Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Mass protests may have pushed long-time Algerian leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika from power, but demonstrators look unlikely to let up, demanding sweeping changes to the political system. With pressure far from dissipating, what happens now? – Constitutional roadmap – Algeria’s constitution outlines a vague roadmap for …
Read More »Could Algeria’s protests set off Arab Spring 2.0?
Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | The resignation of Algerian leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika after huge protests has inspired activists in the region, but looks unlikely to spark a repeat of the Arab Spring uprisings. Civil society figures in authoritarian Egypt and Sudan welcomed the toppling of a veteran president once seen …
Read More »Strong Swiss gun culture faces EU pressure
Lucerne, Switzerland | AFP | Switzerland, where gun culture has deep roots, has managed to avoid the charged national debates over firearm ownership that have consumed other countries. But in a state where compulsory military service means many are comfortable around weapons, voters might, in a May referendum, push back …
Read More »The Sudanese cartoonist reaching out to the world
Copenhagen, Denmark | AFP | From his self-imposed exile in Denmark, political cartoonist Khalid Albaih sees himself as an “ambassador” for his native Sudan, with biting sketches that aim to unify rather than alienate. His criticism of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, in power for three decades, has made it impossible …
Read More »Algeria: from mass protests to Bouteflika resignation
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Algeria’s ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned on Tuesday, nearly six weeks after the start of unprecedented protests sparked by his bid for a fifth term. His resignation, announced by state television, came shortly after the army demanded the start of impeachment against him. Here is …
Read More »Ailing Bouteflika: Algeria’s longest serving president
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Abdelaziz Bouteflika is Algeria’s longest-serving president and a veteran of the independence struggle who has held on to power for some 20 years despite ill health. The 82-year-old survived the Arab Spring uprisings that toppled other leaders in the region. But after weeks of demonstrations …
Read More »Facebook’s call for global internet regulation sparks debate
Washington, United States | AFP | Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg’s call for “globally harmonized” online regulation raises questions about how internet platforms can deal with concerns about misinformation and abusive content while remaining open to free speech. Here are key questions about the latest proposal from Facebook: What is Facebook …
Read More »Algeria’s Bouteflika to resign ‘before mandate ends’
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Algeria’s ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika will resign before his mandate expires on April 28, his office said Monday, after a succession of loyalists deserted him in the face of massive protests. The 82-year-old, who has rarely been seen in public since a 2013 stroke, …
Read More »Gun control, climate: a new US generation takes to the barricades
New York, United States | AFP | In the United States, David Hogg is a leading campaigner for gun control, while in Europe, Greta Thunberg fights to defend the climate. They may only be teenagers, but both have drawn worldwide followings for their clear messages and fierce commitment — symbols …
Read More »White House 2020 spouses eye new title: First Gentleman
Washington, United States | AFP | From Martha Washington to Melania Trump, the role of US first lady is as old as the republic itself. But if one of half a dozen Democrat hopefuls get their way in 2020, the nation could soon have a first gentleman — potentially …
Read More »