Latest stories from Africa..
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Rwanda: Marbug virus has killed several people; WHO plans to send medical aid
In Rwanda, Marbug virus has killed several people and more than 20 cases have been reported. In light of this development, the WHO plans to send medical aid from Kigali. Belonging to the same family as the Ebola virus, Marbug virus causes haemorrhagic fever, with a fatality ratio of up to 88%.
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Egypt demands permanent seats for Africa, Arab States at UN Security Council
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Egypt’s Foreign Minister said he could ‘not accept’ that Africa and Arab nations do not have permanent representatives at the UN Security Council. He also called for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying that his government’s priority was to put an end to the fighting.
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Israel deploys troops to northern border amid concerns of possible ground offensive in Lebanon
After the Israeli military announced it was gearing up for a potential ground invasion in Lebanon, Israel has deployed troops to its northern border. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified in the past week, with Israeli strikes killing hundreds in Lebanon.
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Somalia’s PM to Ethiopia: Somalia has ‘rights to defend its territorial integrity’
Speaking at the UN, Somalia’s Prime Minister denounced Ethiopia’s agreement with Somaliland earlier this year to lease a strip of coastline, accusing Ethiopia of violating Somalia’s territorial integrity. Earlier this year, Somalia expelled the Ethiopian ambassador due to the port row.
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17 people killed in 2 mass shootings in the same town in South Africa
Seventeen people, including 15 women, were killed in two mass shootings that took place in close proximity to each other in a rural town in South Africa, police said Saturday.
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FIFAfrica 2024: Internet freedom and democratization in question
This 11th edition brought critical attention to the state of digital democracy in the region, covering topics such as human rights, online freedom of expression, and enhancing internet access for people with disabilities, sparking vibrant discussions.
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Hezbollah group confirms death of its leader and founder Hassan Nasrallah
Lebanon’s Hezbollah group confirmed on Saturday that its leader and one of its founders, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut the previous day.
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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces new sex assault allegations in woman’s lawsuit
Sean “Diddy” Combs was hit with new sexual assault allegations Friday as a woman filed a lawsuit in New York saying she was repeatedly raped and drugged at the music mogul’s homes and became pregnant after one of the encounters.
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Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah killed in strike, Israel says
Israel’s military said that it carried out a precise airstrike while Hezbollah leadership met at their headquarters in Dahiyeh, south of Beirut
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Tunisia passes law to strip courts of power over election authority
Tunisia’s parliament amended a law on Friday, stripping power from courts over decisions made by an embattled election authority whose members are appointed by President Kais Saied.
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Fashion brand Maxhosa Africa presents collection in Paris
The brand focuses on knitwear, and this collection was no exception. The styles varied a great deal, from dresses, to coords, from skirts to trouser pairings.
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Unexploded missiles pose threat to Palestinians in central Gaza Strip
Residents in the central town of Deir al-Balah are among those complaining about a worrying lack of response from agencies tasked with removing the ordnances.
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Rwandan army, rebel forces shell Congolese civilians – Human Rights Watch
In a report released Thursday, the rights group said the two entities have throughout 2024 indiscriminately shelled displacement camps and other densely populated areas near Goma, capital of Congo’s North Kivu province
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Iran warns Israel against Lebanon ground invasion
Israel is preparing for a possible ground assault on Lebanon, its army chief said Wednesday as Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets across the border and a missile aimed at Tel Aviv that was the militant group’s deepest strike yet
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Netanyahu slams Iran at UN General Assembly, as Israel continues to exchange fire with Hezbollah
During his speech to the UN General Assembly on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran that there was ‘No place in Iran’ that Israel can’t reach. It comes as Israel continues to exhange fire with Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
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Lebanon: Over 100,000 people have fled Israeli bombardments
The United Nations said on Thursday that 80,000 displaced people were currently being accommodated in around 500 shelters in Lebanon as a result of the ongoing Israeli bombardment of the country. With over 30,000 residents who have fled to Syria.
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Electricity, internet gaps hinder AI adoption in Africa
Africa’s digital infrastructure gap remains significant with an estimated 900 million people still not connected to the internet. About the same number does not have access to electricity
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UN Women sounds the alarm on hardships faced by women and girls in war-torn Sudan
As the conflict in Sudan rages on, UN Women is drawing attention to the devastating impact of the fighting on women and girls. Among the consequences are an increased risk of sexual violence, and reduced access to health services including for childbirth, for more than 160,000 pregnant women.
