Juba, South Sudan | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has strongly urged political leaders in Africa to work for peace and prosperity of their people and stop wasting time on retrogressive sectarian issues like identity of tribe or religion The President who started his remarks using Arabic words Tatawir (Prosperity), …
Read More »Backers of Darfur rebel chief protest Sudan peace talks
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Hundreds of supporters of a key rebel leader from Darfur protested Monday against peace talks being held in Juba between Khartoum and other Sudanese rebel groups. Juba is hosting talks between Sudan’s new Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and representatives of three rebel groups that fought …
Read More »Outsider Saied set for landslide in Tunisia presidency: exit polls
Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | Conservative academic Kais Saied, a political outsider, was headed for a landslide victory Sunday in Tunisia’s presidential runoff, sweeping aside his rival, media magnate Nabil Karoui, exit polls said. In a contest that reflected Tunisia’s shifting post-revolution political landscape, Saied, an independent, scooped 72.5 percent …
Read More »Ebola survivors can pass on the virus
Scientists trying to understand what role sex plays Four scientists: Professors Andrew L. Webb, Brayden G. Schindell, Jason Kindrachuk, and Jia B. Kangbai have noted one area in the spread of the Ebola hemorrhagic fever that requires further study. It is the Ebola virus’ persistence in the reproductive systems of …
Read More »Media magnate, law master face off in Tunisia presidential vote
Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | Almost a month since the launch of Tunisia’s presidential vote and whittled down from more than 20 candidates, conservative law professor Kais Saied and media magnate Nabil Karoui face off Sunday before the country’s electorate of seven million. The two political newcomers swept aside establishment candidates …
Read More »High-stakes conflict threatens DR Congo gorillas
KAHUZI-BIEGA NATIONAL PARK, DR Congo | AFP | Aged almost 17 years, Bonane is an eastern lowland gorilla, a survivor in a critically endangered species reduced to about 250 members in DR Congo’s Kahuzi-Biega National Park. For an hour each day, the gorilla and his dozen-strong family host a handful of …
Read More »In Mali, love for Italy’s vintage scooter is timeless
Bamako, Mali | AFP | Seydou Seck’s Vespa is 41 years old, but he sits upright and proud on the ancient grey scooter when he heads down Bamako’s Independence Avenue. In a city flooded with cheap, Indonesian-made two-wheelers, the classic Italian-made Vespa has a passionate following. Enthusiasts like Seck reckon several …
Read More »S.Africa court rules ex-leader Zuma must face corruption trial
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s scandal-plagued former president Jacob Zuma will face trial on corruption charges over a 1990s arms deal, a court ruled Friday, in one of multiple alleged graft cases over his long political career. The court dismissed Zuma’s bid for a permanent stay of …
Read More »Ethiopia PM Abiy wins Nobel Peace Prize for mending ties with Eritrea
Oslo, Norway | AFP | Hailed as a visionary and reformer, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for his efforts to resolve the long-running conflict with neighbouring foe Eritrea. Abiy was honoured “for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in …
Read More »In Nairobi, recycling poop is cleaning up the slums
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | “When I started, there was poop in bags everywhere,” said Ricky Ojwang, skillfully navigating a rubbish-strewn canal in Mukuru, a Nairobi slum where he’s worked to improve sanitation since 2012. “People would use bags because there were no toilets, and they would throw them out the …
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