Voters Head to the Polls in Malawi 
Millions of voters cast their ballots Tuesday in Malawi’s general election, reports the BBC. The nation is electing a president and a new parliament. While there are seven presidential candidates, most consider to two main contenders being current President Bingu Wa Mutharika and John Tembo leader of the Malawi Congress Party. With a large voter turnout (6 million votes cast at nearly 4,000 polls) many are expecting the results to be close. The results of the vote are expected by Thursday. Mutharika’s predecessor, Bakili Muluzi (who has already served two terms as president) recently threw his support behind Tembo after a court ruled he could not run for a third term, reports the news service. Because of a disagreement with Muluzi, his former supporter, Mutharika quit the United Democratic Front to form his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party in 2005.
 
 

Accused Albino Killers on Trial
Eleven people accused of killing 12 albinos are on trial in Burundi, reports the BBC. All of the defendants have denied murder charges and if they are found guilty, they face life in prison. In recent months, murders of albinos in East African nations have increased, with 50 people losing their lives, BBC reports. Albino body parts taken from Burundi are sold in nearby Tanzania, authorities say. Witchdoctors have claimed that potions that include albino body parts will bring clients success and good luck. While officials in Burundi are starting to crack down on the killings, more can be done says an organization fighting for albino rights.

Several large blasts erupted at an ammunition facility in central east African nation Tanzania Wednesday, killing at least three and injuring more than 150, reports The Associated Press. The explosions, which went on for two hours, set houses ablaze around the Bagala Army Camp in Dar es Salaam. Bullets, bombs and other kinds of ammunition exploded in the incident, and officials are still trying to gather details on the tragedy. “We have formed a team to assess the source and the loss incurred,” the nation’s deputy defense minister told reporters. Such ammunition dumps in the country can be dangerous and can go off easily, reports the AP.

Tanzanian Train Wreck Was Done Deliberately Sunday’s deadly train wreck in Tanzania was done deliberately, police in the nation say. The crash, which involved a passenger train hitting a stationary cargo train, killed seven people. Police say the crash was orchestrated so that the perpetrators could steal gasoline from the fuel tanks. Authorities have arrested seven people in connection with the incident including the cargo train driver and the station master, reports the BBC. The crash occurred in Dodoma’s Mpwapwa District.

Missionaries Are Booted From Morocco Five missionaries trying to convert Muslims to Christianity were recently kicked out of Morocco. Attempting to convert Muslims is against the law in the nation and the five women (four from Spain, one from Germany) were caught “red-handed,” according to the nation’s interior ministry spokesman. Authorities found videos in Arabic when they broke up their “Evangelical” meeting. The women were sent to Spain on a ferry. Morocco’s population is predominately Sunni Muslim, but the nation has prided itself on its religious tolerance, reports the BBC. However the government has come under some scrutiny from rights groups who claim those who practice the Shia form of Islam are discriminated against. And in fact, the nation recently broke all diplomatic ties with Iran, accusing the embassy of trying to convert Moroccans into Shias, the service reports.

Ivory Coast Stampede Kills 22
A stampede during a World Cup qualifying match killed at least 22 people in the Ivory Coast Sunday, reports the BBC. More than 130 were hurt. The stadium, Houphouet-Boigny arena, was packed with 36,000 fans on hand to see the home nation take on Malawi. The problems started when thousands attempted to squeeze into the venue. “Lots of fans showed up. They started pushing to get in because the match was about to start and each and every one of them wanted to get in,” Ivorian Interior Minister Desire Tagro told local media. The weight caused a wall to collapse, reports say. This sent fans into a frenzy. Stadium authorities attempted to calm the crowd; police reportedly even sprayed the fans with tear gas. The incident happened before the match, but the game was allowed to continue and Ivory Coast ended up beating Malawi 5-0. Even though the stadium recently had been renovated, the massive crush of people overwhelmed its infrastructure. 

Train Crash Kills 15 in Tanzania
A train crash in Tanzania Sunday left at least 15 people dead. The tragedy occurred in the nation’s Dodoma region when a passenger train ran into a stationary cargo train, reports the BBC. The bodies of more victims might still be trapped in the wreckage, leading some, like Dodoma’s regional commissioner William Lukuvi, to worry that the death count could go up. “We are investigating the cause of the accident, which has already claimed at least 15 lives. Cranes have been ordered to help separate the crumpled wreckage and retrieve bodies,” Lukuvi told The Associated Press. The African nation saw its worst train accident back in 2002 when a train crashed into a passenger train, killing 200.

