Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | The crew of the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed last month killing 157 people, repeatedly followed procedures recommended by Boeing, but were unable to regain control of the jet, the Ethiopian transport minister said Thursday. “The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by …
Read More »COMMENT: Closing Africa’s energy gap
Developing economies across Africa are in a unique position to invest in cleaner sources of power at a lower cost COMMENT | BHAVTIK VALLABHJEE | Africa is a continent blessed with an abundance of natural resources – water, wind, thermal coal, natural gas, and of course plenty of sunshine – …
Read More »Algerians cheer end of Bouteflika era but want broader change
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Flag-waving Algerians celebrated the resignation of ailing leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika after two decades in power, but vowed to keep protesting to demand sweeping change to the country’s whole political system. The 82-year-old president ceded power in the face of massive street demonstrations that have shaken the …
Read More »Algeria: from mass protests to Bouteflika resignation
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Algeria’s ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned on Tuesday, nearly six weeks after the start of unprecedented protests sparked by his bid for a fifth term. His resignation, announced by state television, came shortly after the army demanded the start of impeachment against him. Here is a …
Read More »African great Toure blasts football chiefs over racism
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Four-time African footballer of the year Yaya Toure says football authorities should be more proactive when it comes to racism. The 35-year-old former Ivory Coast great — who also starred for Barcelona and Manchester City — said football’s governing bodies only reacted once incidents had already occurred, as in …
Read More »Algeria’s Bouteflika to resign ‘before mandate ends’
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Algeria’s ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika will resign before his mandate expires on April 28, his office said Monday, after a succession of loyalists deserted him in the face of massive protests. The 82-year-old, who has rarely been seen in public since a 2013 stroke, …
Read More »One year on, tough times loom for Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | In his first speech as Ethiopian prime minister last April, Abiy Ahmed called for an end to the repressive, exclusionary governance that had plunged the country into turmoil. It was a promise on which he is seen to have delivered dramatically, earning him both …
Read More »Illness costs Africa hundreds of millions every year: WHO
Praia, Cape Verde | AFP | The World Health Organization has estimated that disease strips hundreds of millions of dollars from Africa’s economic output, as the burden of untreated disease hugely outweighs the potential expense of healthcare. In a report published at the end of a three-day UN forum for …
Read More »UN sets sights on exit strategy for DR Congo peacekeeping mission
United Nations, United States | AFP | The UN Security Council agreed Friday to extend the huge peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo until December to allow time for a withdrawal plan to be drawn up. The council unanimously adopted a French-drafted resolution that asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres …
Read More »Loyalist calls for president to quit fail to end Algeria protests
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Thousands of Algerians gathered for new anti-government protests in the capital on Friday despite moves by a succession of veteran loyalists to abandon ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Demonstrations were expected to take place across the North African country, where protests broke out more than a month …
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