Heads of state at African Union summit in Addis Ababa condemn Israeli ‘genocide’ in Gaza
A quarter of Gaza’s residents are starving because of the war, which began with Hamas’ assault into Israel on October 7 in which militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250.
Corrurption-tainted South African president faces tough test from main opposition party
Under South Africa’s system of government, lawmakers elect the president, so a party or coalition with a majority in parliament control both the executive and legislative branches. If the ANC’s support falls below 50 per cent at the polls, the party would have to make deals with smaller parties to secure Ramaphosa’s re-election.
Navalny’s death dampens democracy drive in Russia as disparate opposition gropes for his successor
Prosecutors warned Russians against participating in any mass protests in Moscow. Police watched as some Russians came to lay roses and carnations at a monument to victims of Soviet repression in the shadow of the former KGB headquarters on Moscow’s Lubyanka square.
Zimbabwe announces plan to ban university scholarships for gays as crackdown on same sex unions continues
Like many African countries, Zimbabwe has laws criminalising homosexual activity. Sex between men carries a potential sentence of up to a year in prison, and the country’s constitution bans same-sex marriages.
UN human rights office ‘appalled’ at death of Navalny in prison, tells Moscow to take responsibility
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Alice Edwards said that several UN independent experts, including herself, had privately and publicly urged the Russian government to end the punitive conditions in which Navalny was held.
Senegal president caves in to pressure, agrees to presidential election ‘as soon as possible’
Senegal has been seen as one of the region’s most stable democracies, but election disputes have plunged the country into a political crisis that has sparked deadly protests and cuts to mobile internet. At least three people have been killed by security forces and dozens injured.
Former US President Trump fined $355 million for financial fiddling, 3-year ban in fraud case
During defiant and meandering trial testimony in November, Trump conceded that some of his property values were inaccurate but insisted banks were obligated to do their own due diligence. Engoron criticised Trump for his behaviour during his testimony – and wrote that the testimony hurt his cause.
Russia: Putin’s fiercest foe Alexei Navalny and opposition leader dies in prison, assassination suspected
Praise for Navalny’s bravery poured in from Western leaders and others who have opposed Putin’s rule. The opposition leader’s health has deteriorated recently and the cause of death may never be known, but many world leaders said they held Russian authorities ultimately responsible for his death.
More sinned against than sinning: How successive regimes in Uganda exploited, abused and impoverished once rich Busoga
Because the Basoga are easier to divide than unite, Busoga has been a perennial loser in terms of development, transformation and progress in Musevenite times. It has lost opportunities, resources, properties and land to foreigners since precolonial times. The precolonial rulers of Busoga – Buganda and Bunyoro – exploited Busoga to their advantage when the indigenous Basoga were not united and only depended on shifting agriculture and hunting only for food. The precolonial rulers stole ivory, leopard skins and gold and traded them with other peoples. The Baganda colonisers even abducted the beautiful Basoga women.
‘Unconstitutional’, Senegal court rules as it voids President Sall’s delay of presidential elections
The postponement has thrown the country into political turmoil, and it was not immediately clear if the election could go forward as initially scheduled, or whether more time would be needed to allow for political campaigns.
