AFRICA

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 …

Tunis, Tunisia | AFP |  Tunisia’s presidential candidate Nabil Karoui received a hero’s welcome as he walked free from jail Wednesday, just days ahead of a runoff against a political newcomer. Karoui’s release is the latest twist in a shock election dominated by political outsiders in the country whose 2011 …

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Ethiopian Airlines on Wednesday denied whistleblower accusations that it tampered with the maintenance records of the Boeing 737 MAX jet which crashed in March, killing all 157 people on board. The accident, in which the plane nose-dived into a field outside Addis Ababa, led …

Segou, Mali | AFP |  The courtyard of Issa Haidara’s home in the central Malian town of Segou fills up rapidly at nightfall — testimony to the kindness of strangers. In quieter times, Haidara lived in the house with his wife, their five children and an aunt. But this night, 29 …