Washington, United States | AFP | Facebook defended its data sharing practices Wednesday after a report revealing that certain partners of the social network had access to a range of personal information about users and their friends. The New York Times late Tuesday reported that some 150 companies — including …
Read More »Obama delights sick children as Santa in Washington
Washington, United States | AFP | Former US president Barack Obama took on a new high-profile role as Father Christmas on Wednesday for a surprise visit to sick children in Washington. Sporting a festive Santa hat and armed with a sack of gifts, he delighted young patients at Children’s National …
Read More »Now, Trump orders full withdrawal of US troops from Syria
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States will withdraw all of its troops from Syria, a US official said Wednesday, after President Donald Trump claimed America has “defeated ISIS” in the war-ravaged country. The stunning move will have extraordinary geopolitical ramifications — and plunges into uncertainty the fate …
Read More »Pope accepts US bishop’s resignation over ‘misconduct’ with minor
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Los Angeles auxiliary bishop Alexander Salazar over his “misconduct” with a minor, the Vatican said Wednesday. The case is the latest in a litany of child sexual abuse scandals to have rocked the Roman Catholic Church …
Read More »Trump plans full withdrawal of US troops from Syria
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States will withdraw its troops from Syria, a US official told AFP on Wednesday, after President Donald Trump said America has “defeated ISIS” in the war-ravaged country. The move will have extraordinary geopolitical ramifications and throws into question the fate of US-backed Kurdish …
Read More »Pennsylvania lets Uber self-driving cars back on roads
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Authorities in the US state of Pennsylvania have given Uber the green light to resume testing self-driving cars, the ride-sharing giant said Tuesday, after a fatal crash in Arizona prompted a pause. Uber said it had received authorization to put autonomous cars back …
Read More »US offers $4.5 bn investment in Central America, Mexico
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States, hoping to stem migration, said Tuesday it was ready to support $4.5 billion in investment in Central America and southern Mexico. The United States promised to back new Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s push for development in Central America, the …
Read More »Journalists become increasing ‘targets’ for killings: watchdog
Washington, United States | AFP | Journalists faced growing dangers of being targeted for killing for their work in 2018 even as the risks from war and conflict declined, a media watchdog said Wednesday. The Committee to Protect Journalists said 34 of the 53 journalists killed on duty this year …
Read More »$5 billion for his border wall? Trump eases shutdown threat
Washington, United States | AFP | Donald Trump has stood firm for days: no spending deal to keep government operating if Congress does not approve $5 billion to build a US-Mexico border wall. On Tuesday he softened his position. “We have other ways that we can get to that …
Read More »Latest Spider-Man spin-off scales box office heights
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” snared North American viewers in its web this weekend, earning $35.4 million in ticket sales, final figures showed Monday. Sony’s action-packed animation sees Peter Parker make way for Miles Morales as Spider-Man — a black, Latino character new to …
Read More »
The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price