Rome, Italy | AFP | The heads of seven southern European states gather in Rome on Wednesday to tackle one of the stubbornest thorns in the EU’s side: flows of migrants from war-torn and impoverished countries. The leaders of Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain will meet in the …
Read More »US judge blocks Trump move rescinding immigrant program
San Francisco, United States | AFP | A US judge on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from ending an Obama-era program that provided legal status to young immigrants who entered the country illegally as children. San Francisco-based Judge William Alsup issued his 49-page ruling Tuesday evening, ordering the administration to …
Read More »When hip-hop is political force
FEATURE | Alice Aterianus-Owanga | In Gabon as in other African states, rap has become instrumental in constructing political identity. On August 17, Gabon celebrated 57 years of independence with a massive free concert in the capital, Libreville. The aim: to promote national unity in a festive fashion. An impressive …
Read More »S.Africa’s graft-tainted Zuma announces anti-corruption probe
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s graft-tainted president Jacob Zuma on Tuesday announced a probe into corruption at the highest levels of the state after parliament indicated it would this week deliberate procedures for impeachment. Corruption allegations have tarnished Zuma’s image as well as eroded his support base and …
Read More »North Korea to attend Olympics in rival South
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea will send its athletes to the Winter Olympics in the South, the rivals said Tuesday after their first formal talks in more than two years following high tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme. The two sides also decided to hold military talks to …
Read More »2018: Time to restore hope
Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | As 2017 ended, many political pundits, the clergy, and academicians used their pulpits and punditry to describe what, in their view, the year had been like and predict 2018. Makerere University professor of Political Science, Sabiti Makara, said political intolerance has been on the …
Read More »Angolan leader denies tensions with predecessor despite clean-up campaign
Luanda, Angola | AFP | Angolan President Joao Lourenco on Monday denied “any tension” with his long-serving predecessor Jose Eduardo dos Santos, many of whose relatives and friends he has sacked from public office in a fight against corruption in the oil-rich southern African nation. In November, within three months …
Read More »British PM in limited, chaotic reshuffle
London, United Kingdom | AFP | British Prime Minister Theresa May sought to refresh her government with a ministerial reshuffle Monday as she faces a crucial year for Brexit, but the shake-up was limited and marred by a botched announcement. A new chairman of May’s Conservative party was announced on Twitter, …
Read More »Outrage after French mayor scraps pork-free school meals
Beaucaire, France | AFP | A far right local authority in southern France on Monday scrapped pork-free school meals, a move branded “anti-Muslim” or “anti-Jewish” by an equality minister. Julien Sanchez, the National Front mayor of Beaucaire, a town south of Avignon, abolished the scheme, brought in by his predecessor, …
Read More »SAfrica assembly to study impeachment procedure
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s parliament indicated Sunday it would this week deliberate procedures for presidential impeachment, as pressure mounts on embattled incumbent Jacob Zuma. The move came just days after the Constitutional Court ruled that parliament had failed to hold Zuma accountable for using public money …
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