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by John Biers © Agence France-Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) – US antitrust regulators on Wednesday conditionally approved Walt Disney’s proposed $71.3 billion purchase of key 21st Century Fox assets, boosting the chances for the tie-up to create a new media-entertainment powerhouse. The US Department of Justice approved the deal subject to Disney selling 22 regional sports networks now owned by Fox. The news moves Disney’s proposed buyout one step closer to completion after the […]
by Joséphine Gruwe-Court Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) – Michael Jackson’s legacy as a pop-culture and artistic icon is explored in a new exhibition at London’s National Portrait Gallery opening Thursday. “Michael Jackson: On the Wall” — a play on the title of classic 1979 album “Off the Wall” — follows the king of pop, who still captivates artists nine years after his death, through his multi-million selling career. The exhibition features paintings, […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – Libyan Ahmed Abu Khattala was sentenced Wednesday in Washington to 22 years in prison for his role in the 2012 Benghazi attack that killed a US ambassador and three others. Prosecutors were unable to convince a jury that Khattala, leader of a militant group who had been photographed watching the attack on September 11, 2012, was directly to blame for the deaths of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens, a second State […]
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) – A US judge ordered that migrant families separated at the border with Mexico under President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy be reunited within 30 days. For children under five the reunification must take place within two weeks of the order, issued Tuesday by US District Judge Dana Sabraw in San Diego. Sabraw issued the ruling in response to a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on […]
OSLO, Norway (AFP) — Facebook and Google are pushing users to share private information by offering “invasive” and limited default options despite new EU data protection laws aimed at giving users more control and choice, a government study said Wednesday. The Norwegian Consumer Council found that the US tech giants’ privacy updates clash with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which forces companies to clarify what choices people have when sharing private information. “These […]
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP)–Twitter on Tuesday said it will begin asking for email addresses or phone numbers to confirm new accounts as part of a battle against manipulation, particularly by automated bots. Adding a way to check that a real person is behind new accounts was described by Twitter as being among measures to fight abuse, trolls, and hateful content. “This is an important change to defend against people who try to take advantage […]
by Shaun TANDON Agence France-Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) – The Grammys will expand the number of nominees in main categories for music’s most prestigious awards as organizers try to counter a backlash over how few women and minorities are winning. In one of the biggest changes at the Grammys in years, the Recording Academy — which administers the prizes — said Tuesday in a letter to members that next year’s […]
by Sylvie Lanteaume © Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)–From housing undocumented migrants to scrapping joint exercises with South Korea or setting up a new Space Force — US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, one-time favorite of Donald Trump, now finds himself reduced to carrying out presidential orders despite his disapproval. US media say that the retired Marine general has been demoted in Washington’s power circles by the arrival of former CIA chief Mike Pompeo as […]
by Ivan Couronne © Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)–Friday morning at 5:24 am (0924 GMT), a rocket owned by the US company SpaceX will blast off from Florida carrying two and a half tons of gear from NASA, only to dock three days later and 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth at the International Space Station. The rocket itself is not new. It launched a NASA satellite into orbit two months ago, then landed […]
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — An inspirational new version of Barbie will encourage young girls to embark on careers in engineering and the sciences, the iconic doll’s manufacturer Mattel said on Tuesday. Barbie, who first hit the shelves in 1959, prides herself on trying out jobs where women aren’t strongly represented, to add to her more traditional skill set of dancing with Ken and looking fabulous. The company has announced a “Career of the […]
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) – New York’s iconic Central Park officially goes car-free Wednesday after the final vehicle drives through the green oasis and tourist magnet in the heart of America’s most populous urban jungle. City officials, park and cycling advocates were to join a bike ride late Tuesday behind the last car driving through the Manhattan park at 7:00 pm, restoring the green space to its original use as a refuge and […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)–Facebook said Tuesday it was easing a ban on ads for cryptocurrencies while keeping a prohibition on initial coin offerings to raise assets. The move comes five months after the leading social network said it was banning all ads related to cryptocurrencies like bitcoin as a way to curb scams. To place ads on Facebook for cryptocurrencies, companies will need to be pre-approved and offer proof they have licenses or are […]
