Africa Business

France began withdrawing soldiers from Chad on Friday, the country’s defence ministry said, after N’Djamena last month abruptly ended military cooperation with the former colonial power.A contingent of 120 soldiers left for France from a military airport in the capital, the ministry said in a statement on Facebook, 10 days after French fighter aircraft left …

France withdraws first contingent of soldiers from Chad: N’Djamena Read More »

An Italian court on Friday acquitted Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini of illegally blocking migrants on a rescue ship in 2019, after a lengthy and high-profile trial.”I’m happy. After three years, common sense has won,” the leader of the far-right, anti-immigration League party told reporters outside the court in Palermo.Salvini had strongly denied charges of …

Italy’s Salvini acquitted in migrant trial Read More »

The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously Friday to renew the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo for one year even as the mission gradually withdraws at Kinshasa’s request.MONUSCO is made up of some 16,000 military and police personnel, and is one of the UN’s priciest peacekeeping operations, with …

UN Security Council renews DRC peacekeeping mandate Read More »

France’s President Emmanuel Macron faced accusations of racism Friday over an alleged comment on problems in hospitals, which his office strongly denied he made, adding to controversy over an angry remark during a visit to an Indian Ocean territory ravaged by a cyclone.With Le Monde daily printing a sequence of articles about the behind-the-scenes atmosphere …

Macron slammed over ‘racist’ remarks which his office denies Read More »

President Emmanuel Macron faced accusations of racism Friday over an alleged comment on problems in French hospitals which the Elysee strongly denies he made.It comes a day after he was also accused of sexist remarks about women opposition leaders and a homophobic quip about a former prime minister he appointed himself. Le Monde daily said that …

Macron slammed over racist remarks Elysee denies he made Read More »

Mozambique is braced for an escalation in protests after the announcement due by Monday of final results of a disputed election, a turning point in two months of unrest that has killed 130 people and caused major disruption.Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane has threatened “chaos” if the Constitutional Council validates the initial results that found he …

Tensions peak in Mozambique as results due in disputed vote Read More »

French President Emmanuel Macron extended his visit to cyclone-devastated Mayotte on Friday after angry residents vented exasperation and despair over the scale of the disaster.Locals jeered and shouted their grievances Thursday during Macron’s visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago, five days after Cyclone Chido left a trail of destruction in its wake.”I decided to sleep …

Macron extends visit to cyclone-hit Mayotte after locals vent anger Read More »

Egypt adopted its first-ever asylum law this week, but it has sparked concerns among human rights groups who warn it takes a “security-focused approach” that could undermine refugee protections.Signed into law by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday, the legislation comes as Egypt faces a severe economic crisis and fallout from regional conflicts, including Sudan …

Egypt’s first-ever asylum law fuels concerns over refugee rights Read More »

The United Arab Emirates has informed the United States that it will not arm paramilitaries in Sudan’s brutal civil war, US lawmakers long critical of the Gulf power’s role quoted the White House as saying on Thursday.The assurance came as the United States announced $200 million in new aid for Sudan, one of the world’s …

UAE says will not arm Sudan paramilitary RSF: White House Read More »

The United Arab Emirates, under fire in Washington, has promised the United States not to arm paramilitaries in Sudan’s brutal civil war, US lawmakers said Thursday.The assurance came as the United States announced $200 million in new aid for Sudan, one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters where tens of thousands have died in fighting …

UAE promises not to arm Sudan paramilitaries, US lawmakers say Read More »