Africa has had its fair share of political amazons, women who have headed government and pulled as much weight as the men folk on the political scene. Consequently, below is a countdown of the top women who have influenced the political landscape in their home country or Africa as a whole. They may not have all led their countries as presidents or heads of government, but they all enjoy reasonable political influence and popularity.


1. Joyce Banda

Joyce Banda became president of Malawi in April 2012, after the sudden death of President Bingu Mutharikawho she served as vice president. She immediately launched sweeping changes to the business of government in Malawi and promptly embarked on a charm offensive to repair Malawi’s image on the foreign scene while restoring relations with aid donors.

She also switched diplomatic alliances from Taiwan to China, which she considered more economically beneficial. Banda sold off the presidential jet and a fleet of 60 luxury cars and ordered a 30 percent cut to her salary.

Despite her best intentions, Banda’s tenure was marked by rising inflation, allegations of corruption, and controversies surrounding the repeal of a law criminalizing homosexuality. Banda and her Malawi’s People’s Party, which she founded, suffered a heavy defeat in the May 2014 presidential elections.

Still, Banda made her mark in Malawian politics, and in 2012, she made the list of Forbes’ “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” and had the highest African name on the list.


2. Winnie Mandela

Winnie Mandela is quite the controversial character and she means different things to different people. Her supporters hail her as the Mother of the nation for her role in the South African anti-Apartheid struggle.Activist, politician, and social worker, Winnie Mandela is remembered more as a former wife of the late-Nelson Mandela, whom she divorced in 1994 after 38 years of marriage.

Yet, she is equally reviled by critics who point to her indictments of corruption, abductions, and murder.

Winnie Mandela is a popular symbol of the African National Congress (ANC) party and the single most-recognizable female figure from the anti-Apartheid struggle. She endured months of imprisonment and torture during those years and was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy award for human rights.

Winnie Mandela remains an influential political figure in South Africa and secured the fifth place in the ANC’s electoral list for the 2009 general elections.


3. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti may well be remembered as the first Nigerian woman to drive a car. She was also a civil rights activist, political campaigner, and one of the earliest advocates for women’s right to vote in Nigeria.Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti

She contested and lost a parliamentary seat on the platform of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons party. Ransome-Kuti was then expelled from the party and floated the commoners’ People’s Party.

Her political ideas took her beyond the shores of Nigeria due to her interest in communism as a form of government, prompting her to pay visits to the former USSR, Hungary, and China, where she met with Mao Zedong.

Ransome-Kuti was one of few female delegates who negotiated Nigeria’s independence from the British government. She touched the lives of many, and her activism lives on today in the lives of her children and grandchildren who continually take the Nigerian government to task on issues of accountability.



4. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim makes this list as one of two incumbent female presidents in Africa. She is the head of state and commander-in-chief of Mauritius.




Gurib-Fakim is a professor of chemistry with a long list of academic achievements. Not one to shy away from standing up against perceived injustice, in December 2013, Dr. Gurib-Fakim alleged she had been discriminated against in the selection process for a vice chancellor of the University of Mauritius.She became the presidential candidate of alliance the Alliance of the People in December 2014. And while Mauritius has had a number of female heads of state, Gurib-Fakim is the first elected female president of Mauritius.

5. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf holds the distinction as the first elected female head of state in Africa. She is also a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.




Johnson Sirleaf contested the 1997 Liberian presidential elections and lost to Charles Taylor, going into exile soon afterwards.In 2005, Johnson Sirleaf contested for the seat of president again. She came in second behind George Weah in the first round of voting but went on to win the run-off by 59 percent to Weah’s 40 percent. She secured a second term in office in the 2011 presidential elections.

In 2006, one year after she was sworn in, Johnson Sirleaf instituted the Truth and Reconciliatory Commission. The report indicted Johnson Sirleaf, among several others. President Johnson Sirleaf then took the path of honor, owning up to her mistakes and promptly apologizing for her past indiscretions.

In 2010, Johnson Sirleaf signed into law a Freedom of Information bill, a first of its kind in West Africa. She also managed to negotiate a debt relief agreement with the United States, the International Monetary Fund and theWorld Bank.


Source:https://howafrica.com/meet-the-5-iconic-african-women-who-changed-politics-across-the-continent/

Actor Wentworth Miller is an easy candidate for this list. Why? Because he busted onto the scene after debuting in the film The Human Stain, where he played a black man passing for a white man. His notoriety was further increased when he played Mariah Carey’s love interest in her music video for “We Belong Together.” The Prison Break star was born in England to a black father and white mother.



Because of her freckled face, actress and fashion model Rachel Meghan Markle could easily be mistaken for being lilly white. But the star, who currently plays Rachel Zane on the USA legal drama Suits, is the offspring of an African-American mother and a Dutch and Irish father.



Rashida Jones is best known for blending in with the rest of the white cast of NBC’s Parks and Recreation. However, as the daughter of well-known music mogul, Quincy Jones, she can’t hide from her black side. Actress Peggy Lipton is her mother.



Real Housewives of New Jersey star Melissa Gorga says she is 100 percent Italian- American and denies having any black blood in her. Here’s a before-going-under-the- knife photo of her. You be the judge.





Actress Maya Rudolf is the daughter of soul singer singer Minnie Riperton and songwriter-producer Richard Rudolph. Because her mother was black and her father is an Ashkanzi Jew, she has played a range of characters from a white woman in movies like Bridesmaids to spoofing Beyonce while on her stint at Saturday Night Live.



