Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso | AFP | More than 80 people go on trial before a military court on Tuesday over the failed 2015 coup in Burkina Faso, including two top generals accused of masterminding the plot. The case is being seen as a test of the credibility of justice in …
Read More »DR Congo police fire bullets, tear gas on banned anti-Kabila rally
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | At least two people were wounded as police fired live bullets and tear gas Sunday to break up a banned protest against DR Congo President Joseph Kabila in Kisangani, the country’s third largest city, as tensions mounted nationwide. An AFP journalist in the northeastern …
Read More »China poised to lift presidential term limits
Beijing, China | AFP | The Chinese Communist Party’s leadership has called for the removal of presidential term limits, opening the door for China’s most powerful leader in decades, Xi Jinping, to remain in office beyond 2023. The party’s Central Committee has proposed deleting from the constitution the stipulation that …
Read More »Tensions high as DR Congo ruling party supporters storm cathedral
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Tensions soared in Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday as hundreds of ruling party supporters stormed Kinshasa cathedral after authorities banned a planned church-backed rally against President Joseph Kabila. The incident came as the chronically unstable nation braced for more unrest following months of tension …
Read More »DR Congo bans anti-Kabila protest march
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | The authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have banned a protest march planned Sunday against President Joseph Kabila, after two similar rallies were brutally put down last month. Kinshasa governor Andre Kimbuta told the Catholic organisers in a letter on Saturday that without …
Read More »Private birthday party for Mugabe, 94
Harare, ZIMBABWE | AFP | Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe celebrated his 94th birthday on Saturday with a private black-tie party hosted by his family, three months after he was ousted from power. Mugabe’s birthday was previously a major public event in Zimbabwe, marked by an outpouring of fawning congratulations …
Read More »Egypt presidential race starts with Sisi favourite to win
Cairo, EGYPT | AFP | Campaigning began in Egypt’s presidential election on Saturday with incumbent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi likely to romp to victory in the absence of a serious challenger in the two-candidate race. The former army chief will face the head of the liberal Ghad party, Mussa Mustapha Mussa, …
Read More »No deal reached on DR Congo protest march
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | A protest march by opponents of DR Congo President Joseph Kabila looked set to go ahead Sunday after authorities and organisers failed to agree an official route, after two similar rallies were brutally put down last month. Kinshasa governor Andre Kimbuta on Saturday invited …
Read More »Ethiopia ruling party to pick new PM next week
Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA | AFP | Ethiopia’s ruling coalition will meet to choose a new prime minister next week, a party official said on Saturday. Hailemariam Desalegn resigned as prime minister last week after ordering a mass prisoner amnesty and days of protest in Africa’s second most-populous country. A state …
Read More »Philippine Catholics protest bill to legalise divorce
Manila, Philippines | AFP | Around 2,000 Roman Catholic Filipinos protested in Manila on Saturday against a push to legalise divorce, with church groups also using the “Walk for Life” march to slam President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drugs war. The pre-dawn protest was organised by church groups worried about the …
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