Africa 

At least 20 people killed in stampede at church service in Tanzania

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) – At least 20 people were killed and more than a dozen hurt in a stampede as worshippers rushed to be anointed during a church service in northern Tanzania, officials said on Sunday. Thousands of people crammed into a sports stadium for the service on Saturday evening in the town of Moshi near Mount Kilimanjaro, with… Read More
Africa 

Militants kill dozens in east Congo as attacks on civilians intensify

KINSHASA (Reuters) – Suspected Islamist militants killed at least 62 civilians in a series of attacks this week in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where the army is waging a counter-insurgency campaign against the rebels, the government said on Saturday. The upsurge in violence after a period of relative calm in early January undercuts government claims of security progress against… Read More
Africa 

Tanzania says has not been officially notified about U.S. travel ban

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) – Tanzania said on Saturday it had not been officially notified by the United States about a travel ban after it was targeted alongside five other countries by President Donald Trump’s expanded travel restrictions on Friday. Of the six new countries slapped with travel restrictions, four are African nations and three have Muslim-majority populations. “We don’t… Read More
Africa 

Egypt sentences officer-turned-militant and 36 others to death

CAIRO (Reuters) – An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced Hisham al-Ashmawy, a former special forces officer turned Islamist militant, and 36 others to death after they were convicted of terrorism, court officials said. Ashmawy was captured in the eastern Libyan city of Derna in late 2018 and transferred by authorities loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar to Egypt in May last… Read More
Africa 

U.S. bans Tanzanian official who launched anti-gay crackdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States said on Friday it banned from visiting the country a Tanzanian official who announced a crackdown on homosexuality in Dar es Salaam in 2018. The U.S. State Department said it was taking the action against Paul Makonda, administrative chief of the Tanzania capital, “due to his involvement in gross violations of human rights, which… Read More
Africa 

Court orders safeguards for Kenyan digital IDs, bans DNA collecting

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s high court said the government could go ahead with a new digital ID scheme, as long as it brought in stronger regulations and did not use it to collect citizens’ DNA and geo-location data. Rights groups had argued the scheme violated privacy and asked the judges to outlaw the whole system – under which people will… Read More
Africa 

Kenyan firm sells gas to low income families, replacing dirty fuels

NAIROBI (Reuters) – When dusk blankets Nairobi, small flames lick blackened cooking pots in poorer areas, as dinners simmer over charcoal fires. Charcoal is a major polluter and driver of deforestation. A new company may have part of the solution. Kenya’s M-Gas, launched in January, is breaking into the low-income market for clean cooking fuels, using gas tanks fitted with… Read More
Africa 

Kenya says to start free trade talks with U.S. next week

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya will start talks with the United States next week on a potential free trade deal, the presidency said, ahead of the expiry of a deal which offers preferential terms to select African exports into the United States. Kyle McCarter, the U.S. ambassador to Kenya, said he expected a “win win” for both sides when officials from… Read More