political parties

The Plenary of the Liberia Senate has voted to summon three CSOs to appear before it this week for making statements the senate describes as ‘disrespectful’ and ‘inciting’ against it.

The three organisations - Liberia Democracy Watch, Center for Democratic Empowerment and the Institute for Democracy and Development, were complained to the Senate by one of its member for making alleged derogatory remarks against the August body for the passage of a recent joint resolution instead of the threshold bill.

Amnesty International (AI) says the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) is carrying out a brutal campaign of arbitrary detentions, torture, and mental and physical intimidation against opponents and critics of the government.

In its latest report, the AI’ Africa programme director, Erwin van der Borght, points out that, “The extensive, multi-pronged assault on the Sudanese people by the security services has left the critics of the government in constant fear of arrest, harassment or worse."

Environmentalists have served an application to controversial mining house Coal of Africa, as well as the Minister of Mineral Resources, Susan Shabangu, to stop activities at a proposed coalmine near Mapungubwe immediately.

The application served on Limpopo Coal, the subsidiary of Coal of Africa, is an attempt by the environmentalists to limit what has already been described an irreversible environmental damage.

Media reports from Zimbabwe say up to 20 Eveline High School girls in Bulawayo have been arrested for practising lesbian relationships.

Bulawayo acting provincial police spokesperson, assistant inspector, Bekimpilo Ndlovu, points out that, "The matter is very delicate and cannot be discussed at the moment because that might jeopardise our investigations.

Meanwhile, Carlton club president, Theresa Ndlovu, expressed disappointment at the developments saying her vision is to empower girls through soccer. The girls play for Carlton Football Club.

The Press Council of South Africa takes issue with a call by the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) for a statutory media appeals tribunal.

In a press statement, the Council’s chairperson, Raymond Louw, points out that imposing of such a tribunal on the press has nothing to do with promoting press freedom but everything to do with the way the press reports on the conduct of governance, including the conduct of Cabinet ministers and other senior officials of the ANC.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) says it plans to block some messaging and Web services on BlackBerry smartphones.

The announcement, which comes days after the country warned the device could pose a potential threat to national security and social values, will see BlackBerry messaging, e-mail and web browsing services suspended starting October 11.

The government has singled out BlackBerry, and not other phones that can access e-mail and the Web, because the devices automatically send users' data to servers overseas, where local laws do not apply.

Zanzibar held a referendum aimed at forming a coalition after upcoming polls in a bid to neutralise the blood and hatred that have blighted the Tanzanian islands' politics for decades.

The referendum got under way peacefully on the semi-autonomous territory's two islands of Unguja and Pemba and the principle of a national unity government following 31 October polls was expected to be widely endorsed.

Agriculture Minister, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, has congratulated Western Cape Premier, Helen Zille, for suggesting a 50/50 equity share scheme between farmers and their workers.

Speaking at a two-day farm workers’ summit in Somerset West outside of Cape Town, “If Premier Zille is saying 50/50, then it is radical and she deserves a round of applause for that.”