Tag Archives: africa

45 dead as fallout from Kenya flash floods continues

Flash floods and a landslide swept through houses and cut off a major road in Kenya, killing at least 45 people and leaving dozens missing on Monday, the Interior Ministry said. Police official Stephen Kirui initially told The Associated Press that the Old Kijabe Dam, located in the Mai Mahiu area of the Great Rift Valley region that is prone …

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Kenya delays reopening of schools amid ongoing flooding as death toll nears 100

Kenya has postponed the reopening of its schools by one week due to ongoing flooding caused by heavy rains, as flood-related deaths since mid-March in the East African country neared 100. Some schools remained “adversely affected” by the flooding, the Education Ministry said Sunday night. Local media reported that more than 100 schools were flooded, some with collapsed walls and …

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Libya demands improvements after leaked photos show tiny cell of Moammar Gadhafi's son in Beirut

Leaked photographs of the son of Libya’s late dictator Moammar Gadhafi and the tiny underground cell where he has been held for years in Lebanon have raised concerns in the north African nation as Libyan authorities demand improvements. The photos showed a room without natural light packed with Hannibal Gadhafi’s belongings, a bed and a tiny toilet. “I live in …

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Togo votes in parliamentary election testing support for proposal that could keep dynasty in power

Voters in Togo headed to the polls on Monday for parliamentary elections that test support for a proposed new constitution that would scrap presidential elections and give lawmakers the power to choose the president. The opposition and religious leaders say the legislation is an effort by President Faure Gnassingbe, in office since 2005, to prolong his rule. Lawmakers passed the …

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European Union implements stricter visa requirements for Ethiopians

The European Union announced on Monday that it is tightening visa requirements for people from Ethiopia, accusing the government there of a failure to cooperate in taking back citizens found to be living illegally in the 27-nation bloc. EU headquarters said the time it takes to process visas for Ethiopian nationals will triple from 15 to 45 days. EU countries …

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40 confirmed dead after dam collapses in western Kenya, police say

A dam collapsed in western Kenya early Monday, killing at least 40 people after a wall of water swept through houses and cut off a major road, police said. The Old Kijabe Dam, located in the Mai Mahiu area of the Great Rift Valley region that is prone to flash floods, collapsed and water spilled downstream, police official Stephen Kirui …

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On this day in history, April 27, 1805, US Marines attack shores of Tripoli, key victory in Barbary Wars

The fledgling United States Marine Corps proved its dauntless courage with a “miracle” victory in the Battle of Derna on the shores of Tripoli in North Africa on this day in history, April 27, 1805. The successful attack against overwhelming numbers on the port city in present-day Libya, a stronghold of pirates who spent years attacking United States ships at …

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Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America radio stations over mass killing reports

Burkina Faso suspended the BBC and Voice of America radio stations for their coverage of a report by Human Rights Watch on a mass killing of civilians carried out by the country’s armed forces. Burkina Faso’s communication spokesperson, Tonssira Myrian Corine Sanou, said late Thursday that both radio stations would be suspended for two weeks, and warned other media networks …

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At least 70 people killed by flooding in Kenya as more rain is expected through the weekend

Flooding and heavy rains in Kenya have killed at least 70 people since mid-March, a government spokesperson said Friday, twice as many as were reported earlier this week. The East African country has seen weeks of heavy rains and severe flooding in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, as well as in the country’s western and central regions. AT LEAST 13 DEAD, 15,000 …

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UN warns Sudan paramilitary forces are encircling a capital in western Darfur, urges against attack

Sudanese paramilitary forces are encircling the only capital they haven’t captured in the western Darfur region, the United Nations said Friday, warning that an attack would have “devastating consequences” for the city’s 800,000 inhabitants. At the same time, the U.N. said, the rival Sudanese Armed Forces “appear to be positioning themselves.” SUDAN CONFLICT SPREADS TO KEY HUMANITARIAN SAFE HAVEN U.N. …

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