Cash Warren is often mistaken for being Caucasian or Latino, but being the son of Hill Street Bluesactor Michael Warren actually makes him half black. Cash, who is more movie producer than movie star, met his actress wife Jessica Alba while working on the set of The Fantastic Four.



Actress Jennifer Beals is best known for her roles in Flashdance and the Showtime series The L Word. Born to an African-American father and an Irish-American mother, Beals also played a biracial woman passing for white in the 1995 period film Devil in a Blue Dress, starring Denzel Washington.



Troian Pratt-Bellisario is well known for her main role as Spencer Hastings in Pretty Little Liars, but it is not well known that her mother is Deborah Pratt, a celebrated African-American actress, novelist and award-winning television producer.



It may have taken a number of CNN “Black in America” specials to reveal that Soledad O’Brien did indeed have black ancestry. Her mother is black Cuban and her father is Australian.







Carol Channing is a legendary Broadway performer who had always been celebrated as another glamourous white star. However, in her autobiography released in 2002, she shocked the world when she revealed that her father was actually a biracial black man. Channing did not know this until she attended college and her mother revealed it. The actress never said anything about it until she was in her 80s, so it wouldn’t harm her career.


Source:http://howafrica.com/top-10-black-celebrities-who-successfully-pass-for-white/

The appetite of African Presidents to consume overseas medical treatments remains robust.

The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, is in the United Kingdom, Angola’s Eduardo Dos Santos was in Spain, Benin’s Patrice Talon just returned from Paris and Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe frequents Singapore.

Ordinarily one would think these leaders fly out to participate in international engagements or for official visits but that is not the case in respect of those mentioned above. All four left home to seek medical treatment abroad.

What is it about the healthcare system back home that these leaders would rather seek treatment outside their respective countries?
Buhari’s undisclosed ailment and the London trips

74-year-old Muhammadu Buhari returned home in March 2017 after spending seven weeks on sick leave in the UK for an undisclosed ailment. He left Abuja on January 19 after informing the National Assembly.

He is, however, back in the UK since May 7, for ‘further medical checks,’ his wife visited him earlier this month and reported that he was doing well and fast recuperating. It is unclear when he will be returning but his Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, continues as Acting President till then.

The last publicized medical condition he had was an ear infection for which Buhari was in the UK for treatment sometime last year. In the case of the recent ailment, the Presidency insists that its a private affair and that he was fit to continue in his role as President.

Buhari who came to power in 2015 as leader of Africa’s biggest economy and most populous nation, his recent absence has been raising fears and speculation about his ability to run the country.

A recent letter signed by 13 civil society organizations called on him to take medical leave.
As it stands now, he is on leave and is expected back to continue running affairs of the country.
Dos Santos’ Spanish treatment and fake news purveyors

Oil-rich Angola for the first time in a long while officially confirmed that longtime president, Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, was in Spain to seek medical treatment in May.

Despite leaving the country in early May, it was not until May 29, that the foreign minister confirmed the news after opposition parties heaped pressure on the government to disclose the location of the man who has led Angola since 1979.

Before the Minister’s clarification, fake news websites planted a story reporting the death of the 74-year-old, it took his daughter, Isabel Dos Santos, to debunk and chide the purveyors of such news on her social media handles.

Dos Santos steps down from power after 38-years in charge. He will continue to lead the ruling party but Joao Lourenco, Interior Minister will be on the ballot paper for the MPLA in presidential polls slated for later this year.
Zimbabwe’s Mugabe and routine checkups in Singapore

From Angola, we move across the southern Africa region to Zimbabwe, where the continent’s oldest leader, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, has been flying out to Singapore to seek medical attention. He has been out twice this year alone.

The government says the 93-year-old suffers from eye cataract disputing the opposition claims that Mugabe is afflicted by a cancer. At a time when he was flying out to seek treatment, major hospitals in the country were in crisis.

Some had resorted to turning away non-emergency cases, at a point doctors had embarked on strikes, some facilities had announced the suspension of surgeries citing the unavailability of medicines.

Mugabe is, however, billed to be on the ballot paper when elections are held next year. The ruling ZANU-PF picked the nonagenarian as its candidate.
Benin’s Talon and the Paris surgeries

The latest leader who stepped out for medical reasons was Patrice Talon of Benin. The presidency has opened up about his condition disclosing that the 59-year-old underwent two successful surgical operations during his recent visit to Paris.

According to a statement released on Monday (June 19), one procedure was due to doctors finding a lesion in his prostate while the second operation was in his digestive system.

His absence for close to three weeks as is the case in most African countries, raised concerns and speculation about his whereabouts.

Talon “has completely recovered” and “is fully exercising his constitutional duties,” his office said upon his return to the country on Sunday (June 18). Talon, a successful cotton businessman was elected President of Benin in March 2016.

He took over from Thomas Yayi-Boni who had served his constitutionally mandated two terms. Talon defeated the then Prime Minister, Lionel Zinsou, in second round of voting after both men led in the first round.

Source:https://howafrica.com/africas-sick-presidents-and-the-overseas-medical-treatment/

Opinion of the Frenchman appears to have hit a new low at the Emirates Stadium, as they prepare to end another season without major silverware

The campaign for Arsene Wenger to leave Arsenal has reached new levels, after a fan compared him to what Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe has done to the country.

The Frenchman’s reign at the Gunners has hit an all-time low, particularly following their 10-2 aggregate loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and subsequent exit at the last-16 stage.

Pressure has been mounting on long-serving Wenger to walk once his contract is up at the end of the season, as Arsenal only have the FA Cup to fight for this term.

