Author: Staff Writers

[ad_1] Ahead of the verdict expected on 16 September for Hisham Kassem, a prominent opposition politician and publisher arbitrarily detained since 20 August solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Philip Luther, said: “The prosecution of Hisham Kassem for simply posting critical messages online is a signal that the Egyptian authorities’ relentless campaign to silence peaceful critics and punish dissent, including through the use of criminal defamation and other draconian laws, is continuing in full force.  “Criticizing the government and public officials is…

[ad_1] I started playing ping pong when I was in grade 11. In the beginning, we used to play among ourselves in school, then the Afghanistan Olympic Committee started a competition between schools in Mazar-e-Sharif. I and three other girls were selected to represent our school. We won second place.?  The Olympic delegation asked us to train and participate in competitive matches for the girls’ national ping pong team. I was very stressed, not thinking I’d have such an early chance to join the national team. I was also afraid of what my family and neighbours would say, as sports…

[ad_1] If you felt the effects of rising prices last month, it wasn’t your imagination. The Labor Department reports the August Consumer Price Index (CPI) jumped 0.6% from July. Over the last 12 months, the inflation rate is 3.7%.The price of gasoline was the biggest driver of inflation. The price at the pump surged 10.6% from July but was down 3.3% from August 2022. AAA reports gas prices have plateaued at about the same level as a month ago.Housing costs also continued to rise in August, climbing 0.3%. For the last 12 months, the shelter index is up 7.3%.Food prices…

[ad_1] MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Four former Memphis police officers pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal civil rights charges in the violent beating and death of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop nine months ago. Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley Desmond Mills and Justin Smith were led by U.S. Marshals into a courtroom wearing handcuffs and leg restraints for their first hearing since they were charged Tuesday with using excessive force and conspiring to lie about the Jan. 7 beating of Nichols as he cried out for his mother just steps from his home. READ MORE: Police special units like the…

[ad_1] Bill Maher’s talk show is coming back to HBO … he says he can’t keep waiting around for the writers’ strike to end and wants to get other folks back to earning a paycheck. The “Real Time with Bill Maher” host announced his program’s return Wednesday in a social media post …  he doesn’t say when the show will air but says it will have a different look without writers. Bill, a writer himself, says he sympathizes with striking writers’ “important issues … and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction” … but he says after 5 months on…

[ad_1] Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu says Taiwan is ‘not for sale’ after Musk discusses Beijing’s stance on the island.Taiwan has clapped back at Elon Musk after the billionaire businessman waded into the delicate issue of the island’s relations with China. Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said that Taiwan was “not for sale” after Musk referred to Beijing’s official position that the self-ruled island is part of its territory. “Listen up, Taiwan is not part of the PRC & certainly not for sale!” Wu said on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, using the acronym for the…

[ad_1] Audi is recalling 7,499 model year 2021 Audi S7s, S6 Sedans, RS7s, RS6 Avants, A6 Allroads, and model year 2019-2021 A7s & A6 Sedans.An incorrectly labeled brake fluid cap may have been installed, which can result in the use of the wrong type of brake fluid.Incorrect brake fluid can reduce braking ability and increase the risk of a crash.What to doDealers will inspect the brake fluid reservoir cap and — if necessary — replace it free of charge.Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 17, 2023.Owners may contact Audi’s customer service at (800) 253-2834. The number for…

[ad_1] Football Ferns midfielder Annalie Longo will finally realise a career-long ambition after signing with Wellington Phoenix for the upcoming A-League Women campaign. It’s the second time Longo has pledged to play with the Kiwi club, having agreed to join last year before suffering a serious knee injury as the campaign loomed. After winning 131 caps for New Zealand – including at the recent Women’s World Cup – she can now finally play competitive club football on home soil. “As a little girl growing up, I always wanted to play professional football in New Zealand,” she said. “I was a…

[ad_1] The Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization continues to have seismic effects on the electoral landscape, with Republicans losing even more ground in the metros, suburbs and exurbs of the country. They are gaining strength with rural, Hispanic and Native voters, but any increased strength in the more secular Northern rural counties is significantly more muted than their gains in the more religious, rock-ribbed Republican rurals. As the Republican campaign manager, you realize that the only state currently projected to flip your way is Georgia, thanks to your gains with Southern rural voters, but this…

[ad_1] Play video content TMZ.com Andrew Yang says voters are disenchanted about President Joe Biden battling Donald Trump in an election day rematch … which is why he wants to see the other Democrat candidates get some shine. The former presidential candidate was on “TMZ Live” Wednesday, talking about why he wants Biden to go toe-to-toe in a debate with the 2 Dem challengers — RFK Jr. and Marianne Williamson. The way Andrew sees it, another round of 2020’s political battle isn’t what Americans want, especially with JB and DT both getting up in age. Hence, his push to shake…