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Showing posts from June, 2008

US may slap sanctions on Zimbabwe

US may slap unilateral sanctions against Zimbabwe after Robert Mugabe was re-elected over the weekend. The U.S. has prepared a draft resolution at the United Nations calling on the Security Countil to impose an arms embargo on Zimbabwe. Fred Katayama reports from New York.

South Africa crime

South Africa is the richest country on the African continent. But it also has soaring crime rates. Kalay Maistry meets one of South Africa's youngest victims of crime...a girl shot and injured before she was even born.

Zimbabwe's MDC supporters seek sanctuary

Zimbabwe's election may be over, but reports of violence and intimidation against opposition supporters continue to emerge. Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa reports from Harare, the Zimbabwean capital. Her exclusive report contains images some people may find disturbing.

Rats Save Lives in Mozambique

Giant rats in are being used to detect landmines in Mozambique. The rats, too light to set off the mines, are trained to smell and point them out to their handlers. Let's see how these peanut munchers are helping clear some deadly hazards.

World Leaders Rebuke Mugabe

Leading African statesmen Nelson Mandela rebuked Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe for his "failure of leadership," while Queen Elizabeth stripped Mugabe of his knighthood.

Zimbabweans find refuge in S Africa embassy

As Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), finds refuge in the Dutch embassy in Zimbabwe, about 200 Zimbabweans have taken refuge at the South African Embassy in Harare. They say they are victims of persecution by supporters of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe because they voted for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in the first round of the presidential vote. Mike Hanna reports.

International pressure mounts on Zimbabwe

International pressure is mounting on Zimbabwe. Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, has said the UK will toughen sanctions against members of the Zimbabwean government. This includes travel bans and a freeze on assets of named members of the regime. Zimbabwe's cricket team are also banned from touring the UK next year. Hamish MacDonald reports.

Ugandan Jews dream of Israel

REPORT: The Abayudaya, only Jewish community in Ouganda, are hoping to emigrate to Israel. It's a move that requires preparation, so some US Jews help them get ready. (G. Kahn, J. Grange)

Tanzania albinos face violence

In the past 18 months, at least 25 Albinos, including children, have been mutilated and murdered in Tanzania. Authorities say witch doctors appear to be linked to the killings. Albinism is especially prevalent in Africa, where it is estimated to affect as many as one in a thousand people. It occurs when the genes don't produce enough portions of a pigment known as melanin, meaning the skin is extremely pale. Yvonne Ndege reports from Tanzania.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Camp Security

For the internally displaced in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, safety is a rare commodity. The UN refugee agency manages 13 camps set up to help the displaced regain some sense of security. In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, more than 100,000 internally displaced Congolese have sought safety in 13 camps run by the UN refugee agency. While the camps provide greater safety, an atmosphere of lawlessness pervades the region. Anyone who ventures outside the camps is a potential victim. In a conflict where rape has become a weapon, women are especially vulnerable.

Zimbabwe's Electoral Crisis

Katie Couric takes a closer look at the once-promising regime of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and the political turmoil that is threatening to rip the impoverished African nation apart.

Violence and fear grips Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said he fears for his life after withdrawing from a presidential run-off election. But Robert Mugabe is to press ahead with the June 27 vote, defying a UN Security Council call for the poll to be postponed. Haru Mutasa reports on the violence and fear in Zimbabwe.

UN Says Fair Vote in Zimbabwe Impossible

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is at the Dutch Embassy in Harare. He went there after pulling out of the country's elections saying he feared for his safety. He says he'll leave - but not until president Robert Mugabe assures him he will be safe.During a Dutch radio interview Tsvangirai said he'll probably be leaving the Embassy Tuesday or Wednesday, but he hesitated when the interviewer asked if he would be safe when he left.Senegal's president says Tsvangirai was running from soldiers when he went to the Embassy. He also released a statement saying there's no guarantee the soldiers won't attack the Embassy.

Mugabe's Reign Of Terror

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe claimed, "Only god will remove me from power." And, as Richard Roth reports, his violent regime is close to claiming five more years of power.

Opposition Leader Pulls Out of Zimbabwe Election

The presidential runoff in Zimbabwe has been violent and now, the opposition leader says he wants nothing to do with it.Morgan Tsvangari (svahn-gah-REYE) says the election is no longer credible and lists a number of reasons why it has become too dangerous.

Hidden behind the Niqab

REPORT: The Niqab veil covers a woman's entire face. In a bid to curb its spread, Egyptian authorities have banned hospital staff from wearing it. (Y.Saadoun)

Ethnic groups in Darfur unite in cultural exchange

It is a conflict that has been going on for five years, and despite numerous rounds of talks and international pressure, there is still no sign of any progress on bringing peace to Darfur. Fighting between the various ethnic groups, militia and government forces has led to over 300,000 people dead, according to the UN. More than 2 million have been displaced, forced to live in camps in the region and over the border in Chad. The public is left frustrated by the continued failure of efforts to end the fighting; as a result some are taking matters into their own hands. In the final report of Al Jazeera's special series on Darfur, Mohammed Vall went to meet a group of Arab and African ethnic groups trying to promote peace at a community level. The very objective is to use cultural events to defuse ethnic tension.