And it appears another barren campaign has one particular supporter up in arms, with the producer of the video referencing Mugabe’s 36-year reign over impoverished Zimbabwe.

The furious Arsenal fan compared Gunners boss Arsene Wenger with long-serving Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe.

He said: “I used to live in Zimbabwe and I’ve watched Robert Mugabe ruin the country, and Wenger is doing the same. He’s the Mugabe of Arsenal,” he lashed out in a video published online.

Wenger’s 21-year spell as Gunners manager is now in serious question despite his success in north London, as he has failed to lead the club to a Premier League trophy since 2004.


Source:https://howafrica.com/arsene-wenger-is-the-mugabe-of-arsenal-fans-vicious-attack-goes-viral/

Angolan capital Luanda has been ranked the world’s most expensive city for expatriates reclaiming the title it lost to Hong Kong last year. Angola was the only African country in a top pool dominated by Europe and Asian counterparts.

The feat was contained in a survey published on Wednesday by consultancy firm, Mercer. This was the 23rd edition of the annual cost-of-living survey.

Luanda, which had consistently topped the list in recent years, fell behind Hong Kong last year owing to the weakening of its local currency and the drop in oil prices.

Luanda (1) takes the top spot as the most expensive city for expatriates across Africa and globally despite its currency weakening against the US dollar.

The top oil-producer is believed to have reclaimed top spot in the survey largely due to rebound in the global oil economy, a limited supply of luxurious housing and a high demand among expatriates.

“Quite a few African cities continue to rank high in this year’s survey, reflecting high living costs and prices of goods for expatriate employees. Luanda (1) takes the top spot as the most expensive city for expatriates across Africa and globally despite its currency weakening against the US dollar.

“Luanda is followed by Victoria (14), Ndjamena (16), and Kinshasa (18). Tunis falls six spots to rank 209 as the least expensive city in the region and overall,” the report read in parts.

The third to fifth spots remained unchanged from last year with Zurich, Tokyo and Singapore sharing the slots.
The top 10 most expensive cities for expats are as follows:

1. Luanda, Angola
2. Hong Kong, China,
3. Tokyo, Japan
4. Zurich, Switzerland
5. Singapore, Singapore
6. Seoul, South Korea
7.Geneva, Switzerland
8. Shanghai, China
9. New York City, United States
10. Bern, Germany

The survey is designed for companies to calculate expatriate workers’ allowances.

It weighs up the cost of living in over 200 cities across the world, comparing the cost of more than 200 items in each location, including housing, transport, food, clothing and entertainment.

As at last year, average monthly rent of an unfurnished two-bedroom apartment of “international standards in an appropriate neighborhood” in Luanda costs $6,700 way above cities such as London or New York, where rent for the same apartment costs between $4,500 and $5,000, respectively.

Africa also maintained the least expensive city tag with Tunis, followed by Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek and Skopje in Macedonia. Last year, Namibian capital Windhoek, and South Africa’s Cape Town were ranked as the world’s least expensive cities for expatriates.


Source:https://howafrica.com/angolan-capital-luanda-is-worlds-most-expensive-city-for-expats-2/

The death toll in Angola keeps rising following a recent outbreak of yellow fever – the nation’s first in three decades. The outbreak, which begun in the capital of Luanda has spread to about 18 provinces in the country. Over 1,100 persons have been diagnosed so far, with 225 confirmed dead. Government health systems have run out of ideas as the health crisis pushes the World Health Organisation (WHO) to speed up its response.

WHO has described the situation as “difficult to contain.” Its Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, landed in Luanda this week to assess the current outbreak.

“This is the most serious outbreak of yellow fever that Angola has faced in 30 years.WHO is taking urgent action to support the Government to control this outbreak with a widespread vaccination campaign,” Dr Chan stated.

Acute shortage of vaccines is feared to have worsened the impact of the virus (photo:GettyImages)

Acute shortage of vaccines is feared to have worsened the impact of the virus (Photo: Getty Images)

But with the severe shortage of vaccines, concerns have been raised over the preferential treatment the World Health Organisation (WHO) may be giving to the current outbreak of the Zika Virus in the West. Fears remain that the organisation might have run short of the needed clinical logistics to help eradicate its spread.

The outbreak of the virus has caused a stir among neighboring countries as borders remain closed and security checks of Yellow Fever vaccination papers are heightened. The Angolan Health Ministry has also taken bold steps to engage international partners in the fight. In March, partners from WHO vaccinated 5.7 million residents of Luanda from the International Group emergency stockpile. But an additional 1.5 million doses are urgently needed to vaccinate the entire population.
Patients with the second stage of the viral infection die within 10 to 14 days (photo: WHO)

Patients with the second stage of the viral infection die within 10 to 14 days (photo: WHO)

The yellow fever virus is caused by infected mosquitoes with the most known species being the Aedes aegypti. Symptoms include fever, severe headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue with the advanced stage feared to cause high fever, jaundice and internal bleeding.

To date, there remains no treatment for yellow fever, but those who get infected with the virus receive supportive medical care, including fluids, pain management and monitoring.


Source:https://howafrica.com/yellow-fever-outbreak-angola-kills-hundreds-vaccines-run-short/

Here’s some news from Africa that will be of interest to all of the people waiting in line for gas to use in their generators after Hurricane Sandy.

Four teenage girls figured out a way to use a liter of urine as fuel to get six hours of electricity from their generator. Fourteen-year-olds Duro-Aina Adebola, Akindele Abiola, and Faleke Oluwatoyin, and 15-year-old Bello Eniola displayed their invention this week at Maker Faire Africa in Lagos, Nigeria, an annual event meant to showcase ingenuity.

