Opposition supporters to march in Moscow on Sunday
Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was shot dead near the Kremlin in Moscow on Saturday, a day before he was due to take part in a march against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Opposition supporters are expected to march in the Russian capital on Sunday to protest the killing. Nemtsov, who was an outspoken critic of Russia's Ukraine policy, had been struggling to revive the fortunes of the opposition, many of whose leaders have been jailed on allegedly fake charges. According to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Nemtsov had also planned to publish evidence of Russia's involvement in the separatist conflict in the country.
US Congress averts nationwide security shutdown
The United States Congress on Friday averted the shutdown of its Department of Homeland Security by approving a one-week extension of funding. The department was facing a partial shutdown of its services due to political gridlock between the Democratic and Republican parties. They are squabbling over an executive action by President Barack Obama on immigration that protects up to five million undocumented people from being deported.
Jailed Turkish rebel leader calls for followers to disarm
A jailed leader of the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party on Saturday called for his followers to disarm themselves. Abdullah Ocalan, whose message was shared to the public by Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan, was quoted as inviting the PKK to attend a congress to make the "strategic and historic" decision to abandon the armed struggle against the Turkish government. The conflict has killed over 40,000 people since 1984.
Sierra Leone Vice-President quarantines self over Ebola fears
Sierra Leone Vice-President Samuel Sam-Sumana quarantined himself on Saturday after one of his bodyguards died of Ebola. Sumana, who quarantined himself for 21 days, also put his staff under observation, saying that he did not want to take any chances, and wanted to "lead by example". The West African country has borne the brunt of a recent surge in the cases of Ebola being reported, with 63 people being affected with the virus in the last two weeks. The country's government, meanwhile, has issued restrictions on transport operators, and has also reintroduced night-time curfews on the transport and unloading of goods.
Lesotho votes to restore normalcy after violence
The South African nation of Lesotho on Saturday held an early election in order to ease tensions among various political factions in the country. Prime Minister Thomas Thabane, who had suspended the country's parliament last June, said that the violence in the security forces last year was an attempted coup against his coalition government, even as the military denied it. Approximately 1.2 million people cast their votes to elect candidates to the 120-member National Assembly.
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Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was shot dead near the Kremlin in Moscow on Saturday, a day before he was due to take part in a march against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Opposition supporters are expected to march in the Russian capital on Sunday to protest the killing. Nemtsov, who was an outspoken critic of Russia's Ukraine policy, had been struggling to revive the fortunes of the opposition, many of whose leaders have been jailed on allegedly fake charges. According to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Nemtsov had also planned to publish evidence of Russia's involvement in the separatist conflict in the country.
US Congress averts nationwide security shutdown
The United States Congress on Friday averted the shutdown of its Department of Homeland Security by approving a one-week extension of funding. The department was facing a partial shutdown of its services due to political gridlock between the Democratic and Republican parties. They are squabbling over an executive action by President Barack Obama on immigration that protects up to five million undocumented people from being deported.
Jailed Turkish rebel leader calls for followers to disarm
A jailed leader of the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party on Saturday called for his followers to disarm themselves. Abdullah Ocalan, whose message was shared to the public by Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan, was quoted as inviting the PKK to attend a congress to make the "strategic and historic" decision to abandon the armed struggle against the Turkish government. The conflict has killed over 40,000 people since 1984.
Sierra Leone Vice-President quarantines self over Ebola fears
Sierra Leone Vice-President Samuel Sam-Sumana quarantined himself on Saturday after one of his bodyguards died of Ebola. Sumana, who quarantined himself for 21 days, also put his staff under observation, saying that he did not want to take any chances, and wanted to "lead by example". The West African country has borne the brunt of a recent surge in the cases of Ebola being reported, with 63 people being affected with the virus in the last two weeks. The country's government, meanwhile, has issued restrictions on transport operators, and has also reintroduced night-time curfews on the transport and unloading of goods.
Lesotho votes to restore normalcy after violence
The South African nation of Lesotho on Saturday held an early election in order to ease tensions among various political factions in the country. Prime Minister Thomas Thabane, who had suspended the country's parliament last June, said that the violence in the security forces last year was an attempted coup against his coalition government, even as the military denied it. Approximately 1.2 million people cast their votes to elect candidates to the 120-member National Assembly.
