Tuesday, April 7, 2026
South Sudan President fires parliament speaker and deputy
JUBA, South Sudan
South Sudan president Salva Kiir has fired the speaker and deputy speaker of the country's parliament, according to a decree issued on Tuesday.
Former speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba is a member of Salva Kiir’s ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement( SPLM) party and a close ally of the president.
She had served as speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly since 2021 and was the first woman to preside over South Sudan’s parliament.
The dismissal of the speaker and her deputy, Permena Awerial Aluong, comes after SPLM parliamentary caucus members filed a petition last week, expressing concerns over Kumba’s leadership.
Several MPs accused the then-speaker of corruption related to the alleged mismanagement of parliamentary funds and demanded her removal.
In a statement on Sunday, two days before her firing, Kumba reaffirmed her commitment to South Sudan’s constitution and to the revitalized peace agreement on the resolution of the conflict in the country.
"The Office of the Speaker has taken note of the concerns raised and stands ready to address these matters through the institutional channels," the statement read.
Salva Kiir appointed Joseph Ngere Paciko and Abuk Paiti Ayiik as the new speaker and deputy speaker of parliament.
This change in parliament leadership comes after the president in late February abruptly fired the then Finance Minister Bak Barnaba Chol, with no explanation. He had been in office for just three months.
Monday, April 6, 2026
Cameroon's President appoints son Vice President, Head of Armed Forces
YAOUNDE, Cameroon
Cameroon President Paul Biya has appointed his son, Franck Emmanuel Biya, to three of the country's most powerful positions, naming him Vice President of the Republic, Head of the Armed Forces, and Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Defence in a sweeping consolidation of executive and military authority.
The appointments were confirmed in an official presidential decree dated April 4, 2026, issued from the capital, Yaoundé.
"Mr Franck Emmanuel Biya is appointed Vice President of the Republic of Cameroon," the document reads.
"Mr Franck Emmanuel Biya is appointed Head of the Armed Forces," before adding that he will also serve as Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Defence.
LAccording to the presidency, the appointments were made in accordance with constitutional provisions and existing defence legislation, citing "service requirements" as the primary justification. The decree also notes that the measures are to be registered and published under an expedited procedure and entered into the country's Official Gazette.
The move marks a significant restructuring of Cameroon's power architecture, placing both executive and military authority within a single office held by the president's son.
Analysts say this development is likely to intensify scrutiny over governance, institutional independence, and the concentration of power in the Central African nation.
President Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982 after succeeding Ahmadou Ahidjo, remains one of the longest-serving leaders in the world. Now in his early nineties, his latest decision comes amid heightened political tensions following a contested presidential election and growing public unrest.
Biya, 93, was sworn in for an unprecedented eighth term after securing 54 percent of the vote in the most recent election, according to official results.
His main challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, garnered 35 percent but rejected the outcome, alleging widespread electoral fraud and declaring himself the rightful winner. The government has consistently denied these allegations.
The election triggered protests in several parts of the country, drawing international attention and raising concerns over democratic processes and civil liberties.
While President Biya described the vote as "satisfactory" and praised electoral authorities, opposition figures and civil society groups have continued to question the credibility of the process.
The country's Constitutional Council of Cameroon dismissed multiple legal challenges to the election results, citing either insufficient evidence or lack of jurisdiction.
The rulings effectively confirmed Biya's continued tenure, further entrenching his administration at a time of political uncertainty.
Observers note that the elevation of Franck Emmanuel Biya to such influential roles may signal a broader strategy related to political succession.
Although he has largely remained out of the public eye in previous years, his sudden rise to the vice presidency and command of the armed forces positions him at the centre of Cameroon's future leadership landscape.
Critics argue that the appointments raise serious questions about democratic governance and institutional checks and balances.
Supporters of the government, however, maintain that the appointments are lawful and necessary to ensure stability during a period of national unrest.
