The official who oversees South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, says the city will have a new name by the end of next year. The mayor of Tshwane municipality, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, says all of Pretoria will be renamed Tshwane by the end of 2012. The ruling African National Congress party has been working for years to rename […]
Mayor: South African Capital Will be Renamed
Posted November 22nd, 2011 at 9:55 am (UTC-5)
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Tutu: South Africa State Secrets Bill ‘Insulting’
Posted November 22nd, 2011 at 5:40 am (UTC-5)
South Africa’s anti-apartheid leader Desmond Tutu is urging the country’s parliament to reject a controversial bill that would make it illegal to divulge state secrets. The bill would punish those who publish classified information with up to 25 years in jail. Tutu says the law is “insulting” to South Africans, and that it would effectively […]
South Africa Set to Pass State Secrets Bill
Posted November 21st, 2011 at 8:15 am (UTC-5)
South Africa’s parliament is expected to pass a new state secrets law amid criticism that the measure will suppress the media and those exposing corruption. Lawmakers are due to vote Tuesday on the bill backed by the ruling African National Congress party, which says the law is necessary to protect state secrets. The measure would […]
UN Says Number of New HIV Infections Falling in Africa
Posted November 21st, 2011 at 6:35 am (UTC-5)
The United Nations says the number of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa has fallen by more than 26 percent since 1997, but the region is still the world’s hardest-hit by the epidemic. In a report released Monday, the U.N. AIDS organization said that although the rate has dropped, Sub-Saharan Africa still accounted for 70 […]
UN Chief Spotlights Africa’s Energy Needs
Posted November 21st, 2011 at 5:30 am (UTC-5)
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says ensuring people in Africa have access to reliable, efficient and affordable energy sources needs to be a priority. The U.N. chief said in a statement marking Sunday’s Africa Industrialization Day that a lack of energy access is a major hurdle for the continent’s social and economic development. Mr. Ban said […]
Study: African Countries Failing to Meet UN Sanitation Goals
Posted November 18th, 2011 at 6:35 am (UTC-5)
A new study by an international charity group says nearly all sub-Saharan countries are failing to meet the U.N. Millennium Development goal of reducing by half the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation services by 2015. The UK-based WaterAid group said Friday in a report titled “Off-track, off-target” that the sub-Saharan region would […]
Rare Yellow Diamond Fetches Record $12.3 Million
Posted November 16th, 2011 at 10:20 am (UTC-5)
A rare yellow diamond from South Africa — believed to be the largest of its kind — has sold for a record $12.3 million. Sotheby’s auction house in Geneva sold the 110-carat “Sun-Drop Diamond” on Tuesday to an anonymous buyer who bid by telephone. Officials say the pear-shaped diamond is the largest vivid yellow diamond […]
Security Council Condemns LRA Rebels
Posted November 15th, 2011 at 2:40 am (UTC-5)
The U.N. Security Council has strongly condemned the actions of the Lord’s Resistance Army saying the rebel group continues to commit human rights abuses. In a statement Monday, the Council demanded the LRA end all attacks, particularly against civilians, and insisted the rebels disarm and surrender. It also condemned the group’s recruitment of children. The […]
Researchers Warn of Climate Effects on African Rivers
Posted November 14th, 2011 at 7:35 am (UTC-5)
Researchers say climate change could have significant effects on the flow of water in Africa’s major river basins, and agriculture strategies should be reassessed to account for potential variations. The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research said Monday that projected changes during the next few decades in southern Africa’s Limpopo River basin are “particularly alarming.” […]
UN: Conditions Improving in Horn of Africa
Posted November 11th, 2011 at 8:55 am (UTC-5)
The United Nations says drought and famine conditions are easing across the Horn of Africa, though it warns the regional crisis is not over. The U.N. humanitarian affairs office says ongoing rains have improved water supplies in most parts of the Horn, and notes that natural vegetation has “vastly” increased across the drought-stricken parts of […]
