THE man suspected of attempting to assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico may not have been working alone, Slovakia’s interior minister says. A team is investigating the possibility Wednesday’s attack was not carried out by a “lone wolf”, as previously believed, Matus Sutaj Estok told reporters on Sunday. Mr Fico’s life is no longer in danger following hours of surgery, but the 59-year-old still requires intensive care, his deputy said earlier. On Saturday, the man charged with his attempted murder was placed in custody until his trial. The alleged assailant has not been formally named, but Slovak reports have widely identified…
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THE US and Niger have agreed that American troops will leave the country “no later” than 15 September, they announced in a joint statement on Sunday. They said the two countries had “reached a disengagement agreement to effect the withdrawal of U.S. forces, which has already begun”. The US has relied on Niger as its primary base for monitoring regional jihadist activity The statement commended the “joint sacrifices of Nigerien and U.S. forces in the fight against terrorism”. The statement said the withdrawal would not affect the continuation of US-Niger relations. “The United States and Niger are committed to ongoing…
SOUTH Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma put on a show of strength in the historic township of Soweto as he campaigned for votes in the build-up to the 29 May general election. Zulu warriors marched around Orlando Stadium with their spears and shields, men in camouflage sang and danced to revolutionary songs, while some of South Africa’s famous singers – including rapper Big Zulu – provided entertainment to the near capacity crowd at Saturday’s rally. For Mr Zuma’s supporters a major coup was the presence of the man known as a disco king, Papa Penny. Having announced his resignation from…
IRAN’s President Ebrahim Raisi has died after a helicopter carrying him and other officials crashed in a mountainous and forested area of the country in poor weather. The 63-year-old, a figure representing conservative and hardline factions in Iranian politics, was president for nearly three years, and appeared on track to run for re-election next year. A former chief justice, Raisi was touted as a potential successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the 85-year-old supreme leader of Iran. Raisi was born in Mashhad in northeastern Iran, a religious hub for Shia Muslims. He underwent religious education and was trained at the seminary…
IRAN’s Deputy President for Executive Affairs Mohsen Mansouri has said that two members of President Ebrahim Raisi’s entourage have contacted rescue teams, and this shows that the air incident involving their helicopter has not been rough, reported the IRNA news agency. Mansouri said on Sunday that the helicopter of President Raisi and two more copters were en route to the city of Tabriz after the president and his Azerbaijani counterpart inaugurated Qiz Qalasi Dam at the border between the two countries. Half an hour into their flight, Raisi’s helicopter lost contact with the two other copters, which prompted them to…
IMPERIOUS Manchester City beat West Ham at Etihad Stadium to become the first team to win the English league title four seasons in a row. With City needing a win to be sure of holding off Arsenal, who started the final day two points behind but with a better goal difference, Phil Foden put Pep Guardiola’s side ahead after just two minutes. The England star added another before the break and although Mohammed Kudus pulled one back, midfielder Rodri restored the home side’s two-goal cushion with a shot from the edge of the area after 59 minutes. City survived a…
A HELICOPTER carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi was involved in “an accident” amid poor weather conditions on Sunday, state media reported, with a search underway and no news yet on his condition. “An accident happened to the helicopter carrying the president” in the Jofa region of the western province of East Azerbaijan, state television said. Rescue team were headed to the area to locate him and other officials, state media in the Islamic republic reported, adding that Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian may also have been aboard the aircraft. “The harsh weather conditions and heavy fog have made it difficult for…
THE Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) armed forces repelled an attempted coup d’etat involving Congolese and foreign fighters on Sunday morning, a DRC army spokesperson said in a televised address. “An attempted coup d’etat has been put down by the defence and security forces. The attempt involved foreigners and Congolese. These foreigners and Congolese have been put out of action, including their leader,” spokesman Sylvain Ekenge said. The spokesperson did not specify whether this meant they had been detained or killed. Earlier, two guards and an assailant were killed in an attack on the nearby home of Vital Kamerhe, a…
IT’S advantage Manchester City as another compelling Premier League season comes to an end on Sunday. Pep Guardiola’s leaders will clinch a historic fourth successive league title if they defeat ninth-placed West Ham at Etihad Stadium. But Arsenal, who trail City by two points, will be champions for the first time since 2004 if they beat Everton at Emirates Stadium and City fail to win on the final day. If Guardiola’s men draw and Arsenal win, both teams will finish on 89 points with the Gunners starting the final day with a slender goal difference advantage (+61) over City (+60).…
TYSON Fury suffered a split-decision points defeat on a dramatic night in Saudi Arabia as Oleksandr Usyk became boxing’s first four-belt undisputed heavyweight champion. On a grand stage and on a legacy-defining night, Briton Fury began well but was given a standing 10 count and saved by the bell after an Usyk onslaught in the ninth round. In a tense wait for the scorecards to be read out, Fury appeared convinced of victory before a stoney-faced Usyk broke down in tears when he was confirmed as the winner. The scorecards read 115-112 and 114-113 for the Ukrainian, with a third…
