Defying rumours he was “gravely ill”, Zimbabwe’s 93-year-old president Robert Mugabe arrived back in Harare early on Sunday after a trip to see his doctors in Singapore – and he’s looking pretty good, the state ZBC broadcaster reported. Mugabe’s plane touched down at the Harare International airport just after 06:00, the report said.
Category: Africa
Young Patriotic Professionals congratulate Hon. Evans Opoku Bobie
AHAFO REGIONAL MINISTER . In a mood of ecstasy, permit me to cease this material moment to congratulate you on behalf of the Young Patriotic Professionals in the Asunafo North Municipality on your appointment by H.E the President of the Republic of Ghana as the Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional minister .
Most of the hunger weakened victims were women and children, killed by waterborne diseases
The signs of crisis are everywhere. Each day, thousands flood the capital in search of food.
Ghana @60: The challenge of freedom and African unity
… in 1950s and 1960s. Above all was the towering figure of president Kwame Nkrumah who was featured regularly on world news. Unlike the mediocre African leaders of today who too often make news for the wrong reasons, Nkrumah was a world-class African …
Desperate herders lose animals, hope amid drought in Kenya
Loko Kalicha Junno says she trekked for a week to save her 10 cattle from dying of thirst and hunger. But none survived.
Armed militants overrun Libya’s main oil port
An armed faction overran one of Libya’s main oil terminals and a nearby airport on Friday, engaging forces loyal to military strongman Khalifa Haftar. The Libyan National Army , under Haftar’s control, took control of the terminals of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf – which have a potential combined capacity of around 600,000 barrels per day – in September 2016.
Fair land reform programme is the answer, says DA
“There is no need whatsoever for a referendum on expropriation of land without compensation. Our history, which saw people deprived of land on the basis of race, must be redressed.
Desperate herders lose animals, hope amid drought in Kenya
Camel herders scoop up water in plastic buckets from one of the few watering holes in the area, to water their animals near the drought-affected village of Bandarero, near Moyale town on the Ethiopian border, in northern Kenya, Friday, March 3, 2017.
Some 100 million at risk of hunger and the number is rising
The number of people facing severe hunger worldwide has surpassed 100 million and will grow if humanitarian aid is not paired with more support for farmers, a senior United Nations official said. Dominique Burgeon, director of the emergency division at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation said latest studies showed 102 million people faced acute malnutrition – meaning they were on the brink of starvation – in 2016, up almost 30 per cent from 80 million in 2015.
US steps up in Somalia as al-Shabab proves a stubborn foe
With frequent suicide bombings and assaults on Somalia’s hotels and military targets, the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab has proved more resilient than expected, leading President Donald Trump’s administration to pursue wider military involvement here as current strategies, including drone attacks, are not enough, security experts say. Senior U.S. officials have said the Pentagon wants to expand the military’s efforts to battle the al-Qaida-linked group.
3 Islamic extremist groups in Mali merge, pledge to al-Qaida
Three prominent Islamic extremist groups in Mali have announced they have merged into one and pledged allegiance to al-Qaida’s leader, according to an organization that monitors jihadist websites. Leaders from Ansar Dine, al-Mourabitoun and al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb made the declaration in a video distributed Thursday, according to SITE Intelligence Group.
UPDATE 1-Nigeria files new charges against Shell, Eni, others over…
Nigeria’s financial crime watchdog has filed new corruption charges against Royal Dutch Shell, Eni and others regarding the $1.3 billion purchase of a long-disputed oilfield in 2011, according to court documents released on Thursday. The charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and official corruption were made after an investigation by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission found new evidence, Jonson Ojogbane, an EFCC senior prosecutor named in the documents, told Reuters by telephone.
.com | Land reform favours businesses, not the poor – study
The land reform system in South Africa favours agricultural businesses and sidelines the intended beneficiaries, research in the Eastern Cape suggests. In a recent study of land reform in the Sarah Baartman district in the Eastern Cape, researchers Ruth Hall and Thembela Kepe found that none of the 11 beneficiaries investigated had any documented rights to their land, GroundUp reported.
As South Sudan refugee flood continues, so do tales of abuse
More than 100,000 people have fled a single county in South Sudan in just three months as civil war continues amid warnings of genocide. The surge of more than half a million South Sudan refugees into Uganda since July has created Africa’s largest refugee crisis.
Tanzania: Seven Cities get Support to Scale-up and Modernize Infrastructure
WASHINGTON D.C., February 28, 2017 – Residents of seven rapidly urbanizing cities in Tanzania will benefit from funding to scale up infrastructure investments and promote growth, the World Bank Group announced today. The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved up to $130 million in additional financing for the Tanzania Strategic Cities Project covering the seven strategically important cities of Tanga, Arusha, Mwanza, Kigoma, Dodoma, Mbeya and Mtwara, to enable them keep up with the pace of rapid urbanization.
