Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Ethiopia on Thursday appointed a woman to the largely ceremonial position of president for the first time, further increasing female representation in the government of Africa’s second most populous nation. In a unanimous vote, Ethiopian lawmakers picked career diplomat Sahle-Work Zewde, 68, to replace …
Read More »DR Congo opposition parties agree to name unity candidate by mid-November
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | The Democratic Republic of Congo’s opposition parties agreed on Thursday to name a single unity candidate by mid-November to run against President Joseph Kabila’s choice in December elections. Tensions are running high before the long-delayed December 23 vote to chose a successor to Kabila, …
Read More »‘We’ve got the power!’ In DRC, rap moves to take on rumba
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | It is a conflict at once cultural, generational and political: rap music in DR Congo is staging a frontal assault on rumba, accusing its ageing stars of only singing of love and other banalities. DRC’s growing army of rappers say their urban lyrics reflect …
Read More »French court rules Sarkozy should be tried over campaign funding
Paris, France | AFP | A French appeals court ruled Thursday that former president Nicolas Sarkozy should answer charges of illicit financing of his failed 2012 election campaign, the latest in a string of legal proceedings likely to see him face trial. Sarkozy, 63, will appeal the decision before France’s …
Read More »Trump asks media to ‘stop hostility’ after bomb sent to CNN
Washington, United States | AFP | Donald Trump on Wednesday called on the media to stop their “endless hostility” and “false attacks” in comments addressing a number of pipe bombs sent earlier in the day to Barack Obama, top Democrats and CNN. Speaking to supporters at a campaign rally in …
Read More »Ethiopia appoints Africa’s only female president
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Ethiopia on Thursday appointed a woman to the largely ceremonial position of president for the first time, further increasing female representation in the government of Africa’s second most populous nation. In a unanimous vote, Ethiopian lawmakers picked career diplomat Sahle-Work Zewde, 68, to replace …
Read More »Putin warns of a new ‘arms race’ with America
Moscow, Russia | AFP | President Vladimir Putin warned Wednesday of a new arms race if America pulls out of weapons treaties, and said Russia would respond “in kind” to any new US missiles placed on European soil. At the weekend, US President Donald Trump sparked concerns globally when he …
Read More »Pipe bombs sent to Trump foes Obama, Clinton, CNN
New York, United States | AFP | Pipe bombs were sent Wednesday to Barack Obama, prominent Democrats and CNN — all hate figures for supporters of Donald Trump as political opponents accused the US president of sowing violence. Hillary Clinton was among some of the most high-profile Democrats targeted with …
Read More »Japan’s Abe to make rare China visit as relations thaw
Beijing, China | AFP | Japan’s Shinzo Abe is due to arrive in China Thursday, the first visit to the Asian giant by a Japanese prime minister since relations between the two countries soured six years ago over a territorial row. Abe and Chinese president Xi Jinping are expected to …
Read More »DRCongo opposition Kinshasa rally authorised for Friday – candidate
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | The Democratic Republic of Congo’s opposition will be allowed to hold a Kinshasa rally on Friday to protest against voting machines they fear will permit fraud in December’s key election, an opposition official said. Political tensions are rising in the DRC before the long-delayed …
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