Here’s how the urine-powered generator works, as explained by the blog on the makerfaireafrica.com website:

• Urine is put into an electrolytic cell, which separates out the hydrogen.

• The hydrogen goes into a water filter for purification, and then into a gas cylinder, which looks similar to the kind used for outdoor barbecue grills.

• The gas cylinder pushes the filtered hydrogen into another cylinder that contains liquid borax, in order to remove moisture from the gas. Borax is a natural mineral, commonly used in laundry detergent.

• The hydrogen is pushed into a power generator in the final step of the process.

A big drawback is that hydrogen poses an explosion risk. But the girls used one-way valves throughout the device as a safety measure.





Source:https://howafrica.com/4-nigerian-teenage-girls-invented-urine-fueled-generator-lagos/

Generally acknowledged as the largest airplane in the world, the single Antonov An-225 is the world’s heaviest aircraft ever (maximum takeoff weight greater than 640 tons) and the largest heavier-than-airaircraft (in length and wingspan) ever entering operational service. Others are included this video compilation.






Source:https://howafrica.com/39009-2/

More than 900 migrants from Asia and Africa who hoped to reach Europe were rescued off the coast of Libya by the Coast Guard.

“A patrol of the coast guards of Zawia (45 km west of Tripoli) intercepted Friday at dawn five inflatable boats and a wooden boat carrying 906 migrants,” said the spokesman of the Libyan navy, General Ayoub Kacem. The coast guards depend on the navy in Libya. 98 women, including seven pregnant women, and 25 children were aboard the boats.

Libya is still plunged into post-Gaddafi chaos and the country has become the gateway to illegal immigration to Europe.

Since 2017, Italy, a country in southern Europe, has seen more than 60,000 clandestine migrants arrive on its coasts. The Italian authorities have registered more than 65,000 arrivals over the last six months, an increase of 80% compared to the same period last year.

Since the controversial agreement between the European Union and Turkey to reduce the number of migrants arriving in Europe by Greece, Italy has become a new route taken by clandestine migrants.


Source:https://howafrica.com/mediterranean-more-than-900-migrants-rescued-off-libya/

When we learn that a fly that arises on our food vomits also on this one, we understand better why it is better not just to hunt this pest, but also to throw the contents of its plate.

Indeed, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Florida, flies carry all sorts of bacteria and germs – more than 200 – that could be dangerous to our health. If healthy adults are able to fight against these bacteria, this would not be the case for children and older people or the weaker immune system – such as sick people or under chemotherapy.

What’s more, according to pest expert Ron Harrison, it would take barely a second for flies to contaminate our food: “They only need to touch your food for a second so that their paws and small hairs On their bodies transfer all the germs of things rotten that they ate directly on your plate, “he said.


Source:https://howafrica.com/if-a-fly-touches-your-food-stop-eating-right-away-heres-why/

The maritime industry is ripe with opportunity for women. According to the International Labour Organization, women account for only 2% of the total workforce in the industry, and this has led to the unprecedented awareness about work opportunities for women.

Former African Union Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma called for greater participation of women in maritime industries, especially in the development of Africa’s Blue Economy, as this could further develop the continent’s maritime industries and result in economic development.
Elizabeth Marami, 28, has made history by becoming Kenya’s first female marine pilot. Born and bred in the coastal city Mombasa, Marami initially studied law at the University of Nairobi, but later changed course and went on to pursue navigation in Alexandria, Egypt for 5 years. “I always grew up knowing that I wanted to do something different, Something out of the ordinary. Being awarded a scholarship to pursue this career was God’s answered prayer…,” she says.



Her job as a marine pilot entails assisting vessels with coming into territorial waters because according to law, vessels entering a country’s territorial waters may not progress to the harbor without officials.

Entering the industry was not easy task for Marami. “Two years ago, I wanted to be the first female captain in the country,” Marami says in her video trailer for “Against the Tide.” But the number of times I got turned down made me convince myself that I was okay with an office job,” she added. Marami was inspired to continue with her pursuits when she came across an article about Kate McCue, America’s first female captain of a megaton cruise ship.



Working in a male-dominated industry has had its challenges for Marami, including earning the respect of senior management as a female profession. She says that “every new day comes a new experience and lesson”. Adding “I have had those who have accepted me, helped me become better, and there have been some rejections that stung so hard I almost gave up, but overall I’d say I have certainly grown a thick skin.”
Here’s a video of her story and her initiative “Against the Tide”.

She is often the only female on board for sometimes 18 months at a time, and like in most professional settings, mutual respect and being a team player keeps her and the team in good standing.

If she wasn’t a marine pilot, Marami would have pursued a career in fashion and writing. In fact, she has her own fashion blog where she shares pictures and fashion tips, as well as personal essays.

She started an initiative for women in the maritime industry called “Against the Tide,” anonline platform that provides “a glimpse into the experiences and travails of a female seafarer, both successful and unsuccessful career paths of these gallant women pursuing their seafaring dreams, and how they are charting their path in this profession.”


Source:https://howafrica.com/meet-kenyas-first-female-marine-pilot-elizabeth-marami/

The Presidents of France, Yemen, Macedonia e.t.c are the world’s youngest presidents. They are all below age 45.

In Africa, it’s a rarity to find a country led by a man who is less than 45.

The world’s youngest leaders hail from across the globe — from democracies, monarchies, and dictatorships in Eastern and Western Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Africa takes a back stage as no current leader in the continent is below age of 40.

