ALERT: South Africa granted diplomatic immunity to Grace Mugabe Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe’s first lady Grace Mugabe flew home from South Africa on Sunday, state media said, ending a week of confusion over her whereabouts after she allegedly assaulted a model. Mugabe, who had been sought by police for …
Read More »China’s solar panels shine spotlight on North Korea trade
Dandong, CHINA | AFP | Traders from North Korea visit Yuan Huan’s shop in the Chinese border city of Dandong several times a month to place orders, bringing their own translators and wads of cash. Yuan, manager of Sangle Solar Power, said sales to North Koreans have soared in the past …
Read More »Grace Mugabe absent from S.Africa summit as assault claim lingers
Pretoria, South Africa | AFP | Zimbabwe’s first lady Grace Mugabe failed to appear Saturday at a summit in South Africa attended by her husband, an event overshadowed by her effort to obtain diplomatic immunity over assault allegations. The wife of President Robert Mugabe has not been seen since being accused …
Read More »Zimbabwe declares holiday on Mugabe’s birthday
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe has declared President Robert Mugabe’s birthday on February 21 a national holiday, a state daily reported Saturday, honouring the veteran politician in power since 1980 who opponents accuse of brutal repression and devastating the economy. The declaration of the Robert Mugabe National Youth Day …
Read More »Erdogan wades into German election, Berlin hits back
Istanbul, Turkey | AFP | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Friday urged ethnic Turks in Germany to reject its main parties in upcoming elections, prompting a sharp warning from Berlin to stop the “unprecedented” meddling. Erdogan called on ethnic Turks to ignore Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and their …
Read More »S.Africa mulls Grace Mugabe’s immunity claim
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African officials were on Friday considering whether to grant diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwe’s first lady Grace Mugabe over her alleged assault on 20-year-old model in a Johannesburg hotel. Mugabe, who has not been seen since the Sunday’s incident, is due to attend a Southern …
Read More »South Korea vows no war despite North’s missile threat
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | South Korea pledged Thursday that there would be no war on the Korean peninsula, as prospects of a pre-emptive US strike to destroy Pyongyang’s nuclear missile program receded. South Korea’s President Moon Jae-In moved to reassure his citizens that Seoul has an effective veto on …
Read More »Saudi king orders reopening of Qatar border to pilgrims
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi Arabia on Thursday ordered the reopening of its border with Qatar to Muslim pilgrims, a move which Doha said was welcome but too little to heal relations between the feuding Gulf neighbours. The Salwa border crossing, also known as Abu Samrah, a key passage …
Read More »New US envoy reassures Japan over security pact
Narita, Japan | AFP | The new US ambassador to Japan on Thursday reassured the country of an “ironclad” commitment to their security alliance, but urged Tokyo to step up its role in the pact, amid heightened tensions over North Korea’s missile threats. Tokyo remains on alert against potential military provocations …
Read More »Model was offered cash to make Grace Mugabe assault ‘go away’
Centurion, South Africa | AFP |The 20-year-old South African model that Zimbabwe’s first lady Grace Mugabe is alleged to have assaulted was offered cash to make potential charges “go away”, a lawyer said Thursday. Police have said they were also on high alert to make sure that the 52-year-old wife …
Read More »