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California to apologize for slavery, racism against Black Americans
California will formally apologize for slavery and its lingering effects on Black Americans in the state under a new law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Thursday. The legislation was part of a package of reparations bills that seek to atone for decades of policies that drove racial disparities for Blacks
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Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate Meskel, the feast of the Cross, as they pray for peace
Thousands of Ethiopians were gathered on Addis Ababa’s Meskel square Thursday (Sep. 26). The festival celebrates the cross upon which Jesus was crucified, according to the church beliefs, and its recovery by Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine.
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Ethiopian faithful celebrate Meskel as they pray for peace
Thousands of Ethiopians were gathered on Addis Ababa’s Meskel square Thursday (Sep. 26). The festival celebrates the cross upon which Jesus was crucified, according to the church beliefs, and its recovery by Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine.
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Algeria introduces visa for Moroccans as mistrust grows between the neighbors
The announcement was made Thursday (Sep. 26) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad in a statement. It cited proofs that holders of Moroccan passport at “different scales” pertook in “destabilization” operations.
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Gunfire reportedly erupts in Conakry; Guinea’s military junta calls reports ‘fabricated’
There were reports of gunfire near Guinea’s presidential palace on Thursday. According to a diplomatic official who spoke to AP, dissident soldiers opened fire on the special forces before being overpowered. But the ruling junta says these reports are false and that locals have nothing to fear.
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Mali, Niger, Burkina investigate a French journalist over jihadi analysis
Prosecutors from the judicial divisions on terrorism in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso all issued the same statement apparently in coordination, aired on their national televisions late on Wednesday (Sep. 25).
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Naomi Campbell barred from being charity trustee in England, Wales
The British supermodel has been barred from being a charity trustee in England and Wales for five years after the poverty charity she founded nearly two decades ago was deemed Thursday (Sep. 26) to have been “poorly governed”. Two fellow trustees of ‘Fashion foor Relief’ were also sanctionned.
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Small island nations plead for their survival amid rising sea levels
World leaders taking the stage at this week’s United Nations General Assembly are warning about sea level rise and the impacts of climate change in the most dire and personal terms.
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Kenya’s President meets U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York
Kenya’s President William Ruto thanked the U.S. for the immense support that Africa has received in equipment and assistance during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York on Thursday.
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Head of Sudan’s military says RSF militants must put down weapons
The head of Sudan’s military told the United Nations General Assembly Thursday that the militias fighting in his country must put down their weapons and stop fighting.
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Cease-fire prospects dwindle as Netanyahu arrives in New York
As he arrived in New York for the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that hopes for a cease-fire are fading, asserting that Israel will persist in its attacks on Hezbollah “with full force” until its goals are fulfilled.
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Kenya’s commitment to Haiti: increased police deployment announced
On Thursday, President Ruto spoke at the 79th annual UN General Assembly in New york and called on the international community to back the Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti, which is being led by Kenyan forces.
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Benin: Prominent personalities, allies of President Talon accused of plotting coup
In Benin, a new political crisis has erupted with the arrest of several personalities close to the ruling regime. They are accused of plotting a coup d’état.
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Equatorial Guinea’s president visits Russia for diplomatic talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the President of Equatorial Guinea, in Moscow.
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Russia and China strengthen ties with military drills in Okhotsk
The Beibu/Interaction-2024 exercise began on Saturday in the Sea of Japan, featuring anti-aircraft and anti-submarine operations.
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Love as a choice rooted in mutual respect in new US drama ‘She Taught Love’
Lead actors Darrell Britt-Gibson and Arsema Thomas underscore the film’s message of love and connection, not as a means of rescue but as a choice rooted in mutual respect and growth.
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New York meeting seeks unified approach to Sudan’s ongoing crisis
Joyce Msuya, the Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, on Wednesday called on Member States to exert all possible influence to end the crisis in Sudan.
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Kenya: Meet Mombasa disabled women who earn a living sewing reusable sanitary pads
A group of disabled Kenyan women makes a living by sewing reusable sanitary pads. The money they earn by selling this environmentally friendly product means they are not forced to resort to begging.
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United States commits to counter or adapt to threats of rising sea levels
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States is committed to counter or at least adapt to rising sea levels that pose an existential threat to many coastal communities around the world.
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Russia says supports Africa’s Security Council seat bid
Last week, the United States said it supported Africa’s bid to join the Security Council but without veto power, drawing condemnation
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UNGA: Senegalese leader calls out Security Council’s “inertia” in face of destabilization of Sahel
“I must recall here that peace and security in Africa are inseparable from world peace. It is imperative that the Security Council fully fulfils its role as guarantor of international stability.”
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Thousands of families flee Lebanon, pour into Syria
Families fleeing the escalating conflict in Lebanon poured into Syria in growing numbers on Wednesday, waiting for hours in heavy traffic to reach the relative safety of another war-torn country.