South African Airways cancels flights as financial woes deepens

South African Airways financial crisis deepens, forcing the airline to cancel several local and international flights Tuesday. Eight more flights between Johannesburg and Cape Town will be cut this week. Twenty between Johannesburg and Durban, the airline said in emailed statement. Ten flights between Johannesburg and Munich were also canceled. “SAA will be reviewing further […]

15796076449129

South Africa Airways cancels flights in bid to save cash

Beleaguered national airline South African Airways (SAA) announced on Tuesday it was cancelling 10 domestic and one international flight in an effort to streamline services and save cash. The cash-strapped airline was last month placed under a state-approved business rescue plan to avoid its total collapse following a costly week-long strike by thousands of its […]

Deaths after Timket stage collapse in Ethiopia’s Amhara region

Deaths have been reported during a religious celebration in Gondar, located in Ethiopia’s northern Amhara regional state. According to a freelance journalist, Vincent Dublange, a stage collapsed during the Timket celebrations which left dozens of injured. At the time of filing this report he tweeted a death toll of seven people citing sources whiles the […]

Libyan conflict: Foreign powers ‘withdraw’ military support, back ceasefire

Foreign powers backing rival governments in Libya have agreed to stop military interference in the country, and rather support ongoing efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire that could facilitate a political solution to the conflict. The resolutions were arrived at during a Peace Summit hosted by Germany on Sunday. In attendance were the presidents of […]

images 2020 01 20T091606.913

Berlin Conference: World powers agree new push for Libya peace

World leaders committed to ending all foreign meddling in Libya’s civil war at a Berlin summit on Sunday, and to uphold a weapons embargo as part of a broader plan to end the long-running conflict. The presidents of Russia, Turkey and France were among global chiefs signing up to the agreement to stop interfering in […]

Gambian President e1484216236690

Gambia vows to arrest Yahya Jammeh

The Gambia’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Aboubacarr Tambadou vowed on Sunday that former president Yahya Jammeh will be arrested and prosecuted for crimes against humanity. However, he will only be arrested anytime he steps his feet into the country. Tambadou said Jammeh will face accountability of the highest order as the act of […]

images 2020 01 19T183313.524

Making the Most of the Berlin Conference on Libya, Qatar Absent

On January 19, international leaders will convene in Berlin to discuss a way out of the nine-month civil war between the so-called “Libyan National Army” led by Gen. Khalifa Haftar and the internationally recognized Government of National Accord led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. The Germans led several months of preparatory efforts at the request […]

images 2020 01 19T174900.438

First woman appointed to top Vatican post

Pope Francis has appointed Francesca Di Giovanni to be the new undersecretary for multilateral affairs in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. It is a first at the Vatican for a woman. Di Giovanni said she did not expect the appointment, but was looking forward to advance a “feminine point of view” in her new role. […]

images 2020 01 18T132849.112 1

Turkey’s troops in Libya: What’s their mission? To steal, kill and destroy

The cease-fire call by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has yielded a prompt and positive response in Libya. On Wednesday, the two leaders called for a truce “supported by the necessary measures to be taken for stabilizing the situation on the ground.” Eyes are now fixated on the reactions of […]

images 2020 01 19T145521.252

South African aims to break own world record

It’s a world record that arguably nobody knows. But South African Vernon Kruger is ready to beat it, by spending more than two months perched in a barrel hoisted 25 metres above the ground. The 52-year-old professional scuba diver is trying to break his own record for the longest human stay perched in a barrel. […]

images 2020 01 18T203551.265

Lesotho PM confirms resignation after alleged link to wife’s murder

Lesotho’s prime minister confirmed on Friday that he would resign after police linked him to the murder of his estranged wife nearly three years ago. Thomas Thabane had faced calls from senior members of his All Basotho Convention (ABC) party to step down after police said there was evidence connecting him to the 2017 killing. […]

Guinea: Funeral for slain protesters held

A funeral ceremony for protesters killed during clashes at recent anti-government demonstrations in Guinea was held Friday. The victims were the latest of crackdown on anti-government protesters by law enforcement officials. “I am always saddened to find myself here at the morgue to see these bodies carried, those of young people who are cowardly murdered […]

images 2020 01 18T132849.112

Erdogan Is Taking a Big Gamble In Libya

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has begun to dispatch troops to Libya, there to support of the country’s beleaguered Government of National Accord. Turkey’s objective is to protect Tripoli and help the GNA—which is recognized by the United Nations—to remain in power. From Ankara’s point of view, this is in essence a defensive move, one […]

000 1NS4GP

Erdogan Takes Sides in Libyan Conflict Ahead of Berlin Meeting

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is doubling down on support for the U.N.-backed government in Libya ahead of a Berlin conference aimed at ending the Libyan civil war. Erdogan, who is set to attend the Sunday meeting, lashed out at Libyan rebel leader General Khalifa Haftar on Friday while announcing the deployment of Turkish forces […]

A33C6EB8 DEC7 4F3F B056 C4459A2330F3 e1579272685708

Zimbabwe: Zim Shines At Miss Global World Preliminaries

Miss Global World Zimbabwean representative Tania Tatenda Aaron won the best evening gown accolade at the preliminaries held on Wednesday night ahead of the final of the Miss Global pageant set for Friday in Oaxaca, Mexico. The 24-year-old beauty beat other 59 contestants as first runner up went to Miss Peru, Hany Portocarrero while on […]

African leaders in Togo to help fight fake drug menace

Seven African leaders are in Lome, capital of Togo, as a summit against fake drugs kicked off on Friday (January 17). The two-day summit is under the aegis of the Brazzaville Foundation. It is the first time African heads of state are gathering on the issue of fake drugs on the continent which continues to […]

United States wants withdrawal of all Turkish troops from Libya

The United States, which is scheduled to participate in this weekend’s Libya peace conference in Germany is expected to call for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the war-ravaged nation and a resumption of the UN-backed peace process. The US State Department said on Thursday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, would however prioritise efforts […]