Activist points out key issues that require urgent action Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Human Rights Day is observed every year on December 10, the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – a milestone document that proclaimed the inalienable rights which …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | The United Nations’ humanitarian coordinator in South Sudan called Tuesday for the “swift and safe” return of six aid workers who have disappeared in the northwest of the country. The co-ordinator, Alain Noudehou, said in a statement that one international and five national aid workers …

Cairo, Egypt | AFP | An Egyptian military court sentenced a colonel to six years in prison on Tuesday after he announced plans to stand in the 2018 presidential election, his lawyer said. Ahmed Konsowa was given the jail term for “stating political opinions contrary to the requirements of military …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | A day of protest in Democratic Republic of Congo drew a small turnout Tuesday but the opposition vowed to pursue its campaign to unseat President Joseph Kabila over long-delayed polls. Rallies were held in several cities but were attended by only a few dozen …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa faced wide-ranging challenges Tuesday after being elected to lead the country’s ruling party as it grapples with corruption allegations and disunity. He narrowly won the vote to become head of the African National Congress (ANC) on Monday after …

Washington, United States | AFP | The Republican-controlled US Congress was on the cusp Tuesday of passing a landmark tax overhaul, securing a legislative triumph for Donald Trump as the first year of his presidency draws to a close. The House was set to debate and vote on the contentious …

Washington, United States | AFP | The White House on Tuesday publicly accused North Korea of launching a massive cyberattack that hit 150 countries last May — hobbling networks from Britain’s public health system to FedEx. “After careful investigation, the United States is publicly attributing the massive ‘WannaCry’ cyberattack to …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte says he will give his young players another chance to shine in Wednesday’s League Cup quarter-final at home to Bournemouth. Conte fielded weakened teams in the earlier rounds against Nottingham Forest and Everton and although the semi-finals are now …

Libreville, Gabon | AFP | A grocer from Niger who knifed a Danish couple in Gabon shouting “Allahu akbar” came to the capital just two days before the attack and had been stalking the pair, a prosecutor said Monday. Saturday’s attack on the Danes, who were in the west African …

Madrid, Spain | AFP | Atletico Madrid reported Barcelona to football’s governing body FIFA over illegal contact made to star forward Antoine Griezmann, Atletico club sources confirmed on Tuesday. “The complaint has been presented for repeated contact between Barcelona, the player and his team,” an Atletico source told AFP. Griezmann …