Syria conflict: World powers to intensify quest for peace

The Vienna talks involved Iran, a key Assad ally, for the first time.
The ministers agreed to ask the United Nations to start a process that could lead to a ceasefire and new elections. But they disagreed over Mr Assad's future. New talks are due in two weeks.

Ahead of the talks, a Syrian government attack on a Damascus suburb left at least 57 people dead.

Transgender prisoner Tara Hudson MOVED to women's jail after 'unrelenting' sexist abuse from other inmates

A transgender woman suffering sexist abuse in a men's prison has been moved to a female-only jail.
Tara Hudson, 26, was transferred to HMP Eastwood Park, a women's closed prison around 15 miles from Bristol in South Gloucestershire with approximately 350 prisoners.

It holds both remand and sentenced prisoners, including young women from 16 upwards and has a mother and baby unit for up to 12 mothers.

In Burundi, despite the political turmoil, solar power plants projects are started

The hen contractors and members of the government signed an agreement on the first solar power station in Burundi, the future of this nation full of energy seemed very promising.The next day, shots were heard in the streets and buildings caught fire - a rebel general was trying to take power.

These are the challenges of the use of renewable energy in one of the most unstable countries in Africa. "We were so excited," recalls Sebitereko Lazarus, Program Director for Burundi enterprise specialized in development and social Solar Gigawatt Global. "It has upset us because we wanted to start our project. It does not stop the progression but is slow compared to what we expected. "

Ebola orphans face life of hardship as education and jobs remain out of reach

Going without food for two or three days is “like being in hell”, says Dauda Fullah, 25, who has been left to look after eight children and young adults since his parents died of Ebola.

“It’s been tough. It’s not easy with me because of financial problems, solving all the problems of the family and at the same time hoping to go back to college,” Fullah says. “I have been looking for a job in health for two years now. Even if you are qualified, it is hard to get a job, it’s not easy.”

South Sudan civil war inquiry details torture and forced cannibalism

A new report has laid bare the scale of the atrocities committed during South Sudan’s 22-month civil war, detailing cases of rape, torture, mutilation and instances of forced cannibalism.

The report, from the African Union (AU), also disputes the government’s claim that the conflict began after the country’s former vice-president, Riek Machar, attempted a coup against President Salva Kiir in December 2013. The resulting violence has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced more than 2 million, and prompted fears of a famine.

Kenya police fear serial killer targeting sex workers after 10 deaths in one month

Kenyan police are investigating the murders of 10 women working as prostitutes, a record number of attacks in one month that has led to fears of a serial killer targeting sex workers.

Concerned about the safety of women working on the streets, campaigners have called on the government to legalise prostitution and offer proper protection to vulnerable women.

The police commander in the town of Nakuru, where four bodies were found, said an intense manhunt was under way for a “short adult male” in central Kenya.

Dear Jacob Zuma, this time white people haven’t made us angry. You have

South Africa’s student movement scored an historic victory on Friday when President Jacob Zuma finally announced he was scrapping plans to raise university fees after a week of protests rocked the nation.

More than 10,000 people gathered in front of the Union Buildings in Pretoria – the largest single student protest since the 1976 Soweto uprising – awaiting an appearance from Zuma to confirm his decision to the #FeesMustFall movement.

Nigeria imposes record $5.2bn fine on South African phone company

Nigeria has imposed a record $5.2bn fine on a South African mobile phone company for failing to register users, raising concerns that regulations are being tightened to compensate for a budget shortfall. The unprecedented fine has already caused a 16% drop in the share price of MTN, Africa’s largest mobile phone company, and threatens the firm’s future in Nigeria, its biggest and most profitable market. There are fears that the fine, which came on the same day that regulators acted against another South African company, could deter foreign businesses from investing in Nigeria.

Ugandans losing faith in electoral system as apathy and scepticism prevail

On a Tuesday morning, the rally on the streets of Uganda’s capital, Kampala, is full of verve. Its diversity – religious leaders, civil society groups, donors, musicians, comedians and ordinary Ugandans are all represented – only adds to the appeal.

The procession is led by the Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda, an umbrella group of more than 600 NGOs working to encourage the populace to vote.

Syria peace talks pin hopes for end to war on Iran and Saudi Arabia

The broadest peace talks since the start of the Syrian war are getting under way in Vienna, with Iran joining arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and the US to try to orchestrate an end to one of the most dangerous global conflicts in decades.

While all regional stakeholders appear set to take a seat at the table, neither the Syrian government nor opposition have been invited, with any hope of a solution riding mainly on their respective regional patrons: Iran for the Assad regime and Saudi Arabia for those who oppose him.

Tanzania election winner declared despite vote-rigging claims

Tanzania’s ruling party candidate has been declared the winner of a controversial presidential election marred by claims of vote rigging and fears of violence.

John Magufuli, nicknamed “the bulldozer” for his track record as works minister, won 58.46% of the vote, compared with 39.97% for his main rival, Edward Lowassa.

