NEWS - The African Mirror

Jan

14

2021

Egyptian court orders two female TikTok stars be freed from jail

NEWS

MENNA A FAROUK AN Egyptian court has ruled in favour of two female TikTok stars who were jailed last year for accounts that were found to violate family morals and for posting indecent videos. Social media influencer Haneen Hossam, 20, was acquitted after being jailed for encouraging women to broadcast videos in exchange for money, while Mawada Eladham's two-year sentence for publishing indecent photos and videos was cancelled. Hossam's lawyer Hussein El Bakar told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that the TikTok star, who is a student at Cairo University, fainted on hearing the verdict. "Haneen went through a lot of…

Jan

19

2021

By The African Mirror

Mk veteran Carl Niehaus faces suspension

NEWS

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER CARL NIEHAUS, a controversial ANC veteran and an employee in the secretary-general’s office, faces suspension and disciplinary action for publicly attacking one of his bosses, Jessie Duarte, the ANC deputy secretary-general. The ANC has served Niehaus with a letter detailing its intention to suspend him, pending disciplinary action, for his attack on Duarte. Niehaus has been given 48 hours to motivate why he should not be suspended. The ANC’s intention was delivered by Febe Potgieter-Gqubule, its general manager. In the publicly available letter, Potgieter-Gqubule said Niehaus’ attack on Duarte crossed all the boundaries. “You have been advised,…

Jan

19

2021

By The African Mirror

Tunisia detains hundreds in protests as Amnesty urges restraint

NEWS

TUNISIAN have arrested about 1,000 people after several nights of protests as a rights group warned against using excessive force and witnesses said demonstrators clashed with security forces in the city of Kasserine. Police fired tear gas as young people burned tyres and threw stones, witnesses in the impoverished city said, hours after protesters gathered in the capital Tunis to demand the release of detainees. The protests and clashes with police follow the 10th anniversary of a revolution that brought democracy but few material gains for most Tunisians, and anger is growing at chronic joblessness and poor state services. However,…

Jan

19

2021

By The African Mirror

Young, female and fighting corruption in Somalia

NEWS

ABDI SHEIKH MINA Mohamed Abdi was just 24 when she first stood for Somalia's parliament in 2012, defeating two other candidates to win a seat reserved for women and defying elders from her Hawiye clan, some of whom denounced her as immodest. "I was asked 'you want to be a prostitute? How can a woman represent a clan?'" she told Reuters. "I insisted and said a clan is not composed only of men." Four years later, she won an open seat in Hiran, a region north of the capital Mogadishu. Now 32, and having carved herself a reputation as one…

Jan

19

2021

By The African Mirror

Violence flares for 3rd day in Darfur

NEWS

MILITIA fighters staged a deadly attack in Sudan's Darfur yesterday, residents said, as doctors said the death toll from a separate attack that began two days earlier in the region had risen to more than 100. The surge in violence will add to concerns about the departure of an international peacekeeping force that stopped patrolling in Darfur on January 1 ahead of its full withdrawal and replacement by a Sudanese force. The latest attack took place close to the town of Gereida, where two residents said an Arab militia had attacked members of the Fallata tribe. One resident, Mohamed Salih,…

Jan

19

2021

By The African Mirror

All female taxis service to keep women safe

NEWS

KIM HARRISBERG FROM a women-only driving school to an all-female taxi service - a South African activist-turned-entrepreneur is tackling high rates of sexual assault by providing safe transport in one of the country's most crime-ridden areas. The Cape Flats, which lies on the outskirts of the popular tourist city of Cape Town, is notorious for gang warfare, and sexual violence is an everyday fear for women taking taxis or using public transport in the area, said Joanie Fredericks. Launched last week, Fredericks said her taxi service, Ladies Own Transport, had already received calls from women requesting a ride to work…

Jan

19

2021

By The African Mirror

Ugandan raid opposition offices

NEWS

BOBI Wine, leader of Uganda's main opposition party, said troops raided its headquarters yesterday as staff tried to prepare a legal challenge to President Yoweri Museveni's declared victory in an election last week. Wine, himself under house arrest, said party leaders were now on the run. "Our party office has been raided by the military and been cordoned off," Wine told Reuters. "Everybody is being pursued." Police spokesman Patrick Onyango said the National Unity Platform (NUP) office had been cordoned off for security reasons, but he gave no more details and did not say if troops had entered the premises.…

Jan

19

2021

By The African Mirror

From trafficking survivor to advocate

NEWS

AS many victims of human trafficking struggle to survive or seek help during the coronavirus pandemic, Kenyan survivor Sophie Otiende is hoping her new role with an international anti-slavery fund will offer a rare source of inspiration. Having worked for many years with grassroots organisations in Kenya to support victims, Otiende has joined the board of directors at The Global Fund to End Modern Slavery (GFEMS). Launched in 2015, the public-private partnership seeks to end modern slavery by making it economically unprofitable. Otiende was enslaved at 13 by an uncle who offered to look out for her when she joined a new…

Jan

19

2021

By The African Mirror

Central African Republic top court confirms President Touadera’s re-election

NEWS

ANTOINE ROLLAND CENTRAL African Republic's highest court on Monday confirmed the re-election of President Faustin-Archange Touadera, rejecting rivals' objections as the government continues to fend off a rebel offensive. The weeks before and after the December 27 election have been marred by a rebel assault on major cities. The rebels attacked the capital Bangui last week before being repelled by the army and U.N. peacekeepers. The fighting has forced nearly 60,000 people to flee the country, according to the United Nations, compounding an already dire refugee crisis. Ten of Touadera's challengers said the election should be re-run, citing low turnout…

Dec

19

2024

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Africa’s casual gamers drive multi-billion-dollar payday for developers on and off the continent

NEWS, E-SPORTS

GAMEPRENEURS across Africa are converting millions of casual players into paying customers as the continent's gaming market looks on track to hit double-digit growth. Figures from Indian-headquartered research firm Astute Analytica show the market will swell north of US$10.81 billion by 2033 at an annual growth rate of 19.96% during the forecast period 2025–2033. This year, the gaming market within the region is projected to exceed US$2.1 billion in revenue with notable markets such as Nigeria and South Africa worth US$249 million and US$236 million respectively. Developers are driving this growth with smart payment models, hyper-localised games, and partnerships that…