Ethiopia/Eritrea: Rebel Group Threatens to Kidnap More Tourists

[…] Current Headlines from Africa I thought that these headlines might be of interest to those going to Africa in 2009. You might of missed them. Most of them are from today’s news, some are earlier this year. Congo warlord continues to recruit children A warlord in eastern Congo is continuing to recruit child soldiers in violation of international law, United Nations officials said. Severe floods hit 17 countries in Africa Fish swam alongside the dugout canoes residents were using to flee their flooded homes, riding the water gushing through the streets of this town in eastern Uganda. Zimbabwean inflation under 7,000% Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate slowed in August to 6,592.8% from July’s record of 7,634.8%, according to the Central Statistical Office KINSHASA, Congo — More than 100 people have died in a suspected hemorrhagic fever outbreak in a remote part of Congo, local health officials said Wednesday. People began dying of the suspected fever two weeks ago in the Mweka area of the province of Kasai Occidental, said Jean-Constatin Kanow, the chief medical inspector for the province. Congo has in the past seen large outbreaks of Marburg and Ebola, both hemorrhagic fevers caused by viruses that in severe cases attack the central nervous system and cause bleeding from the eyes, ears and other parts of the body. Ethiopia/Eritrea: Rebel Group Threatens to Kidnap More Tourists A rebel group pressing for autonomy in the Afar region that straddles Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti warned that it would kidnap any foreigners who venture into the region without prior approval. A spokesman for the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front claimed responsibility for kidnapping five Europeans and eight Ethiopians early in March and vowed to [read more] Kenya: Rift Valley Fever Outbreak, Carjackings in Nairobi An outbreak of Rift Valley Fever that began in mid-December has spread to about half the country, appearing in coastal tourist areas for the first time recently. Nairobi has been put on alert as a high-risk area. At least 120 people have died. The disease is spread by mosquitoes and is often deadly for livestock. Zimbabwe economy in free fall Inflation tops 7,600 percent as the country’s economic crisis forces people to flee the country or scrounge for food. Kenya says Rift Valley fever returns, two dead Thu 20 Sep 2007, 13:44 GMT NAIROBI, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Rift Valley fever has killed two women in Kenya, the government said on Thursday, raising fears of another outbreak of the disease that claimed more than 150 lives earlier this year. Qaeda urges attacks on Darfur force, talks questioned Thu 20 Sep 2007, 14:43 GMT KHARTOUM, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Al Qaeda urged Sudanese Muslims on Thursday to fight African Union and United Nations peacekeeping troops in Darfur as rebels cast doubt on whether peace talks to pave the way for the force could succeed. […]