San Francisco, United States | AFP | Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday rejected the idea of breaking up the social media giant as off-target, saying it could hamper the fight against deceit and harmful online content. The Facebook co-founder’s defense of the leading social network came as it …
Read More »South African parliament re-elects Ramaphosa as president
Cape Town, South Africa | AFP | South African lawmakers on Wednesday re-elected Cyril Ramaphosa as the nation’s president, two weeks after the ruling ANC party returned to power in legislative elections. Ramaphosa was “duly elected president of the Republic of South Africa,” chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng told parliament. Ramaphosa …
Read More »Ramaphosa: from activism to business, and then to power
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Over the course of his 66 years, Cyril Ramaphosa has experienced the poverty of Soweto, jail for fighting apartheid, trade union activism, fabulous wealth — and now elected leadership of his country. Ramaphosa, who became president last year through internal ANC politics, won a …
Read More »Zimbabwe hikes fuel prices again as crisis deepens
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe on Tuesday announced a fresh increase in fuel prices, months after a price hike triggered nationwide protests and a brutal security crackdown as the country’s economy woes deepen further. Upping prices by about 46 percent, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) said …
Read More »Malawi presidential candidates in an uncertain race
Lilongwe, Malawi | AFP | Malawi votes on Tuesday in a presidential race that could test President Peter Mutharika’s hold on power. Here are the leading contenders: – The elderly president – President Peter Mutharika, 78, won the 2014 election — two years after his elder brother Bingu wa …
Read More »Tshisekedi finally appoints PM, Katumbi returns to DRC
Lubumbashi, DR Congo | AFP | DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi on Monday named a government veteran, Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba, as the next prime minister, a move that came nearly four months after his inauguration. Ilunga Ilunkamba was appointed under “the political agreement” between Tshisekedi and his predecessor Joseph …
Read More »Zuma dismisses S.Africa graft charges as a ‘witch hunt’
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | AFP | Former South African president Jacob Zuma said Monday that he was victim of a “witch hunt” over corruption charges as lawyers argued in court that he could not expect a fair trial. Zuma, who was forced to resign by the ruling ANC party last …
Read More »Zambia arrests ex-minister for graft after British aid freeze
Lusaka, Zambia | AFP | Zambian authorities on Wednesday arrested a former minister for alleged corruption that led Britain to suspend aid to the southern African country last year, an official said. Emerine Kabanshi was arrested “for abuse of authority of office,” said a statement from Zambian anti-corruption and anti-money …
Read More »SOUTH AFRICA POLL: ANC 57%, DA 20% and EFF 10%
ANC wins election, to lead S.Africa govt with diminished majority Pretoria, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s ruling ANC was Saturday declared winner of general elections, handing it a sixth straight term in the post-apartheid era on what was nevertheless its worst electoral showing. The African National Congress (ANC) …
Read More »Victory in sight for ANC in closely-watched South Africa poll
Pretoria, South Africa | AFP | South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s ruling ANC was in touching distance of election victory Friday but with diminished support, complicating efforts to revive the country’s flagging economy and fight corruption, results showed. The African National Congress (ANC), in power since 1994, held a very …
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