Kenyan officers on Wednesday fired tear gas on protesters who defied a police ban to join an anti-government demonstration called by opposition leader Raila Odinga against tax hikes.Major roads in several cities in western Kenya, where Odinga commands significant support, were deserted as protesters took to the streets.Shops were shut and security was tight in …

Kenya police fire tear gas as protesters defy banWed, 12 Jul 2023 12:53:45 GMT Read More »

Double Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya Wednesday hailed the decision of the European Court of Human Rights which ruled her human rights were violated by Swiss courts.”Justice has spoken but this is only the beginning,” she said in a statement released by her lawyers a day after the ruling.The 32-year-old South African appealed to the Strasbourg-based …

Caster Semenya says rights court ruling is ‘only the beginning’Wed, 12 Jul 2023 11:21:13 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s two-time Rugby World Cup winner Francois Steyn said on Wednesday he was lucky to have such a long career after announcing his retirement.Steyn, 36, who could play across the back-line, has been forced to end his time as a player due to a knee injury.After lifting the World Cup in 2007 he was …

Retiring double World Cup-winner Steyn ‘blessed’ with long careerWed, 12 Jul 2023 10:57:43 GMT Read More »

The leaders of Iran and Kenya pledged to strengthen ties as their governments signed a raft of trade agreements Wednesday during Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s maiden visit to the East African nation.The visit comes as the Islamic republic tries to shore up diplomatic support to ease its international isolation, with Raisi also due to travel …

Iran and Kenya leaders vow to deepen tiesWed, 12 Jul 2023 07:59:33 GMT Read More »

Just a month in power, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has already received foreign entrepreneurs and investors at his villa, telling them Nigeria is open for business after a flurry of surprise economic reforms.The former Lagos governor added a diplomatic step this week, becoming  chairman of the West Africa bloc ECOWAS, with a call for more …

Nigeria’s new leader pushes regional role and domestic reformWed, 12 Jul 2023 06:22:28 GMT Read More »

Iran President Ebrahim Raisi held talks with his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto on Wednesday as he kicked off the first Africa tour by an Iranian leader in 11 years.The visit, which was delayed by a day, comes as the Islamic republic tries to shore up diplomatic support to ease its international isolation, with Raisi also …

Iran president holds talks with Kenya’s RutoWed, 12 Jul 2023 05:30:09 GMT Read More »

Spain’s coastguard was on Tuesday searching for three migrant boats reported lost at sea by an NGO a day after rescuing scores of people from another vessel near the Canary Islands.A spokeswoman for Salvamento Maritimo told AFP a rescue plane had been deployed to the area but “did not find anything”.The coastguard has also requested …

Rescuers search for migrant boats off Canary IslesWed, 12 Jul 2023 00:35:40 GMT Read More »

The UN Human Rights Council is heading towards a divisive vote on Wednesday on religious hatred following recent Koran burnings, with some Western nations reluctantly feeling the draft resolution encroaches too far on free speech.Pakistan and other Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries secured an urgent debate at the UN’s top rights body on Tuesday after …

UN rights council split after debate called over Koran burningsWed, 12 Jul 2023 00:19:01 GMT Read More »

Four stowaways were rescued off the southeast coast of Brazil after spending 13 days at sea hidden in the hull of a ship from Nigeria, police said Tuesday.The four had hidden in a compartment on top of the rudder — a part of the ship that is sometimes submerged, the federal police said. They were found …

Brazil rescues stowaways on ship from NigeriaTue, 11 Jul 2023 21:26:37 GMT Read More »

Spain’s coastguard was on Tuesday looking for three migrant boats reported lost at sea by an NGO a day after rescuing scores of people from another vessel near the Canary Islands. A spokeswoman for Salvamento Maritimo told AFP a rescue plane had been deployed to the area but “did not find anything”.The coastguard has also requested …

Search for migrants goes on off Canary IslesTue, 11 Jul 2023 17:54:08 GMT Read More »