Disposal of waste in Ghana

The dumping of waste is a big problem for Ghana. You are likely to meet refuse everywhere you go, particularly non-biodegradable materials such as plastic. This poses a lot of health threats for humans and other organisms in the environment. Apart from the obvious impossibility of an outbreak of diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery and cholera, there is also the impact of plastic on soil structure and agriculture. The lack of recycle plants and incinerators across the country has compounded the situation. Hard waste is piling up in the cities along streets, in gutters and in the markets with no end in sight.

Mediterranean Union : the Libyan scepticism

Lybians are as sceptical as their leader, Colonel Khadafi, when it comes to the Union of Mediterranean states that French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to create. In this oil rich country, people can't see how Libya can benefit of such a union.

Inside Story - Darfur

For the last four years, the Darfur issue has been making headlines around the world. This episode of Inside Story asks where a true solution to the conflict, in which the UN says up to 300,000 may have died, lies.

Sudan

In this special episode from Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, Inside Story asks if the oil-rich Abeyi region is the key to peace or war in Sudan.

UNAMID operating without basic supplies in Sudan

Al Jazeera's Mohammed Vall reports from Southern Sudan on peacekeepers that are operating without basic supplies. Six months after the deployment of a joint peacekeeping force in Sudan's Darfur region, soldiers are struggling to protect civilians as they face a crippling lack of basic supplies. Sudan says the joint UN-African Union force [UNAMID] must contain mainly African soldiers. As a result, that has caused delays in finding enough troops.

Kenyan army accused of rights abuses

There are increasing calls for the prosecution of senior government and military officials in Kenya, because of accusations of human rights abuses in the Mount Elgon region. Murder, rape and looting are being blamed on a local paramilitary group, known as the Sabaot Land Defence Forces (SLDF). Kenyan authorities sent in the army to crackdown on the militia group - but human rights groups are now accusing the Kenyan regular army of ordering the torture of more than 4000 people in the Mount Elgon region. Al-Jazeera's Mohammed Adow brings us this report from what some are calling "the Mountain of Terror".

Annan fights for Africa's global influence

Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary general, has a message for rich countries for rich countries who have pledged billions of dollars of aid to Africa, to back up the promises with real money. Al Jazeera's Nazanin Moshiri reports on how Annan was delivering the findings of a panel set up to monitor G8 commitments made in 2005 and a $40bn shortfall.

Darfur fighting continues to displace people

The conflict in the Sudanese region of Darfur has raged for five years. Millions continue to suffer despite repeated international efforts to bring an end to the crisis. The conflict escalated in 2003 when a rebel offensive provoked a government military campaign in Darfur. As a result over 2 million people fled the fighting. The UN says up to 300,000 people have died as a result of war, disease and hunger. Al Jazeera's Mohammed Vall went to meet some of the people displaced by the conflict.

South Africa Says: Ready for World Cup

Qualifying matches have begun around the globe for the World Cup -- football's (soccer's) quadrennial world championship. The next World Cup in 2010 will be held for the first time in Africa and attention is focusing on host nation South Africa. In anticipation, sports and tourism officials are making assurances the country will be ready for the championship. They appeared at a major trade fair in the port city of Durban. Correspondent Scott Bobb was there and has this report.

Nairobi - Kenya

Police fired tear gas to disperse around a hundred people protesting about rising inflation and food prices in Nairobi's Kibera shantytown.

Riz Khan - Somalia, more chaos Part 1

Somalia has become the world's foremost "failed state," with no functioning government, more than one million refugees, and each street corner run by a different warlord -- some aligned with the West, and some not.

Khartoum - Sudan

A Sudanese jetliner veered off a runway after landing amid thunderstorms in Khartoum and exploded into flames

Inside Story - Somalia peace deal - Part 2

A peace deal is struck in Somalia but it took just hours for the fighting to start again. An attempted ceasefire was thwarted by divisions within the country's opposition. Can the deal with the interim government be effective? Can it even hold?

Inside Story - Somalia peace deal - - Part 1

A peace deal is struck in Somalia but it took just hours for the fighting to start again - an attempted ceasefire, thwarted by divisions within the country's opposition. Can the deal with the interim government be effective? Can it even hold?

Ethiopia: Hunger in the Rift Valley

In one of the Rift valley's small hamlets, the Gamadi family makes its living by planting maize. But because there was no rain this year, the crops stopped growing and now the family is faced with a food shortage.

Increase in Kenya's food prices affects families

The UN secretary-general has urged world leaders gathering at a summit on food security to make the "hard decisions" necessary to bring down soaring global food prices. The price of an average food basket is spiraling across the world. In Kenya, the post election killing spree disrupted farming and caused food prices to rise. Al Jazeera reports on the Nya-gahs, a middle class family living in the capital Nairobi, struggling to put food on the table.