Ethiopia banned domestic workers to work abroad

Ethiopia has banned domestic workers to work abroad because most of them leave the country through illegal agencies.  This has led to illegal human trafficking.  The International Labour Organization (ILO) said many Ethiopia domestic workers (most of them female) are physically abused, paid very low, discriminated and work in very poor condition.  In February a video emerged online showing an Ethiopian maid in Lebanon dragged by her hair in public by her employer.  The female worker later killed herself in hospital.  Majority of people in Ethiopia are earning less than 2 dollars per day.

South Africa's shoprite raise wages for its Zambian workers

South Africa's Shoprite holdings has agreed to raise wages for its Zambian workers by up to 34%, Shoprite Africa biggest retailer will increase wages for its 3000 workers by between 15% to 34%.  Shoprite this month fired its Zambian workforce after employees went on strike for higher wages.  Zambia is a major market for shoprite.

Three rapists in Kenya asked to cut grass as punishment after rapping a girl

Over a million furious campaigners have signed a petition demanding justice after three men accused of brutally gang-raping a Kenyan schoolgirl were ordered to cut grass as punishment. The girl is now using a  wheelchair with a broken back, caused either by the beating or by being hurled down into the pit, and also suffered serious internal injuries from the rape.

The 16-year old girl was reportedly attacked, beaten and then raped by six men as she returned from her grandfather's funeral in western Kenya in June, before the gang dumped her, bleeding and unconscious, in a deep sewage ditch.
"Letting rapists walk free after making them cut grass has to be the world's worst punishment for rape," Nebila Abdulmelik said who is one of those who signed a petition. "It's an absolute failure of the entire system and an absolutely shameful response by Kenya's police." The victim knew some of the attackers, and three of them were taken by villagers to the local police station, the girl's mother earlier told Kenyan media.
"The three were only ordered to cut grass around the police camp and set free shortly after," the girl's mother told the paper.
"My wish is to see justice done," the girl told The Nation newspaper, which first reported the story, and has led a campaign including raising funds to cover medical costs. "I want my attackers arrested and punished."
Lawmakers have condemned the attack and subsequent police failures, ordering action to be taken.

                                        Kenyans demand gang rape justice in police petition

Fifteen people arrested connected to acid attacks in Zanzibar

Fifteen people have been arrested by police in Zanzibar in connection to acid attack in recent months.  In July two young female British volunteers were badly burned when acid was thrown on their faces by a man on a motorcyle.

A general street scene in Stone Town, Zanzibar, where the acid attack happened

Nelson Mandela's friend arrested in New York

A close friend of South Africa’s first black President and 

ant- apartheid hero Nelson Mandela, Tokyo Sexwale was arrested in New York  at John F. Kennedy International Airport while on a business trip after his name was found on a list of people banned from entering the United States,

Sexwale was also a prisoner at Robin Island together with Nelson Mandela during the apartheid era. During that era, some anti-apartheid activists were banned from visiting the United States when they were regarded as terrorists.

Apartheid however ended in 1994 and although the ban was lifted, not all the names have been removed from the list.

After 1994, Sexwale soon became a leading member of the ANC and apart from politics he is a successful businessman who owns his own firm The Mvelaphanda Group.

Female Genital Mutilation (FMG) remains dangerous to health

The fight against female genital mutilation (FMG) in Tanzania is so hard despite government efforts to eliminate the practice, some people continue to do it in secret mainly in Mara, Dodoma, Kilimanjaro, Singida and Manyara regions where adult women and children undergo the harmful ritual.  The purpose of this practice is to slow down sexual desires.  The practice is highly dangerous to health. FMG is performed with crude homemade knives, pairs of scissors, pieces of glass or razor blades.

Violin played as titanic sank sells for $1.5 million

The instrument was believed to be played by the band leader Wallace Hartlet (2 June 1878 - 15 April 1912) trying to calm passengers as the ship slipped into frozen waters was sold at auction for 1.5 million us dollar.  When Hartley's body was discovered more than ten days after the disaster the violin was found in a leather case strapped to him.  Hartley's band played the rhythm "nearer, my God to the thee' as passengers climbed into lifeboats.

However  some people still doubt whether the violin is genuine, believing it could not have survived being submerged in sea water.