City watchdog finds no evidence for recent political ‘debanking’ – but private banks have been picky for centuries: Ex-politician Nigel Farage accused his bank of refusing his business because of his political views. Frank 2012/Shutterstock After a row over the closure of his bank account earlier this year, former politician Nigel Farage has hit out …
Trump on trial: experts answer key legal and political questions about what could happen next: Former US president Donald Trump outside a New York court on April 4 2023. Lev Radin/Shutterstock Donald Trump has notoriously become the only former US president to face a criminal indictment — much less four. Opinions on the prosecutions, predictably, …
Mangosuthu Buthelezi was a man of immense political talent and contradictions: Mangosuthu Buthelezi inspired very different assessments of his roles and legacies. GCIS/Flickr Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi, who has died, was a history maker. He was born on 27 August 1928 into a tumultuous global century, and into the local conditions of racist rule. A man …
The Conservatives have seized on cars as a political wedge – it’s a bet on public turning against climate action: “Talking about freedom, sat in Margaret Thatcher’s old Rover” read the UK prime minister’s tweet in July 2023. Earlier that day in an interview with The Telegraph newspaper, Rishi Sunak had declared that the Conservative …
India has landed on the Moon: here’s what the political and economic gains are: From the early days of human space activity in the 1960s, missions to the Moon have attracted significant global attention. India’s recent success in landing the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the Moon was technically demanding and occurred in a previously unexplored part …
Ethiopia’s Amhara crisis: Abiy’s political failures threaten a return to war: The federal government of Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in Amhara region on 4 August 2023. A special session of parliament endorsed this decision, placing the administration of the country’s second largest region under the military. This followed clashes between federal troops and …
17 of the best political Edinburgh Fringe shows to watch this year, tackling issues from gender to climate change: Powerofflowers/Shutterstock I’m at the Edinburgh Fringe this year directing CREEKSHOW, a play about the gentrification of Deptford. While here, I’ve watched as much politically minded work as I’ve been able to. With 3,031 registered shows a …
Despite domestic political turmoil, Pakistan is well placed to boost regional integration: Karachi could channel exports from central Asia. Asianet-Pakistan/Shutterstock Pakistan is showing clear signs of economic and political crisis. Inflation was recently almost 38%, and the country faces a debt crunch as it tries to manage its trade deficit with the rest of the …
Kenya’s political dialogue is a welcome sign of democracy at work – if both sides understand their roles: Raila Odinga, the leader of the Azimio la Umoja coalition in Kenya. Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images Since Kenya’s presidential election in August 2022, the new government has been in conflict with the opposition. In democratic systems, …
Kenya’s logging ban has been lifted – it’s a political decision and a likely setback for conservation: A scout from Kenya's forest protection unit walks past mangrove tree stumps in Malindi. Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images Kenyan president William Ruto has lifted a six-year ban on logging, despite public objections. Ruto said it would create …
The UK’s island identity has long shaped its political outlook – is that why it currently feels so adrift?: Shutterstock/Tony Skerl UK foreign policy has long been shaped by a particular geopolitical way of conceiving the nation’s place in the world. This island identity may have been forged in imperial times, but it remains hugely …
Germany’s far-right AfD makes key political gains as Olaf Scholz’s governing coalition wobbles: Opinion polls and local election results currently make unhappy reading for Germany’s government. In fact, the consistently strong performance of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Europe’s largest member state (and arguably the member state with the best reasons to ward …
Death in Jenin: Israel’s biggest attack in the West Bank in 20 years is down to Netanyahu’s political weakness – here’s why: Israeli forces say they have completed a 48-hour military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin – the largest in two decades. Beginning on Monday, July 3, the Israel Defence Force (IDF) …
Fake news: EU targets political social media ads with tough new regulation proposal: Shutterstock/icongeek26 Throughout Europe, strict rules govern how traditional media operates during elections. Often that means imposing a period of silence so that voters can reflect on their choices without undue influence. In France, for example, no polls are allowed to be published …
Ukraine war: failed African peace mission underscores need for more powerful political and military pressure on Putin: African peace missions to Ukraine and Russia last week came up empty-handed. Led by South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa, the delegation included leaders and senior officials from Congo-Brazzaville, Comoros, Egypt, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia. Their plan was based …
Bathrooms are political: how gender-inclusive toilets can combat indignity and violence: Swasdee/Getty Images A new hate crimes bill is inching closer to the possibility of becoming law in South Africa. The bill entrenches human dignity as a foundational value of the country by providing for penalties for explicit acts of violence and discrimination motivated by …
Nigerian health workers and absenteeism: study shows how personal and political relationships protect offenders: Goallord-Creativity/Shutterstock Absenteeism of health workers contributes to poor quality of care. A study in Uganda, for example, showed that it reduced the likelihood of people using primary health centres by 30%. Absenteeism also increases the workload for available staff. This adds …
Mama Ngina Kenyatta at 90: the quiet power behind Kenya’s famous political family: Mama Ngina Kenyatta The Star/Kenya Few witnessed the building of the young Kenyan state from within as did Ngina Kenyatta, the widow of Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta. Mama Ngina, as she is known, will mark her 90th birthday on 24 June …