Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s highest court has rejected Oscar Pistorius’s request to appeal against his 13-year jail term, ending the long legal battle over his killing of his girlfriend in 2013. The former Paralympic athlete, 31, had asked the Constitutional Court to review the jail term, which …

Copenhagen, Denmark | AFP | Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his backers “must be held to account” if a suspected poison gas attack on the rebel-held town of Douma is confirmed, British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday. “If confirmed this is yet another example of the Assad regime’s …

Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari declared Monday he would seek re-election next year, in a move that put an end to months of speculation. “President @Buhari has just announced his intention to seek the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and contest for a …

Madrid, Spain | AFP | The UN World Tourism Organization said Monday it has appointed FC Barcelona’s Argentine star Lionel Messi as an ambassador to promote responsible tourism. “During my travels I have had the opportunity to know other cultures and societies as well as other ways to see the …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Manchester United spoiled Manchester City’s title party in style by roaring back from 2-0 down in Saturday’s derby to win 3-2 and keep their local rivals waiting to win the Premier League. City still boast a 13-point lead at the top of the table and …

Tehran, Iran | AFP | Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Monday that the United States would regret violating the nuclear deal, and that Iran would respond in “less than a week” if that happened. “We will not be the first to violate the accord but they should definitely know that …

Goma, DR Congo | AFP | A Catholic priest was found shot dead hours after he said mass in Democratic Republic of Congo’s restive North Kivu province, a member of the church told AFP. “Father Etienne Sengiyumva was killed Sunday by the Mai Mai Nyatura (militia) in Kyahemba where he had …

Bamako, Mali | AFP | Fourteen suspected jihadists killed during an alleged escape attempt by Mali troops were “summarily executed,” community leaders told AFP Sunday. “This was in no way an escape attempt. Our sources are certain. These people were victims of summary executions,” Nouhoum Sarr of Tabital Pulaaku, the main …

Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | With the first oil expected towards the end of 2020 in Uganda, players are already exploring more ways of reaping from the sector. The latest avenue was a two-day local content workshop organized by the Association of Uganda Oil and Gas Service Providers (AUGOS) in …

The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | The world war crimes court’s chief prosecutor Sunday called for an end to ongoing bloodshed in the Gaza Strip, warning that the court could try those who commit gross atrocities. “The resort to violence must stop,” Fatou Bensouda said in a statement issued by the …