Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Vilmar Mendonca used to be a human resources director for several companies in Brazil. Now he is homeless, sleeping outdoors along with thousands of other victims of the country’s economic crisis. Mendonca lost his job in 2015 and for a while, he lived off …
Read More »Gandhi brand no longer sells in Indian politics
New Delhi, India | AFP | India’s Congress party and its controlling Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has been synonymous with political power for most of the 70 years since independence, hit a new low with this weekend’s vice-presidential election. The Congress-backed candidate was crushed in Saturday’s parliamentary ballot by the nominee of …
Read More »Trouble brewing in Nigeria swamps threatens economy
Warri, Nigeria | AFP | Months have passed since the Niger Delta Avengers have launched an attack on Nigeria’s oil pipelines, yet leaders in the region are warning trouble is brewing in the southern swamplands. A charm offensive led by Nigeria’s acting president Yemi Osinbajo has kept the uprising at bay, …
Read More »For women CEOs, danger lurks atop the corporate ladder
New York, United States | AFP | In one recent 24-hour span, two women were pushed out of leadership roles at major US corporations, spotlighting how investor pressure can frustrate efforts to broaden diversity in the boardroom. Ellen Kullman, Meg Whitman, Mary Barra, Indra Nooyi, Marissa Mayer, Irene Rosenfeld, Sheri McCoy …
Read More »Kenya since 2007-2008 post-election violence
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Below are key dates since post-election violence in Kenya in 2007-2008 left more than 1,100 dead, the worst violence in the east African country since independence in 1963: – 2007-2008: post election violence – On December 27, 2007, outgoing president Mwai Kibaki is proclaimed winner again …
Read More »Kenya on a knife edge ahead of high-stakes elections
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Kenyans head to the polls Tuesday to vote in a knife-edge contest between incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta and his rival Raila Odinga which has heightened claims of vote rigging and fears of violence. The final days of campaigning have been marred by the murder and torture of …
Read More »ANALYSIS: What will decide the Kenyan election?
ANALYSIS: What will decide the Kenyan election? | A dose of faith, tribe and hard cash Nairobi, Kenya | JOSEPH WANDERA | After accepting his nomination as the presidential candidate of the main opposition coalition; the National Super Alliance (NASA), Raila Odinga likened himself to Joshua, the biblical figure who led the Jews to the …
Read More »Kenyans take no chances ahead of high-stakes election
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | In recent days, the queues of early morning travellers at Nairobi’s long-distance bus stations have been thick with people seeking to leave the city. In supermarkets, the aisles are cramped with shoppers pushing convoys of trolleys stacked high with provisions. In the runup to Tuesday’s …
Read More »Apple’s China problem highlights conundrum for tech sector
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Apple’s decision to bow to Chinese officials by removing apps to sidestep online censorship underscores the dilemma faced by US tech companies seeking to uphold principles while expanding their business. The iPhone maker is the latest from Silicon Valley to face a conundrum in …
Read More »Kenya: five things to know
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Kenya, which holds elections on Tuesday a decade after deadly post-vote violence, is one of east Africa’s leading economies with a crucial tourism sector based on safaris and tropical beaches. – Post-election violence – Kenya was a British colony until independence on December 12, 1963. Jomo …
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