AFRICA

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  Somalia struck a new stability pact with the international community on Thursday, aimed at steadying the fragile state by bolstering its security, staving off famine and rebooting its economy. New President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed hailed a “historic day for Somalia” after concluding the pact …

Kigali, Rwanda | AFP |  A member of a banned Rwandan opposition party has been assassinated, party officials alleged Thursday, less than three months before national elections are due to be held. The body of Jean Damascene Habarugira, a member of the United Democratic Forces party (known by its French …

London, UK | PPU |  President Yoweri Museveni and the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are stoking their efforts to give a face to the refugee crisis in Uganda and raise over US$2billion needed in emergency funds. The funds are needed to handle the humanitarian crisis caused by the South Sudan conflict …

The Somalian President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, known as President Farmajo, gave an opening speech outlining the way forward for the country at the conference on Somalia’s future today May 11, 2017.. Joined by the UK Prime Minister Theresa May, presidents from the region, led by Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, also gave …

NOT SLEEPING: At 93, there is something that happens to the eyes and the President cannot suffer bright lights. If you look at his poise, he looks down, avoids direct lighting. Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP |  Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, 93, is not asleep when he closes his eyes for …

Abuja, Nigeria | AFP |  Italian oil group Eni’s Nigerian subsidiary Agip is planning a 150,000-barrel per day refinery as part of efforts to reduce imports, junior oil minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said. Kachikwu met representatives from Eni and said agreement had been reached to build the facility in the …

MTN, which has 60 million subscribers in Nigeria, says it is the largest distributor of music Lagos, Nigeria | AFP |  Phizbarz is only 23 but hopes to become the next Nigerian Afropop star to be famous across Africa — and to get himself known and earn a living, he’s using …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP |  Congolese President Joseph Kabila named an expanded new government on Tuesday, with almost all his old team retained, as part of power-sharing deal to end a crisis over his wish to remain in power. The presidential list of 60 ministers, read out on television, …

Juba, South Sudan | AFP |  South Sudan President Salva Kiir sacked his powerful, hardline army chief Paul Malong on Tuesday, a government spokesman said. General Paul Malong, long regarded as an ethnic nationalist of Kiir’s majority Dinka tribe, was replaced by General James Ajongo Mawut, a career soldier. South …

Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP |  Zimbabwe’s 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe has flown to Singapore for a “routine medical check-up”, state media reported Tuesday. “President Mugabe yesterday (Monday) left Zimbabwe for Singapore for his routine medical check-up,” The Herald newspaper reported. “He is expected back in Zimbabwe at the weekend.” The …