Burundi govt starts taxing public workers to fund 2020 elections

The Burundian government has started ‘taxing’ salaries of civil servants in order to fund the next general elections slated for the year 2020.

Workers are losing 10% of their monthly earnings into a fund set aside to ensure polls hold despite a withdrawal of international donor support.

The government has previously stated that workers earning between 50,000 and 500,000 Burundian francs ($28-280) would lose 5000 francs ($2.80) of their salary, whiles those earning above a million Burundian francs ($560) will part with one month’s salary a year.

Togo capital hit by anti-govt protest despite dialogue deal

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Togo’s capital Lome on Saturday, against President Faure Gnassingbe and his government.

The protest came the day after mediators from Ghana and Guinea said that Togo will enter talks on controversial constitutional reform February 15, in a move aimed at ending a crippling political stalemate.

A rolling series of demonstrations against President Gnassingbe have been unfolding for several months, and the country has been rocked by striking teachers and health workers.

Equatorial Guinea president dissolves govt by decree

Equatorial Guinea’s president Teodoro Obiang Nguema has dissolved his government, including the powers of the prime minister and his three deputies, according to a decree read out on state television on Saturday.

The country went to the polls for legislative, senatorial and municipal elections of November 12, last year.

“Making use of the powers bestowed on me by the fundamental law, I put an end to the functions of the prime minister in charge of administrative coordination, of his deputy prime ministers and the rest of the members of the government… and I thank you for the services provided,” said the decree, which was dated Friday.

Returnee Gambian generals 'abandoned' Jammeh after strained relations

Two military allies of former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh returned to the country because of strained relations with their former boss.

The two fled with Jammeh to Equatorial Guinea in January 2017. They sneaked back into The Gambia in January 2018 and were subsequently arrested at their respective homes.

A local journalist, Saikou Jammeh quoted the Defence chief Mansareh Kinteh as saying preliminary results of their investigations revealed that the detained former generals had fallen out Jammeh.

Lana Del Rey: Man held in Orlando over 'kidnap threat'

Lana Del Rey was appearing at the Amway Center in Orlando

Police in the US state of Florida have arrested a man they say made threats to kidnap the singer Lana Del Rey.

The man was carrying a knife when he was arrested near the Amway Center in Orlando where the singer had been due to perform, officials said.

Police said Michael Hunt, 43, faces charges of aggravated stalking with a credible threat, and attempted kidnapping with a weapon.