Africa

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Find Your Tipping Point Abroad
 Find Your Tipping Point Abroad 
TRAVEL
Nov 20, 2008 2:26 PM CST

Find Your Tipping Point Abroad

With gratuity varying by country, it's important not to offend

(Newser) - Knowing the appropriate level of gratuity can be tricky, and it gets even more difficult abroad, where tipping practices widely vary. Forbes offers some help, noting, for instance, that for a cab ride in South America, rounding up the fare to the next dollar is an acceptable tip, while in...

Saudi Tanker Owners in Talks With Pirates

Saudi foreign minister pledges to eradicate Somali maritime threat

(Newser) - Negotiations are under way between Somali pirates and the shipping company that owns the Saudi Arabian oil supertanker they hijacked over the weekend, the BBC reports. The Saudi foreign minister could not say whether Vela International might agree to a ransom.

Somali Pirates Hijack Yet Another Cargo Ship

A Hong Kong ship carrying wheat is the latest victim

(Newser) - Pirates off the coast of Africa have struck again, hijacking a Hong Kong cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden, the Financial Times reports. The Delight has 25 crew members and 36,000 tons of wheat, and hijackers were reportedly steering it toward Somalia. It's the latest in a string...

Somali Pirates Could Force Shipping Detours
Somali Pirates Could Force
Shipping Detours
ANALYSIS
Nov 18, 2008 10:43 AM CST

Somali Pirates Could Force Shipping Detours

Attacked ship anchored off Somalia

(Newser) - The pirates who seized the Sirius Star have reportedly brought their massive prize to anchor off the coast of Somalia, the BBC reports. The Saudi oil tanker’s entire 25-person crew is believed to be safe, but the consequences for international shipping may be far-reaching, Roger Middleton writes in the...

Pirates Hijack Saudi Oil Tanker
 Pirates Hijack Saudi Oil Tanker 
Nov 17, 2008 11:36 AM CST

Pirates Hijack Saudi Oil Tanker

Ship loaded with oil is taken to Somalian port

(Newser) - Pirates flying the Liberian flag hijacked a Saudi Arabian oil tanker today, the BBC reports. The Sirius Star is now bound for the port of Eyl, Somalia, a common destination for pirates to unload their booty. Currently holding its full load of 2 million barrels, the Sirius Star contains one-quarter...

Islamists Take Somalian Port, Near Capital

Insurgents encroach Mogadishu

(Newser) - Islamist rebels in Somalia captured the port city of Merka today as they continue to move in on Mogadishu, the weak transitional government’s stronghold, the New York Times reports. Hundreds of militants entered Merka, unopposed because government forces had fled the city the previous night. After weeks of steady...

Teen Hits Choppy Waters on Global Sailing Trip

Daring Californian faces pirates on quest to beat sailing record

(Newser) - Most 16-year-old boys pass their days pining for Miley Cyrus, but Zac Sunderland spends his fending off pirates and feeding on cold, canned meals. The California native is 5 months and nearly half-way into his quest to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world, the Los Angeles ...

Palin 'Didn't Know Africa Is a Continent'

Insiders spill beans on Mac's troublesome veep choice

(Newser) - Sarah Palin's shaky grasp of geography stressed out the McCain campaign, the Chicago Tribune reports. A Fox News reporter, sworn to secrecy until after the election, said a campaign insider told him Palin was unaware that Africa was a continent rather than a single country, and she was unable to...

Mating Antelope Show Off Knees. Seriously.

Sound communicates animal's strength, prevents conflict

(Newser) - Doesn't sound all that sexy, but Africa’s male eland antelope has developed his own way of demonstrating its sexual prowess and warding off rivals. Males click their knees to establish mating rights and avoid brawls: the louder the click, the larger the animal, and the more likely he is...

Edwards' ER Check Funds African Hospital

Anthony Edwards asks for charity donation for cost of guest appearance

(Newser) - In lieu of a paycheck for his return to ER as the deceased Dr. Mark Greene, with scenes shot in flashbacks, Anthony Edwards asked Warner Bros. to donate $125,000 to help build a 250-bed hospital in Africa, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Steven Spielberg matched that money, and ER's executive...

