Tag Archives: politics

Brasília, Brazil | AFP | Brazil’s first lady Marcela Temer leapt fully clothed into a lake at the presidential palace to rescue her pet dog — then got roasted on social media. The 34-year-old former beauty queen jumped into the lake after her Jack Russell named Picoly went after some …

Beijing, China | AFP | A former Chinese Communist Party official who was once tipped as a potential successor to President Xi Jinping was sentenced to life in prison for bribery on Tuesday, the latest senior cadre to fall in Xi’s sweeping anti-corruption crusade. Sun Zhengcai, a former Politburo member …

Cape Town, South Africa | AFP | The mayor of Cape Town, South Africa’s second largest city, was ousted by her own party on Tuesday after her administration came under fire over mismanagement and alleged corruption. “Patricia de Lille is no longer the mayor of Cape Town because she is …

Moscow, Russia | AFP | Vladimir Putin was sworn in as Russia’s president for a fourth term on Monday, extending his almost two-decade rule by another six years at a time of high tension with his Western rivals. The 65-year-old, in power since 1999, is on course to become the …

Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Former Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe will not appear before a parliament committee this week to answer questions on multi-billion-dollar corruption in the diamond industry after the hearing was postponed, a lawmaker said Monday. The 94-year-old Mugabe had been summoned to appear before a mines and …

Ankara, Turkey | AFP | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday rejected a challenge from the main opposition party’s presidential candidate to hold televised debates ahead of snap polls on June 24. Muharrem Ince, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate running against Erdogan, earlier on Monday urged the president …

Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | AFP | Equatorial Guinea’s paramount court on Monday confirmed the dissolution of the country’s main opposition and upheld 30-year jail terms handed to 21 of its members. A former Spanish colony of 1.2 million people, awash with oil but mired in poverty and a reputation for …

Juba, South Sudan | AFP | South Sudan’s vice president, former rebel Taban Deng Gai, on Monday formally folded his party into the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) of President Salva Kiir. The move is aimed at bolstering the legitimacy of Kiir’s regime and undermining rebel leader Riek Machar, …

United Nations, United States | AFP | UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged the Democratic Republic of Congo’s government to lift a ban on demonstrations that threatens to scupper chances for credible elections. The December 23 elections in the vast resource-rich country are to pave the way to a …

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday he is travelling to the United Kingdom to see his doctor. “I will be travelling to the United Kingdom tomorrow, to see my doctor, at his request,” said Buhari on his official Twitter account. Buhari said he will …