#SouthAfrica

'Voter disenchantment with the ANC has provided fertile ground for a plethora of new parties on the May 29 ballot. But they are now clashing with established opposition rivals as they vie for votes and the chance to be coalition kingmakers.'

ft.com/content/b7cb95…

#Mali

Your additional reminder -- in case you needed one -- that there is no such thing as a 'well-intentioned coup' despite how hard the cheerleaders and supporters attempt to frame them as such. This never ends well.

usnews.com/news/world/art…

Gee, who could’ve seen this coming.

The so-called 'reforms' in #Togo -- from a presidential to parliamentary system -- is nothing but a ruse meant to keep long-ruling Pres. Gnassingbe in power, preserving a dynastic system that stretches back nearly six decades to his father.

aljazeera.com/features/2024/… Lorraine Mallinder

You truly can't make this stuff up.
cc: Africa Is a Country

#DRCongo

'Critics of Congo's government are on edge -- and for good reason. Last month the justice ministry said it was bringing back the death penalty, ending a moratorium that had been in place since 2003.'

economist.com/middle-east-an…

#SouthAfrica

'Like former U.S. President Donald J. Trump, the Republican front-runner in the coming American election, Mr. Zuma has spun his legal battles into a tale of political persecution that his supporters have lapped up.'

nytimes.com/2024/04/10/wor… Lynsey Chutel

'The world must immediately end support to Kagame's regime. The UN, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International are clear that without #Rwanda 's backing, the M23 could not have killed, raped, tortured and displaced as many as it has.' -Vava #CongoIsBleeding Tampa

theguardian.com/global-develop…

#Zimbabwe

'Many Zimbabweans had hoped that last year's general election might bring a change of leadership and a reason to stay. But the re-election of Mnangagwa ... has sealed their fate.'

thetimes.co.uk/article/the-on… Jane Flanagan

'For the last 30 years, UConn has been running college basketball.' -Dan Hurley

I've been spoiled. As a freshman at UConn, the men's team won their first national championship. They've now won 6 and back-to-back titles since then. Unreal.

foxsports.com/stories/colleg… John Fanta

#Togo

'The government's responses to the opposition's past protests have been forceful and heavy-handed ... People are much more fearful and distrustful given the bitter experiences of the past.'

apnews.com/article/togo-p… Amnesty West & Central Africa

#Togo

'This time, this constitutional coup will not pass ... This time the Togolese people will stand up and say 'no'.'

france24.com/en/africa/2024…

'...in an era of global competition, Western governments and policymakers need to reckon more positively with accusations of hypocrisy ... This would boost their international legitimacy and standing far greater than other acts of coercion or pressure.'

washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/…

'Democracy and freedom are intertwined. The same set of threats -- from election manipulation to corruption -- is placing rights at risk both outside democracies and within them. The drivers of democratic decline, moreover, are spreading.'

journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclusi… Yana Gorokhovskaia

That's right, 44!
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Epic.

nytimes.com/2024/04/08/spo…

There have been 25 NCAA Tournaments since 1999.

UConn has won six of them.

College Basketball goes through Storrs.

That’s right, John Fanta!