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Somali forces, foreign navies prepare attack on hijacked ship

Somali forces, foreign navies prepare attack on hijacked ship

SOMALI police and international navies were preparing to attack a commercial ship that was hijacked by pirates last week, the Puntland region's police force said, two days after Indian commandos rescued another cargo vessel held by pirates. The MV Abdullah was hijacked off the coast of Somalia last week, the latest of more than 20 attacks since November by Somali pirates who had laid dormant for nearly a decade. On Saturday, the Indian navy rescued another cargo vessel, the Maltese-flagged MV Ruen, which had been seized in December, freeing its 17 crew members and arresting 35 pirates. The police force from the semi-autonomous region…
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Africa’s renewable energy sector is shattering gender norms

Africa’s renewable energy sector is shattering gender norms

AFRICA'S fast-evolving renewable energy landscape is catalysing a shift in gender dynamics, with more women seizing employment opportunities than in the traditional energy sector, according to a new report. According to the report, “more women are assuming positions as business creators, energy producers, distributors, and service providers,” challenging longstanding gender norms prevalent in the energy industry. The report, “Empowering Women in Clean Energy: Advancing and Retaining an Equitable Workforce”, by The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet draws insights from over 150 female professionals employed at different levels in the renewable energy sector. Traditionally, the energy sector has been…
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Nigeria military denies reprisal attack after 16 troops killed

Nigeria military denies reprisal attack after 16 troops killed

MEN in army uniform ransacked and burned homes in Nigeria's oil-producing Delta state days after youths killed 16 soldiers sent there to resolve a land dispute, residents said, but the defence chief denied military involvement. Residents said soldiers attacked the riverside Okuoma community of a few hundred people on Sunday while looking for those responsible for Thursday's killings. Tam Oburumu, who fled from his home, said uniformed men were going around looking for weapons and ransacked houses before torching them. "The damage for now is huge, a lot of houses were burned," Oburumu said by phone from a nearby village where he…
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Indian Navy seizes ship from Somali pirates and rescues 17 crew

Indian Navy seizes ship from Somali pirates and rescues 17 crew

INDIAN naval forces including special commandos seized a cargo vessel that had been hijacked by Somali pirates, rescuing 17 crew members, a spokesperson for the navy said. The navy said in a post on social media platform X that all 35 pirates aboard the ship, the Maltese-flagged bulk cargo vessel Ruen, had surrendered, and the ship had been checked for the presence of illegal arms, ammunition and contraband. The Ruen had been hijacked last year and the navy said it had intercepted the vessel on Friday. The vessel may have been used as the base for the takeover of a…
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Ghana says repairs on subsea cables could take five weeks

Ghana says repairs on subsea cables could take five weeks

REPAIRS on damaged subsea cables that are causing internet outages across West and Central Africa are expected to take at least five weeks before completion and full-service restoration, Ghana's communications regulator said. The break in the cables has led to widespread disruption of internet and telecommunications-linked businesses, including banks, mobile phone operations, money transfer agencies and stock exchange markets. Ghana's National Communications Authority said it held a meeting with the four subsea cable landing service providers - Africa Coast to Europe (ACE), MainOne, owned by data centre operator Equinix, South Atlantic 3 (SAT-3) and the West Africa Cable System (WACS) - and…
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Niger revokes military accord with US, junta spokesperson says

Niger revokes military accord with US, junta spokesperson says

Niger's ruling junta has revoked with immediate effect a military accord that allows military personnel and civilian staff from the U.S. Department of Defense on its soil, junta spokesperson Colonel Amadou Abdramane said. The decision follows a visit by U.S. officials this week which was led by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee and included General Michael Langley, commander of the U.S. Africa Command. Abdramane, speaking on television in the West African nation, said the U.S. delegation did not follow diplomatic protocol, and that Niger was not informed about the composition of the delegation, the date of…
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Lift as you rise – A young agri-entrepreneur star is teaching others how to succeed in small-scale farming

Lift as you rise – A young agri-entrepreneur star is teaching others how to succeed in small-scale farming

“BEING busy doesn't mean you are making money, I've been busy for three years, I've only started making money in the fourth year,” 23-year-old entrepreneur Ntobeko Mafu told her class on a rainy day in February in Nhlazatshe, a rural area in the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. Mafu was standing in her garden presenting to 30 people who appeared to hold on to her every word as she detailed how she had created a sustainable small-scale broiler and crop farm. Mafu is the founder and Chief Executive Officer at Madam Clucks A Lot and Madam Leafy Green. The former…
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Ghana bets on tax breaks to attract global filmmakers

Ghana bets on tax breaks to attract global filmmakers

GHANA'S move to introduce tax incentives for film productions marks a significant step in its quest to become a global film and content creation hub. By offering incentives to filmmakers, Ghana hopes to attract more global productions and carve out a niche for itself as a favourable shooting location on the continent, potentially reshaping its burgeoning film sector. A 20% tax rebate and other fiscal incentives, such as import duty exemptions on film production equipment, were revealed during President Nana Akufo-Addo's State of the Nation address at the country’s parliament in February 2024. “This should provide another tangible reason for…
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DRC lifts moratorium on death penalty

DRC lifts moratorium on death penalty

DEMOCRATIC Republic Congo has lifted a moratorium on the death penalty, citing treachery and espionage in recurring armed conflicts as the reason for allowing a resumption of executions, said a justice ministry circular seen by Reuters on Friday. The Central African country introduced the moratorium on the death penalty in early 2000. However, it has never been abolished. Justice Minister Rose Mutombo wrote in the circular dated March 13 that the death penalty was reintroduced to rid the army of traitors and curb the resurgence of terrorism and banditry acts. The decision was adopted by a council of ministers on…
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Corrupt, brutal and unprofessional? Africa-wide survey of police finds diverging patterns

Corrupt, brutal and unprofessional? Africa-wide survey of police finds diverging patterns

AFRICANS generally have a low regard for the quality of policing on the continent. Perceptions of police misconduct, corruption and brutality are widespread, according to a new survey by Afrobarometer. The independent research network surveyed 39 countries between 2021 and 2023. Our survey offers new evidence of how Africans experience and assess their police. It shows people often have to contend with demands for bribes from police officers. But assessments varied by country: in some, police were said to be helpful. Afrobarometer currently surveys 39 of Africa’s 55 countries. As researchers at Afrobarometer, we have published on police professionalism and…
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