E.Guinea coup plot had US, UK backing, claims ex-mercenary Simon Mann
A former mercenary has revealed that a 2004 coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea had the backing of the Spanish, British and US authorities. In his new book, Cry Havoc, Simon Mann gives an account of the failed coup that aimed to replace President Teodoro Obiang Nguema with an exiled opposition leader.
Interview: Simon Mann, former mercenary & author of Cry Havoc
Libya will not be governed by extremists, says new PM
Abdurrahim el-Keib
In an exclusive interview on Tuesday Libya’s new interim Prime Minister Abdurrahim el-Keib told RFI that worries over the introduction of sharia law in Libya are unfounded. He says his new government will do its “best” to stop human rights abuses and investigate those that have already taken place.
Interview: Abdurrahim el-Keib, Libya’s new prime minister
Slideshow: France’s geeks power up at Paris Games Week
People lined up to enter Paris Games Week
This year’s Paris Games Week powers up on Friday with more than 150,000 gaming geeks expected to pass through the doors of the city’s Parc des expositions. French video game fans will get an exclusive look at the new Playstation Vita handheld console, as well as new titles including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Assassin’s Creed Revelations and Saint’s Row The Third.
Two Britons arrested at Somali border by Kenyan police
Lamu, Kenya, 2008. Photo: Cessna 206
Two British citizens arrested by Kenyan police suspected of having ties to Somalia’s Al-Shabaab group are likely to be repatriated to the United Kingdom, Kenyan police told RFI on Tuesday. The men, one of Somali descent, one of Pakistani decent, are being interrogated in Nairobi after being stopped in the border town of Kiunga, north of the Lamu archipelago.
Interview: Charles Owino, Kenya’s deputy police spokesman
Kenyan military offensive into Somalia, govt info sec interview
Kenyan military personnel, 2006. Photo: US Air Force
Kenyan soldiers reportedly crossed the border into Somalia on Sunday in pursuit of the Al-Shabaab militant group. A large presence of troops were seen in the area, backed by planes and helicopters, according to Kenyan border officials. This latest offensive against the hardline Muslim group follows a number of kidnappings in Kenya. Two Spanish aid workers were seized by gunmen from the Dadaab refugee camp on Thursday last week.
Interview: Ezekiel Mutua, Information Secretary, Kenyan government
Indignant protests in 82 countries target corporate greed, austerity
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Demonstrators angered by corporate greed and government austerity policies are demonstrating in 951 cities in 82 countries around the world as part of the United for Global Change movement. The protests, first proposed by a Portuguese youth movement, come as leaders of 20 countries meet in Paris to prepare for the G20 summit in Cannes on 3-4 November.
Commonwealth Sec Gen Sharma on G20, Africa and human rights
Kamalesh Sharma, 2009. Photo: UNDP
Promoting the interests of Commonwealth countries was the primary focus of Commonwealth chief Kamalesh Sharma‘s meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday night, ahead of next week’s G20 finance ministers meeting.
Interview: Kamalesh Sharma, Secretary General, Commonwealth
Sharma represents 54 countries across the world, including a number from Africa. The Commonwealth recently observed elections in Zambia and has a team in place for this weekend’s elections in Cameroon. However, there are some criticisms over the Commonwealth’s approach to holding countries accountable for their human rights record.
Beshir risks new Sudan civil war, says SPLM-N chief
Yasser Arman, March 2010. Photo: Youtube/Yasirarman.com
Sudanese President Omar Al-Beshir could start a new civil war in Sudan, says Yasser Arman, the secretary general of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement’s northern branch (SPLM-N). In an exclusive interview he told RFI that anti-Beshir groups in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile are close to forming an alliance.
Radio France Internationale
Interview: Yasser Arman, Secretary General, SPLM-N
“It’s high-time for Beshir to be removed. Beshir is worse than [former Egyptian president] Hosni Mubarak, worse than [deposed Libyan leader Moamer] Kadhafi. At least Hosni Mubarak did not divide Egypt and Beshir if he continues, he’s going to, again, divide the present north Sudan,” says Arman.
Swazi king wants slice of South African bailout cash, say activists
King Mswati III of Swaziland, 2006. Photo: Amada44
Swaziland’s King Mswati III has allegedly demanded a quarter of South Africa’s bailout money to his country as a commission. Swazi pro-democracy activists told RFI on Saturday that the king was “arrogantly” trying to behave like a “consultant to his own country” in brokering the 2.4 billion rand (231 million euro) loan.
Interview: Lucky Lukhele, Swaziland Solidarity Network
“The king is now demanding 25 per cent of the entire thing [the bailout], saying that he has helped the country to secure it,” says Lucky Lukhele, a spokesman for the Swaziland Solidarity Network.
Lukhele claims that he learned of the king’s 400 million rand (57.8 million euro) commission from high-level contacts who attended a Tuesday cabinet meeting.
Liberian referendum ballot paper misprint
Sign: Participate! Our Vote, Our Future
custom-made radio 