₦airaland Forum

Six Zambian activists are being docked in Lusaka today for allegedly protesting against corruption.

Reports say the activists staged a demonstration outside the Zambian parliament in September to highlight abuse of public funds.

The six are reported to have suffered judicial harassment since their arrest nine months ago.

Analysts say little attention is being paid to the violations in Zambia.

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Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has slapped a temporary ban from foreign travels on all Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, as well as heads of governments.

No reasons were given for the ban, but the Foreign Affairs Minister is exempted.

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Italy says it will seize two migrant rescue ships in the Mediterranean, over their legal status.

Italian authorities said the ships operated by the German migrant rescue group, Mission Lifeline were “illegally” flying the Dutch flag.

Mission Lifeline said one of the ships is carrying more than 200 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya.

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The Nigerian government has outlawed the training of private security guards by consultants.

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Boss, Abdullahi Muhammadu explained that the government took the decision for national security reasons.

A Director of private security guard companies stated that training of private security outfits would now be closely monitored by the government.

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The United States said on Thursday that it had imposed visa bans on several senior officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo for corruption tied to the country’s electoral process to send a “strong signal” about the need for a peaceful transfer of power.

Washington declined to identify the individuals, saying it was not obligated to reveal them based on “foreign policy considerations.”

Read full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/22/u-s-state-department-imposes-visa-ban-dr-congo-officials/

Kenya’s participation in next month’s Rugby Sevens World Cup in San Francisco is under threat. This comes after the Tourism Ministry cancelled its $200,000 sponsorship of the team.

It blamed the Kenya Rugby Union for breaching their partnership by not paying players as agreed. Their decision led to an on-field protest by players during a recent tournament in France.

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Nigeria’s Department of State Services says it has arrested two Islamic state commanders in a village on the outskirts of Abuja.

A DSS operative said on Thursday that the suspects were arrested early last month after special operations.

He also called on members of the public to share useful security information with appropriate security agencies.

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South Sudan President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Reik Machar finally met for the first time in almost two years on Wednesday, June 20, 2018, in a bid to end a five-year civil war. They were seen shaking hands but made no public statement.

They are expected to meet again on Thursday, June 21, 2018 in Ethiopia for peace talks as international pressure grows to end a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and created Africa’s largest refugee crisis since the 1994 Rwanda genocide.

Read the full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/21/south-sudans-warring-leaders-meet-for-peace-talks/

More than 300 Tanzanian members of parliament are taking HIV tests in public today. This is to encourage more people to get tested.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa had directed local government leaders to take part in the HIV test to encourage the public.

Majaliwa said this will allow those found with the virus to start medication immediately.

Statistics by Tanzania Commission for AIDS reveals an estimated 1.4 million people living with HIV, but only 52% of them are aware of their conditions.

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South Sudan’s rebel leader Riek Machar arrived in Ethiopia on Wednesday for a meeting with South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir, as part of talks to try to negotiate an end to a five-year-old civil war, a rebel spokesman and an Ethiopian official said.

“Yes, I can confirm to you that our Chairman has arrived in Addis Ababa airport this morning,” rebel spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said, referring to Machar, who had been held under house arrest in South Africa since late 2016 after fleeing South Sudan.

Read full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/20/machar-arrives-ethiopia-for-talks-to-end-the-civil-war/

There is a glimmer of hope for the African continent, as the Terenga Lions of Senegal grabbed Africa’s first 3 points in the ongoing world cup in Russia.

Morocco’s hopes of qualifying from their group was dashed by another goal from Portugal’s Christiano Ronaldo, who scored his fourth goal of the tournament. Meaning that one of the five African countries representing the continent is out of the world cup.

There is a glimmer of hope for the African continent, as the Terenga Lions of Senegal grabbed Africa’s first 3 points in the ongoing world cup in Russia.

Morocco’s hopes of qualifying from their group was dashed by another goal from Portugal’s Christiano Ronaldo, who scored his fourth goal of the tournament. Meaning that one of the five African countries representing the continent is out of the world cup.

Despite the inclusion of star player, Mo Salah into the starting line up, Egypt are also almost out of the world cup after losing to hosts, Russia. A draw by Uruguay in their next match will confirm their elimination.

