White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigns Washington, United States | AFP | Sean Spicer, who resigned Friday after a stormy six months as White House press secretary, was tapped to be Donald Trump’s spokesman even though he was not a member of the president’s inner circle. Spicer, 45, became …
Read More »Tanzanian opposition figure held after denouncing President Magufuli
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Tanzanian opposition number two Tundu Lissu was arrested on Thursday, three days after having called President John Magufuli a “dictator”, party sources said. No reasons were given for the arrest of Lissu, a member of the main opposition party Chadema who serves as …
Read More »South Korea urges North to respond to military talks offer
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | South Korea urged the North on Friday to break its silence on an offer of military talks aimed at easing simmering tensions over the hermit state’s nuclear ambitions. Seoul had proposed to hold rare inter-Korea talks this week at the border truce village of …
Read More »Uganda arrests dozens of opposition activists
Kampala, Uganda | AFP | Police in Uganda announced the arrests of opposition activists this week amid speculation that longtime President Yoweri Museveni is planning to change the constitution so he can stand for re-election. No official move has been made to lift the bar on Museveni running due to …
Read More »IN THE INDEPENDENT: The Sudhir-BOU Inside Story
In the Independent this week: BOU’s war with Sudhir and how the central bank’s handling of the problems of Crane Bank showed lack of imagination and strategy. COVER STORY Secrets of Sudhir saga: How BoU is overseeing the biggest asset grab ever. THE LAST WORD BOU’s war with Sudhir: How …
Read More »Kenyan cattle herders defend ‘necessary’ land invasions
Crocodile Jaw Bridge, Kenya | AFP | Close by a narrow, rickety bridge in Kenya’s central Laikipia highlands two herders sit on blistering hot rock next to the muddy trickle of the Ewaso Nyiro river to explain why they routinely break the law, invading private land to graze their cattle. “The …
Read More »Malawi ex-agriculture minister charged over graft
Blantyre, Malawi | AFP | Malawi’s former agriculture minister was Wednesday arrested and charged with graft for allegedly profiting in a $35-million maize import deal from neighbouring Zambia, officials said. George Chaponda has been battling against graft allegations following the controversial purchase of 100,000 tonnes of maize in July 2016. Malawi’s Anti-Corruption Bureau …
Read More »UK PM fends off jokes about her future before summer break
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Beleaguered British Prime Minister Theresa May batted off jokes about her weakened government Wednesday during her final parliamentary grilling before escaping for the summer recess. After a string of terror attacks and an electoral humiliation last month, the Conservative leader opened prime minister’s questions in …
Read More »Macron puts France top of ‘soft power’ rankings: survey
Paris, France | AFP | France has leapfrogged the United States and Britain as the world’s top so-called soft power, helped by the election of President Emmanuel Macron, a study of countries’ non-military global influence showed Tuesday. While France has risen, Donald Trump’s ascent to the White House has seen the …
Read More »South Africa ex-finance minister calls for Zuma to go
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s respected former finance minister Pravin Gordhan called Tuesday for President Jacob Zuma to resign, stepping up pressure on the embattled leader. Gordhan joined a growing number of activists in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) along with anti-apartheid veterans and business leaders who …
Read More »