AFRICA

  Paris, France | AFP | The world has abundant freshwater but it is unevenly distributed and under increasing pressure, UN agencies say, as highlighted by the severe shortages in Cape Town. – Water, water ‘everywhere’ – More than 97 percent of the planet’s water is salty, most of it in …

Dabafayed, Ethiopia | AFP | Down a sandy track past a desiccated animal carcass lies a cluster of half-built huts that Ethiopia’s government and aid agencies hope will blunt the worsening toll of repeated droughts. The soon-to-be village of Dabafayed is intended as a new, permanent home for once-nomadic herders made …

United Nations, United States | AFP | South African troops serving in the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been accused of beating a 17-year-old boy and sexually exploiting women, a UN spokesman said Monday. UN and South African investigators will conduct a joint probe of the …

Kigali, Rwanda | AFP |  Rwanda’s media watchdog has ordered a US-owned Christian radio station shut for three months after a “vile” sermon against women, it said Monday. The radio station, Amazing Grace FM, broadcast a sermon by local pastor Nicolas Niyibikora on January 29, in which he called women …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s ruling ANC party ended marathon closed-door talks early Tuesday morning resolving to remove the scandal-tainted Jacob Zuma as head of state after he refused to resign, local media reported. The party’s powerful 107-member national executive committee (NEC) met for 13 hours at …

United Nations, United States | AFP | The United States urged the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday to scrap plans to use electronic voting for the first time in elections this year, saying it risked undermining the credibility of the historic polls. After much delay, the DR Congo will hold …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s ruling ANC party was locked in closed-door discussions on Monday night, wrangling over the fate of Jacob Zuma after the scandal-tainted president refused to resign. The party’s powerful 107-member national executive committee (NEC) met at a hotel outside Pretoria, but gave no official …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A suspected poacher was mauled to death and eaten by a pack of lions close to the Kruger National Park in South Africa, police said Monday, adding that little was left of the victim’s body. The remains were found at the weekend in the …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  South African opposition parties on Monday called for early elections as the ruling ANC wrestled with a leadership battle between President Jacob Zuma and his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa. “We must proceed to the dissolution of parliament… subsequent to that, we move on to an …

Douala, Cameroon | AFP | President Paul Biya of Cameroon celebrates his 85th birthday on Tuesday after 35 years at the helm of a country that today faces daunting problems, including a separatist revolt. “The Cameroon of tomorrow, which is developing before our eyes, will have little connection with the …