Luxembourg, Luxembourg | AFP | Six weeks after he took office and six weeks before he is due to lead Britain out of the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet Jean-Claude Junker. On Monday, after comparing himself to berserk comic book super-smasher Hulk, the British leader will enjoy …
Read More »Anti-immigrant hate crime in South Africa
What research reveals about its drivers | STEVEN GORDON | Mobs have attacked foreign-owned businesses on the streets of at least three South African cities in recent days. This has caused outrage across Africa. There have even been retaliatory attacks. The South African government, under pressure to protect her large …
Read More »Museveni cornered on Shs 446 bn oil money
Will he flee or fight oil firms? Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | President Yoweri Museveni’s plan to get Shs 446 billion from Uganda’s Petroleum Fund to finance part of the budget deficit this year may have been dashed when Tullow Oil refused to cough up Shs 600 billion in …
Read More »Mugabe: Liberation hero turned despot
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Robert Mugabe, who died aged 95, used repression and fear to hold on to power in Zimbabwe for 37 years until he was finally ousted when his previously loyal military generals turned against him. After his humiliating fall from office in November 2017, his phenomenal physical …
Read More »Spain in last-chance bid to avoid fresh elections
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Spain’s Pedro Sanchez has just nine days left to resolve a political crisis that could drag the country to its fourth elections in as many years. Everything hinges on him securing support from the far-left Podemos. He has until September 23 to be confirmed as premier …
Read More »Pressure was ‘horrendous’ says World Cup winner Mark Andrews
Paris, France | AFP | As a member of the South Africa team that won the 1995 World Cup and was later immortalised in the Clint Eastwood film “Invictus”, Mark Andrews is already assured of a place in rugby history. “We were just out of isolation, Mandela was the new president, …
Read More »Tunisia gears up for presidential poll steeped in uncertainty
Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | Tunisia will hold on Sunday its second free presidential election by universal suffrage since the 2011 uprising that toppled an autocratic regime, with growing uncertainty over who will reach the next round. Twenty-six candidates are in the race, including the incumbent prime minister and a media …
Read More »Mugabe’s family agree to burial at ‘heroes’ monument
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | The family of former Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe have agreed to bury him at a monument for national heroes in Harare, the family said on Friday, though the date for the ceremony remained unclear. Mugabe died in Singapore last week aged 95, leaving Zimbabweans deeply divided …
Read More »UK parliament speaker vows to thwart PM over Brexit law
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain’s parliamentary speaker has warned Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to disobey the law by refusing to ask for a Brexit delay and vowed to thwart any attempt to circumvent legislation. Parliament passed a law earlier this month aimed at preventing a no-deal Brexit, but …
Read More »Sarri back, Ronaldo firing on all cylinders as Juventus head for Fiorentina
Milan, Italy | AFP | Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Italian league action after his four-goal spree for Portugal as Juventus head for Fiorentina on Saturday also boosted by coach Maurizio Sarri’s highly-anticipated debut on the bench after a bout of pneumonia. The ex-Chelsea coach missed his first two league games with …
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