Tag Archives: politics

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania| AFRICAN ARGUMENTS |  Ever since his election in 2015, Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has been a subject of public fascination. At first, his war on graft promised to cleanse the state of corruption, while his patriotic thrift inspired the hashtag #WhatWouldMagufuliDo? But as this campaign of tumbua majipu (“lance the boils”) was …

Luanda, Angola | AFP |  Angolan presidential candidate Joao Lourenco, who appears set to win next month’s election, launched his campaign on Tuesday with a speech vowing to tackle corruption and spread wealth. Defence minister Lourenco, 63, is the chosen successor of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, whose decision to …

Abuja, Nigeria | AFP |  Hundreds of young Nigerians marched on the country’s parliament on Tuesday, calling for lawmakers to remove age barriers on political posts, including the presidency. Nigeria’s 1999 constitution stipulates that the president has to be at least 40, while senators and state governors have to be …

  Washington, United States | AFP |  US President Donald Trump attacked Attorney General Jeff Sessions again on Tuesday, calling him “VERY weak” in pursuing intelligence leaks and failure to go after former Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton over her emails. Trump’s latest Twitter salvo followed a report in the Washington …

Washington, United States | AFP |  Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner flatly denied on Monday there had been any collusion between Russia and members of his father-in-law Donald Trump’s campaign for president. The following are key quotes and dates from Kushner’s statement submitted to the US House and Senate …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  A new book detailing Nelson Mandela’s last days has been withdrawn after it was condemned by his outraged widow, publisher Penguin Random House said Monday. The book by Mandela’s physician Vejay Ramlakan was released last week to coincide with the late anti-apartheid leader’s birthday …

  Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | AFP |  Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, named heir to the region’s most powerful throne last month, took temporary charge of the country Monday as the king left on holiday. Prince Mohammed’s father, King Salman, issued a royal decree deputising his son to “manage …

Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | An apparent photo of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was posted on Twitter Sunday, offering a rare glimpse of the ill leader since his departure for London for medical treatment in May. Posted from the official Twitter account of the Nigerian presidency, the picture shows the …

Washington, United States | AFP | For two months, Robert Mueller — the lanky, 72-year-old independent prosecutor investigating the Russia scandal — has worked in virtual silence in a nondescript government office building in downtown Washington. But even without saying a word, the former FBI director and no-nonsense prosecutor has …

Paris, France | AFP | A poll out Sunday shows the popularity rating of France’s new President Emmanuel Macron has slumped 10 points to hit 54 percent over the past month. While Macron has made a strong start on the world stage and won a solid majority in parliament, his first …