AFRICA

Scientists trying to understand what role sex plays Four scientists: Professors Andrew L. Webb, Brayden G. Schindell,   Jason Kindrachuk, and    Jia B. Kangbai have noted one area in the spread of the Ebola hemorrhagic fever that requires further study. It is the Ebola virus’ persistence in the reproductive systems of …

Tunis, Tunisia | AFP |  Almost a month since the launch of Tunisia’s presidential vote and whittled down from more than 20 candidates, conservative law professor Kais Saied and media magnate Nabil Karoui face off Sunday before the country’s electorate of seven million. The two political newcomers swept aside establishment candidates …

KAHUZI-BIEGA NATIONAL PARK, DR Congo | AFP | Aged almost 17 years, Bonane is an eastern lowland gorilla, a survivor in a critically endangered species reduced to about 250 members in DR Congo’s Kahuzi-Biega National Park. For an hour each day, the gorilla and his dozen-strong family host a handful of …

Bamako, Mali | AFP | Seydou Seck’s Vespa is 41 years old, but he sits upright and proud on the ancient grey scooter when he heads down Bamako’s Independence Avenue. In a city flooded with cheap, Indonesian-made two-wheelers, the classic Italian-made Vespa has a passionate following. Enthusiasts like Seck reckon several …

Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | AFP |   South Africa’s scandal-plagued former president Jacob Zuma will face trial on corruption charges over a 1990s arms deal, a court ruled Friday, in one of multiple alleged graft cases over his long political career. The court dismissed Zuma’s bid for a permanent stay of …

  Oslo, Norway | AFP |  Hailed as a visionary and reformer, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for his efforts to resolve the long-running conflict with neighbouring foe Eritrea. Abiy was honoured “for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | “When I started, there was poop in bags everywhere,” said Ricky Ojwang, skillfully navigating a rubbish-strewn canal in Mukuru, a Nairobi slum where he’s worked to improve sanitation since 2012. “People would use bags because there were no toilets, and they would throw them out the …

Tunis, Tunisia | AFP |  Ahead of Sunday’s presidential runoff vote, here is a recap of key developments in Tunisia since its 2011 revolution. – President flees – Demonstrations erupt in central Tunisia in December 2010 after the self-immolation of a fruit seller protesting police harassment and unemployment. After weeks of …

Ketama, Morocco | AFP | Morocco’s rugged Rif Mountains have long been renowned for their cannabis but traditional varieties are being smoked out by foreign hybrids offering higher yields and greater potency. The local strain of marijuana, known as Beldiya, is coveted by afficionados but is gradually disappearing from the fields …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | An Audit Committee has exposed irregularities in the operations of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) and asked the Bureau, the top administrative unit to urgently resolve the cases. The Committee on Audit and Public Accounts (CAPA) observes that the non-compliance of PAP with the …