Shaker Aamer released from Guantánamo Bay after 14-year detention

Shaker Aamer has been released after 14 years of incarceration at Guantánamo Bay, where he was beaten by his US military jailers but never tried for any offence, the UK’s foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, has confirmed.

“The Americans announced some weeks ago that they were going to release Shaker Aamer from Guantánamo and I can confirm that he is on his way back to the UK now and he will arrive in Britain later today,” he said.

Khloe Kardashian Focusing on Lamar Odom’s Health Over a Relationship With Him

Khloe Kardashian says she is not getting back together with Lamar Odom, even though they have put their divorce on hold. Right now, the sole focus is getting him better.

In her first interview since Lamar's hospitalization, Khloe recalls her reaction to learning that the former NBA pro was found unresponsive at a Nevada brothel on Oct. 13. "All I knew was I had to get there," she told People. "I had to get to him and make sure he was OK. I hate that he was in that situation. I wouldn't want anybody in that situation, especially someone I love and care about."

Five-month-old boy left orphaned after parents killed in honeymoon quad bike accident

Jonathan and Emma Gray, both 25, died when they quad bike they were given a lift home on from a party crashed into a tree.

A five-month-old boy was left orphaned after his parents couple were killed on honeymoon in the Maldives in a quad bike crash, an inquest heard.

Jonathan and Emma Gray, both 25, were at a private party on the Kuredu Island Resort when at the end of the night the party host, Filip Petre, offered to drive them and two other couples back to their villas on a quad bike.

Africa puts security hopes in foreign-funded, home-grown strike force

Backed by tanks, armored vehicles and plenty of EU cash, thousands of African soldiers took on an imaginary enemy in the arid heart of South Africa this week, the last joint exercises before a homegrown continental strike force goes live.

Standing on far-away hilltops, commanders peered through night vision goggles and issued orders through helmet-mounted radios to the 5,400 troops simulating a dawn assault on rebels in the fictitious city of Kalasi marked out in the bush.

The orderly maneuvers and high-tech kit elicited purrs of approval from military chiefs who tout the rapid-reaction battalion - a key part of a long-awaited African Standby Force (ASF) - as the antidote to insurrections spiraling into civil war or even genocide. 

Kanye west's fans queue for hours to buy his $636 Yeezy boots and $235 T-shirts

Kanye West fans splurged up to $4,000 each after waiting for five hours to get their hands on his Yeezy fashion range - and claimed it was a 'blessing' handed down by the rapper.

Fashionistas as young as 15 spent $636 on a single pair of boots with one man grabbing one for him and one for his girlfriend.

Waiting to get Kanye's gear made them late for work and late for school but they said that it was 'worth it' - even at such a high price.

At Barney's on Madison Avenue in New York customers had to line up in the pouring rain on Wednesday night to get a wristband to let them queue again today. 

China ends decades-Long one child policy

China will ease family planning restrictions to allow all couples to have two children after decades of a strict one-child policy, the ruling Communist Party said on Thursday, a move aimed at alleviating demographic strains on the economy.

The policy is a major liberalization of the country's family planning restrictions, already eased in late 2013 when Beijing said it would allow more families to have two children when the parents met certain conditions.

A growing number of scholars had urged the government to reform the rules, introduced in the late 1970s to prevent population growth spiraling out of control, but now regarded as outdated and responsible for shrinking China's labor pool. 

Robert Mugabe wins China's version of the Nobel Peace Prize

China has awarded its own version of the Nobel Peace Prize to Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe on Thursday for what the committee termed as “support for pan Africanism and inspired national leadership”.

The Confucius peace prize was established in 2010 in response to the Norwegian Nobel committee’s decision to hand its annual prize to jail dissident writer Liu Xiaobo. He remains in prison for co-writing a pro-democracy manifesto called charter 08.

The 91-year old controversial president apparently beat out a number of other candidates for the award, including Bill Gates and South Korean president Park Geun-hye.

Jay-z and Beyonce separated for a year... New tell-all book claims

According to an unauthorized new tell all book titled Becoming Beyoncé; The untold story, released by celebrity journalist J. Randy Taraborelli, Beyoncé and Jay-z had secretly broken up three years prior to their wedding in 2008.

The book goes on to reveal that queen Bey wanted to focus on her career and her husband was feeling neglected. Eventually the couple agreed to take a break from the relationship.

It was during the supposed one-year break that Jay-z is alleged to have had an affair with his protégé 27-year-old Rihanna. It was also during this time that Jay-z signed Rihanna to his label Def Jam.

DPP orders probe into Aladwa's utterance

The director of public prosecution, Keriako Tobiko has directed DCI director Ndegwa Muhoro and National cohesion Integration commission (NCIC) to investigate current ODM’s Nairobi county branch chairman George Aladwa over hate speech remarks.

This is in response to a video that emerged on Wednesday, October 21 of him inciting a charged crowd during Mashujaa day celebrations in Kibera.

In the video that has been doing rounds on social media, Aladwa allegedly said that if the 2017 election will be rigged, a few people must die for Raila to become President.