Tag Archives: politics

Paris, France | AFP | Protests by people clad in luminous vests have played havoc with traffic across France and prompted violent clashes in Paris in recent days. But who are the “yellow vest” protesters, and what will become of them? What are these protests about? The movement sprang up …

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Ethiopia’s prime minister on Tuesday met with dozens of opposition parties to discuss reforming the electoral system ahead of national elections planned for 2020. Since taking office in April, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has unveiled an aggressive reform agenda that has included a promise …

Paris, France | AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron sought to take the heat out of mass anti-government protests over taxes on Tuesday, saying he had heard the anger but would not change course. The 40-year-old centrist acknowledged that many struggling households felt penalised by an increase in fuel taxes …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s respected former finance minister Pravin Gordhan reported leftist opposition leader Julius Malema to police on Monday for allegedly inciting violence following inflammatory remarks he made last week. Malema, who leads the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, protested outside an ongoing corruption inquiry …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundi authorities have arrested four retired army officers suspected of a role in the 1993 assassination of the country’s first democratically elected President Melchior Ndadaye, a judicial source said. The source said the four arrested Saturday are suspcted of involvement in the killing of Ndadaye, …

Paris, France | AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron is to address his nation on Tuesday following persistent and sometimes violent protests over fuel taxes that are morphing into a movement against his business- and environment-friendly policies. Paris saw clashes between police and demonstrators Saturday on the Champs-Elysees where barricades …

  Caxito, Angola | AFP |  Boxes of still-green bananas were shifted one-by-one from a towering stack of crates into a refrigerated shipping container. Stamped “From Angola, with love”, the fruit is shipped to consumers 6,000 kilometres (3,700 miles) away and are part of Luanda’s drive to diversify its economy …

        Libreville, Gabon | AFP |  Gabon authorities said Saturday they have banned an opposition party from state media for three months over statements about the health of President Omar Bongo, who has been in a Saudi hospital for a month. Bongo, 59, was rushed to hospital …

  Zvimba, Zimbabwe | AFP |  Zimbabwe’s ex-leader Robert Mugabe is in Singapore for medical care and now unable to walk because of ill health and old age, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Saturday. Mnangagwa told his ZANU-PF party supporters at a rally that the 94-year-old Mugabe had been receiving …

Lisbon, Portugal | AFP |  Angolan President Joao Lourenco on Thursday compared the fight against corruption in his country to “touching a wasps nest”, a day after his predecessor Jose Eduardo dos Santos refuted allegations he emptied the state’s finances. Dos Santos, who stepped down in September 2017 following 38 …