Washington, United States | AFP | Osama bin Laden’s son Hamza, chosen heir to the leadership of Al-Qaeda, has been killed, US media reported Wednesday citing American officials. NBC News said three US officials had confirmed they had information of Hamza bin Laden’s death, but gave no details of the place …
Read More »Rivals clash with frontrunner Biden at Democratic debate
Detroit, United States | AFP | Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden went on the offensive Wednesday against his main 2020 opponents but was rapidly assailed on the debate stage over key issues like health care, race, immigration and criminal justice. Tensions rose rapidly between the former vice president and Senator Kamala Harris, the …
Read More »Buzz kill: mass bee deaths sting Russian beekeepers
Bobrovka, Russia | AFP | Anatoly Rubtsov looked despondently at the beehives lining his property. “The farm used to be loud, it sang,” he said. Today just a faint buzz is audible but an overpowering rotting stench hung in the air after his bees were likely poisoned by a pesticide. Rubtsov, …
Read More »Huawei still number two smartphone seller despite US sanctions
Washington, United States | AFP | Huawei remained the number two global smartphone vendor in the past quarter despite tough US sanctions imposed on the Chinese technology giant, market trackers said Wednesday. The Chinese firm managed to boost its sales even as the overall market declined, remaining on the heels of …
Read More »Facebook-backed research sees progress linking minds, machines
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Facebook-backed researchers have managed to translate brain signals into spoken words, bringing the social network’s vision of linking brains and machines closer to reality. A study published this week by University of California-San Francisco scientists showed progress toward a new type of brain-computer interface. …
Read More »Glimmer of hope as Italy battles ‘olive tree leprosy’
GAGLIANO DEL CAPO, Italy | AFP | Working in an arid Italian field of crumbly soil, agronomists are battling a rampant bacterium that has already infected millions of olive trees and could threaten the entire Mediterranean basin. Xylella fastidiosa, which has no known cure, has devastated ancient olive trees in Italy’s …
Read More »Trump denies racist strategy but gets heckled for ‘hate’
Jamestown, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Tuesday denied any racist “strategy” behind a string of verbal attacks on African-Americans, but found himself being accused of “hate” by a heckler at a high-profile speech. “I have no strategy. I have zero strategy,” Trump told reporters at the White …
Read More »Dolutegravir recommended as preferred HIV treatment option
WHO recommends dolutegravir as preferred HIV treatment option in all populations Mexico City, Mexico | THE INDEPENDENT | Based on new evidence assessing benefits and risks, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the use of the HIV drug dolutegravir (DTG) as the preferred first-line and second-line treatment for all …
Read More »How the Brexit-hit pound impacts the economy
London, United Kingdom | AFP | This week’s latest Brexit-fuelled collapse in the troubled pound is a boon for tourists and multinationals — but spells trouble for the purchasing power of UK households. Sterling tumbled Tuesday to two-year lows against the euro and dollar, plagued with concern that Britain will crash …
Read More »Huawei says revenue surges despite US sanctions
Shenzhen, China | AFP | Huawei’s sales unexpectedly rose in the first half of the year, company figures showed Tuesday, as executives admitted US sanctions would bring further challenges in the coming months. The Chinese tech giant has been under immense pressure this year as Washington has lobbied allies worldwide to …
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