AFRICA

Mogadishu, Somalia | AFP | Raped, abused and subjected to genital mutilation, many women suffer terribly in Somalia, an unrepentantly patriarchal country shown by successive surveys as one of the worst places to be female. A quota reserving 30 percent of parliamentary seats for women in current elections is supposed …

Juba, South Sudan | AFP | The South Sudan government has agreed to accept the deployment of a UN-mandated regional force in Juba after months of hesitation, a spokesman said. “I would like therefore to inform the people on behalf of the transitional government of national unity that your cabinet …

Luanda, Angola | AFP |  Thirty-seven former fighters from Angola’s main UNITA opposition party go on trial Friday accused of attempting to stage a coup earlier this year, the state news agency Angop reported on Thursday. Members of the group face charges of planning an armed assault against the presidential …

South Africa union federation backs Ramaphosa for power Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  South African deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday won the support of Cosatu, the biggest union federation, to be the ANC party’s next leader, boosting his chances of taking national power. The African National Congress (ANC), …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP |  Kenya Airways on Thursday announced the resignation of its chief executive officer, a move demanded by pilots complaining of mismanagement at the troubled airline. CEO Mbuvi Ngunze will step down in the first quarter of 2017. His resignation follows that of chairman Dennis Awori only …

Baidoa, Somalia | AFP | With its security-sealed plastic boxes and cardboard polling booths, Somalia’s election –- under way since last month and still ongoing –- has the trappings of democracy, but few of the functions. Last week in the western city of Baidoa, 51 handpicked representatives of the Reer …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African police Thursday said they had arrested a Hong Kong-bound Chinese man found with 18 rhino horns hidden in his luggage. He was detained on Wednesday at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport after an anonymous tip-off. “The 28-year-old male, who was in transit …

Cairo, Egypt | AFP | Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said he supports the Syrian military, a position at odds with his country’s Gulf benefactors like Saudi Arabia. The former army chief, who has overseen a warming of ties with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s main backer Russia, made the …

Butembo, DR Congo | AFP | The question is so absurd that Butembo’s deputy mayor misses a beat before answering. What is the town’s unemployment rate? “Unemployment is the norm around these parts,” says Godefroid Kambere Matimbya. “There aren’t any businesses.” Butembo is no ghost town, but a city of …

Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | AFP |  Morocco and several Arab countries walked out of an Africa-Arab nations summit in Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday to protest the presence of a delegation from the Polisario Front, media reports said. Morocco, which is a big investor in Africa, quit the fourth Africa-Arab World …