Nov 19, 2017

Zimbabwe's Mugabe refuses to resign in speech to nation

Dave Lawler

Zimbabweans sing and pray at a Christian peace and prayer rally Sunday in Harare. Photo: Ben Curtis / AP

Robert Mugabe, the 93-year-old dictator who led Zimbabwe for 37 years, was expected to resign in an address to the nation Sunday afternoon. He didn't.

He was removed as the leader of his party and was reportedly negotiating his resignation with military leaders earlier in the day, but said in his speech that he planned to preside over next month's party congress. Party leaders have said he'll be impeached if he doesn't resign by early next week. Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is known as a ruthless strongman and was Zimbabwe's vice president until Mugabe precipitated the coup by placing his wife next in line for the presidency, appeared poised to take control. After Mugabe's speech, it's unclear what will happen next.

Go deeper

Axios

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Axios Visuals

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 12 p.m. ET: 1,140,327 — Total deaths: 60,887 — Total recoveries: 233,930 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 12 p.m. ET: 278,568 — Total deaths: 7,163 — Total recoveries: 9,920 — Map.
  3. Public health latest: The CDC is recommending Americans wear face coverings in public to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. The federal government will cover the costs of COVID-19 treatment for the uninsured.
  4. 2020 latest: "I think a lot of people cheat with mail-in voting," President Trump said of the 2020 election, as more states hold primaries by mail. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said Friday that every county in the state has opted to expand mail-in voting for the state's June 2 primary.
  5. Business updates: America's small business bailout is off to a bad start. The DOT is urging airlines to refund passengers due to canceled or rescheduled flights, but won't take action against airlines that provide vouchers or credits.
  6. Oil latest: A pivotal Monday meeting among oil-producing countries to discuss supply curbs is reportedly being delayed amid tensions between Saudi Arabia and Russia.
  7. Military updates: Senators call for independent investigation into the firing of Navy captain of the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt. The U.S. military is struggling to find new recruits as enlistment stations are shut down.
  8. 1 🏀 thing: The WNBA is postponing the start of its training camps and season.
  9. What should I do? Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk.
  10. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

Subscribe to Mike Allen's Axios AM to follow our coronavirus coverage each morning from your inbox.

Keep ReadingArrowUpdated 3 mins ago - Politics & Policy
Jonathan Swan, Alayna Treene

Trump's new purge

Michael Atkinson, arrives in October for closed-door questioning about the whistleblower complaint. Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Sources close to President Trump expect him to fire more inspectors general across his government, after his Friday night removal of Michael Atkinson, the intelligence community I.G. who alerted Congress to the complaint that triggered impeachment.

What they're saying: Conservative allies of the president have told him that these I.G.s are members of the “deep state” trying to undermine him. Trump appears to have embraced that view.

Go deeperArrowUpdated 11 mins ago - Politics & Policy
Rebecca Falconer, Orion Rummler, Marisa Fernandez

U.S. coronavirus updates: New York reports record 630 deaths in 24 hours

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Map: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

New York reported 630 new deaths in 24 hours, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday — an "all-time increase" that beat the previous day's record of 562 deaths in one day.

The big picture: As expected, COVID-19 death tolls are rising in the U.S., killing more than 7,100 people in total, and over 1,000 in 24 hours alone. The CDC is recommending Americans wear face coverings in public to help stop the spread, marking a significant change in messaging from the Trump administration.

Go deeperArrowUpdated 1 hour ago - Health