NEWS - The African Mirror

Jul

09

2023

Picture Feature: Racing for Rhinos

NEWS

THUKU KARIUKI, BIRD STORY AGENCY THE 34th edition of Africa's famous extreme rally, the Rhino Charge, this year collected a total of 173,071,389 Kenyan shillings (US$1.25 million), the second-highest amount ever collected by participants at the event. Established in 1989, the rally was initially established to collect money for an electric fence to help protect the dwindling black rhino population in the Aberdare National Park. This year's off-road 4x4 competition was held in Nkoteyia, Samburu County, with 52 participants navigating their vehicles through 13 checkpoints spread across about 100 km² of rough terrain within 10 hours. "Your partnership in fencing…

Jul

08

2023

By AYENAT MERSIE and HUMPHREY MALALO

Kenyan police clash with anti-tax hike protesters, dozens arrested

NEWS

KENYAN police fired tear gas and fought running battles with opposition supporters in major towns around the country protesting against a raft of tax hikes. Opposition leader Raila Odinga called the protests to oppose tax increases imposed at a time when many are already struggling with high prices of basic commodities such as maize flour. Kenya's High Court ordered that the tax hikes be suspended but the government has raised petrol prices anyway, leading to a further court challenge. Police arrested 17 protesters in the capital Nairobi, said a coalition of human rights groups including Article 19. Another 11 activists were arrested…

Jul

07

2023

By The African Mirror

Senegal president tells investors ‘repressive’ rules will be simplified

NEWS

SENEGALESE President Macky Sall promised investors that "difficult and repressive" customs and tax rules would be reformed as the West African nation seeks to lure more foreign capital. Addressing more than 50 foreign delegations at an investment forum in the capital Dakar, Sall said Senegal had to simplify its administrative processes to make its business climate more attractive. "The fiscal environment is purposely set up in a way that it is not understood," he said in an opening speech. "We also need to reform the customs code, which honestly is also difficult and repressive, the tax code, and the civil…

Jul

07

2023

By KATIE PAUL

Meta takes aim at Twitter with Threads app, millions join

NEWS

META Platforms launched a direct challenge to Twitter with Threads, garnering millions of users in hours as it sought to take advantage of its rival's much-weakened state after a series of chaotic decisions from owner Elon Musk. Those quick to join the new platform included celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez as well as prominent politicians such as Democratic U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. "Let's do this. Welcome to Threads," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in his first post on the app, along with a fire emoji. He said the app logged 10 million sign-ups in seven hours. He…

Jul

08

2023

By The African Mirror

Egypt dialogue brings mothers hope for overhaul of guardianship laws

NEWS

FARAH SAAFAN MOTHERS and campaigners in Egypt are counting on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's signal that he backs an overhaul of 71-year-old guardianship laws which deprive millions of women of control over financial and educational decisions for their children. Under the laws, fathers are default legal guardians of minors, with sole control over financial and academic affairs. In the case of a father's death, guardianship transfers to the paternal grandfather, supervised by civil courts. If there is no living paternal grandfather, the mother would have guardianship, subject to court supervision. Some widows can spend months seeking approval from a judge…

Jul

08

2023

By ANAIT MIRIDZHANIAN and OLIVIA KUMWENDA-MTAMBO

Boksburg gas leak kills 17 as South Africa probes mooted illegal mining link

NEWS

THE death toll from a leak of poisonous gas in a South African shantytown rose to 17, as officials suggested the accident was probably linked to an illegal mining operation. Gauteng Province Premier Panyaza Lesufi said investigations were underway to determine how the cylinder in which the gas was stored sprung a leak overnight, and what type of gas was involved. On Thursday he visited the site of the disaster near Boksburg, east of Johannesburg. In December, a gas tanker explosion in the same township killed dozens and destroyed houses and vehicles. Initial investigations indicated the leak could be linked to illegal…

Jul

07

2023

By The African Mirror

South Africa’s once exiled anti-apartheid veteran Essop Pahad dies at 84

NEWS

ESSOP Pahad, a veteran of South Africa's struggle against white minority rule who spent decades in exile abroad, died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 84 after battling cancer, his family said. Pahad was among many activists forced to leave the country by the apartheid regime. Authorities arrested him for organising an illegal strike in 1962 and he was officially banned from South Africa for five years in 1964. He became the minister in the presidency under Thabo Mbeki, who succeeded Nelson Mandela as the country's second post-apartheid leader following the 1994 African National Congress (ANC) election victory…

Jul

07

2023

By BIRD STORY AGENCY

From Learning to Earning: Uncovering new opportunities using digital skills

NEWS

"DIGITAL learning has given me everything I ever wanted in life… I am a graphic designer, a web developer, and a programming expert," proudly declares Elvis Warutumu, a Nairobi-based digital creator. Warutumu, in his mid-20s, not only tutors digitally but also mentors over 5000 digital learners directly enrolled in his courses. "With my procurement degree, it would have been almost impossible to secure solid employment in Kenya… But hours of learning on different platforms have given me more than just a job," Warutumu explains. As the founder of Terra Creations, a creative agency, and a personal website, the young creative…

Jul

06

2023

By BIRD STORY AGENCY

The rise and rise of Africa’s climate start-ups

NEWS

AFRICA'S climate-related tech startups are experiencing a remarkable surge in funding. From January to May 2023, 33% of all financing directed towards tech startups was dedicated to green initiatives. Recent findings from the startup funding database, 'Africa: The Big Deal,' reveal that as much as US$2.8 billion has been invested in climate-related startups in Africa since 2019. This accounts for 21% of the total funding received by startups across the continent during this assessment period. According to the database's latest funding status report, more than 230 deals, each exceeding US$1 million, have been inked since 2019. Such a substantial number…

Jul

06

2023

By The African Mirror

Protests hit Tunisian town after man killed in police raid

NEWS

ANGRY youths barricaded roads and clashed with police in the Tunisian town of Sbeitla hours after the death of a young man during a police raid, witnesses said. Police had sought to arrest a local businessman suspected of running an illegal gambling operation but ran into resistance from his associates, triggering clashes in which the man was fatally shot with a rifle, a town official said. An investigation was under way to determine the circumstances of his death, he added. Police and interior ministry spokespeople did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The youthful protesters burned tyres, closed…