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Kenya to start direct US flights after security clearance

Kenyan airlines have been granted security clearance by US authorities for direct flights to the United States, Kenya’s minister of transport said on Thursday, having improved infrastructure at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Kenya now has Category 1 security and safety status and hopes that will allow it to boost trade with the U.S. and increase its share of American …

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Abubakar Adam Ibrahim: Northern Nigeria’s ‘literary provocateur’

In his first novel “Season of Crimson Blossoms” Abubakar Adam Ibrahim speaks openly about female sexuality, broaching a taboo subject in conservative northern Nigeria. Gwendolin Hilse reports. “Because they were alone in the house and she had always wanted to do it and couldn’t contain herself, she groaned out loud. With his tongue, he had set free something deep inside her. …

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Berlin’s international film festival opens, features African networking platform for the first time

The 67th Berlin International Film Festival – Berlinale – kicks off on 9 February in the German capital city. The Berlinale is one of the biggest international film festivals alongside the Cannes and Toronto film festivals. Up to 400 films are shown every year, mostly international or European premieres, and the festival, the world’s second largest audiovisual event, sells more …

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Renaissance opens its first hotel in Sub-Saharan Africa in Lagos

  Renaissance Hotels, a worldwide brand of hotels and resorts owned by Marriott International, has announced the opening of its first hotel in Sub-Saharan Africa – the Renaissance Lagos Ikeja Hotel located in Nigeria’s commercial centre. Mark Satterfield, chief operating officer, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International said: “We are delighted to mark the debut of Renaissance Hotels in Nigeria …

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Gambia: British tour operator evacuating holidaymakers

British tour operator Thomas Cook started evacuating nearly 1,000 holidaymakers from Gambia on Wednesday (18 January) after President Yahya Jammeh declared a state of emergency on his final day in office, increasing the chances of civil unrest. In a statement on its website, Thomas Cook said it had activated its contingency plans and was laying on extra flights in the …

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Ethiopian Airlines announces new flights to link Africa and China

Ethiopian Airlines has concluded preparations for new flight links to Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province. The carrier will launch the three weekly flights on 3 June 2017. Chengdu is the seventh largest city in China and is the country’s western centre of logistics, commerce, science, and technology, as well as a hub of transportation, manufacturing, and communication. Group …

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You want to keep your New Year resolutions? You should read “Between You and Your Purpose”!

Lucidly written, its precepts are very inspiring, writes Femi Awoniyi in his review of Germany-based Achille Nguemnang’s motivational book. Divided into short chapters and focused on particular themes, the book Between You and Your Purpose contains wisdom keys to overcome the hurdles between you and your goal – be it career, personal, whatever goal you have set for yourself. Being …

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Nigeria changes date for closure of Abuja’s airport

Nigeria plans to close the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in the capital Abuja for six weeks from 8 March to repair its runway, the aviation ministry said on Tuesday, 3 January, pushing the move back later than previously scheduled. No reason was given for the change of date. The closure is to allow extensive runway repairs which will last for six …

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Lufthansa takes over Brussels Airlines

Lufthansa said on Thursday it was exercising an option to buy the remaining 55 per cent of Brussels Airlines for 2.6 million euros ($2.7 million), and integrate it as a subsidiary of Eurowings, in a move seen to further strengthen the budget carrier’s market position. The purchase was previously approved last September by the Board of Lufthansa Group. The German …

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Nollywood Queens to be crowned in Ludwigshafen, Germany

The crème de la crème of the Nigerian film industry, popularly called Nollywood, will gather in the southwestern German city of Ludwigshafen on Saturday, 3 December. The reason for the gathering is the “Queen of Nollywood” Awards ceremony, which is being held outside of Nigeria for the first time this year. Among those to be honoured at the event are …

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French-Moroccan writer Leïla Slimani wins France’s top literary prize

Moroccan-born Leila Slimani has won France’s top literary prize, the Goncourt, with a novel guaranteed to “scare the wits out of parents”. The chilling tale of a “perfect” nanny who murders the two children she is looking after, “Chanson douce” (roughly translated as “Sweet Song”) is based on the real-life story of a Dominican child-minder shortly to stand trial for …

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