AFRICA

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | The pope’s representative in DR Congo said the pontiff will not visit Kinshasa before long delayed elections are held in the strife-torn country, calling it a “predatory state.” In March, Pope Francis cancelled a planned summer visit to Kinshasa owing to the climate of political …

Bloemfontein, South Africa | AFP | Lawyers for South African President Jacob Zuma appeared to abandon efforts on Thursday to fight the reinstatement of nearly 800 bribery charges against the embattled leader. Zuma’s attorney shocked the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein when they accepted that a 2009 decision by prosecutors …

Lesotho king: Stop using the army for “dirty” work Malibamatso, Lesotho | AFP |  King Letsie III on Thursday called on Lesotho’s political leaders to stop using the army for “dirty” work, as he addressed mourners at the funeral of a commander who was assassinated last week. Khoantle Motsomotso was …

Malibamatso, Lesotho | AFP |  Lesotho’s King Letsie III said Thursday the killing of the country’s army commander last week had caused “embarrassment” and”scared”the small mountain kingdom. Khoantle Motsomotso was gunned down by rival officers as the struggle between the tiny nation’s military and politicians continues to be marred by …

Bloemfontein, South Africa | AFP |  South Africa’s embattled president Jacob Zuma goes to court on Thursday in a fresh attempt to fend off the reinstatement of 783 graft charges relating to a 1990s arms deal. The country’s main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has sought in 11 court …

Providing young African scholars opportunity to offer policy oriented solutions to development challenges COMMENT| Seife Ayele, Samir Khan, and Jim Sumberg | With two thirds of Africa’s population under 25 years of age, the continent’s youth may be its biggest competitive advantage. After all, countries’ long-term economic prospects are typically …

Lome, Togo | AFP | Lawmakers in Togo will begin to look at a constitutional reform bill from as soon as the end of this week, the head of the National Assembly said on Wednesday. Parliamentary groups and commissions met to read the government proposals, which came after opposition calls for …

Washington, United States | AFP | US forces in Somalia conducted three air strikes on Islamist Shabaab targets Wednesday, killing six fighters with the Al-Qaeda linked group, the US military said. The pre-dawn operation occurred in southern Somalia about 160 miles (260 kilometers) south of Mogadishu. The strikes were conducted under …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A former South African minister was convicted on Wednesday of brutally beating two women at a Johannesburg nightclub after one of them called him gay. Ex-deputy higher education minister Mduduzi Manana pleaded guilty to three counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm …

Abidjan, Ivory Coast | AFP |  The chocolate industry is indirectly driving massive and illegal deforestation in Ivory Coast, fuelling a catastrophic decline in wildlife, a green group said Wednesday. “In several national parks and other protected areas, 90 percent or more of the land mass has been converted to …