Refugee crisis a ‘global’ challenge: Kerry
AFP, Washington
The United States regards the exodus of Middle Eastern refugees to Europe as a “global challenge,” Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday, reassuring his German counterpart of US support.
“It is not somebody else’s problem. It is a test for all of us,” Kerry declared, at a Washington news conference with Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. “The United States considers the refugee crisis to be global. The impact first was felt obviously by Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. They’ve born an unbelievable burden in the course of these four-plus years of war.”
UK to send troops to Tunisia
Reuters, London
Britain is to send troops to Tunisia to help prevent Islamic State fighters from moving into the country from Libya, the British defense minister has said.
“A training team of some 20 troops from the 4th Infantry Brigade is now moving to Tunisia to help to counter illegal cross-border movement from Libya in support of the Tunisian authorities,” Michael Fallon told Parliament on Monday.
The move comes after growing Western concern that Islamic State (IS) is seeking to use Libya as a base to plan and carry out attacks.
RFI newsman on terror charges
AFP, Yaoundé
A Cameroonian reporter with Radio France International (RFI) appeared at a military court Monday accused of acting as a Boko Haram accomplice.
Ahmed Abba, a Hausa-language RFI reporter who was arrested last July, faces charges of “complicity in terrorism and failing to denounce acts of terror”, according to a charge sheet read to the court in Yaounde. He denies the charges.
Zuma faces no -confidence vote in parliament
AFP, Cape Town
Beleaguered South African President Jacob Zuma Tuesday faced a no-confidence vote in parliament for a second time in less than a year and a legal bid to reinstate corruption charges against him.
The mounting pressure on the president comes against a background of economic crisis sparked by his firing of two finance ministers within days in December.
The fallout was followed by a public row between the respected new Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and the head of the tax authority, which has again rattled markets.
