Zambia’s Hichilema wins second-term election
Sixty-four-year-old Hakainde Hichilema secured a second five-year term, and a welcome from investors, on the strength of promises to build on economic successes in Africa’s second-biggest copper producer. Based on the reported tally, Hichilema won 60.5% (2.97 million) of the votes cast in the 13 August election, well ahead of his rival Brian Mundubile’s 38% share (1.86 million votes).
Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of talks with Iran
With the 60-day peace-deal timeframe of June’s memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US set to end on Monday, tensions remain high in the Middle East. Tehran has largely blocked the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes. Reopening it has been a key point of discussion. In the latest developments, the US and Oman have, separately, been negotiating with Tehran to reopen the Strait, prompting President Donald Trump to threaten to bomb US ally Oman if it “gets in the way” of his administration’s own talks with the Iranians. Fox reporter Trey Yingst quoted Trump as saying: “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them.” Oman borders the southern side of the Strait and says it is a neutral country in this conflict. However it has suffered a number of strikes from Iran and is now playing a key role in negotiating with Tehran to reopen the waterway. A spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is quoted by semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim News as saying: “There are no talks taking place between IRGC officials and the Americans, and this lie by Trump is merely fantasies caused by the delusions and nightmares he has suffered as a result of defeat and desperation in the war.”
Mnangagwa slams West’s “unjust unilateral sanctions” against Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has referred to targeted measures against his country over human rights concerns as “unjust unilateral sanctions imposed on us by some stupid Western countries”. Speaking at the handing over of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairpersonship to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Mnangagwa said: “We reiterate our call for the unconditional removal of these sanctions.” The United States and European Union imposed targeted measures from the early 2000s in response to human rights concerns and governance failures under former president Robert Mugabe. Some have been altered since. SADC has long campaigned for the removal of the sanctions.
Russian liberal jailed for “discrediting” country’s armed forces
Russia’s prominent anti-war politician, Lev Shlosberg, 63, has been sentenced by a court in Pskov to 11 years and one month in a penal colony for “discrediting” the country’s armed forces and “spreading false information” about them. The liberal party, Yabloko, of which he is deputy leader, said it would appeal. The sentencing came came just minutes before Russia’s Supreme Court rejected Yabloko’s appeal against a ban on its taking part in next month’s parliamentary elections. Shlosberg condemned the verdict against him, saying the finding was to “punish a person for his political, public and civil position”.
Cambridge chancellor lambastes “racist feeding frenzy” over Jason Arday
Cambridge University’s chancellor Lord Chris Smith has called out what he describes as a “racist feeding frenzy” around Jason Arday, the professor who died after stepping down during a plagiarism row. The nature of the media coverage over plagiarism allegations and questions about his achievements have been strongly criticised in other quarters. In a statement, Lord Smith said: “I do believe it is possible to hold to two principles at the same time: to believe in the importance of academic integrity, and where criticisms of plagiarism arise, about any academic, whoever they are, ensure that they are rigorously investigated. And also to refuse to join in a racist feeding frenzy over a particular academic.”
Sources: Bloomberg, News24, BBC, The Guardian, Reuters