A newly-released letter shows that worried U.S. officials warned Scottish authorities that scenes of jubilation in Tripoli over the release of the Lockerbie bomber would be damaging, and asked that Abdel Baset al-Megrahi not be allowed to leave Scotland. A 2009 diplomatic letter from Richard LeBaron, the charge d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in London, to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond was released Monday. It sets out Washington’s opposition to the release, and says even a release on compassionate grounds because of al-Megrahi’s diagnosis for prostate cancer would be more “severely undercut the longer he is free before his actual... Continue Reading
The Freedom House has urged member states of the African Union (AU), as they met this week in Kumpala, Uganda, to make the deepening of democratic development in the African region a top priority. Despite an overall increase in the number of elections occurring in Africa, the region suffered the largest setback in Freedom in the World 2010, Freedom House’s annual global analysis of political rights and civil liberties, with 16 countries registering declines and only 4 securing gains. In addition to seriously flawed elections in Sudan and Ethiopia, the region saw increased crackdowns on freedom of expression and association,... Continue Reading
By Novell Zwangendaba – JOHANNESBURG – Solidarity Peace Trust will this Friday launch the Zimbabwe Report, A Fractured Nation, at Devonshire Hotel, in Braamfontein. The report is an assessment of the effects of Operation Murambatsvina (OM) five years on. It looks at the combined effects of OM and the economic meltdown in the years that followed on the livelihoods and movements of Zimbabweans both within the country and in the diaspora. The findings show the continuing devastation of that operation and the meltdown of the years that followed and indicates the extent of the damage that needs to be addressed... Continue Reading
MBABANE – The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned death threats and outrageous claims made last week by a member of Swaziland’s royal family against local journalists over their critical coverage of the country’s leadership. During a July 21 public forum called the Smart Partnership National Dialogue in the central commercial city of Manzini, Prince Mahlaba, brother of Swaziland’s absolute ruler King Mswati III, was quoted by local media as saying: “I want to warn the media to bury things that have the potential of undermining the country rather than publish all and everything even when such reports are harmful... Continue Reading
By Lekan Otufodunrin – The Liberian Christian Journalists Network was filled with exceeding joy for successfully ending three day of prayers, skill development and reflection at the Bible Society Head Office in Monrovia. The Conference date was July 21-23, 2010. The network hopes to become a big instrument of Christian media development and evangelism in Liberia. George Stewart, Acting Chairman of the network said, “Thanks for your prayers and moral support toward the conferenence. Our appreciation goes to the Media Project and its CEO, Rev. Dr. Arne H. Fjeldstad for the sponsorship and facilitation as well as HCJB Global South... Continue Reading
