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President Joseph Kabila not seeking third term

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Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Joseph Kabila will not be seeking a third term in December’s election, his spokesperson has said.

The governing coalition has nominated former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary to be its candidate.

Mr Kabila’s second term ended in 2016, but elections have been delayed and there had been speculation that he would run again.

Eight other candidates have registered to run ahead of Wednesday’s deadline.

Mr Shadary will face former Vice-President Jean Pierre Bemba, who returned to DR Congo last week after being acquitted of war crimes at the International Criminal Court.

Mr Bemba was greeted by a mammoth crowd on his return to the country after 11 years.

Felix Tshisekedi, who leads the largest opposition party, is also among the front-runners.

But another favourite, Moise Katumbi, the former governor of the mineral-rich Katanga province, who has been on a self-imposed exile, will not take part after being blocked by authorities from entering the country.

Mr Shadary has been a key supporter of Mr Kabila.

His tenure as interior minister was marked by a violent crackdown on opposition politicians and their supporters, and the arrest of activists, the BBC’s Anne Soy reports from the capital, Kinshasa.

He is among eight senior DR Congo government officials targeted by European Union sanctions last year, our correspondent adds.

Mr Joseph Kabila became president when his father Laurent Kabila was assassinated in 2001. He was elected in 2006 and secured another term in controversial elections in 2011.

The 47-year-old leader refused to leave office when his term expired in December 2016.

The country’s electoral commission said at the time that it could not organise elections until 2018 because violence in the eastern Kasai region had impeded registration of voters.

Opposition groups, however, saw it as a ploy by Mr Joseph Kabila to extend his time in office.

An anti-Kabila protest in September 2016 was violently repressed leaving dozens dead. The government then banned public demonstrations.

Amnesty International lead researcher in DR Congo, Jean-Mobert Senga, welcomed Mr Kabila’s plan not to seek a third term but added that his government must now ensure that people can freely exercise their voting rights during the election period.

The rights body also called on the lifting of a ban on peaceful demonstrations.

The US and EU have been pushing for Mr Joseph Kabila to stand down.

DR Congo has been riven by conflicts as several militias fight for control of territory and mineral-rich areas. The situation has seen millions of Congolese forced to leave their homes and others fleeing to neighbouring countries.

The UN said in March that more than 13 million Congolese need humanitarian aid.
BBC

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INTERNATIONAL

Chris Cash: The UK Parliamentary Researcher Accused of Spying for Beijing Authorities

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In March of this year, a British parliamentary researcher was arrested on suspicion of being a Chinese spy. The researcher, Chris Cash, was revealed to be a 28-year-old history graduate with links to many Tory MPs. He had been seen associating with senior Tories such as security minister Tom Tugendhat and Foreign Affairs Committee chair Alicia Kearns. Cash was believed to have been recruited as a sleeper agent while living and working in China and sent back to the UK to infiltrate political networks critical of the Beijing regime.

Cash was the leader of the China Research Group, a body advocating for a more hawkish British policy towards China. Co-founded by Tory ministers Tom Tugendhat and Neil O’Brien in April 2020, the group focused on industrial, technological, and foreign policy issues. The group’s website claimed that it aimed to provide informed knowledge on China and promote debate and fresh thinking about how Britain should respond to the rise of China.

Chris Cash was arrested in Edinburgh and released on bail until early October, along with another suspect. It is unclear how much access Cash had to foreign affairs intelligence or what kind of influence he may have held in Westminster. While he held a parliamentary pass, he did not have security clearance.

China has denied all accusations of involvement in an espionage scheme involving Cash, calling them malicious slander.

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Pope Sends Prayers to Comfort Morocco Earthquake Victims as Death Toll Surpasses 2,000

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On Sunday, Pope Francis expressed his prayers and support for the victims of the powerful earthquake that hit Morocco, resulting in the highest number of fatalities in over 60 years. During his Angelus message, he prayed for those injured and those who lost their lives, along with their families.

The Pope also expressed his gratitude towards the rescue workers who are working tirelessly to help the victims. He concluded by saying that they stand in solidarity with the people of Morocco during this difficult time.

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African Union’s Inclusion in G20: A Significant Acknowledgment of a Continent with 1 Billion Inhabitants

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The world’s most powerful economies, the G20, have welcomed the African Union (AU) as a permanent member, recognising Africa’s more than 50 countries as important players on the global stage. US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi both expressed support for the AU’s permanent membership.

The AU has advocated for full membership for seven years and, until now, South Africa was the only African country in the G20. The AU represents a continent with a young population of 1.3 billion, which is set to double by 2050 and make up a quarter of the world’s population.

Africa’s 55 member states have long pushed for meaningful roles in global bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, and want reforms to the global financial system. The continent is increasingly attracting investment and political interest from global powers like China, Russia, Gulf nations, Turkey, Israel, and Iran. African leaders are challenging the framing of the continent as passive victim and want to be brokers instead.

They seek fairer treatment by financial institutions, delivery of rich countries’ long-promised $100 billion a year in climate financing for developing nations, and a global tax on fossil fuels. The AU’s full G20 membership will enable it to represent a continent that’s home to the world’s largest free trade area and abundant resources needed to combat climate change. The African continent has 60% of the world’s renewable energy assets and over 30% of the minerals key to renewable and low-carbon technologies.

African leaders want more industrial development closer to home to benefit their economies. Finding a common position among the AU’s member states, from economic powers to some of the world’s poorest nations, can be challenging, but Africa will need to speak with one voice to influence G20 decision-making. African leaders have shown their willingness to take collective action, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a high-profile G20 member, Africa’s demands will be harder to ignore.

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