NEARLY 800,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Rafah since Israel launched its offensive against the southern Gaza city last week, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has said. Lazzarini decried the repeated displacement of Palestinians in the statement on Saturday. “Since the war in Gaza began, Palestinians have been forced to flee multiple times in search of safety that they have never found, including in UNRWA shelters,” Lazzarini said. “When people move, they are exposed, without safe passage or protection. Every time, they are forced to leave behind the few belongings they have: …
DESPITE large public outcry and protest from many clerics, Saudi Arabia held its first fashion show featuring swimsuit models on Friday, in a country where less than a decade ago women were required to wear body-covering abaya robes. The poolside show featuring the work of Moroccan designer Yasmina Qanzal included mostly one-piece suits in shades of red, beige and blue. Most models had exposed shoulders and some had their midriffs partially visible. “It’s true that this country is very conservative but we tried to show elegant swimsuits which represent the Arab world,” Qanzal told AFP. “When we came here, we…
BURKINA Faso, Mali, and Niger have finalised plans to form a new confederation, the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States, marking a geopolitical shift in the region. This move showed their departure from their former colonial ruler, France, and a turn towards closer relations with Russia. The announcement was made following a meeting of the three nations’ foreign ministers in Niger’s capital, Niamey, on Friday, as reported by AFP. Niger’s Foreign Minister, Bakary Sangare, confirmed the finalisation of the draft text that outlines the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the AES. “The objective was to finalise the draft text relating…
SENEGAL’s prime minister Ousmane Sonko raised the possibility of closing French military bases in the West African country on Thursday in a wide-ranging speech that also touched on the euro-backed CFA franc currency, oil and gas deals. Sonko, a firebrand politician who gained power when his hand-picked presidential candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye won a decisive victory in March, is known for criticising perceived overreach by France in its former colony. France has about 350 troops in Senegal. “More than 60 years after our independence … we must question the reasons why the French army for example still benefits from several…
ARNE Slot, the Feyenoord coach who confirmed Friday he would be leading Liverpool from next season, is known as a passionate leader who gets the most out of his players and demands a strong work ethic. A fan of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, Slot was a slick forward as a player with a reputation as an accurate passer of the ball — so much so he has a move named after him. Here are five key facts about the 45-year-old poised to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield: Arne Slot Pass Slot joined PEC Zwolle as a 17-year-old striker known…
ISRAELI forces have continued to bombard the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, where Israel’s military offensive is deepening a humanitarian crisis in the already ravaged part of the Palestinian enclave. Hamas said on Friday that its fighters were battling invading Israeli troops in the narrow alleyways of Jabalia – the Gaza Strip’s largest refugee camp – in some of the fiercest confrontations since soldiers returned to the area a week ago. Israeli forces have stepped up their attacks on northern Gaza in recent days, displacing more than 100,000 people, according to United Nations figures. Residents said Israeli tanks and…
GUNMEN have killed an Afghan citizen and three foreign tourists in central Afghanistan’s Bamyan province, the Ministry of Interior Affairs says. Four foreign nationals and three Afghans were also injured in the attack on Friday when gunmen opened fire, ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said. Four people have been arrested, he said. The Taliban government “strongly condemns this crime, expresses its deep feelings to the families of the victims and assures that all the criminals will be found and punished”, Qani said in a statement. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the late evening attack. Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs…
GABON’s military-led government has denied allegations by deposed President Ali Bongo’s lawyers that his wife Sylvia and eldest son Noureddin were tortured in custody. Mr Bongo’s lawyers had said on Tuesday that the ousted president and his two youngest sons had gone on hunger strike to protest against the alleged torture, which they said included beatings, whippings, strangulation and electrocution with a taser. They added that they had filed a complaint with the Paris judicial court over the alleged acts. Speaking in an address on state TV, government spokeswoman Laurence Ndong said the allegations were “slanderous” and “damaging Gabon’s image”.…
LUXURY Swiss watch manufacturer Rolex is closing its Sandton office after maintaining a presence in South Africa for 76 years. Rolex announced the closure of its affiliate office in Sandton, citing changes in local markets and the situation in South Africa that no longer justify maintaining an official subsidiary. According to a statement from Rolex Geneva, issued to News24, the decision to close the office comes after careful consideration of the current economic and market conditions, which have altered significantly over the years. The company explained that it would remain active in the region through its official retailer network, ensuring…
CRISTIANO Ronaldo has topped the Forbes list of highest-paid athletes for the fourth time in his career, with Jon Rahm moving up to second. Ronaldo also headed the list last year following his move to Saudi Arabian football club Al Nassr. Business magazine Forbes says, external the 39-year-old Portugal forward earned $260m (£205m) – up from $136m (£108.7m) – over the past 12 months. Ronaldo’s great rival Lionel Messi has fallen a place to third behind Rahm. The Spanish golfer has jumped up to second on the back of his switch to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf tour and is reported…