AFRICA

IS claims first suicide attack in Somalia, kills 5 Mogadishu, Somalia | AFP | The Islamic State group has claimed its first suicide attack in Somalia, which police said Wednesday killed five people at a checkpoint in the northeastern port city of Bosaso. The group’s self-styled news agency Amaq claimed the …

Monrovia, Liberia | AFP |  A football superstar, a former warlord and a soft drinks millionaire have thrown their hats into the ring for the post of Liberian president as Africa’s first elected female leader prepares to step down. A dizzying array of candidates have lined up for the October …

Geneva, Switzerland | WHO MEDIA| Today the Member States of WHO elected Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as the new Director-General of WHO. Dr Tedros  was nominated by the Government of Ethiopia, and will begin his five-year term on 1 July 2017. He will succeed Dr Margaret Chan, who has been WHO’s Director-General …

Brazzaville, Congo | AFP | Congo broke ground on a new Chinese-funded parliament building in the capital Brazzaville on Monday estimated at over 52 million euros ($58 million). The investment from China’s government was criticised by opposition groups which pointed out that Congo is in the midst of an economic …

Two outlets to be closed in Kampala in the new plan Regional retail chain, Nakumatt Holdings, is targeting Ksh1.5billion (Shs51.1bn) in cost cuts annually with the closure of several branches across East Africa starting this month. The chain has already closed Katwe outlet in Kampala over accumulated rent arrears estimated …

Banjul, Gambia | AFP |  The Gambia’s longtime former ruler Yahya Jammeh stole at least $50-million from the state, the country’s justice minister said Monday, in the first major anti-corruption move by the country’s new president. It is the first time the new government of the small west African nations …

KIIR: Everybody is welcome to participate in the national dialogue except Riek Machar. Riek Machar will come and cause another war in Juba Juba, South Sudan | AFP |  South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir declared a unilateral ceasefire Monday as he launched a national dialogue, a controversial bid to end …

World Health Organisation confirms several dead in DR Congo The World Health Organization has confirmed an Ebola outbreak in a remote forested part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the first in that country since 2014. By May 12, at least nine people were suspected of being infected, and three …

Nairobi, KENYA| PSCU| President Uhuru Kenyatta will on May 31 commission the first phase of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) that has been completed on budget, 18 months ahead of schedule. State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu said China – who provided the funds through loans that ensured the SGR was …

S. Africa risks becoming ‘mafia state’ warns Ramaphosa Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  South Africa risks becoming a “mafia state”, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa warned Sunday, calling for a corruption probe at the top as he stepped up criticism of President Jacob Zuma. Ramaphosa is one of the main …