Togolese opposition members arrested over campaign against new constitution
Lome, Togo Reuters Nine Togolese politicians who were running a campaign against a new constitution that could allow President Faure Gnassingbe to extend his 19-year rule have been arrested, a spokesperson for an opposition coalition said on Thursday. Opposition voices are growing in the tiny phosphate-producing West African nation over constitutional reform that could change […]
Russians lay flowers at Navalny’s grave, hail him as symbol of hope
Moscow, Russia Reuters Russians queued on Saturday to place flowers on the grave of late opposition politician Alexei Navalny, with mourners hailing him as a symbol of hope and perseverance the day after he was laid to rest in Moscow. Navalny’s mother Lyudmila was among the mourners, visiting her son’s grave for the second day, […]
Three Senegal opposition lawmakers arrested after disputed vote delay
Dakar, Senegal Reuters Three Senegalese opposition lawmakers were arrested on Tuesday amid the fallout from parliament’s move to delay a presidential vote by 10 months that prompted West Africa’s economic and political bloc to call for the re-establishment of the electoral calendar. Lawmakers late on Monday approved a last-minute amendment to hold the vote on […]
Arrests of Catholic priests in Nicaragua tick up as dragnet intensifies
San JoseReuters Nicaraguan police on Friday arrested two more Catholic priests, bringing the number of clergymen detained this week to at least eight, according to two sources close to the church and opposition groups in exile. The sources, who declined to be named for fear of arrest, said the two priests were taken into custody […]
Uganda detains 20 rebel “collaborators” after student massacre
Kampala, UgandaReuters Ugandan authorities said on Monday 20 people had been detained for questioning about their possible role in the massacre of 42 people, mostly students, on Friday by the Islamist group Allied Democratic Forces. “At least 20 suspected ADF collaborators have been arrested, to assist with our investigations,” the country’s police force said in […]
United Nations ‘alarmed’ by Hong Kong 4th June detentions
Hong Kong, ChinaReuters The United Nations said on Monday it was “alarmed” by detentions in Hong Kong linked to the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, while China said the financial hub was moving from “chaos” to prosperity. Hong Kong police said they detained 23 people on Sunday for “breaching public peace”, and also […]
After Italian migrant boat wreck, police arrest three alleged traffickers
Crotone, Italy Reuters Italian authorities arrested three people and were looking for a fourth suspect who they believe trafficked up to 200 migrants aboard a wooden boat that smashed apart on rocks off southern Italy on Sunday, killing at least 65 people. The coffins of the victims found were laid out in an indoor sports […]
In Moscow one year on, a mixture of defiance and some sadness over Ukraine conflict
Moscow, RussiaReuters One year after Russia sent its troops into Ukraine in what it called a “special military operation” the mood in the Russian capital on Friday was muted but defiant, with some saying they saw no choice but to fight until victory was achieved. Hundreds of thousands of Russians who disagree with the decision […]
Turkey steps up rebuilding plans as quake toll nears 50,000
Antakya, TurkeyReuters Turkey has stepped up plans to house victims of the devastating earthquake which struck its border region with Syria, the interior minister said, as the combined death toll in the two countries crept towards 50,000. Suleyman Soylu said 313,000 tents had been erected, with 100,000 container homes to be installed in the disaster […]
Tunisia detains more dissidents amid growing crackdown
Tunis, Tunisia Reuters Tunisian police detained two prominent dissidents and surrounded the home of a third on Wednesday, part of an escalating crackdown on critics of President Kais Saied, who has labelled his opponents traitors and criminals. The arrests, along with others this month, have targeted some of Saied’s most important critics along with other […]