Boko Haram Does What Everybody Feared
A second aid worker who was held hostage by Boko Haram for seven months has been executed after a deadline for negotiations expired. Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, described the killing as "dastardly, inhuman and ungodly, saying nothing can justify the shedding of the blood of innocent people." Hauwa Mohammed Liman was kidnapped alongside two International Red Cross Society (ICRC) aid workers seized by a faction of Boko Haram in March this year during an attack on a military facility.
SOURCES: CNN
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A New Revolution is Looming in Tunisia
Tunisia's parliament voted to criminalise racial discrimination. Under the new legislation, those convicted of racist speech face one month in prison and a $350 fine, while incitement to hatred, making racist threats, or belonging to an organisation that propagates racism can result in one to three years in prison and fines ranging from $185 to $1,110. The law makes Tunisia the first Arab country, and the second in Africa, to outlaw racial discrimination. Activists have hailed the move as historic, where unofficial estimates say 15 percent of the 11.5 million population identify as black.
SOURCES: Al Jazeera, Brookings
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The Gambia Takes a Leaf from South Africa’s Transition
The West African state has launched an 11-member truth commission tasked with shedding light on summary executions, disappearances, torture, rape and other crimes under regime of ousted dictator Yahya Jammeh.
SOURCES: Mail & Guardian
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The Building Blocks of Mali
A building boom in the capital, Bamako, has sparked a surge in demand for bricks made from high-quality sand dug by hand from the bed of the Niger River. The Guardian takes a look at the diggers’ work; they are poorly paid and it carries many dangers, from the treacherous river currents to powerful storms that threaten their fragile craft.
SOURCES: The Guardian
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Instead of Profits, this Mine has Brought Woe to Guineans
In Guinea, the bauxite business is booming. Human Rights Watch says the government, eager to grab a share of the global market, has done little to protect villagers and wildlife. Bauxite is the ore that makes aluminum. It’s used in everything from foil to cars and planes, a vital ingredient in manufacturing in the United States and, increasingly, China.
SOURCES: VOA, HRW
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Motorbike Mode on Google Maps Launched in Kenya
Google is offering the voice navigation service for bike riders in Africa for the first time. Streets in Kenyan cities and towns are often poorly signposted and frequently congested, making it hard for boda boda drivers to pick up customers when they hail them by phone.
SOURCES: Reuters, Quartz Africa
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An Unprecedented Push for Gender Parity in Ethiopia
Hailed for sweeping reforms, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed unveiled his new cabinet that is half female. The new cabinet, which reduces ministerial positions to 20 from 28, has women in the top security posts for the first time in Ethiopia’s history.
SOURCES: Washington Post
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One of the Most Prominent Names in Nigeria’s Tech Ecosystem Off to a New Adventure
For the second time in less than five years, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji is stepping down from a successful company he co-founded. Aboyeji’s surprise departure from Flutterwave , one of the well-regarded startups of Africa’s fintech space, follows a similar pattern from 2016 when he left Andela, a company that trains African software developers and pairs them with global tech companies.
SOURCES: Quartz Africa
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Tech Helps Find a Lost African City
Archaeologists using laser technology have rediscovered an ancient city outside South Africa's commercial capital of Johannesburg. The settlement, which dates back to the 15th Century, was home to up to 10,000 people from the Tswana ethnic group. Their descendants are now fighting to have the city of Kweneng recognised as their homeland.
SOURCES: BBC
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Hwange National Park is Becoming a Favored Place to go on Safari
Nestled in remote Zimbabwe where elephants roam and zebras graze. It’s adjacent to Victoria falls, making it a must to explore and view wildlife after admiring the famous waterfalls. Although Southern Africa has tons of safari parks, this unique place stands out on its own.
SOURCES: AFK Travel
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