They argue that centralising authority could enhance coordination between political leadership and security forces, particularly as the country navigates ongoing internal challenges.
Cameroon has faced multiple security concerns in recent years, including separatist tensions in its Anglophone regions and threats from extremist groups in the Far North.
The government has frequently emphasised the need for strong and unified leadership to address these issues.
Seven Eritrean players fail to return home after international match
By Tesfalem Araia, ASMARA Eritrea
Seven players from the Eritrean football squad that scored a historic victory in Eswatini last week have failed to return home, a source close to the team has told our reporter.
While some of their teammates flew back from Eswatini's neighbour, South Africa, the seven are said to have absconded.
There have been several cases when Eritreans competing in various sports have not gone home after international fixtures in recent years.
Rights groups have described the government in Asmara as highly repressive - a charge which the authorities reject. Despite its small population, hundreds of thousands of Eritreans have sought asylum abroad.
The news of the players absconding will come as a blow to the team, which, following its 2-1 win in Eswatini and 4-1 victory on aggregate, was celebrating a return to the qualifying group stages for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 19 years.
Only 10 of the 24-man squad were based in Eritrea and just three of those players, including team captain Ablelom Teklezghi, have now returned, the sources in Asmara said.
While it is unclear where the missing players have gone, reports say some of them have been seen in South Africa.
Those who have absconded include goalkeeper Kubrom Solomon and veteran winger Medhanie Redie.
Eritrea's state-owned media outlets have been unusually quiet on the victorious team's return, which would normally be accompanied by a big fanfare.
Sources say preparations were made for a similar reception but was cancelled following news of the disappearance of the players.
The spokesperson of Eritrea's Sport and Culture Commission, who has been providing updates on social media about the recent success of the team, posted pictures of some of the returning players and staff in Egypt, where the Eritrean embassy and community members organised a reception for them.
They stopped in Cairo on the way back to Eritrea.
But the only players seen in those pictures were the ones who then went on to fly to Asmara.
Many Eritrean fans had been hoping that the victory over Eswatini would lead to a renaissance of Eritrean football, but for many Eritreans the latest news has a familiar ring.
Over the last two decades, the national team at different levels has been scarred by a series of events in which players, and even almost entire squads, have disappeared either before or after games abroad.
In 2019, seven players from the Eritrean under-20 side went missing after playing in the East African regional championship in Uganda.
In 2015, 10 senior squad players refused to return home after playing a World Cup qualifying match in Botswana.
Two years earlier, 15 players and the team doctor were granted asylum in Uganda after they absconded.
And in 2009 the entire senior team, apart from the coach and an official, failed to return home from Kenya.
India to hang nine policemen over Covid custody killings
By Anbarasan Ethirajan, TAMIL NADU India
Nine police officers have been sentenced to death in India over the deaths in custody of a father and son in 2020.
P Jeyaraj, 58, and his son Benicks, 38, both died in jail in the southern state of Tamil Nadu - days after they were detained for allegedly keeping their mobile phone shop open in breach of lockdown rules during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The two men were stripped and ruthlessly assaulted in front of each other, the sentencing judge said on Monday - describing the case as a clear abuse of authority.
"They did this with the intention of killing," he said.
The officers, who were found guilty of murder last month, will be able to appeal against their sentences.
"They attacked unarmed people. They should not be forgiven. They should not be given lesser sentences based on their age or family background. They are all educated," the judge also said of the officers at sentencing.
Ten police officers in total were arrested over the brutal deaths of the father and son but one of the accused died of Covid in 2020.
The case triggered protests in Tamil Nadu, with state opposition lawmakers among those who took to the streets.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and Indian cricket star Shikhar Dhawan were among those who demanded justice for the two men on social media.
The deaths also brought the issue of police brutality in India back into the limelight.
Rights groups say hundreds of people die while in custody in India every year. They point out that torture and abuse to extract confessions from suspects have become part of policing.
Sunday, April 5, 2026
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