United Nations, United States | AFP | The United States urged the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday to scrap plans to use electronic voting for the first time in elections this year, saying it risked undermining the credibility of the historic polls. After much delay, the DR Congo will hold …
Read More »Zuma defies the ANC, refuses to resign
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s ruling ANC party was locked in closed-door discussions on Monday night, wrangling over the fate of Jacob Zuma after the scandal-tainted president refused to resign. The party’s powerful 107-member national executive committee (NEC) met at a hotel outside Pretoria, but gave no official …
Read More »UPDATE: South African opposition parties demand early elections
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African opposition parties on Monday called for early elections as the ruling ANC wrestled with a leadership battle between President Jacob Zuma and his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa. “We must proceed to the dissolution of parliament… subsequent to that, we move on to an …
Read More »Ruler since 1982, Biya turns 85 as strife grips parts of Cameroon
Douala, Cameroon | AFP | President Paul Biya of Cameroon celebrates his 85th birthday on Tuesday after 35 years at the helm of a country that today faces daunting problems, including a separatist revolt. “The Cameroon of tomorrow, which is developing before our eyes, will have little connection with the …
Read More »South Sudan court sentences rebel spokesman to death
Juba, South Sudan | AFP | South Sudan rebel spokesman James Gatdet Dak was sentenced to death by hanging for treason on Monday, a year after he was deported from Kenya despite having refugee status. “Death sentence by hanging,” Judge Ladu Armenio told Gatdet in the court in Juba, after …
Read More »LIVE: Jacob Zuma exit
LIVE: Zuma exit Cape Town, South Africa | AFP | Pressure is mounting on South Africa’s scandal-tarred president, Jacob Zuma, to leave office ahead of elections next year. Tweets about zuma Here are the ways by which he could leave office early: – Vote of no confidence – Zuma’s enemies …
Read More »Trump to unveil $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan
Washington, United States | AFP | Donald Trump’s administration will sketch out more details of its plan to invest in America’s creaking infrastructure Monday, hoping it can leverage up to $1.5 trillion for the cause. Senior White House officials said the president’s budget, due to be released on Monday, will …
Read More »US wants to privatize International Space Station: report
Washington, United States | AFP | Could the International Space Station become a commercial venture run by private industry? That is the wish of the White House, which hopes to end funding for the costly program within a few years, The Washington Post reported Sunday. The US plan, the paper …
Read More »ANC chiefs to meet to ‘finalise’ Zuma exit
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Top leaders of South Africa’s ruling ANC will meet Monday to “finalise” the departure of embattled President Jacob Zuma after party chief Cyril Ramaphosa promised to bring “closure” to the crisis. Ramaphosa said at a party rally in Cape Town on Sunday he wanted …
Read More »S. Africa’s Ramaphosa admits ‘disunity’ as Zuma fights exit
Cape Town, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s ruling party leader Cyril Ramaphosa admitted Sunday to “disunity and discord” within the African National Congress as it struggled to remove scandal-tainted President Jacob Zuma from power. Ramaphosa, 65, said he wanted to replace “a period of difficulty, disunity and discord” …
Read More »