Miami, United States | AFP | The oldest remains of a modern human outside Africa have been dug up in Israel, offering evidence of what genetic studies have already suggested — that humans migrated out of Africa some 50,000 years earlier than previously thought. Facial fragments, including a jawbone and …
Read More »Rhino poaching dips slightly in S.Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | The number of rhinos killed for their horns by poachers in South Africa dipped in 2017, but more than 1,000 were still slaughtered, the government said on Thursday. South Africa is battling a scourge of rhino poaching fuelled by insatiable demand for their horn …
Read More »Crash between bus and taxi kills 14 in Algeria
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | A collision between a passenger bus and a taxi in Algeria killed 14 people and injured 22 others on Thursday, authorities said. The accident occurred at Sfid on a national highway linking the northwestern areas of Saida and El Bayadh, according to the emergency services. …
Read More »Hundreds protest Morocco trial of journalists
Rabat, Morocco | AFP | Hundreds protested on Thursday outside a Moroccan court in support of four journalists being tried for publishing content deemed confidential. The journalists stand accused of publishing in late 2016 excerpts of a parliamentary commission’s debates over huge deficit at the national pension fund. A member …
Read More »Toyota South Africa recalls more than 700,000 cars over airbags
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Toyota South Africa Motors said Thursday it had issued a notice to recall more than 700,000 vehicles over airbag safety concerns, with some affected models dating back over 15 years. The Japanese carmaker said the recall was needed to replace front airbag inflators produced …
Read More »Total set to ramp up Nigerian oil output with new ship
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | A gigantic oil tanker arrived in Nigeria as part of a multi-billion dollar project that should allow one of Africa’s biggest crude producers to pump out an additional 200,000 barrels a day. The floating production storage and offloading vessel is docked in Lagos after spending …
Read More »S.Africa in ‘new era’, likely next president tells Davos
Davos, Switzerland | AFP | South Africa’s likely next president promised pro-business reforms and tough justice for those guilty of state corruption, as he wooed investors on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. Cyril Ramaphosa, who could replace Jacob Zuma as president within weeks, told investors in Davos …
Read More »US calls for South Sudan arms embargo after failed truce
United Nations, United States | AFP | The United States on Wednesday called for an international arms embargo to be imposed on South Sudan following the failure of the latest ceasefire aimed at ending the four-year war. US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the Security Council that President Salva Kiir’s government …
Read More »Ex-official under Nigerian president is held in corruption probe
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria’s anti-graft squad said on Thursday it had placed David Babachir Lawal, once a senior official under President Muhammadu Buhari, in custody for alleged corruption. “He was invited to our office yesterday (Wednesday) and since then he has been in our custody,” the acting spokesman …
Read More »Sisi’s last real challenger quits Egypt presidential race
Cairo, Egypt | AFP | A rights lawyer seen as the last real challenger to Egypt’s Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday quit the race to be president, the latest in a string of potential candidates to withdraw or be jailed. Sisi, who has ruled the North African country with an iron …
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