Agence France-Presse

Morocco Rejects Euro "Press Freedom" Criticism

Moroccan lawmakers on Monday unanimously rejected a European Parliament resolution urging the kingdom to respect press freedom.

Cameroonian Journalists React to Colleague's Death

Colleagues of Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo are mourning his death after his body was found 15 kilometers north of Yaoundé in a state of decomposition.  The director of radio station Amplitude FM and star host of a popular daily program "Embouteillage," or Gridlock, was found five days after he disappeared in what a human rights group have called an abduction.

Microsoft Extends AI Collaboration

Microsoft on Monday said it had extended its partnership with OpenAI, the research lab and creator of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot that has sparked widespread fears of cheating in schools and universities.

WHO Seeks Billions in 2023 Funding

The World Health Organization on Monday appealed for $2.54 billion for its work in 2023 to help millions of people facing health emergencies around the world.

More DRC Deaths

UPDATED WITH CLAIM OF RESPONSIBILIITY: The Islamic State group "Allied Defense Forces" [ADF] claimed responsibility Monday for an attack in eastern DRC that killed at least 23 civilians in the latest violence in that turbulent region.

Biden Says Abortion Fight Not Over Despite Ruling

The fight for abortion rights "isn't over," US President Joe Biden said Sunday, 50 years after a landmark Supreme Court ruling had guaranteed that right, before the court reversed itself last June.

"Too Much Trans Fat!" - WHO

Efforts to eliminate industrially-produced fat have a long way to go with five billion people exposed to toxic fat added to many food products, the UN health agency said Monday.

US Ambo to UN on Africa Mission

The US Ambassador to the Untied Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, will travel to Ghana, Mozambique, and Kenya January 25-29. She is the second major U.S. official to visit Africa following the US - Africa Leaders Summit held in Washington last month. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is already on the continent.

Egypt Lawyers End Walkout

Members of the Egyptian Bar Association on Sunday called off a days-long strike held in protest against the jailing of six colleagues, a statement said.

UN Calls for Eswatini Killing Probe

The United Nations human rights chief on Monday called on Eswatini to swiftly and impartially investigate the brutal killing of prominent opposition politician and human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko.

Germany Probes PayPal

Germany's antitrust watchdog said Monday it had launched an investigation into PayPal to examine whether the US online payment giant was using its dominance to restrict competition.

Prominent eSwatini Lawyer Gunned Down

Gunmen in Eswatini killed a prominent opposition politician and human rights lawyer at his home, a spokesman told AFP on Sunday, hours after the country's absolute monarch challenged activists opposed to his rule.

Vaccine "Patch" in the Works

The global epidemic innovations fund says it was working with a vaccine manufacturer to create a patch using mRNA technology, which would be easier to use against COVID.

Trading Trainers for Shiny Shoes

Tanzania Chadema Party Rallies After Ban Lifting

Thousands of Chadema supporters gathered at the Furahisha grounds in the lakeside city of Mwanza, draped in the party's blue, red and white colors

Guns Blast in Benue State

Gunmen have killed nine people displaced by intercommunal violence in central Nigeria's Benue state, where a deadly conflict between herders and farmers often flares, an official told AFP Friday.

More Burkina Insurgent Attacks

Four suspected jihadist attacks have left around 30 people dead in Burkina Faso, including 16 volunteers backing up the army, security sources said Friday.

Ghana Launches Bondholder "Persuasion" Campaign

Ghana's government hopes to convince 80 percent of local bondholders to sign on to a voluntary domestic debt exchange by January 31 in order to secure an essential $3 billion in IMF support.

Uganda OKs Huge Pipeline Project

Uganda has issued a license for the construction of a controversial $3.5 billion pipeline set to carry crude oil from the East African country to international markets, a government minister said Friday.

US December Home Sales Sagged

Sales of existing homes in the United States fell in December for the 11th straight month, as a rough period of limited inventory and high mortgage rates persists, according to industry data released Friday.