Pope Leo XIV Urges Justice and Freedom in Equatorial Guinea
Pope Leo XIV continued his African tour with a Mass in Equatorial Guinea. He addressed a Mass that drew some 100,000 individuals, together with Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the nation’s chief and the world’s long-serving president. Leo, who’s on an 11-day tour of Africa, greeted the group and the presidential household earlier than the non secular service. Leo urged residents to work collectively to construct a society “able to engendering a brand new sense of justice,” one the place there may be “better room for freedom” and the place “the dignity of the human individual at all times could also be safeguarded.” In his remarks, the pope targeted consideration on the nation’s file of human rights abuses and big inequality in the case of distributing the oil-rich nation’s wealth. Equatorial Guinea’s prisons and justice system have been repeatedly singled out by the UN and condemned by human rights teams and the US State Division. Throughout his tour of Africa, wherein he visited Algeria, Cameroon and Angola, Leo has spoken frankly and emphatically, blasting “tyrants” for spending billions on wars and condemning the “colonisation” of Africa’s mineral assets.
Overseas-Owned Outlets in South Africa Shut Down as Violence Erupts
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Companies owned by overseas nationals in Durban have been pressured to shut following a two-day protest by a bunch referred to as March and March. Locals referred to as the protest a mass cleanup in opposition to unlawful immigrants. The scenario escalated when violence broke out, with some overseas nationals assaulted after protesters accused them of attacking a girl concerned within the demonstrations. Group chief Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma alleged that some foreign-owned companies have been fronts for prison actions, together with drug trafficking. Police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi condemned the actions. He stated that persons are not allowed to chase overseas nationals with out checking their paperwork.
Zambia Takes Physique of Former President Lungu Towards Household Needs
The Zambian authorities has stated that it has taken possession of the physique of former president Edgar Lungu, who died in South Africa 10 months in the past, in opposition to the desires of the household. The dispute stems from a long-running feud between Lungu and his successor, Hakainde Hichilema. The federal government has maintained that as a former head of state, he ought to be honoured within the nation and buried alongside his predecessors within the particular presidential burial floor within the capital, Lusaka. Nonetheless, the household prefers a personal burial. A South African courtroom had beforehand dominated in favour of repatriation and provides him a state funeral. Lungu died of an undisclosed sickness final June, aged 68, at a clinic in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria. He had led Zambia from 2015 till 2021, when he misplaced the election by a large margin to Hichilema. The household has now filed an pressing utility in a South African excessive courtroom for the previous president’s physique to be returned to the funeral residence the place it was initially being saved.
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Six Suspected Nigerian Coup Plotters Plead Not Responsible to Overthrow Tinubu
Six individuals, together with a retired main common and a serving police inspector, have pleaded not responsible to plotting a coup to overthrow Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu. Prosecutors allege the group conspired to destabilise the state, with costs together with treason, terrorism and cash laundering. A seventh individual, a former governor and one-time oil minister, Timipre Sylva, has additionally been named as a conspirator, however courtroom paperwork stated he was nonetheless at massive. Rumours of the coup plot surfaced when the federal government abruptly cancelled a deliberate army parade to mark Nigeria’s sixty fifth Independence Anniversary on 1 October 2025. The courtroom scheduled 27 April for bail hearings.
Taiwan President Cancels Eswatini Journey Citing Chinese language Strain
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has cancelled a deliberate go to to Eswatini. Taiwan accused Beijing of pressuring a number of international locations to revoke overflight clearances forward of the journey, calling the transfer a violation of worldwide norms and a menace to aviation security. Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoked Lai’s flight permits after “intense stress” and financial coercion from China, stated a Taiwan official. China denied coercion, whereas praising the three Indian Ocean nations, saying it had “excessive appreciation” for them. Eswatini is one in all 12 nations which might be diplomatic allies of Taiwan and the one one in Africa. Lai was resulting from spend 22 to 26 April in Eswatini to attend celebrations marking the fortieth anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession and the king’s birthday.