It was not all gloom however for the continent, as Senegal gave Africans cause for celebration, winning Africa’s first 3 points in the world cup. They defeated Poland in their first game of the tournament by 2 goals to 1.

Tunisia and Nigeria will be hoping to put more smiles on their supporters this week when they take on their second opponents in the world cup.

The farthest any African team has gotten to in the world cup is the quarter finals.

Visit https://annafrica.net for more African stories and the latest world news.

Canada’s upper house of parliament approved a revised bill to legalize recreational marijuana on Tuesday, setting the stage for the country to become the first Group of Seven nation to legalize cannabis.

The Senate voted 52-29 in favor of the revised bill from the elected House of Commons, paving the way for a fully legal cannabis market within eight to 12 weeks.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals had made legalizing recreational use of marijuana part of their successful 2015 election campaign, arguing the new law would keep pot out of the hands of underage users and reduce related crime.

According to Trudeau, “It’s been too easy for our kids to get marijuana – and for criminals to reap the profits. Today, we change that. Our plan to legalize & regulate marijuana just passed the Senate”.

Read full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/20/canada-senate-approves-use-of-marijuana-for-recreation/

The Borno State Police Command in Northern Nigeria has confirmed the foiling of Boko Haram terrorist attack in Gajiram town today.

Read the full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/19/borno-state-police-foil-boko-haram-attack/

Residents of the kingdom of Swaziland will have to pay more to marry foreign nationals. This will be the case if the finance bill of 2018 is signed into law.

Read the full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/18/swaziland-residents-to-pay-more-to-marry-foreign-nationals/

Right-wing candidate Ivan Duque won Colombia’s presidential election on Sunday, beating leftist Gustavo Petro in a victory that will reassure investors but raised the prospect of changes to a landmark peace accord with Marxist rebels.

His victory that will reassure investors, but also leave many worried about the fate of a fragile peace deal.

Read full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/18/colombia-elects-ivan-duque-as-president/

According to the Police, eight Kenyan police officials were killed in the Eastern part of the country on Sunday after their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device planted by Somalia’s Al Shabaab militant group.

Read full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/18/five-police-officers-killed-in-explosive-device-attack-in-kenya/

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake shook Osaka, Japan’s second-biggest metropolis, early on Monday, killing three people, halting factory lines in an industrial area and bursting water mains, government and company officials said.

No tsunami warning was issued. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said authorities were assessing damage and their top priority was the safety of residents. About 150 people were injured, the broadcaster NHK said, lowering an earlier toll after a revision by city officials.

Read the full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/18/earthquake-hits-japanese-city-of-osaka-leaving-three-dead/

Ethiopian opposition leader, Andargachew Tsege says he was released from prison because the country’s Prime Minister threatened to resign.

Tsege spent four years in prison after being accused of planning to overthrow the Ethiopian government  he was sentenced to death nine years ago, but was pardoned last month.

Tsege has rejoined his family in London.

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Investors from the United States and South Korea have offered to invest the sum of $10 billion into the Ebonyi Independent Power Project (EIPP) by September.

The Chairman, Hodges and Bakersfield Limited, Terey Moreland visited the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Mustapha, where he told the SGF that their legal and management partners had evaluated that the project would be carried out in three phases and assured him of their capacity to finance the project.

Read full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/15/investors-interested-in-ebonyi-power-project/

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright, has advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to avoid taking sides in politics as the 2019  general elections draw closer.

Read full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/14/british-high-commissioner-to-nigeria-advises-efcc-against-taking-sides-in-politics/

In many countries, grossly erroneous beliefs and myths, heavily influenced by superstition have put the security and lives of persons with albinism at risk of constant violence and abuse; especially children and women, and other vulnerable groups.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for greater solidarity with people living with albinism, so they can live more empowered lives.

According to him, “Albinism is a genetic condition that affects people throughout the world, regardless of race, ethnicity or gender.

Read full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/14/2018-international-albinism-awareness-day-un-chief-raises-concerns/

On Wednesday, June 13, the world celebrated the International Albinism Awareness Day, with a lot of concerns about the discrimination, stigmatization, persecution and killings of people with albinism.

