BY MARC SANTORA, 29 JUNE 2015, Business Day (South Africa) NEARLY half the population of the world’s newest nation, South Sudan, is in danger of going hungry. New atrocities are reported almost every day. And more than 1.5-million people have fled their homes, the vast majority to swampland villages where they hope rising waters during the rainy season will keep them safe … [Read more...]
Archives for June 2015
Egypt’s top prosecutor dies from injuries sustained in bomb attack
Monday 29 Jun 2015, Ahram (Egypt) This is the first successful assassination attempt against a state official since an upswing in violence following the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 Egypt's top prosecutor Hisham Barakat died from injuries sustained in a Cairo bomb attack on Monday, the first successful assassination attempt against a state … [Read more...]
Mbabazi makes quiet return to Uganda
By Stephen Kafeero, Tuesday 30 June 2015, The Monitor (Uganda) KAMPALA- Presidential aspirant Amama Mbabazi yesterday returned to the country amid heavy police and military deployment on Kampala-Entebbe highway and nearby suburbs. In light of the political sabre-rattling that has been going on lately, and with the NRM parliamentary caucus summoned to State House … [Read more...]
Kenya: Raila seeks NYS probe but Uhuru tells him ‘keep off’
By MOSES ODHIAMBO, MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2015, The Nation (Kenya) President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga disagreed over claims of corruption in the National Youth Service when they came face to face at a church function in Kisumu on Monday. While they shared a podium, exchanged pleasantries and interacted cordially enough, they, however, expressed … [Read more...]
Robert Mugabe: Don’t try to choose my successor Zimbabwe’s president, 91, warns Zanu-PF members
ALASDAIR LANE, Monday 29 June 2015, The Independent (UK) Vice-presidential vultures are circling Robert Mugabe. First, his sacked VP Joice Mujuru formed a rival party to challenge the Zimbabwean leader. Now, his other VPs are said to be campaigning to take the reins when, or if, he relinquishes power. But Mr Mugabe, who will be 94 when the country next … [Read more...]
Once a major continental force, South Africa’s military at a crossroads
By Ryan Lenora Brown, Correspondent, 29 JUNE 2015, Christian Science Monitor South Africa wants to re-establish itself militarily as an important player in Africa's peacekeeping initiatives. But it has to overcome a small budget, and its own needs to police its borders, to move it from a 'critical state of decline.' JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — The scenes could have been … [Read more...]
Will a ‘Perfect Storm’ Sink Europe?
Mohammed A. El-Erian, Chief Economic Advisor, Allianz, 06/29/2015, Huffington Post Dark clouds are lowering over Europe's economic future, as three distinct tempests gather: the Greek crisis, Russia's incursion in Ukraine and the rise of populist political parties. Though each poses a considerable threat, Europe, aided by the recent cyclical pickup, is in a position to … [Read more...]
South Africa’s govt to appeal court ruling over Bashir
JOHANNESBURG, Mon 29 Jun 2015, REUTERS South Africa's government will challenge a high court ruling that found the state erred in letting Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir leave the country despite a court order barring him from doing so. Bashir, who was in South Africa for an African Union summit, was allowed to go even though a Pretoria court had issued an … [Read more...]
Anti-austerity protests in Greece as bank shutdown bites
ATHENS | BY MICHAEL KAMBAS AND LEFTERIS PAPADIMAS, Mon 29 Jun 2015, REUTERS Tens of thousands of Greeks rallied on Monday to back their leftwing government's rejection of a tough international bailout after a clash with foreign lenders pushed Greece close to financial chaos and forced a shutdown of its banking system. With a popular referendum on the bailout planned for … [Read more...]
Ian Bremmer on America’s Role in the World
June 25, 2015, Foreign Policy (US) In this Foreign Affairs Focus, author Ian Bremmer and Foreign Affairs Editor Gideon Rose discuss Bremmer's new book, Superpower: Three Choices for America's Role in the World, and the Obama administration's record. This interview has been edited and condensed. A rush transcript is below. Rose: We have the distinct privilege today of … [Read more...]