SOUTH AFRICA: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a judge to oversee an inquiry into whether the country supplied arms to Russia via a ship that docked secretly at a naval base in December.

The allegations were made this month by US ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety. Mr Brigety said he was was sure weapons and ammunition were loaded onto Russian-flagged cargo ship Lady R when it docked at the Simon’s Town naval base near Cape Town late last year.

NIGERIA: Bola Tinubu became Nigeria’s new president today during a period of unprecedented challenges for Africa’s most populous country.

Thousands of Nigerians and several heads of government attended the swearing-in ceremony for Mr Tinubu in the country’s capital, Abuja. 

He succeeds Muhammadu Buhari to lead a country that by 2050 is forecast to become the third most populous nation in the world, after India and China.

POLAND: Polish President Andrzej Duda said today he will sign a bill to create a powerful commission, ostensibly meant to investigate Russian influence. Critics have warned it is actually a tool to remove from political life the opponents of the ruling party, mostly notably opposition leader Donald Tusk.

Parliament approved the new law last Friday.

UGANDA: President Yoweri Museveni signed repressive new anti-gay legislation into law today which is widely condemned by rights activists in the country and internationally.

The version of the Bill signed by President Yoweri Museveni doesn’t criminalise those who identify as LGBT, but prescribes the death penalty for so-called “aggravated homosexuality.”