However, the concerns for Namibia was quite different.

Namibia has the most albinos per capita in the world. The country, with a population of about 2.4 million people, has between 1,800 and 2,000 people living with the condition.

In countries like Tanzania, attacks against albinos are rife as their bodies are considered a prized asset on the so-called black market, where parts are sold for use in witchcraft rituals.

In Namibia however, the biggest threat to Namibian albinos is skin cancer.

Read full story on https://annafrica.net/2018/06/14/international-albinism-awareness-day-cancer-not-discrimination-threatens-namibian-albinos/

The United Nations Aid Chief raised alarm on Tuesday over a worsening food crisis in the Sahel region that has sent malnutrition rates skyrocketing to their worst level since 2012.

Nearly six million people are struggling to feed themselves in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal, where 1.6 million children are suffering from severe malnutrition, said Mark Lowcock.

Read the full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/13/food-crisis-worsens-in-sahel-region/

For the first time in 32 years, the men’s World Cup is back to North America.

More than 200 FIFA member associations gathered in Moscow on Wednesday to vote the hosts for the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

This is the first time the World Cup will be held in more than one country since 2002, when South Korea and Japan shared hosting duties. The three countries beat Morocco in the bid to host the World cup.

Read full story on https://annafrica.net/2018/06/13/u-s-canada-mexico-to-host-2026-fifa-world-cup/

The state-run Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority has ordered all unregistered bloggers and online forums such as Youtube to suspend their websites immediately or face criminal prosecution.

Read the full story on https://annafrica.net/2018/06/13/crack-down-on-bloggers-in-tanzania/

Congo’s former Vice-President, Jean Pierre Bemba, has regained his freedom after the International Criminal Court cleared him on Tuesday of crimes against humanity.

Read the full story on https://annafrica.net/2018/06/13/bemba-regains-freedom/

Nigeria will make a go at floating another National Airline starting in December.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that plans are in the works for the airline to be certified and to meet all the requirements to start operations.

Read the full story on https://annafrica.net/2018/06/13/national-airline-takes-off-in-december-in-nigeria/

U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un finally met on Tuesday, June 12, 2018.

Trump and Kim pledged to work towards complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula while Washington committed to provide security guarantees for its old enemy.

But a joint statement signed at the end of their historic summit in Singapore gave few details on how either goal would be achieved.

Read the full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/12/trump-and-kim-sign-agreement-after-historic-summit/

South Sudan’s rebel leader, Riek Machar says he is committed to the ongoing peace process in the country. So, he will meet with his rival, President Salva Kiir.

Read the full story on https://annafrica.net/2018/06/11/machar-says-he-is-committed-to-the-ongoing-peace-process-in-south-sudan/

The World Health Organization (WHO) says Ebola outbreak could end soon in Northwestern DR Congo.

Director General, Tedros Adhanon Ghebreyesus said, “it is far too early to declare victory, but the signals are positive.”

Read full story at https://annafrica.net/2018/06/11/ebola-outbreak-could-end-soon-in-dr-congo-who/

US President Donald Trump has fired off a string of angry tweets criticizing America’s closest allies hours after leaving a divisive G7 summit in Canada.
Mr Trump said the US paid “close to the entire cost of NATO” to help protect countries that “rip us off on trade”.
“Fair trade is now to be called fool trade,” he added in response to the threat of new tariffs against the US.

Read full story on https://annafrica.net/2018/06/11/g7-summit-donald-trump-lashes-out-at-americas-key-allies/

Legendary Reggae icon, Ukeleke Onwubuya, also known as Ras Kimono died in Lagos on Sunday, 10th June, 2018.

Ras Kimono, famous for his long dreads and apt understanding of reggae music reportedly fell ill on Saturday night after deciding to stay back on an initial plan of travelling to the United States.

Some of his albums were: What Gwaan and Under Pressure.

He was one of Nigeria’s finest reggae artistes and earned massive airplay in the 1990s and early 2000s alongside other reggae icons like Majek Fashek, Oriz Wiliki etc.

His death is a big loss to Nigeria’s music industry as he has distinguished himself as a people-oriented musician who sang against oppression and for the freedom of the people.

May his soul rest in peace!

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