London, United Kingdom | AFP | Five of the oldest champions in sport as Venus Williams attempts to become the oldest Grand Slam women’s champion on Saturday and Roger Federer seeks to be the most senior Wimbledon men’s champion of the Open era on Sunday: SERENA WILLIAMS — Serena won …
Read More »Turkey celebrates defeat of anti-Erdogan putsch after new purge
Istanbul, Turkey | AFP | Turkey on Saturday holds an intense series of events to celebrate the first anniversary of the defeat of last year’s attempted coup, showcasing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s grip on power on the heels of a new purge of state employees. The authorities have declared …
Read More »Rotary President-elect Sam F. Owori dies
Evanston, Illinois, United States | ROTARY INTERNATIONAL| Rotary International President-elect Sam F. Owori died unexpectedly on July 13 due to complications from surgery. Owori ‘s term as Rotary’s 108th president would have begun on 1 July 2018, according the Rotary International website www.rotary.org. Owori was a member of the Rotary Club Kampala, Uganda, …
Read More »China cremates body of Nobel laureate and dissident Liu Xiaobo
Shenyang, China | AFP | The body of China’s late Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo was cremated Saturday after a private ceremony attended by his family, as Beijing faces international pressure to let the dissident’s wife leave the country. Liu’s remains were incinerated “in accordance with the will of his family …
Read More »‘Walking Dead’ halts production after stuntman dies
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Hollywood paid tribute Friday to “Walking Dead” stuntman John Bernecker after he was killed in a fall on set. Bernecker died in hospital Wednesday after falling 22 feet (6.70 meters) from a balcony headfirst onto concrete, according to The Hollywood Reporter, citing a …
Read More »India to get head of state from lowest caste, the ‘untouchables’
New Delhi, India | AFP | India’s next president will emerge from the Dalit caste — a community so marginalised they were once known as “untouchables” — with the victory of the ruling party candidate set to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grip on power. Ram Nath Kovind, 71, …
Read More »In mining dispute with Tanzania, Acacia agrees to more tax
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Mining company Acacia agreed Friday to pay more royalties to Tanzania’s government as it seeks an end to a dispute over alleged underreporting of production and profits. President John Magufuli accused the London-listed company, whose largest shareholder is Canadian Barrick Gold, of “theft” after a …
Read More »Burundi human rights activist detained:
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundi’s National Intelligence Service (SNR) has picked up a human rights activist and is holding him over an alleged breach of state security, a police source said Friday. Germain Rukuki, who has long worked for civil associations, was arrested by agents of the feared SNR …
Read More »Gambian president sets up commission into Jammeh’s assets
Banjul, Gambia | AFP | Gambian President Adama Barrow has set up a commission to probe the assets of former leader Yahya Jammeh, accused of stealing at least $50 million from the tiny west African state. In May, The Gambia’s justice minister announced that Jammeh had plundered the meagre state …
Read More »Attack at Kinshasa market kills police chief, administrator
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | A deputy police commander and the administrator of Kinshasa’s central market were killed Friday in an attack by unknown assailants that also freed prisoners, police and witnesses said. The assailants attacked the administrator’s office and the police station at the market allowing inmates being …
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