New Mexico oilfield and air quality regulators announced unprecedented fines against a Texas-based oil and natural gas producer on accusations that the company flouted local pollution reporting and control requirements as it burned off vast amounts of natural gas

A First Amendment group sued Texas Governor Greg Abbott and others on Thursday over the state’s TikTok ban on official devices

By John Kruzel WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a request by Alabama officials to halt a

'The Kardashians' star Kylie Jenner who launched a clothing line called 'Khy' on October 24, 2023, has been receiving criticism due to her new business venture

Zimbabwe's national elections will take place on Aug. 23, the country's president announced Wednesday. The vote is expected to be another closely watched affair in a country with a history of violent and disputed elections. The announcement through a government gazette also set Oct. 2 for a presidential runoff vote if required. Opposition parties have already made allegations of violence and intimidation against their supporters in the buildup to the elections, and human rights groups have said President Emmerson Mnangagwa is silencing criticism. The southern African nation has only had two leaders since it gained independence from white minority rule in 1980. Robert Mugabe led Zimbabwe for 37 years until he was removed and replaced by Mnangagwa in a coup in 2017. Mnangagwa had served as a vice president under Mugabe. The last general election was held in 2018, nearly a year after the coup. Once a close ally of Mugabe, Mnangagwa, 80, has tried to present himself as a reformer despite accusations that he is even more repressive than the man he helped remove from power. Mnangagwa is expected to face a strong challenge from Nelson Chamisa, the 45-year-old leader of the main opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change. Chamisa narrowly lost to Mnangagwa in 2018, with the Constitutional Court dismissing his claims of election rigging. Apart from the presidency, the election will also decide the composition of the 300-seat parliament and close to 2,000 local council positions. Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF ruling party and the government have denied allegations of violence and intimidation by ruling party activists and security forces. But rights groups have accused Mnangagwa’s government of intimidation and of suppressing any criticism and opposition amid a currency crisis and a sharp rise in food prices. Zimbabwe has faced severe economic problems for years and has been under U.S. sanctions for two decades over human rights abuses. Mugabe died in 2019. Chamisa said this week he is ready for the election, but has made allegations of voting roll irregularities. Compounding that, Chamisa said his party is at a disadvantage because Mnangagwa and ZANU-PF control state–run media and hold sway over the police, other security forces and the judiciary, which are used to clamp down on dissent. On Wednesday, Fadzayi Mahere, spokeswoman for the Citizens Coalition for Change, tweeted: “No govt that’s popular & knows it’s winning behaves like this. They’re terrified cause, like all of us, they know that ZANU PF can never win a free & fair election in Zimbabwe." "That’s why they’re trying to stitch & doctor the voters’ roll but it won’t work. People want change.” Opposition parties had accused Mnangagwa of delaying announcing a date for the election that must take place before the end of August. Mnangagwa's announcement came a day after Zimbabwe's foreign ministry summoned the United States’ deputy ambassador over a series of tweets the embassy sent calling for a peaceful election. The ministry accused the embassy of “election-related social media posts bordering on activism and meddling in Zimbabwe’s internal affairs.” Deputy Ambassador Elaine French was called to a meeting with Zimbabwe foreign affairs acting permanent secretary Rofina Chikava on Tuesday following the posts on the U.S. Embassy's official Twitter account. The Zimbabwe foreign ministry said it had a particular issue with a May 26 tweet that called for Zimbabweans to “Register to vote and make sure your voice is heard.” Another tweet from the embassy said “Zimbabwe’s constitution grants citizens the right to choose their representatives in legitimate, credible, & peaceful elections.” The foreign ministry said the tweet urging people to register to vote was against diplomatic protocols. “We stand by our recent social media posts calling for peace during the election season," U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Meg Riggs said in a statement. “Elections are a part of a functioning democracy.” ___ More AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Zimbabwe releases prisoners in amnesty, reducing overcrowding AOC warns Elon Musk is ‘testing waters’ to interfere in 2024 election Nevada Republican governor approves abortion protections in rare cross-party move

Six artworks stolen by the Nazis and returned recently to the heirs of the Austrian Jew who owned them will be auctioned in New York...

Former president Donald Trump has arrived in Miami ahead of his arraignment on 37 charges over his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House. The former president flew from Newark Liberty International Airport to Miami International Airport yesterday afternoon and spent the night at his Mar-a-Lago estate – the Florida home where he is accused of hoarding troves of classified papers, including national defence information. Mr Trump will appear for his arraignment in a federal courtroom in downtown Miami this afternoon, before flying straight back to New Jersey where he has announced plans to deliver remarks tonight at his golf club. While Mr Trump gave defiant speeches at two Republican state conventions on Saturday in Georgia and North Carolina, his former attorney general Bill Barr has said that – after reviewing the indictment – he believes Mr Trump is “toast”. “If even half of it is true, then he’s toast,” he said of the 49-page indictment. Mr Trump responded by lashing out at Mr Barr both on Truth Social and during a sprawling interview on Roger Stone’s radio show where he branded the former top prosecutor a “gutless pig”. Read More Trump’s favourability rises in poll despite indictment Jonathan Turley tells Fox News the Trump indictment is ‘extremely damning’ and a ‘hit below the waterline’ Trump, allies escalate attacks on criminal case as history-making court appearance approaches Is Donald Trump going to prison?

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, arrested in Russia in March on espionage charges, was remanded in custody

President Joe Biden will mark the 22nd anniversary in Alaska on his way back from Vietnam.

'In our legal system, a jury gets to decide whether a defendant is guilty or innocent — not the Governor,' said Jose Garza

Tristan Tate confessed to having a crush on the American actress and Academy Award winner, Sandra Bullock

Myanmar’s military-led government has reduced the prison sentences of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a clemency connected to a religious holiday in the Buddhist-majority country