Cape Town, South Africa | AFP | South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Tuesday he wanted “healing and atonement” following the 2012 massacre of 34 striking workers at a mine run by Lonmin where he was a director. Ramaphosa has been dogged by allegations that he was partly responsible for …
Read More »Netanyahu associates named as suspects in new corruption probe
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Israeli police revealed Tuesday that two close associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were among the suspects in a new corruption probe, with five others central figures in the Bezeq telecommunications group. The seven were arrested on Sunday, just days after police said there were …
Read More »Trump backs improved background checks on gun buys
Washington, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump signaled support Monday for improving background gun checks amid mounting pressure for reform in the wake of the Florida school shooting, as the accused gunman appeared in court. Nikolas Cruz, charged with killing 17 people, sat silently with his head …
Read More »Zuma ally fights S.Africa graft probe
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A linchpin of South Africa’s Gupta business family, which has been closely associated with ex- president Jacob Zuma, fought back Monday against a corruption probe by contesting an assets freeze. Atul Gupta applied to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to force investigators probing a …
Read More »Zimbabwe remembers Tsvangirai, the ‘doyen of democracy’
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Thousands of Zimbabweans and foreign mourners took to the streets of Harare Monday to pay tribute to Zimbabwe’s iconic opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai who died after a battle with cancer. Supporters wore the trademark red of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party which Tsvangirai …
Read More »Togo talks offer ‘last chance’ to resolve crisis
Lome, Togo | AFP | After six months of political crisis, a dialogue between Togo’s government and the opposition opening on Monday is seen by many as the last chance to resolve a bitter dispute over the rule of embattled President Faure Gnassingbe. But the talks have raised a welter …
Read More »S. Africa widens hunt for Zuma allies to India, China
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa has widened a corruption probe into allies of ex-president Jacob Zuma to other countries including India, China and Dubai, the police minister said Sunday. Fikile Mbalula made the announcement days after South Africa issued an arrest warrant for one of the brothers …
Read More »Trump says Russia succeeding in sowing US discord
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump, hitting out at the probes and congressional hearings into Russian election meddling, said Sunday Moscow is succeeding beyond its “wildest dreams” if its intention is to sow discord within the United States. “They are laughing their asses off in Moscow. Get …
Read More »Tanzania orders probe after stray police bullet kills student
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Sunday ordered an inquiry after police admitted responsibility for the death of a 22-year-old student who was hit by a stray bullet as they sought to break up an opposition rally. The young woman’s death on Friday night triggered an …
Read More »Mnangagwa hails late opposition hero Tsvangirai, urges unity
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe’s president on Sunday praised opposition icon Morgan Tsvangirai who died last week as an outstanding political figure who had endured political hardship and deserved his place in the country’s history. Tsvangirai, the strongest and fiercest opponent ever to Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party’s …
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