Zambian government tries to stop a former president's funeral taking place in South Africa
JOHANNESBURG — The Zambian government filed court papers seeking to stop the private burial of former President Edgar Lungu in South Africa on Wednesday. A hearing took place around an hour before his funeral service was meant to begin.
The Zambian government wants Lungu to have a state funeral at home — something Lungu's family have refused to allow because of his bitter political feud with current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema .
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Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Connecticut State Sen. Fazio ‘strongly considering' entering race for governor
NEW CANAAN, Conn. (WTNH) — State Sen. Ryan Fazio told News 8 on Wednesday he is 'strongly considering' entering next year's race for governor. The 35-year-old Republican is best known as the front man for the GOP's crusade against Democratic energy policies — policies that Republicans argue are responsible for the state's high cost of electricity. The cost of living, Fazio said, would be a focal point of a potential campaign for governor. Gov. Ned Lamont issues vetoes of hotly debated housing, striking workers bills 'Everyone understands electric rates are too damn high in this state,' Fazio said in an interview with News 8 on Wednesday evening. 'We need leadership, at long last, that doesn't inflate the cost of living and electricity but actually reduces it.' First elected in 2021, Fazio is the top Republican senator on the legislative committees that write the state's tax and energy laws. His telegenic presentation and studious command of policy issues has drawn the attention of party insiders, some of whom have been privately urging Fazio to consider jumping in the race. Behind the scenes, sources tell News 8 that Fazio has received those entreaties with growing receptiveness in recent weeks. Gov. Lamont planning on signing around 100 bills into law Fazio's interest in the race was first reported Wednesday morning by CT Insider columnist Dan Haar. Gov. Ned Lamont, a two-term incumbent who has drawn on vast personal wealth to power his campaigns, has not yet declared his intentions for next year's election. Earlier this month, Lamont said he's grown more inclined to seek a third term. Should he decline to run, a slate of ambitious Democrats stand ready to jump into the race. 'From cutting taxes for working families, to building the best paid family medical leave program, and getting our state budget back on track, we are proud to put Governor Lamont's record on affordability and opportunity up against anyone,' Rob Blanchard, spokesperson for Lamont, said. Local leaders respond to potential Medicaid cuts For the last decade and a half, Connecticut's Republican party has found success in statewide elections to be elusive. The party was once a reliable contender, holding the governor's office between 1995 and 2011 and consistently winning at least one of the state's congressional seats for nearly half a century. But in the years since the late Gov. Jodi M. Rell and former Congressman Chris Shays left office — Shays lost re-election in 2008 and Rell retired from politics in 2011 — Republicans have not seen a victory in any statewide or federal election. In Fazio, many Republicans see a chance to end that historic draught. Fazio's district encompasses Greenwich and parts of Stamford and New Canaan. The profile of those communities — suburban and largely affluent — are representative of the places that once provided reliable votes for Republicans like Shays and Rell. In the last two gubernatorial elections, the Lamont-led Democratic ticket has made considerable gains in the Fairfield County suburbs. New Haven mayor claims state budget falls short on education 'Republicans have traditionally held that area of the state,' State Rep. Vincent Candelora, the leader of the Republican caucus in the state House, said of Fairfield County. 'It has now become blue.' Candelora has seen firsthand the decline of his party in Fairfield County. In the last several elections, the caucus Candelora leads has seen members in communities like Greenwich, Fairfield and Trumbull fall to Democratic challengers. Fazio has been a notable survivor of the Democratic march through the county. In 2024, he carried Greenwich by 7 points in the same election that saw then-Vice President Kamala Harris win the town by 16 points. 'His district reflects the exact voters that need to be garnered in order to win the governor's race,' Candelora said of Fazio. In order to win the general election, Fazio would first need to emerge victorious in the GOP's own nominating process. Accomplishing that will likely mean vanquishing several opponents, all of whom have their own theory of victory. Erin Stewart, the Republican mayor of New Britain, is actively exploring a campaign for governor. Like Fazio, Stewart is a millennial who has defied conventional political trends — winning multiple mayoral races in a city that typically favors Democrats. Westport First Selectwoman Jen Tooker, a declared candidate for governor, is another Republican who has found electoral success in a suburb that has rejected Republican candidates further up the ballot. This Week in Connecticut: West Haven Mayor on city's financial future As she tests the waters of a gubernatorial run, Stewart has made early efforts to garner the support of President Donald Trump. With a White House visit and posts on the social media platform X, Stewart has made clear that she would welcome the president's endorsement. Such an endorsement is a coveted prize in any Republican primary, though it could prove to be a liability in the general election. 'The question really is, how much are you gonna align yourself with Donald Trump to get the base versus try to win over swing voters,' State Sen. Bob Duff, the Democratic majority leader in the State Senate, said. Duff and other Democrats stand ready to challenge the eventual GOP nominee on their closeness to Trump, who made gains in Connecticut in the 2024 election but still lost the state by nearly 15 points. Ansonia mayor apologizes for Facebook comments Should he enter the race, Fazio appears to be preparing to thread a needle between fully embracing Trump and reaching out to swing voters and more moderate Democrats who disapprove of the president. Sources tell News 8 that Fazio has met with political consultants associated with former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican who overcame anti-Trump sentiments in the 2018 midterms to win an election in a deep blue state. Baker was among the Republicans who kept his distance from Trump during the 2016 election. Fazio is more open to the president. When asked if he would campaign with the president, Fazio said, 'Yeah, absolutely — any Republican, I would welcome the support of.' 'Theoretically, if I made the decision, we'd have a big tent type of approach,' Fazio added. Fazio said he would make his final decision on whether or not to enter the race sometime by summer's end. That timeline mirrors the one Lamont has committed to. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Questions Grow As Trump Maintains 'Total Obliteration' - CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip - Podcast on CNN Podcasts
Questions Grow As Trump Maintains 'Total Obliteration' CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip 47 mins With skies on alert and smoke settling in Iran, America's credibility is on the line over the truth. Plus, is American politics being overtaken by its extremes? Will a socialist become a norm beyond Gotham?
Yahoo
2 hours ago
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Independent politician pleads guilty to drug driving
An independent politician who has "smoked for quite a long time" has pleaded guilty to drug driving after failing a roadside test on a fishing trip. Craig Garland was elected to Tasmania's parliament in March 2024 and has held a crucial balance-of-power position on the crossbench. He is campaigning for re-election at the July 19 snap election, which was triggered after a no-confidence motion passed against the state's minority Liberal premier. The 60-year-old appeared in Burnie Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with driving a motor vehicle while a prescribed illicit drug was present in his oral fluid. It related to a positive test in early November in the state's northwest. Garland pleaded guilty and will next face court for sentencing on September 15. He previously told AAP he returned a positive result from a tongue-scrape test on his way to go fishing after smoking cannabis the night prior. He said he used cannabis on-and-off for pain relief, particularly for the ongoing effects of a broken leg, but didn't have a medical prescription. "I've smoked for quite a long time. I didn't leave it long enough before I drove but I didn't think it would be a problem," he said in November. "I'm not driving around whacked up or pissed (drunk). I guess you put it down to bad timing and bad management. "I don't consider it impairing at all. It might be if you sit there and have 40 cones and whack a few beers in, but not if you're having a little one ... every now and then." Garland, a former commercial fisherman who has voiced opposition to industrial salmon farming, has campaigned on a shoe-string budget. He previously said the charge was unlikely to be a big issue for his supporters. Garland, who supported the no-confidence motion against the premier, could again hold a powerful crossbench position after the July 19 election. Opinion polling suggests the Liberals and Labor face an uphill battle to win enough seats to form majority government.