Ceasefire Calms Congo
 Ceasefire Calms Congo 
Oct 31, 2008 6:54 AM CDT

Ceasefire Calms Congo

10 dead as fleeing refugees run into brutal government soldiers

(Newser) - Fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo has eased after rebels declared a cease-fire, reports the Los Angeles Times. As paramilitary forces moved through the countryside, refugees flooded into the eastern city of Goma—only to face assault, rape and murder at the hands of the Congolese army. UN officials...

Congolese Exodus Begins as Rebels Reach Key City

(Newser) - The strategic Congolese city of Goma descended into chaos today, raising the likelihood of a bloody regional war. Government soldiers commandeered cars, taxis, and motorbikes in a retreat from advancing rebels, joining tens of thousands of terrified refugees struggling to stay ahead of the violence. Tutsi rebels said they had...

Somali Suicide Bombers Strike UN Compound

At least 22 dead in series of coordinated blasts as talks begin

(Newser) - Suicide bombers struck a UN compound and several other targets in northern Somalia today, killing at least 22 people, as talks about Somalia's political crisis began in neighboring Kenya, officials said. "We are still counting the bodies," said a spokesman for the breakaway republic of Somaliland, where bombers...

Namibia's Ivory Sale Raises Poaching Fears

Legal auction could lead to more poaching

(Newser) - Namibia kicked off two weeks of ivory auctions yesterday, marking the first time in almost a decade that the elephant tusks have sold legally, reports the Times of London. Seven tons brought $1.18 million from Chinese and Japanese buyers, and 108 tons—the equivalent of 10,000 elephants—will...

Powell Busts a Move at Concert for Africa

General says it's Africa's time to prosper; takes to stage for Yahooze

(Newser) - Colin Powell wowed the crowd at a concert showcasing African music in London last night by singing and dancing with a Nigerian hip-hop band, the Daily Telegraph reports. Before climbing on stage, the former secretary of state made a speech highlighting his African-American heritage and calling on the world to...

New 'Top-Dog' Careers for Out-of-Work Bankers

I-banking may be dead, but opportunities are out there

(Newser) - Now that the investment-banking party is over, what are all those hotshot bankers going to do? Bloomberg's Matthew Lynn takes a look at potential new "top-dog" careers:
  • African development. The pioneers who nurture African nations’ industry and infrastructure will be rewarded by the continent’s mineral resources and huge
...

Somali Standoff Continues as Nations Move to Fight Piracy

EU plans force to combat maritime criminals, who took $30M in ransom in '08

(Newser) - With pirates still holding a munitions-laden ship off Somalia’s coast, the European Union plans a security force to crack down on maritime crime in the area, the BBC reports. The US Navy has surrounded the MV Faina to ensure the weapons aboard are not given to terrorists, and Somalia...

Pirates Discuss Ransom for Arms Shipment

But demands diminish as international noose appears to tighten

(Newser) - The Somali pirates who hijacked a Ukranian ship carrying a weapons shipment are in ransom negotiations with the vessel’s owners, the BBC reports. No governments are involved in the talks, sources said. The pirates seem to be flexible: They initially asked for a $35 million ransom, then $20 million,...

Turmoil Can't Douse Zimbabwe's Hope
 Turmoil Can't Douse 
 Zimbabwe's Hope 
COMMENTARY
Sep 29, 2008 3:05 PM CDT

Turmoil Can't Douse Zimbabwe's Hope

Author cheered by 'thriving currency' of home

(Newser) - Since June's election, Zimbabwe's economy has been in crisis. Store shelves are empty and inflation is out of control. Robert Mugabe remains in power. So why would anyone want to stay? The answer isn't easy, but it's simple, Kate Chambers writes in the Christian Science Monitor. "I like living...

Malaria Fight Gets $3B Booster Shot
Malaria Fight Gets $3B Booster Shot
Sep 27, 2008 12:05 PM CDT

Malaria Fight Gets $3B Booster Shot

Initiative will focus on Africa, stress the need for persistence

(Newser) - The global fight against malaria will get an unprecedented $3 billion push from a global alliance of nonprofits, financial institutions, and governments, the Wall Street Journal reports, with a focus on prolonging the effort beyond initial successes. The Global Malaria Action Plan aims for multibillion-dollar yearly funding through 2020, and...

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