Brussels, Belgium | AFP | European governments get their own say on Brexit this week as they debate future ties with London in the run-up to Sunday’s summit to sign Britain’s divorce papers. Ministers from the other 27 EU member states are in Brussels on Monday at the start of …
Read More »Macron says strong Europe needed to prevent global ‘chaos’
Berlin, Germany | AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday urged a Franco-German push to make Europe a stronger and more confident global player that could prevent “chaos” on the world stage. Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have used a series of war anniversaries to project unity as …
Read More »Netanyahu denounces calls for Israel snap polls as ‘irresponsible’
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced calls for snap elections as “irresponsible” in an impassioned televised address on Sunday and vowed to push on despite a coalition crisis threatening to bring down his government. As the nation looked on for word on whether Israel was …
Read More »S.Africa president to pay back $35,000 campaign funds
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will pay back 500,000 rand ($35,000) donated to his campaign fund by a firm with links to his son after admitting he misled parliament, an official said. Ramaphosa has staked his reputation on fighting corruption after his predecessor Jacob …
Read More »More than 400 hurt in French fuel price protests: minister
Paris, France | AFP | More than 400 people were hurt, 14 seriously, in a day and night of “yellow vest” protests over rising fuel price hikes around France that claimed one life, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on Sunday. The injury toll, more than double the last tally provided …
Read More »A year after Mugabe’s fall, Zimbabwe yearns for upswing
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwean businessman Munya Chihota’s face lights up when he recalls taking part in a march last year with tens of thousands of people calling for then-president Robert Mugabe to step down. The march came after the military had briefly taken over, and days before Mugabe …
Read More »AU warns Gabon as Bongo remains incapacitated
Libreville, Gabon | AFP | The African Union on Saturday warned Gabon to respect constitutional order after a high court intervened in a crisis surrounding the country’s hospitalised President Ali Bongo. A statement by AU Commission chair Moussa Faki Mahamat emphasised that the 55-member group of African nations had a …
Read More »S.Africa’s Zuma seeks to have corruption case scrapped
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma on Friday lodged a court application to try to have quashed $2.5-billion corruption case linked to a 1990s arms deal, state prosecutors said. Zuma has been charged with 16 counts of fraud, racketeering and money laundering relating to …
Read More »In Benin, president’s opponents claim political crackdown
Cotonou, Benin | AFP | Benin has a reputation as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies but a series of court cases against opponents of President Patrice Talon has led to accusations that his rivals are being targeted, forcing some to flee the country. One of those opponents is …
Read More »What next? Britain, Brexit and Theresa May
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Despite facing a fierce backlash to her draft Brexit deal, British Prime Minister Theresa May has vowed to fight on. Amid cabinet resignations and moves by her own MPs to oust her, the battle to save the EU withdrawal agreement and her own political …
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