AFRICA

Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Nine youths died Thursday after having been swept away by flash floods in southern Israel during a hiking trip near the Dead Sea, the Magen David Adom rescue service said. Rescue efforts were ongoing to find a missing girl from a group of youths taking …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | A UN report said Thursday what appears to be five mass graves have been discovered in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where recent intercommunal violence has killed more than 260 people. The UN’s joint office for human rights has identified five “probable mass graves” …

Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Clashes between cattle herders and farmers pose a threat to countries across West Africa and the Sahel, the UN warned on Thursday, after Nigeria’s parliament summoned President Muhammadu Buhari over escalating violence. Lawmakers from Nigeria’s lower chamber of parliament, the House of Representatives, called for …

Juba, South Sudan | AFP | The UN in South Sudan said Thursday a convoy including 10 aid workers had gone missing in the southwest of the war-torn country, presumed kidnapped. The convoy disappeared after departing from the town of Yei, in Central Equatoria, early Wednesday heading for Tore, according …

Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria’s parliament has called for President Muhammadu Buhari to appear before it to explain what his government is doing to stop spiralling violence between herders and farmers in central states. Members of the lower chamber of parliament, the House of Representatives, voted Wednesday to summon Buhari …

BAJARAWIYA, Sudan | AFP | Archaeologists in Sudan have reopened an ancient pyramid and extracted bones and artefacts, in order to carry out further examination including DNA tests. The items were found in one of three burial chambers in Meriotic pyramid number 9 in Bajarawiya, a UNESCO World Heritage site …

Miami, United States | AFP | Gorillas and chimpanzees may be twice as numerous in West Africa as previously thought, but the apes are still endangered, declining fast and in dire need of protection, an international study found Wednesday. Prior estimates were based on nest counts taken from isolated areas …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | The United Nations on Wednesday gave a cautious welcome after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) allowed some anti-government protests to go ahead in the runup to crucial presidential elections. The demonstrations on Tuesday were seen as a key political barometer in one of …

Paris, France | AFP | Billionaire French industrialist Vincent Bollore is being questioned in Paris over allegations that his conglomerate used corrupt connections in Africa to win port contracts. Founded in 1822, the Bollore Group, which is majority owned by the Bollore family, has diverse interests ranging from logistics and energy …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Several thousand protestors marched through Johannesburg Wednesday to demonstrate against a proposed minimum wage, a new test for President Cyril Ramaphosa who took office in February. South Africa, which is suffering record unemployment, is due to introduce the 20 rand ($1.60) hourly minimum wage, but …