Washington, United States | AFP | Does rap megastar Kanye West support Donald Trump? He loves him — and proved it Thursday by suddenly striding from his chair at a surreal White House meeting to hug the president. “I love this guy right here,” the serial Grammy-winning artist declared in …
Read More »‘We are fine’: Melania Trump dismisses gossip about marriage
Washington, United States | AFP | Melania Trump dismissed Friday the widespread talk about her husband President Donald Trump’s alleged affairs with a porn star and others, saying she has “more important things to think about.” In an interview with ABC News, excerpts of which were broadcast early Friday, …
Read More »World’s first penis, scrotum transplant done in US
Washington, United States | AFP | Doctors at Johns Hopkins University said Monday they have performed the world’s first total penis and scrotum transplant on a US military serviceman who was wounded in Afghanistan. The 14-hour operation took place on March 26, and was performed by a team of nine …
Read More »Obama to deliver Mandela lecture in S.Africa in July
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Former US president Barack Obama will deliver the annual Nelson Mandela memorial lecture at a 4,000-capacity arena in Johannesburg in July, South African organisers announced on Monday. Obama, who met with Mandela in 2005 and who made an emotional address at his funeral, will speak …
Read More »NASA’s new planet-hunter to seek closer, Earth-like worlds
Tampa, United States | AFP | NASA is poised to launch a $337 million washing machine-sized spacecraft that aims to vastly expand mankind’s search for planets beyond our solar system, particularly closer, Earth-sized ones that might harbor life. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, or TESS, is scheduled to launch Monday …
Read More »Private birthday party for Mugabe, 94
Harare, ZIMBABWE | AFP | Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe celebrated his 94th birthday on Saturday with a private black-tie party hosted by his family, three months after he was ousted from power. Mugabe’s birthday was previously a major public event in Zimbabwe, marked by an outpouring of fawning congratulations …
Read More »Archbishop Tutu quits Oxfam role over charity’s sex scandal
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Retired archbishop and Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu announced Thursday that he had quit his role as an ambassador for Oxfam after the British charity was hit by sexual misconduct allegations. “The Archbishop is deeply disappointed by allegations of immorality and possible criminality involving humanitarian …
Read More »Sea level rise is accelerating: study
Miami, United States | AFP | Sea level rise is accelerating and could reach 26 inches (66 centimeters) by century’s end, in line with United Nations estimates and enough to cause significant problems for coastal cities, a study said Monday. The past annual rate of sea level rise — about three …
Read More »Winnie Mandela discharged from hospital
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African anti-apartheid activist Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was discharged from hospital Tuesday after being treated for a kidney ailment, the family of her ex-husband Nelson Mandela said. Madikizela-Mandela, 81, was admitted to a Johannesburg hospital 10 days ago. The struggle veteran, who was persecuted by authorities …
Read More »US sees most active flu season since 2009 ‘swine’ pandemic
Miami, United States | AFP | Flu is sweeping the United States, killing at least 37 children as influenza sends the most people nationwide in search of medical care since the 2009 “swine flu” pandemic, US officials said Friday. This year, the most common strain is H3N2, and nearly every …
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