A hypnotic drum beat blends with ancient Sufi-inspired tunes in a tent in a Moroccan mountain village where local musicians regroup once a year when they don’t play the world’s top stages.The Master Musicians of Joujouka draw on centuries of local tradition with a hypnotic sound that captivated the 1950s Beatniks, the Rolling Stones’ Brian …

Ancient Moroccan mountain music entrances festival crowdSun, 02 Jun 2024 14:06:38 GMT Read More »

Ivory Coast’s former president Henri Konan Bedie was laid to rest Saturday in his native village 10 months after his death.Delegations representing ethnic groups from all over the country travelled to the eastern village of Pepressou to pay last respects to Bedie, who was commonly known by his initials HKB.Since Monday, thousands of mourners have …

I.Coast’s ex-president Bedie buried 10 months after deathSat, 01 Jun 2024 22:33:48 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s ruling ANC faced a search for allies to form a new government Saturday after losing its three-decade-old absolute majority in a watershed election, as some rivals questioned the results.With 99.85 percent of the votes from Wednesday’s election counted, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s African National Congress had only 40 percent, a catastrophic slump from the …

South Africa’s ANC loses majority, needs alliesSat, 01 Jun 2024 21:18:59 GMT Read More »

It was predicted to go badly but turned out to be worse: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa led the ANC to its worst election result since the end of apartheid, one which threatens his survival. Returns from more than 99 percent of the polling stations used in Wednesday’s election showed ANC had barely scraped past 40 percent …

‘No alternative’: Ramaphosa’s SAfrica future hangs in the balanceSat, 01 Jun 2024 13:37:09 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s ruling ANC awaited the imminent confirmation on Saturday that it had lost its three-decade-old absolute majority and would have to find allies if it is to remain in power. With more than 98 percent of the votes from Wednesday’s election counted, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s African National Congress had only 40.15 percent support, a catastrophic …

South Africa’s ANC loses majority, seeks coalitionSat, 01 Jun 2024 09:22:15 GMT Read More »

South African parties jostled Friday to set out their stalls ahead of talks on sharing power, with the ruling ANC on course to lose the absolute majority it has enjoyed for three decades.With more than 85 percent of the votes from Wednesday’s election counted, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s African National Congress had only 41.12 percent support, …

South African parties jostle to set terms of coalition talksFri, 31 May 2024 20:26:52 GMT Read More »

The ANC, which has governed South Africa for three decades, is on course to lose its outright majority for the first time after elections this week, portending a period of unprecedented political uncertainty.The party, once led by liberation hero Nelson Mandela, looks set to remain the single biggest party but win less than 50 percent …

Who could ANC ally with to secure majority?Fri, 31 May 2024 16:43:55 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma staged a surprise comeback at the head of an upstart party that is only a few months old but already the country’s third largest.Zuma is 82, he was banned from standing in this week’s general election because of a contempt conviction and his former rule is synonymous with the …

Zuma’s new party emerges the big winner in South Africa voteFri, 31 May 2024 15:31:56 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s ruling ANC was on track Friday to score its worst electoral result ever, with the latest tallies showing voters deserted the party in droves and ended its 30-year political dominance.The African National Congress (ANC) is now all but certain to fall below 50 percent of the vote, forcing the party to seek a …

S.Africa set for political shake-up as ANC loses majorityFri, 31 May 2024 13:34:46 GMT Read More »

Kenyan President William Ruto voiced confidence Friday that a UN-backed mission tasked with quelling gang-fuelled anarchy in Haiti would go ahead.Kenya has offered to send about 1,000 police as the head of a multinational force for the troubled Caribbean nation, with the deployment expected in a matter of weeks.There had been speculation a first contingent …

Kenya’s Ruto says confident Haiti mission will go aheadFri, 31 May 2024 12:41:14 GMT Read More »