When US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that a deal with Iran had been “largely negotiated,” he cited a phone call with a crowded list of Middle East rulers. One ostensibly lesser name stood out: Qatar’s Ali Al Thawadi is a minister without his own department, but he too ...
Month: May 2026
Senegal’s political avalancheSenegal’s political avalanche
Alexis’s view Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye set off a political avalanche by firing his popular prime minister, Ousmane Sonko. Faye probably calculated that the move, announced late on Friday, could bury his own political career but was worth the risk to break an impasse that has prevented the country ...
Benin’s new president focuses on economic prosperityBenin’s new president focuses on economic prosperity
Benin’s new president promised to ensure citizens benefitted from the growing strength of the economy. Romauld Wadagni, 49, was sworn in on Sunday, having previously served as finance minister under his predecessor. That administration produced economic growth of 7.5% last year, the highest level since 1990. The economy under Wadagni ...
An Incomplete List of Successful Anti-Data Center LegislationAn Incomplete List of Successful Anti-Data Center Legislation
Opposition to the massive data centers that power AI is bipartisan and growing across the country. From Maine to California, more states and local communities are passing moratoriums and bans on construction of the noisy, power and water hungry buildings. People are getting arrested for speaking too long at town ...
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell in custody after admitting £400,000 embezzlementFormer SNP chief executive Peter Murrell in custody after admitting £400,000 embezzlement
The estranged husband of former Scotland first minister Nicola Sturgeon is remanded in custody after pleading guilty. ...
Delivery robots are spreading across LA. Residents ‘both pity and hate them’Delivery robots are spreading across LA. Residents ‘both pity and hate them’
A region known for its lack of walkability now has more obstacles for pedestrians to contend with Robots have taken over Los Angeles. It’s not just the AI-generated videos that have caused angst in Hollywood. Our streets are full of driverless Waymo vehicles, covered in more sensors and gadgets than ...
Victor Wembanyama’s half-court buzzer beater showcased a master in complete controlVictor Wembanyama’s half-court buzzer beater showcased a master in complete control
The Spurs are up against the best team in the NBA in the Western Conference finals. But their star player has enough sorcery to give them confidence Victor Wembanyama called for the ball. His San Antonio Spurs were up by nine at the tail end of the second quarter, but ...
Kenya’s mobile money tax plans threaten M-Pesa growthKenya’s mobile money tax plans threaten M-Pesa growth
The News Kenya’s proposed new taxes risk hampering the growth of fintechs and mobile money services, with Safaricom’s M-Pesa likely to be the worst hit, experts told Semafor. Kenya President William Ruto’s administration is seeking to impose a new 16% value-added tax on services by payment service providers including M-Pesa ...
How China forced Europe to reconsider Africa’s industrializationHow China forced Europe to reconsider Africa’s industrialization
For decades, African leaders, from Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah to Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere, made a simple argument to Europe and the industrialized world: No continent can sustainably develop while serving mainly as a supplier of raw materials and a consumer of finished goods. That argument was long dismissed as ideological nostalgia ...
US-Saudi venture to build Shahed drone clones in RiyadhUS-Saudi venture to build Shahed drone clones in Riyadh
The Scoop A joint venture between a US defense startup and a Saudi firm is building a factory near Riyadh to manufacture combat drones modeled on Iran’s Shahed system, which has been used to pummel Gulf countries over the past few months. The facility is being developed by SR2Vector, a ...