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KW 27: Prison sentence for South Africa’s former president; German intelligence suspects al-Qaeda offshoot behind attack on Bundeswehr; Protests against the king in eSwatini

– NEWS –

Prison sentence for South Africa’s former president: For two years, Jacob Zuma refused to testify before a commission of inquiry into corruption scandals during his time in office. Now the former South African president has been sentenced by the Constitutional Court to 15 months in prison for contempt of court and repeated attacks on the dignity of the judiciary. The commission charged with investigating his 2009-2018 presidency has interviewed more than 250 witnesses and uncovered evidence that directly links Zuma to extensive “pay-to-play” schemes involving government contracts. Eventually, the commission had turned to the Constitutional Court to compel the former head of government to testify.
washingtonpost.com

German intelligence suspects al-Qaeda offshoot behind attack on Bundeswehr: The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) suspects an offshoot of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda was behind last week’s attack on Bundeswehr soldiers in Mali, according to BND President Bruno Kahl. A representative of the defense ministry confirmed the BND’s assessment, according to the Bundeswehr association. Twelve German soldiers and a Belgian blue helmet soldier were injured in the attack by a suicide bomber last Friday northeast of Gao. Kahl explained that there was a „powerful actor in the region in Mali, originally descended from al-Qaeda,“ and that this group had „frequently attracted attention in recent times with actions of precisely this type.“
dw.com

Protests against the king in eSwatini: In eSwatini, formerly Swaziland, the state is fighting back brutally after mass protests against King Mswati III, and the opposition has reported many deaths. Especially young people have been taking to the streets for days to protest the rule of King Mswati III, and have directed their fury of destruction against private property with ties to the king. For example, the country’s largest brewery, Swaziland Breweries, was partially set on fire. Security forces responded with deadly force, and since Wednesday the army has swarmed the streets and opened fire on protesters. Access to the internet has been restricted. Critics are demanding that the king vacate his seat in favor of a democratically elected government. Eswatini is Africa’s last absolute monarchy. Makhosetive Dlamini, King Mswati III’s civil name, has ruled eSwatini as his private property since his accession to the throne in 1986.
taz.de, dw.com

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UN accuses Russian military of human rights abuses: Several countries accused Russian military of killing civilians and looting homes in the Central African Republic during a heated discussion at the United Nations Security Council. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov categorically denied the allegations. The accusing nations linked Russian military trainers to the notorious Wagner Group. The private security firm is allegedly connected to Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin – who was indicted in the United States for interfering in the 2016 presidential election. Russia is supporting the president of the Central African Republic, Faustin Archange Touadéra, who is facing resistance from rebels in pact with former President François Bozizé. Russia has sent military advisors to train the local military at the invitation of the government.
spiegel.de

Insurgents make gains in Tigray: Following the unilateral ceasefire announced by the Ethiopian government, insurgents in the conflict region of Tigray have captured additional areas. On Tuesday, fighters from the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) took control of the town of Shire about 140 kilometers northwest of the regional capital Mekelle, according to UN security sources. The fighters had already entered Mekelle on Monday. The transitional administration set up by the central government in Addis Ababa and the government troops had fled earlier. Hours later, the central government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared an immediate cease-fire. According to a statement, the suspension of fighting is intended to help improve humanitarian access and allow reconstruction. The rebel groups disagree with the cease-fire, saying the Ethiopian government has long denied humanitarian aid to the people of Tigray and now claims to be committed to it, according to Getachew Reda, spokesman for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
dw.com

UN mission in Mali extended: The UN Security Council on Tuesday unanimously extended the mandate of MINUSMA, which expires at the end of June, until June 30, 2022. Germany currently contributes around 900 soldiers to MINUSMA, which has around 15,000 soldiers and police officers. The UN Resolution 2584, which was passed unanimously, does not expand troop strength but MINUSMA’s political mandate, in line with previous UN declarations. It is now no longer mainly just about monitoring the peace agreement in force with the Tuareg rebels in the north, but for the first time this „first strategic priority“ also includes „equally“ monitoring the transition process to a return to democracy – i.e., the planned free elections in February 2022 and the transfer of power back to a civilian government. The second strategic priority is the protection of the civilian population.
taz.de

At least 43 migrants drown off Tunisia; 84 rescued latimes.com
Amnesty International warns of increasing repression in Zambia amnesty.org
Burkina Faso: Thousands demonstrate against violence and bloodshed guardian.ng
Caught on camera: Libyan coast guard shoots at migrant boat apnews.com

– BACKGROUND –

Third Covid wave reaches Africa: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns of a „dangerous moment“ for the African continent in view of the spreading Delta variant in Africa and the slow vaccination progress. According to an IMF blog entry, sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing the sharpest increase in new infections worldwide. According to the post, it is feared that the „explosive development“ of a third wave of Covid-19, already in the offing, could be even worse than the first and second, with significantly higher numbers of new infections reported in some countries. The Delta variant, the article says, has already been detected in 14 African countries. Africa urgently needs Covid-19 vaccines. Of the 700 million doses planned for this year only 65 million doses have reached the continent, according to the African Union’s Corona Special Representative Strive Masiyiwa. Starting in August, a pharmaceutical company in South Africa will manufacture a total of 400 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for a year and deliver them on the continent and to Caribbean nations. „We have learned our lesson, to ensure vaccine safety on the continent we cannot rely on others,“ said John Nkengasong of the pan-African health organization Africa CDC.
faz.net

Whatsapp alternatives on the rise in Africa: Despite „in-house“ African messaging services, Whatsapp remains No. 1 in most English-speaking African countries. In Nigeria, people rely on Whatsapp as their primary source of news, and South Africans can renew their car driver’s license via the app. In the private sector, companies use Whatsapp to manage marketing and customer service. But many young developers on the continent aren’t deterred by the messenger service’s dominance, which is only increasing with special offers from local mobile carriers. Ayoba, the messaging app from African telecommunications giant MTN, now has 5.5 million monthly users, and other alternatives such as Ondjoss from Nigeria or the Moya messenger in South Africa are also winning over more and more users with their focus on locality and data protection. These apps are also available in many different African languages, so there is no need to resort to English. For even greater success, the packages offered by mobile providers must mention the native messenger apps, thus creating an incentive to use them.
dw.com

– NUMBER –

Only just under 50 million vaccinations have been administered in Africa.
n-tv.de

– QUOTE –

„Not a single dose that has left the EU production facilities went to Africa – we were referred to India.“

Strive Masiyiwa, Covid-19 Special Representative of the African Union, on the immunization situation in Africa.
n-tv.de

– AT LAST –

Circus in the crisis region: For a long time, the circus arts were disregarded in Ethiopia. AFP news agency photographer Eduardo Soteras puts the art of the Tigray Circus in a new light. As in so many areas of the arts, the performances of the Tigray Circus fell victim to the Covid pandemic. However, the circus‘ leaders have used the pandemic to revamp their training concept. Since 2020, they have been offering training for disadvantaged children to strengthen not only their will but also their body tension. Eduardo Soteras watched several training sessions and captured the artistic feats with his camera.
faz.net