Death of 45 in accident is a grim reminder of treacherous nature of South African road transport

Death of 45 in accident is a grim reminder of treacherous nature of South African road transport

Good Friday and Easter Monday are national holidays in South Africa and many of its neighbours, when millions travel into, out of and across the nation. For some South Africans, it’s a chance to return to their home towns and villages from jobs in the cities. Migrants also travel back to their home countries to see family. Some, like the pilgrims that died on Thursday, make religious trips.

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Kenya’s inflation eases in March as prices of staples and transport costs also drop

Kenya’s inflation eases in March as prices of staples and transport costs also drop

The central bank is due to announce its latest lending rate decision on April 3. In February, the bank raised its benchmark rate to 13.0 per cent from 12.5 per cent previously.

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Two armed groups pledge to protect and respect civilians as conflict worsens in eastern Congo

Two armed groups pledge to protect and respect civilians as conflict worsens in eastern Congo

President Felix Tshisekedi, who started his second five-year term in January, had made quelling violence in the eastern parts of the Central African country a priority in his first term, but has struggled to deliver results.

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South Africa elections bpdy bars former President Jacob Zuma from running in May 29 polls

South Africa elections bpdy bars former President Jacob Zuma from running in May 29 polls

In July 2021, Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison for defying a court order to appear before a judicial commission that was investigating corruption allegations during his 2009-2018 presidency. He was granted medical parole after two months and allowed to serve the rest of the sentence under house arrest.

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Biden threatens Russia with costs on Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich arrest anniversary

Biden threatens Russia with costs on Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich arrest anniversary

Top leaders in the US Congress from both parties including Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson also issued a joint statement on Friday calling the journalst Evan Gershkovich’s arrest baseless and unjust.

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Israel ramps up airstrikes in Syria, kills Hezbollah commander in heaviest raid on Iran proxies

Israel ramps up airstrikes in Syria, kills Hezbollah commander in heaviest raid on Iran proxies

Tehran and its proxies have entrenched themselves across Syria, including around Aleppo and the capital Damascus. The Israeli military said on Friday it had killed Ali Abed Akhsan Naim, deputy commander of Hezbollah’s rocket and missiles unit, in an airstrike in the area of Bazouriye in Lebanon.

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Pugilistic VP Kamala Harris pushes the envelope as Biden struggles to restore Democrats’ confidence

Pugilistic VP Kamala Harris pushes the envelope as Biden struggles to restore Democrats’ confidence

Harris, whose approval ratings in recent public opinion polls also hover under 40 per cent, is also the US’s most popular Democratic politician after Biden. But some White House aides have privately questioned her effectiveness as an administration spokesperson and her ability to win were she at the top of the ticket.

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Ugandan president’s son vows crackdown on graft in army but questions raised about complicity of his family

Ugandan president’s son vows crackdown on graft in army but questions raised about complicity of his family

Uganda’s opposition has accused Museveni of fast-tracking his son’s military career to prepare him to take political power. Museveni has denied grooming him for the presidency.

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Black music queen Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ reinforces her devotion to Black consciousness and country music

Black music queen Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ reinforces her devotion to Black consciousness and country music

Beyoncé hails from Houston, a city with a rich musical interplay of “blues and country and hip-hop,” says Francesca T. Royster, a DePaul University professor and author of Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions.

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UN in new $1.4 billion plan for 2.3 million South Sudanese refugees in East and Central Africa

UN in new $1.4 billion plan for 2.3 million South Sudanese refugees in East and Central Africa

The regional refugee plan complements a humanitarian appeal launched earlier this year, aimed at reaching 5.9 million people in South Sudan. Humanitarian partners will build on gains already made with host governments and regional bodies to improve the protection environment for refugees and asylum-seekers through enhanced access to asylum and civil documentation.

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