Here are list of seven current young leaders:

Emmanuel Macron

Born: December 21, 1977 Amiens, France

Age: 39

Country: France

Office: President of France

Declaration date: 14 May 2017



Macron is the President of France and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, having assumed these offices on 14 May 2017. A former civil servant and investment banker, he studied philosophy at Paris Nanterre University, completed a Master’s of Public Affairs at Sciences Po, and graduated from the École nationale d’administration (ENA) in 2004. He worked as an Inspector of Finances in the Inspectorate General of Finances (IGF), then became an investment banker at Rothschild & Cie Banque

2. Saleh Ali al-Sammad

Born: January 1, 1979, Sahar District

Age: 38

Country: Yemen

Office: President of the Supreme Political Council of Yemen

Declaration Date: August 14, 2016.



After the Houthi (a political movement) takeover of the government, Saleh Ali al-Sammad became the senior Houthi leader in Sana’a. Meanwhile, he previously served as a political adviser to President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, appointed in September 2014.

3. Emil Dimitriev

Born: March 19, 1979, Probištip

Age: 38

Country: Macedonia (FYROM)

Office: Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia

Declaration Date: January 15, 2016



Dimitriev was nominated in an interim capacity as prime minister of Macedonia and he assumed office on January 18 following the arranged pre-electoral resignation of Nikola Gruevski, as part of the Przino Agreement.

4. Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

Born: February 21, 1980, Thimphu, Bhutan

Age: 37

Country: Kingdom of Bhutan

Office: Druk Gyapol (King of Bhutan)

Date Of Coronation: December 9, 2006



Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is the fifth and current reigning Druk Gyalpo or “Dragon King” of the Kingdom of Bhutan, after his father Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicated the throne in his favour. He became King at the age of 25 – adding him to the list of one of the world’s youngest presidents (leaders) of a small nation

5. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

Born: June 3, 1980, Doha, Qatar

Age: 36

Country: Qatar

Office: Emir of Qatar

Coronation Date: June 25, 2013



Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is the eighth and current Ameer of the State of Qatar, the fourth son of the previous Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Tamim became Emir of Qatar on 25 June 2013 after his father’s abdication.

6. Kim Jong Un

Born: January 8, 1983, Poyoungyang, North Korea

Age: 34

Country: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Office: Supreme Leader of North Korea

Declaration Date: December 17, 2011



Kim Jong-un is the Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea and supreme leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). Kim inherited leadership from his father, Kim Jong-il and grandfather, Kim Il-sung.

7. Vanessa D’Ambrosio

Born: April 26, 1988 Serravalle

Age: 29

Country: San Marino, Europe

Office: Captain Regent of San Marino

Declaration Date: April 2017



Vanessa D’Ambrosio tops the list of world’s youngest leaders and she is currently the second youngest woman who becomes Captain Regent in the history of San Marino after Maria Lea Pedini-Angelini, who was sworn in at the age of 25. Since December 2016, D’Ambrosio is the Head of Delegation for San Marino to the Council of Europe.


Source:https://howafrica.com/meet-and-be-inspired-by-these-worlds-youngest-presidents-and-leaders-photos/

Cucumber is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. It is a creeping vine that bears cylindrical fruits that are used as culinary vegetables .Spice up your 8 glasses per day of water with a slice or two of cucumber. It’s wonderfully refreshing, but there are amazing benefits to cucumber as well. Cucumbers are cooler than you think.
1. Fat busting:

Do you ever wonder why women put cucumbers on their eyes to relieve puffiness? The photochemical in cucumbers makes the collagen in your skin tighten, thus the lack of puffiness. Did you know that you can rub a cucumber on a problematic spot of cellulite anywhere on your body to lessen the visibility of it? Did you also know that it has the same effect on wrinkles? Wow, it makes purchasing those fifty dollar creams seem a little silly, doesn’t it? You can also rub a little bit under your kiddo’s eyes after a long bout of crying to avoid that puffy ‘I cried for an hour straight’ look.
2. Defogger:

Do you get annoyed when you get out of the shower and you have to fight the fog on the mirror? Who has time for that when the kids will be awake at any moment? Try rubbing a slice of cucumber on the mirror before you hop in and not only will you get a fog-free mirror, but you’ll have a nice smell that will boost your mood.
3. Headaches:

If you suffer from headaches from chasing your babies all day (or pets or your husband), or had a little too much wine with dinner and want to avoid a hangover, eat half of a cucumber before bed. Cucumbers are high in B vitamins, sugar, and electrolytes, and they replenish the nutrients missing in your body to help you avoid a hang over or to beat that headache that’s been threatening to take over.
4. WD-40 replacement:

Did you know you can get rid of a squeak by rubbing a cucumber on the hinge? Wow, now you don’t have to tear your garage apart looking for that little can with the red straw, and the baby won’t wake up when you slowly open the nursery door to check on him.
5. Crayon on the walls:

Take an unpeeled cucumber and rub the crayon off of the walls in the event that your kiddo left you some art. You can also use this technique to erase a pen mistake.
6. Halitosis killer:

Take a slice of cucumber and put it on the roof of your mouth. Hold it there with your tongue for 30 seconds. The photochemical that you love for cellulite and puff reduction will also kill the bacteria that is causing your bad breath.
7. Tarnish remover:

If you’re finding tarnish on your stainless steel kitchen faucets and appliances? Rub it off with a cucumber slice. Not only will it remove years of tarnish, it will leave it streak free and your hands will thank you, and your kids won’t be put at risk from a dangerous chemical.
8. Energy booster:

If you’re feeling tired in the afternoon, don’t give Starbucks your five bucks. Instead, grab a cucumber. There are just enough carbohydrates and B vitamins to give you a longer-lasting and healthier boost of energy than soda, coffee, or those health hazard energy drinks.
9. Munchy madness:

Did you know that European trappers ate cucumbers for energy and to keep from starving to death? If those big burly manly men can eat a cucumber to keep from starving, you can eat one as a healthy choice when the munchies hit. Slice some up and take them in a small plastic container to the movies if your theater doesn’t offer healthy alternatives to munching on butter soaked popcorn.
10. Frugal facial:

Slice up a cucumber and boil it in a pot of water. The chemicals inside of the cucumber will mix with the steam. Remove the pot from heat and lean over it, letting the steam hit you. Your skin will be more radiant and healthy, and you will feel relaxed and rejuvenated.
11. Shoe polish:

Cut a slice off of your cucumber and rub it on your shoe. It will not only shine it up, but it will repel water.
12. Pest control:

Put three or four slices of cucumber in a small pie tin and place them in your garden. The chemicals in the cucumber have a smell that pests hate. You won’t smell it, but it will drive them from your garden all year long. Replace them periodically.
13. Sunburn:

Sometimes sun block doesn’t always protect your little ones from sunburn. If you have burnt little kiddos you don’t have any aloe, rub some cucumber on them. Many doctors even use cucumber to treat patients with irritated skin and sunburns.
14. Blood pressure:

Cucumber has been long used to treat high blood pressure. If you have it, add cucumbers to your daily diet. There is also ongoing research into the use of cucumbers for lowering cholesterol.15. Constipation remedy: The seeds of a cucumber are a diuretic. If you’re constipated, try eating a cucumber. If you suffer from chronic constipation, add cucumber to your daily diet


Source:https://howafrica.com/14-amazing-things-never-knew-cucumber/

When Donald Trump, the Republican Party’s candidate in the United States of America’s presidential race, alleged that President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party candidate, Hillary Clinton were the founders of ISIS, he drew much consternation from the public. It seemed like another of his trademark rants but the reality is, though it might not be Obama and Clinton as individuals who are to blame, the United States is culpable and should take responsibility for the monster ISIS is.

ISIS is the creation of a reckless and unapologetically selfish US foreign policy. It is a global problem born of imperialist agendas. It is a United States foreign policy project gone wrong.
The ISIS Problem

In 1999, Abu Mus’ab al-Zarqawi, a Sunni extremist founded The Organisation of Monotheism and Jihad which became the Al Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI) in 2004 after he pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Laden. According to the National Counterterrorism Center of the USA, “The group targeted Coalition and Iraqi forces and civilians to pressure foreigners to leave Iraq, reduce popular support for the US and Iraqi Government, and attract recruits.”

Zarqawi was killed in a 2006 airstrike and the group later became the Islamic State of Iraq, becoming the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham and then simply Islamic State in 2014. To put the effects of IS (as it is now known) into context, START conducted a study and revealed, “Between 2002 and 2015, more than 4,900 terrorist attacks were carried out by groups or organisations affiliated with the organisation now known as the Islamic State. These attacks caused more than 33,000 deaths and 41,000 injuries, and involved more than 11,000 individuals held hostage or kidnapped.” The attacks by ISIS are further said to have represented 13% of all terrorist attacks, 26% of all deaths, 28% of all injuries and 24% of all kidnap victims or hostages due to terrorism in the same period. With its social media savvy leadership, the group has managed to recruit more and more people resulting in more attacks in the most unlikely of places. No one is safe anymore.
The USA Connection

ISIS is one terrorist group which could have been history by now if the USA and her allies really intended to do away with it. In fact, it might have barely seen the light of day not for the confused policies of the US. A seven page leaked US intelligence report written in August 2012 put online by Judicial Watch proves the US knew of the harm its presence in the Middle East was making. Not only that, but the US was also aware of the potential of the then skirmishes between the Syrian Assad regime and rebels taking a “clear sectarian direction”. The United States was also aware that, “The Salafist, the Muslim Brotherhood and AQI (Al Qaeda In Iraq) are the major forces driving insurgency in Syria.” By now it is clear that AQI morphed into ISIS. However, the final revelation is even more telling.

The document says, “The West, Gulf Countries and Turkey support the opposition, while Russia, China and Iran support the regime.” The opposition has already been established to be the AQI, and the Salafist and Muslim Brotherhood so in 2012, America and her friends were in support of AQI. To further prove the culpability of America, the report states in page 5, “If the situation unravels there is a possibility of establishing a declared or undeclared Salafist principality in Eastern Syria, and this is exactly what the supporting powers to the opposition want in order to isolate the Syrian regime, which is considered a strategic depth of the Shia expansion.”

With a judgment clouded by the lingering possibility of overthrowing Bashar al-Assad, the USA and her allies chose to side with one of the deadliest terror groups to ever operate in the world. President Vladimir Putin in answering a question regarding ISIS from a US journalist at the Valdai International Discussion Club in 2014 asked important questions (rhetorical) that called for much United States introspection. He said, “Another threat President Obama mentioned was ISIS. Well, who on earth armed them? Who armed the Syrians that were fighting with Assad? Who created the necessary political and informational climate that facilitated this situation? Who pushed for the delivery of arms to the area?”

There are no prizes for guessing the answer to President Putin’s questions. He further probed on the financing of IS arguing that most of the fighters in Syria were mercenaries funded by the US who defected for money to the IS. Where does IS get this money from? From the oil fields it has occupied in the region. The more important question is: Who is buying IS’s blood oil? Are the buyers really anonymous? Is the United States of America’s celebrated CIA unable to track who these buyers are? That is unlikely.