Tanzania: Seven Cities get Support to Scale-up and Modernize Infrastructure
WASHINGTON D.C., February 28, 2017 – Residents of seven rapidly urbanizing cities in Tanzania will benefit from funding to scale up infrastructure investments and promote growth, the World Bank Group announced today. The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved up to $130 million in additional financing for the Tanzania Strategic Cities Project covering the seven strategically important cities of Tanga, Arusha, Mwanza, Kigoma, Dodoma, Mbeya and Mtwara, to enable them keep up with the pace of rapid urbanization.
Jihadists attack north Burkina Faso towns amid film festival
Suspected jihadists have attacked two communities in Burkina Faso’s north while an international film festival takes place in the capital of the West African nation, authorities said Tuesday. The Monday night attacks in Baraboule and Tongomayel injured at least one woman as assailants attacked several official buildings.
Suspected jihadists attack northern Burkina Faso towns
Authorities in Burkina Faso say suspected jihadists have attacked two communities in the north while an international film festival takes place in the capital. The Monday night attacks in Baraboule and Tongomayel are the latest violence to hit this once peaceful landlocked West African nation.
Judge to deliver conclusions at inquest into deaths of Tunisia attack victims
Families of the Britons killed in the Tunisia terror attacks are expected to gather today in a final search for answers. Families of the Britons killed in the Tunisia terror attacks are expected to gather today in a final search for answers.
Uganda: Why North, Karamoja Will Soon Be Big Banana Producers
“The land seems to be exhausted, the matooke are of poor quality even when I try to practice mulching,” he adds. Up to about 15 years ago, Mr Muwonge had a flourishing banana plantation that gave him bumper harvest after another all-round the year.
.com | Rescue operation for 5-year-old trapped in mineshaft suspended
The rescue operation for a 5-year-old boy who fell into an empty mine shaft in Jerusalem, an informal settlement outside Boksburg, on Saturday has been suspended. Speaking on Monday evening, Ekurhuleni emergency services acting spokesperson Vincent Khoza said the rescue operation would resume on Tuesday morning.
Federalism for balancing
Many experts agree that federalism is the best administrative system especially in countries where there is diversity. In order to host diversity, federal system is better equipped than centralist approach in many ways, even through its weaknesses.
Algeria kicks off 1st UNWTO regional capacity building programme on tourism statistics.
The program aims to enable the development of tourism statistics according to the United Nations standards at the national level and to implement the Tourism Satellite Account project over time. In the framework of the technical assistance that the World Tourism Organization provides to Member States, especially in their development of sound statistical systems, the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria has hosted the 1st Workshop on Regional Statistics of the Tourism Sector .
Nigerian governor says 2 kidnapped Germans are freed
Nigerian security agents have freed two German archaeologists kidnapped by gunmen from a remote dig, the governor of northern Kaduna state said Sunday. Governo Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai “commended the security agencies for their efforts in securing the release of the Germans,” said a statement.
Pentagon seeks to expand fight against extremists in Somalia
The Pentagon wants to expand the military’s ability to battle al-Qaida-linked militants in Somalia, potentially putting U.S. forces closer to the fight against a stubborn extremist group that has plotted attacks against America, senior U.S. officials said. The recommendations sent to the White House would allow U.S special operations forces to increase assistance to the Somali National Army in the struggle against al-Shabab militants in the fragile Horn of Africa nation, the officials said.
German Archaeologists Freed in Northern Nigeria After Kidnapping
Kidnappers freed archaeologists Peter Breunig, a professor, and Johannes Behringer on Saturday evening near the city of Kaduna, Nigerian police said in a report on Sunday. The archaeologists were working about 150 kilometers south of Kaduna, studying the ancient Nok culture, when they were attacked, police said.
Pentagon seeks to expand fight against extremists in Somalia
The Pentagon wants to expand the military’s ability to battle al-Qaida-linked militants in Somalia, potentially putting U.S. forces closer to the fight against a stubborn extremist group that has plotted attacks against America, senior U.S. officials said. WASHINGTON>> The Pentagon wants to expand the military’s ability to battle al-Qaida-linked militants in Somalia, potentially putting U.S. forces closer to the fight against a stubborn extremist group that has plotted attacks against America, senior U.S. officials said.
.com | Morocco looks to new markets to boost stagnant tourism
Morocco’s key tourism sector barely grew last year amid security challenges, but operators are hoping Chinese and Russian visitors will boost their fortunes in the coming years. While political turmoil and jihadist attacks have battered the sector in Egypt and Tunisia, Morocco registered 10 million visitors last year, according to the Moroccan Tourism Observatory.
