AFRICA

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s new Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba Saturday pledged to implement the policies of the ruling ANC as the party remains deeply divided over the sudden firing of his predecessor. Gigaba on Thursday replaced Pravin Gordhan, ousted in a shock midnight cabinet reshuffle by …

  Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African President Jacob Zuma’s sweeping cabinet overhaul exposes deep divisions between the ANC’s apartheid-struggle old guard and a new generation often accused of not living up to expectations. Malusi Gigaba, 45, who replaced Pravin Gordhan, 67, as finance minister is a fervent …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | The backlash against South African President Jacob Zuma’s shock reshuffle has intensified pressure on him to resign ahead of the 2019 general election. Here are four of his possible successors: – The negotiator – Cyril Ramaphosa, a 64-year-old veteran with strong anti-apartheid struggle credentials, …

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Ethiopia’s parliament on Thursday approved a four month extension of a state of emergency that was first imposed in October to quell nearly a year of anti-government protests. “The House unanimously voted to extend the state of emergency,” said a report carried by state …

United Nations, United States | AFP | The United Nations Security Council will vote Friday to cut the number of troops in its peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. US ambassador Nikki Haley said the force’s currently authorized strength of 19,815 would be cut by 3,600 — but …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |South African President Jacob Zuma sacked his finance minister and made ten new cabinet appointments late Thursday in a dramatic reshuffle which could split the ruling ANC party. The African National Congress, which led the fight against apartheid and came to power under Nelson Mandela …

Accra, Ghana | AFP | A Ghanaian lawmaker was on Thursday found in contempt of parliament and ordered to apologise after claiming that a government minister bribed a committee to approve his appointment. National Democratic Congress (NDC) party MP Mahama Ayariga accused Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko of paying members of the …

Ghana’s gender minister causes storm over rape comments Accra, Ghana | AFP | Ghana’s new gender minister has warned schoolgirls that what they wear can attract rapists, sparking controversy and debate in a traditional but evolving society. Otiko Djaba told girls at a senior school in eastern Ghana they should …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Three foreign petroleum engineers abducted by South Sudanese rebels have been released after negotiations brokered by Sudan and Ethiopia, a Sudanese security agency said on Thursday. Indians Midhun Ganesh and Edward Ambrose and Pakistani Ayaz Hussein Jamali, who worked for DAR Petroleum, had been seized …

Historic ground breaking ceremony completed for Rusumo dam to serve Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi have launched the construction activities of the regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project in Ngara, Tanzania. The project, first conceived two decades back, will when completed deliver a shared hydropower plant with installed capacity …