Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Friday tried to shut down reports that he is on the verge of sacking or forcing out his chief diplomat, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Trump took to Twitter to brand reports of Tillerson’s imminent replacement “FAKE NEWS!” — although …
Read More »Trump steps up calls for wall after Mexican’s murder acquittal
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Friday stepped up his demands for a wall to stem illegal immigration from Mexico after an undocumented migrant was acquitted of murdering a woman in California — in a dramatic conclusion to a polarizing case. “His exoneration is a complete …
Read More »Trump’s war on CNN takes on new significance in merger debate
New York, United States | AFP | The war between Donald Trump and CNN has taken a new turn with the government’s challenge to a tie-up between AT&T and the cable news channel’s parent firm Time Warner. Even as his Justice Department moved to block the deal, the president has stepped …
Read More »Brazzaville: Journalists attacked meeting opposition lawyers
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | A group of plainclothes men attacked journalists in the Republic of the Congo on Thursday as they tried to attend a press conference held by the legal team of a jailed opposition figure, an AFP correspondent said. The assault took place outside the offices of …
Read More »Amuriat sworn in, takes charge of FDC
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Eng. Patrick Amuriat Oboi has taken oath of office as president of Forum For Democratic Change (FDC), marking a remarkable rise to the top of Uganda’s leading opposition party. Beaten in the last parliamentary elections in Kumi, Amuriat looked the underdog at the start …
Read More »Protesters keep up pressure on Togo president
Lome, Togo | AFP | Protesters in Togo showed no signs of relenting in their bid to oust President Faure Gnassingbe on Thursday, taking to the streets for a second day as the opposition outlined conditions for talks with the government. In Lome, the rallies — which have become a common …
Read More »Zimbabwe’s president names top military officers in new cabinet
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe’s new president named his first cabinet Thursday, appointing two senior military officers to key portfolios and dropping close allies of Robert Mugabe who resigned after the armed forces took control of the country. President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed as foreign affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo, the …
Read More »Zimbabwe withdraw from Cecafa Cup over security
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Zimbabwe have pulled out of the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup starting in Kenya this week, citing security concerns. Zimbabwe had been invited to take part in the December 3-17 tournament as one of two guest teams, along with Libya. “Following wide-ranging consultations with all stakeholders, …
Read More »Togo: opposition parties promise sustained pressure on president
Lome, Togo | AFP | Togo’s opposition on Wednesday vowed to maintain the momentum of anti-government protests, as thousands again took to the streets before promised talks with the president. The leader of the National Alliance for Change (ANC) party, Jean-Pierre Fabre, led the crowds in the capital but similar …
Read More »COMMENT: Secrets of Paradise Papers
Four things the Paradise Papers tell us about global business and political elites and what needs to change COMMENT | RONEN PALAN | The so-called Paradise Papers may sound familiar – leaked documents from a law firm that specialises in offshore services reveal how the global elite avoids paying taxes. Even …
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