Famine in Africa: The looming disaster we can’t let happen again
The world’s newest country, South Sudan, is being hit by the first famine in the world for six years. OPINION: Any parent will tell you – you can pick out your child crying immediately.
Rwanda: How the Rwanda-India Entrepreneurship Deal Is a Game Changer
Earlier this week, top Rwandan and Indian officials signed three bilateral agreements including a Memorandum of Understanding on establishing the Entrepreneurship Development Centre , in Rwanda. The MoU signed by Franois Kanimba, Minister for Trade, Industry and East African Community Affairs and Amar Sinha, External Relations Secretary in India’s Ministry of External Affairs remains in effect for three years before it is renewed – by mutual consent.
We’ve been attacked – ” Ghanaians in SA contradict Ayorkor Botchway
Ghanaians living in South Africa claim they are being attacked and beaten mercilessly by South African nationals in the wake of the xenophobic attack that has once again reared its ugly head in that country. According to them, their lives are in real danger as some Ghanaians in Sunnyside, have been hospitalized after being pounded.
Southeast Asian security on surer footing, In defense of referendums…
“[Japanese] Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s summit with U.S. President Donald Trump reinforced the security guarantees iterated by U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis on his visit to Japan and South Korea the week before…,” writes Stephen R. Nagy .
Zimbabwe’s Mugabe marks 93rd birthday in opposition area
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is celebrating his 93rd birthday amid granite hills where ancient spirits are said to dwell, defying calls to resign after nearly four decades in power in a region known for opposing the man who says he’ll run again in 2018 elections. Thousands of government supporters, some wearing clothing adorned with Mugabe’s image, converged in Matabeleland on Saturday for a birthday bash and show of strength for the ruling ZANU-PF party, beset by squabbling in the past year as the elderly president weakened and factions, one including his wife Grace, sparred ahead of an expected power vacuum.
UN envoy and Church leaders in DR Congo condemn attacks against Catholic facilities
New York, Feb 25 : The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the National Episcopal Conference of Congo, known as CENCO have called for an immediate end to the spate of violent attacks against Catholic facilities in several parts of the country. The UN Organization Stabilization Mission and CENCO, along with the Apostolic Nunciature said they are deeply concerned about recent attacks on parishes and other Catholic facilities.
South Africa anti-immigrant protests erupt in capital
Police fired stun grenades, rubber bullets and water cannon Friday as the latest wave of anti-immigrant protests broke out in South Africa’s capital, while President Jacob Zuma condemned anti-foreigner violence and appealed for calm. “We don’t have hate! We don’t have hate!” one foreign man shouted in video posted by local broadcaster eNCA.
South Africa anti-immigrant protests erupt in capital
Police fired stun grenades, rubber bullets and water cannon Friday as the latest wave of anti-immigrant protests broke out in South Africa’s capital, while President Jacob Zuma condemned anti-foreigner violence and appealed for calm. “We don’t have hate! We don’t have hate!” one foreign man shouted in video posted by local broadcaster eNCA.
Tui accused of ‘gross neglect’ in Tunisia beach massacre
Inquest into the deaths of the Britons at the Royal Courts of Justice heard that ‘part of the attack or most of it could have been prevented’ Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith was told to consider a ‘neglect’ conclusion, arguing that there had been ‘gross neglect’ on the part of the TUI travel company The deaths of 30 Britons in the Tunisia terrorist attack could have been prevented had there not been ‘gross neglect’ by the travel companies they depended upon, an inquest has been told. Seifeddine Rezgui opened fire at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Sousse on June 26 2015, leaving 38 people dead.
Ap Photos: a selection of pictures from the past week
Luisa Bodem kicks up sand as she competes in the women’s long jump event at the German indoor athletics in Leipzig, Germany, on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017. A cow is prepared for a photograph in front a pastoral backdrop in Verden, Germany, on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017.
Glad to buy Indian goods, services for more than USD1 m : Uganda President Yoweri Museveni1 hour ago
Kampala [Uganda], Feb 23 : Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, on Wednesday, while speaking on bilateral relations with India, in a business forum, expressed his satisfaction over importing Indian goods for more than one million US dollars. “It is true that bilateral relations are in favour of India now, and we are glad to buy goods and services for more than 1 million USD from India, while India will buy for more than 57 million USD from Uganda.
South Africa, Refugees, and Populism
Foreign men from Malawi queue to board buses from a camp for those affected by anti-immigrant violence in Chatsworth north of Durban, April 18, 2015. Rosettenville, a suburb of Johannesburg, was the site of the February 11-12 burning of buildings alleged to have been used by “prostitutes and drug dealers.”