Fuel choking Africa

LAGOS: Much of Africa’s population is being choked by deadly fuel banned in Europe and the US, a campaign group said on Friday, blaming international trading firms that sell high-sulphur fuel to the continent.

Public Eye, a Swiss-based group that campaigns on fair trade, public health and other issues, said standards that permit 200 times the sulphur content of Europe’s fuel allowed the sale of dirty-butcheaper products. – Reuters

Familiar speech

ABUJA: Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari plagiarised quotes from US President Barack Obama in a speech promising change in the West African country.

Last week, Buhari gave a speech to launch a campaign titled “Change begins with me,” part of his credo to end graft in Africa’s biggest economy which is gripped by mismanagement and poverty despite sitting on vast energy reserves. – Reuters

DRC’s US appeal

WASHINGTON: A senior adviser to Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila said on Friday he was on a “pleading mission” to Washington to press US officials to support talks between the government and opposition on setting up new elections and not to impose sanctions that could hurt the process. – Reuters

Somalia attacks

MOGADISHU: Somalia’s Islamist militant group al Shabaab attacked a town in a region near Kenya’s border, killing at least seven Somali soldiers, officials said.

The group regularly attacks Somali forces in its campaign to oust Somalia’s Western-backed government, and pulled its fighters out of El Wak overnight. – Reuters