Stories that caught my eye today:
It seems that a number of white South African expats are joining the far-right British National Party. I am not certain if this says good things about the state of the racist white right in South Africa or merely confirms bad things about the British far right.
Speaking of the British, it seems that a UK-based company has been dumping considerable amounts of toxic waste in the Ivory Coast. The company, Trafigura, faces Britain’s largest-ever group lawsuit.
Meanwhile, Zimbabweans’ struggle may well have “entered a new phase” with the rise of the unity government, but the secret police appear to be content to maintain the old ways by arresting human rights lawyers and such. Make ni mistake about it — police, security, and military? These institutions are very much still under Robert Mugabe’s thumb.
Fighting has escalated in Mogadishu. Again.
It seems that some humanitarian aid workers bringing supplies into Africa have been serving double duty by also smuggling in arms. Or vice versa.
The media narrative about Sudan still centers around the Darfur crisis. And while that crisis is very real, it is far from the only Khartoum-fomented sore spot in Sudan. Things in the South continue to be heated as well.
The leader who took control after Madagascar’s recent coup has an interesting proposal on the table: Andry Rajoelina has declared that he won’t seek further leadership if other past leaders of the country promise to do the same. So far, no takers.