The buyers are known and yet they are not under sanctions, the same sanctions which are a tool the United States is only too happy to use to prop up its imperialist ambitions.


Source:https://howafrica.com/this-is-the-leaked-documents-that-showed-usa-created-and-still-funds-isis/

Ugandans hoping to travel abroad have been left stranded after the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs ran out of stock for ordinary passports.


Fred Mwesiga, is the father to Jacob Mwesiga who is seeking treatment abroad, after he was attacked and beaten by thugs. Now the lower part of his body is paralyzed. He is also stranded and is desperate for a passport for his son. The longer it takes for him to get one, the higher the risk of his son losing his life. “I need to be assisted, they should help us because this passport issue has affected me a lot,” Fred Mwesiga said. He wants his son to get treatment and go to school like other children.

However, officials at the Ministry of Internal Affairs do not see Mwesiga’s case as urgent. They have run out of passports and the remaining few are to be issued to emergency cases only or to students traveling abroad for studies.

Passports for emergency cases only
In the absence of passports the few available are reserved for the sick people going for surgery abroad. The commissioner for Passport Control Nicholas Ongodia told DW that demand was high hence straining the meager resources. “We have been issuing about 700 passports per day, we had a spike of applications caused by labor exports to the Middle East,” Ongodia said.

Uganda prints its passports in the United Kingdom. According to a ministry official who did not want to be named, Uganda has unpaid arrears. This has forced the printers to hold the productions of new passports.

The Ministry found itself in a similar situation in 2016 when ordinary passports ran out, stopping the issuance of new passports and renewals. Ongodia could not specifically address the arrears but said his department was running on a tight budget amidst growing demand. “Since 1998, we have operated under a budget ceiling which we haven’t broken yet but our demand for passports has been going up.”

Since the ministry issued a statement calling for only emergency cases, the usually long queues of people along Potbell road, outside the passport office, waiting to get passports or hand in their applications, reduced. Musa Ochaya was due to travel to Libya where he works as a nursing officer. He shared his frustration with DW. “They are telling us that booklets are over, that we should wait for two months and yet for us we want them in just one week,” Ochaya complained.

Ochaya said his case was very urgent. “I understand that there are books which are there, they should work on us first, and then later look at other people,” he added. Among those affected were people who had already paid for express passports, which are normally, charged twice the usual amount. It is at times like these that corrupt officials take advantage of desperate applicants.


Source:https://howafrica.com/ugandan-government-runs-out-of-passports/

Mohamed Salah is now the most expensive African footballer ever, following his £40million move from Roma to Liverpool.

The 25-year-old Egyptian scored 15 goals and laid on 13 assists in 31 Serie A fixtures, to attract the attention of Jurgen Klopp.

Salah's former club Chelsea will also be due a cut on the sale, which amounts to around £2.7million.

Last year, the Reds made Senegal international, Sadio Mane, the costliest player from the continent, after the forward completed a £34million ($45.5million) transfer from Southampton.

Manchester City paid £28million ($37.5 million) to Swansea City for Wilfried Bony in 2015, while Emmanuel Adebayor's move from Arsenal to Manchester City in 2009 cost the Etihad side £25million ($33.4million)


Source:https://howafrica.com/its-official-egypts-mohamed-salah-becomes-most-expensive-african-player-with-liverpool-move/
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This is Former Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo been pulled like a goat to the slaughterhouse. He was once upon a time the most powerful man in the Ivory Coast, now he is on trial for war crimes. And this picture is evidence of the fact that power isn’t permanent. Those present arrogant government appointees must take a cue from this.

Today is their day but tomorrow wouldn’t. There’s a revolution going on all over the world and citizens are beginning to wake up to their rights.



Image result for Laurent Gbagbo arrested











Source:https://howafrica.com/from-grace-to-disgrace-lesson-for-all-african-leaders-photos/

Three weeks after a Nigerian Professor, Maduike Ezeibe of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, claimed to have discovered a cure for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), Spanish scientists over the weekend said five patients living with the disease are virus-free seven months after taking a new vaccine.

According to a study published in New Scientist but first reported by DailyMailUK Online, the treatment, developed by researchers in Spain, allowed the patients to stop taking regular antiretroviral (ARV) drugs – the current method of suppressing HIV.

Scientists have yet to test the results in a large-scale clinical trial, but they say the vaccine may be a “functional cure.”

It is the first step towards success in a field that has failed to find a vaccine in the last 30 years.

Dr. Beatriz Mothe, from the IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain, said: “It’s the proof of concept that through therapeutic vaccination we can really re-educate our T cells to control the virus. This is the first time that we see this is possible in humans.”

Mothe and her colleagues used an HIV vaccine made by Professor Tomáš Hanke from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom (UK).

The study included 13 participants, who had taken ARVs for a little over three years on average – all within six months of being infected.
After four weeks, eight of the patients saw the virus rebound. But the other five patients have gone six to 28 weeks without having to restart the treatment.

The virus became temporarily undetectable, but it has never gone above 2,000 copies per milliliter, which is the criterion to restart treatment.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, told The Guardian Nigeria yesterday that there is no cure for HIV/AIDS as claimed by Ezeibe. “No, there is no cure for HIV. It is important that we do not deceive our people. There is no cure for HIV. However, treatment is available that allows those infected to live healthy and productive lives. We encourage everyone to get tested, know their HIV status and if positive, get treatment in one of many centres in Nigeria. Treatment is free,” he said.

