This Thursday, a kindergarten teacher at the Schweiser-Reneke school in the Northwest province of South Africa was suspended for ‘segregating’ her students. This teacher sent home a ‘first day of school’ picture of her class- in the photo, seventeen white children are circled around a large table in the front of the class while four black children are excluded at… Read more »
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ordered the release of former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo after acquitting him on charges of crimes against humanity. Judges on Tuesday said that prosecutors had failed to satisfy the burden of proof over the accusations, adding their decision could be reversed on appeal. About 3,000 people were killed in the West African nation in a violent standoff… Read more »
A South African primary school teacher was suspended on Thursday after a photograph appeared to show black children sitting separately from white children in a classroom, sparking a storm of racism accusations. The pupils were attending their first day at the Schweizer-Reneke school in North West province, and the teacher had taken a photograph to send to anxious parents. It… Read more »
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe – Protesters in Zimbabwe barricaded the main roads into major cities on Monday to protest a fuel price rise announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. In the southern city of Bulawayo, commuter bus drivers and activists blocked thoroughfares with burning tyres, tree branches, and blocks of stone. Riot police tried to quell demonstrations in the western suburbs of Emakhandeni and Luveve,… Read more »
A southern African regional bloc has called for an emergency meeting to discuss the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) disputed presidential election, as a court in Kinshasa began hearing an appeal against the results announced last week. Opposition candidate Martin Fayulu filed a court challenge over the weekend, demanding a recount, claiming that he won the presidential race with 61 percent… Read more »
Joseph Kabila, the current President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, insisted that the then-approaching elections for a new President would indeed occur on December 30 after being postponed for over two years. The elections are continuing regardless of multiple ebola outbreaks in the Eastern DRC- Butembo, Yumbi, and Beni have all postponed their elections- and a recent fire… Read more »
Madagascan security forces have fired tear gas to break up a protest by supporters of losing presidential candidate Marc Ravalomanana, who claims he was denied victory in last month’s election because of fraud. In the runoff vote on December 19, Ravalomanana won 44 percent against Andry Rajoelina’s 55 percent, according to official results. Thousands of Ravalomanana’s supporters gathered in the centre… Read more »
Kinshasa, DRC – Joseph Kabila, the outgoing president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has said long-delayed polls will happen on Sunday – even as uncertainty remains over how prepared the vast country is to hold the vote. The presidential elections, which were first scheduled to take place in 2016, have been repeatedly postponed over the past two years, angering opposition supporters and,… Read more »
Ten troops have been killed on the border between Niger and Nigeria in a joint operation by the two countries against “bandits”, Nigerien Defence Minister Kalla Moutari said on Monday. “Five Nigerien and five Nigerian” troops and 11 enemy fighters were killed in the operation, launched against gangs in the Maradi region on the weekend, Moutari told AFP news agency. “The Nigerian defence and… Read more »
MORE ON SUDAN Human Rights Watch has urged Sudan‘s government to show restraint and not use lethal force against protesters during the weeks-long demonstrations against President Omar al-Bashir The New York-based group, citing estimates from independent groups, said on Monday that Sudanese forces have been using tear gas and live ammunition against protesters, killing more than a dozen people. The statement came in the… Read more »