mockery on social media when images emerged of hand-written presidential …
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