Ivory Coast toxic saga two jailed

Two men have been sentenced to 25years by a court in Abidjan, Ivory Coast following 500 tons of toxic waste which was dumped by a ship Probo Koala in 2006. It was chartered by a Holland oil trader Trafigura. The company said management and government reached a 150 million euro out of court settlement.Tommy the owner of a local waste disposal company in Abidjan was sentenced to 20 years for dumping the toxic waste whiles a port worker who recommended Tommy was similarly sentenced to 5 years jail term, 7 others were acquitted.

Congolese journalist wins UNDP award

The Congolese journalist Emmanuel Pweto, working for Africa news and Radio RTGA Kinshasa, has won the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Award for journalism development in 2008. This award is given by the UNDP on the occasion of International Day for the Fight against Poverty. This day is celebrated each year on October 17.The first competition held in DR Congo, to propose a report and analysis of the poverty situation in the DRC, cases of gender issues and violence against women and girls, issues related to environment, the health and the promotion of democratic governance.

SA: Crime-fighting unit abolished

Parliament in South Africa has voted to abolish the country’s independent crime-fighting unit, the Scorpions. The body has been behind several high-profile political investigations, including a corruption probe against ruling party leader Jacob Zuma. He is expected to become president after polls next year.Opposition parties accuse the governing African National Congress of waging a political campaign against the unit. The parliamentary debate and vote had been seen as formalities, as the ANC had already spelled out plans to disband the Scorpions.

Djibouti to go to war with Eritrea

Djibouti’s president has said his country will have to go to war with Eritrea unless the UN acts to resolve growing tension over a border dispute. Djibouti has accused Eritrea of invading its territory and its ambassador to the UN said Eritrea had been avoiding mediation. Eritrea has said it had no territorial ambitions.Both France and the US have troops in Djibouti. Its border with Eritrea is at a key strategic point on the Red Sea. But Eritrean ambassador Araya Desta said his country wanted “the cultivation of good neighbourly relations with Djibouti”.