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http://ift.tt/2pEsvo2 PHOTO:AFP South Africa’s economy contracted in the first quarter of this year, pushing the continent’s largest economy into its first recession since 2009, the official statistics agency reported Tuesday. “The South African economy moved into recession with the reported decrease of 0.7 percent in GDP (gross domestic product) during the first quarter of 2017, following a 0.3 percent contraction in the fourth quarter of 2016,” said Stats SA. The biggest contributor to the negative GDP growth were the trade, catering and accommodation industry, which shrank by 5.9 percent and accounted for -0.8 of a percentage point to GDP growth. The manufacturing sector decreased by 3.7 percent as unemployment climbed to a record 27.7 percent, the highest joblessessness rate in 14 years. Only the mining and agriculture sectors posted growth rates of 12.8 percent and 22.2 percent respectively in the first quarter. South Africa’s economy has been experiencing weak growt...

http://ift.tt/2qAdW6R (FILES) This file photo taken on August 1, 2013 showsFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Robert Mueller (C) laughing alongside CIA Director John Brennan (L) following a farewell ceremony in Mueller's honor at the US Department of Justice.Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on May 17, 2017, named Mueller as special counsel to lead the probe into alleged Russian meddling and possible collusion with US President Donald Trump's team, as the president stands accused of seeking to stall the investigation. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB A former FBI chief was tasked Wednesday with leading a beefed-up investigation into whether Donald Trump’s team colluded with Russia to tilt the 2016 election in the president’s favor. Trump responded by once again denying any links to Moscow, but the appointment of a special counsel with sweeping powers dramatically raises the stakes in a crisis threatening to paralyze his presidency. The Republican leader, who has s...

http://ift.tt/2pw543c An Afghan victim injured in a suicide attack lies in a ward at the Wazir Akbar Khan hospital in Kabul on May 3, 2017. A powerful blast targeting a foreign forces convoy near the US embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul killed at least eight people and wounded 25 May 3, officials said, the latest attack in the Afghan capital. / AFP PHOTO / WAKIL KOHSAR A powerful blast targeting an armoured NATO convoy in Kabul killed at least eight people and wounded 28 Wednesday, including three coalition troops, officials said in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. The explosion, which came during morning rush hour on a busy road near the US embassy and NATO headquarters, killed “mostly” civilians, an interior ministry spokesman told AFP without giving a breakdown. Three coalition service members received “non-life threatening wounds” but are in stable condition, a spokesman for US Forces-Afghanistan said, without confirming their nationalities. The attack...