Foreign
Kenya’s senate speaker, Abbas, Gebaly, Olamilekan, others nominated for continental people’s choice awards
As anticipation builds for the 2025 Continental People’s Choice Awards, distinguished legislators from across Africa have been named as nominees in recognition of their outstanding contributions to governance and democracy.
Among those shortlisted are Amason Kingi Jeffah, Speaker of the Kenyan Senate; Hanafy Ali El Gebaly, President of Egypt’s House of Representatives; Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; and Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, alongside other eminent parliamentarians from Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, and Ghana.
This prestigious award, organised by the Africa International Chambers (AIC) in partnership with Souq Nexus and facilitated by Integrated Management Resources (IMR), honours legislators who have demonstrated exemplary leadership, policy innovation, and unwavering dedication to their constituencies.
A distinguished Joint Award Screening Committee, led by Prof. Raju Chandrasekhar, meticulously selected the nominees based on their impact in advancing democratic principles and governance. Formal invitations for the grand award ceremony, slated for June 6, 2025, in Dubai, have been extended to the nominees.
The high-profile event will bring together policymakers, government officials, business leaders, and international dignitaries, providing a prestigious platform to celebrate legislative excellence and foster strategic dialogue on governance and development.
Beyond being an award, the Continental People’s Choice Awards is a globally recognised symbol of leadership and influence. The ceremony will not only highlight the achievements of Africa’s most distinguished lawmakers but also reinforce their credibility on national and international platforms.
With the world watching, the 2025 edition promises to be a defining moment in Africa’s legislative history, solidifying the honourees’ legacy as trailblazers of transformative governance.
France’s Foreign Ministry expresses in a statement its “deep concern” at the renewed outbreak of fighting in southern Lebanon.
The Quai d’Orsay condemns rocket attacks against Israel from Lebanon over the weekend, while calling on Israel to exercise restraint in its response.
“France reiterates the importance of not compromising the significant progress made in recent months to ensure the security of Israelis and Lebanese people on both sides of the Blue Line,” the statement reads, adding that French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot conveyed these messages to Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji.
The Houthis announced an aerial blockade on Ben-Gurion Airport and threatened any airlines that fly to Israel.
Yemen’s Houthis announced a blockade on Ben-Gurion Airport and warned major airlines from flying to Israel, the terror organization said in a Saturday morning statement.
“After the success of our Yemeni Armed Forces in cutting off Israeli shipping in the Red Sea, a blockade is imposed on Ben-Gurion Airport in occupied Palestine,” the Houthis wrote in a statement on X/Twitter.
The Houthis warned Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Air France, British Airways, United Airlines, and easyJet from flying to Israel for “everyone’s safety.”
Footage released by Houthi Military Media says to show a launch of missile, which the Houthis say they fired at Israel, at an unknown location in this screen grab obtained from a handout video released on December 19, 2024. (credit: Houthi Military Media/Handout via REUTERS)
Houthis target Ben-Gurion Airport
The organization wrote that any other airlines flying to Ben-Gurion Airport would also be targeted.
“Please take the decision of the Yemeni Armed Forces seriously, as Ben-Gurion Airport is no longer safe until the aggression on Gaza stops,” the statement read.
The announcement comes after the Yemeni terrorist organization fired multiple ballistic missiles towards Israel in the past week.
The terror organization targeted Jerusalem with missiles for the third time in two months on Friday.
The removal of Majer came the day after an Israeli Air Force reservist was dismissed for a similar posting on social media.
An officer in the IDF’s intelligence branch has been removed from his reserve duty after a social media post that he refused to take part in a continuance of fighting, The Jerusalem Post confirmed Wednesday.
Michael Majer, an officer in intelligence, had written on X that he would not take part any continuance of action. His post criticized national leadership, stating that he was not going to obey decisions that he felt were contradictory to the best interest of the nation.
According to the IDF, Majer was permanently removed from his position on reserve duty.
“The thing that will most help protect my people now is to refuse to take part in the fighting in the service of a bunch of filthy traitors and in complete opposition to the interests of the people of Israel.”
Risking everything by speaking out against gov’t
Following the publication of his post, Majer emphasized that he made a difficult, personal decision to speak out as reservist, because it is a large part of his identity and social circle. He said that he stands behind every word he wrote, and even brought it up during his dismissal hearing.
“Every person must have red lines. As far as I am concerned, they were crossed a long time ago,” he wrote in response to his dismissal. “I will not take part in an action that is motivated by foreign interests and means abandoning the kidnapped to their deaths, sending soldiers to kill and be killed in vain, and continuing the multifaceted deterioration of the State of Israel. All of this under a regime that has long since lost all legitimacy and is solely for the preservation of its power.”
The removal of Majer came the day after an Israeli Air Force reservist was dismissed for a similar posting on social media, Israeli media reported. The IAF reservist navigator had written that they were fearful of the fate of the hostages and expressed extreme concern over efforts to fire Shin Bet head Ronen Bar and the attorney general.
These comments mimicked those of a pre-October 7 world, where hundreds of reservists threatened to not show up for duty in protest.
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