Global News

Sierra Leone’s electoral umpire signifies readiness to deliver credible elections

The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) has reaffirmed its commitment and readiness to deliver credible and transparent presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday, 24th June. “We are ready mentally and physically for Saturday’s elections, and a possible run-off vote should the need arise,” the ECSL’s Chief Electoral Commissioner Mohamed Konneh told ECOWAS Observers during a briefing in his Freetown…

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Banging sounds heard during Titan search, according to internal US government memo

Sonar picked up banging sounds on Tuesday from underneath the water in the North Atlantic Ocean while searching for a submersible with five people onboard that went missing two days earlier on a dive to the Titanic wreckage, according to an internal US government memo on the search. Crews detected banging sounds every 30 minutes – and four hours later,…

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Alibaba names new chairman, CEO in major shakeup

Alibaba is replacing Daniel Zhang as chairman and CEO as the Chinese tech giant undergoes the biggest shakeup in its history. Joseph Tsai, executive vice chairman and a co-founder of Alibaba (BABA), will succeed Zhang as chairman, the company said Tuesday. Eddie Wu, chairman of e-commerce unit Taobao and Tmall Group, will succeed Zhang as chief executive officer. Both appointments…

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Africa’s growth impossible without strong financial institutions, says Akufo-Addo

…Oramah counts Afreximbank’s blessings at 30 By Bolaji Adebiyi in Accra, Ghana Africa’s desire for sustainable economic growth is unattainable without strong development finance institutions, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Ado has said. He spoke at the ongoing 30th Annual General Meetings of the African Export-Import Bank, Afreximbank, in Accra, where the Bank’s President Benedict Oramah said the Pan-African financial institution was…

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Antony Blinken hails candid talks on high stakes China trip

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held “candid” and “constructive” talks with China’s foreign minister in Beijing at the start of two days of meetings with Chinese officials, the US State Department has said. Mr Blinken emphasised the need for diplomacy and keeping “open channels of communication” US officials added. The trip, the first by a US diplomat to China…

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Putin blames Ukraine for lack of talks as African leaders press for peace

African leaders pressed for peace in Ukraine as they met Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg Saturday but the Russian leader blamed Kyiv for a lack of talks. The high-level Africa delegation traveled first to Ukraine and then to Russia with the long-shot goal of bringing the warring sides to the negotiating table. Leading the delegation was South African President Cyril…

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Harry and Meghan: Spotify podcast deal with couple ends

Spotify’s deal with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for the couple to produce podcasts has ended. A joint statement from Harry and Meghan’s company and the streaming giant said they had “mutually agreed to part ways”. Spotify confirmed it was not renewing Meghan’s podcast Archetypes, which ran for 12 episodes from August 2022, for a second series. The contract…

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Benin feels the pinch as neighbouring Nigeria ends fuel subsidies

The motorbikes and cars she normally supplies are no longer stopping to stock up on her cheap gasoline, which is smuggled in from neighbouring Nigeria. Since Nigeria’s new president Bola Ahmed Tinubu abruptly ended his country’s long-standing subsidy on petrol two weeks ago, prices of black market fuel over the border in Benin have also doubled. “Since this morning, barely…

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REPORT: African leaders to propose ‘confidence building measures’ to Russia over Ukraine war

African leaders could propose a series of “confidence building measures” during their initial efforts to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, according to a draft framework document seen by Reuters on Thursday. Senegal President Macky Sall and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are heading a delegation including leaders from Zambia, the Comoros, and Egypt’s prime minister that will…

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Boris Johnson deliberately misled parliament, says UK report dubbed ‘rubbish’ by ex-PM

Britain’s former prime minister Boris Johnson should be denied automatic access to parliament for deliberately misleading lawmakers over rule-breaking COVID lockdown parties, a committee said on Thursday in a damning report. Johnson reacted by calling the findings “rubbish”. The privileges committee – the main disciplinary body for lawmakers – said Johnson had misled parliament on several occasions about Downing Street…

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