Ihekweazu said NCDC wants to avoid giving false hope to patients who may now abandon their Anti Retro Viral (ARVs) drugs thus leading to an increase in prevalence and mortality from the disease. He said the agency also does not want a situation where the trust of partners and donors in the country’s health system is lost.

How about the claim of HIV cure by Prof. Ezeibe? The NCDC boss said: “Science is universal and there is no place for sentiments when it comes to science. While I would love for this breakthrough to come from Nigeria, there should be no emotional considerations in assessing the validity of scientific evidence.


Source:https://howafrica.com/good-news-new-aids-vaccine-cures-5-patients-without-drugs/

On Wednesday, Egg Films’ Sunu took home Gold, two Silvers and Bronze in the Entertainment for Music and Media categories at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the world’s most prestigious advertising awards.
Sunu won for directing the music videos and brand films for One Source, Native VML’s campaign for Absolut starring Khuli Chana, Sarkodie, Victoria Kimani and other African musicians.
“For a long time, South African creatives looked overseas for inspiration,” says Sunu, who shot One Source in Ghana. “In contrast,One Source is a celebration of the creative revolution taking place across the continent as we embrace who we are as Africans. All credit to Native VML, Absolut and Pernod Ricard for seeing the opportunity in showcasing Africa in a completely different light on a global stage.”
Khuli, Native VML’s Jason Xenopoulos and Ryan McManus, and Pernod Ricard’s Melanie Campbell presented One Source as a case study on the mainstage during Cannes Lions – an honour in itself, considering other speakers included the likes of Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg, Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan Manuel Santos, and stars like A$AP Rocky, Steven Gerrard and Halle Berry.
One Source topped South Africa’s iTunes charts and was nominated for Best Music Video at The South African Music Awards and Metro FM Awards. The campaign was also the most nominated and most awarded campaign at South Africa’s Bookmarks.
“This was a collaboration of truly talented people,” says Egg Films’ producer Kerry Hosford. “We’re immensely grateful to have been able to work with a brave agency and client who allowed us to make work that stands out, at a time when so many brands in SA are playing it safe.”
Going into Wednesday night’s awards, Egg Films and their sister company Arcade Content had all seven of South Africa’s shortlists in the Entertainment and Entertainment for Music categories at Cannes Lions, as well as the only Media shortlist from South Africa. These converted into a Grand Prix, a Gold, two Silvers, and two Bronzes.



Source:https://howafrica.com/one-source-watch-the-african-music-video-that-wowed-cannes/

According to the psychologists who study body language, sitting position talks about people’s intentions. The point is that we do that unconsciously, and because of that, through our sub consciousness, it manifests our hidden instincts and wishes. We will see what people’s intentions by the way they place their legs while sitting are.

Position A – sometimes people prefer sitting in this position and want to lead themselves by the principle: If I cover my head with a blanket, the monster will go away! They believe that the issue will resolve on its own. Sometimes, such an approach works and people are happy, but sometimes not, and in that case the problem is being pointed to someone else. It is quite easy to communicate with such people, they are not boring, they switch easily, and they rarely process the same thought for a period of one week. These people are very creative, charming, and a little childish. They will say something first, and then think about what they did.
Position B – those people who sit in this position are dreamers. They have a great imagination and want to dream of things. People call them “the soul of the team or the company”. It is never boring with them as they often generate new, and sometimes amazing ideas. They want to travel and make new friends easily. They will impatiently wait for Monday or the New Year in order to start a new page in their lives, as everything can start at that instant, without much thinking about it. They will quickly change their appearance, partner, business, city, and even a state – all of this is completely normal for them.
Position C – these people know what comfort looks like. They may not spend their weekend going to the mall and making their style perfect, but they can spend lots of time in choosing the right perfume or cream. Their relationship toward clothes can be very complicated, thus, they are very capricious and choosy. They are often surrounded with a so called “chaos”, but in what others consider it a chaos, there is a certain logical system: the owner can find all the necessary things with closed eyes. These people’s main weakness is the inability to focus on something special, and cannot concentrate for a longer period of time. Moreover, they easily go off the topic.
Position D – those who sit in this position do not want to be late, and they do not want others to be late, too. They are smart, intelligent, sensitive, and believe that bad peace, is better than a good quarrel. These people feel uncomfortable if someone shows their feelings in a public place (whether it is a passionate kiss or a quarrel of the spouses). If the person wants to seat with the legs connected, and relying on the whole foot, then this person is open, direct, and maybe a bit insolent. Moreover, he or she is very neat by nature. If in this position, the person wants to raise the upper part of the foot, relaying on the heels, be sure, that even though they seem restrained, they are actually ready to oppose everyone. The world, for this person, is an unfriendly surrounding, and his or her house is a come kind of a shelter, fortress behind whose walls they may hide from all the troubles. Any objections on their account is considered an allusion that something is not OK with them, and instantly starts a counterattack.
Position E – these people do not rush and if they enter a marriage they won’t rush to create a family, before they gain education and get a career, as they believe everything has its own time. They are characterized as persistent (which can sometimes turn into stubbornness) and they hasten towards the life’s aim. Ambitions are the main encouragements for these people to forget about their vagaries and move forward to the place where dreams come true. Their appearance is highly important to them and no one is aware what they will do to maintain the perfect form. There is a small insecurity somewhere deep in their soul, and often accept criticism (even a friendly and constructive one) with objections.


Source:https://howafrica.com/what-does-your-sitting-position-say-about-your-personality/