Tanzania Witchdoctors Arrested
On the heels of yet another albino murder, three Tanzanian traditional healers have been arrested by authorities. When they were arrested, they were traveling in a car using a public address system to announce that they were still in business, reports the BBC, despite a government ban. Tanzania’s government banned their practice to prevent the murders of albinos, whose body parts are sometimes used in potions. The people who kill albinos sell their body parts (hair, skin, limbs and more) to the witchdoctors to make the potions that, they believe, will make people rich. Not too long ago, a 14-year-old albino girl was murdered. There have been 45 albinos murdered in the nation since 2007. In the past year, 200 people have been arrested in connection with the albino killings, reports the news service. There are an estimated 200,000 albinos in Tanzania out of a total population of 40 million people.  

The Mother of Nigerian Sextuplets Dies
Just a few days after giving birth to sextuplets, Nigerian mother Ajoke Bello passed away due to complications, reports the BBC. On Thursday, Bello, 32, had a Caesarean section and gave birth to six babies, three boys and three girls. The babies, born in stable condition, were conceived naturally. Unfortunately, their mother suffered excessive bleeding after birth and passed away early Sunday morning. “It was an unfortunate incident. The doctors and nurses at the hospital put in their best to ensure that the woman lived,” said an official from the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital. “She was under close monitoring as the medical team did not leave any stone unturned to ensure that she was alive,” he said. Charities have been making donations for the babies and a local leader visited Bello Saturday assuring her that the government will do whatever it can to help her family, reports the BBC. Behind India, Nigeria has the second highest rate of maternal mortality, according to stats from the World Health Organization.

Tanzanian Teachers Beaten in Front of Their Students Teachers at low-performing school in Tanzania were caned by officers in front of their students.   In all, 19 teachers were beaten after a report blamed the low exam results on teachers either showing up late to work, being absent from work or not teaching the official curriculum. Atrivus Leonard, one of the teachers who were caned, has not been back to work since the incident. “I have not been able to teach since this happened. I feel inferior to the children now,” he told the BBC. The nation’s teachers union is looking to sue District Commissioner Albert Mnali, who ordered the teacher caning. “The caning of our teachers is shameful,” the union chairman told the BBC. “We have informed the police in Bukoba that we will be marching through the town to demand the government takes disciplinary measures against Mr. Mnali. We want him to leave, he is not fit for his job,” he said. The incident happened in the east African nation’s city of Kagera. National education officials are condemning the caning. The country’s deputy Education Minister Mwantumu Bakari Mahiza, called the actions “abnormal” and said that whoever called for the canings “should have their heads examined.”

Rioting Erupts on French Caribbean Isle of Guadeloupe Violent protests on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe have led to dozens of arrests, reports the BBC. The protests, which began last month, are over the nation’s rising cost of living. The island uses the euro and many residents don’t believe their pay is matching up with the skyrocketing prices. Police used tear gas to try to disperse the crowds, protest organizers say, which left many injured. But law enforcement officials say they were forced to respond after getting pelted by stones. Tourism is a major money generator, and the protests have reportedly caused thousands to cancel their vacation on the island.

Tanzanian husband tries to sell his albino wife. Police caught a man in Tanzania trying sell his albino wife for $3,000, reports the BBC. He allegedly tried to make the sale to two businessmen from Congo, police say. His wife (who’s not pictured) did not know she was about to be sold. Albinos have been a target for killings in the country, mainly because many witchdoctors claim that albino body parts make their magic potions stronger. Police arrested the husband, a fisherman, after receiving a tip. The businessmen, though, escaped and are thought to have returned to their native country, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Tanzania has asked the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to help find them. Just since March, at least 27 albinos have been murdered in the country. Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has ordered a crackdown on such killings, and 170 witchdoctors have been arrested as a result. The condition affects about 1 in 20,000 people all over the world, but it seems like the figure is much higher in Tanzania. According to the Albino Association of Tanzania, while there are only 4,000 registered albinos in the nation, there could actually be as many as 173,000. The nation is conducting a census to find out what the real number is.

The world isn’t doing enough to help Congo, says agency. When it comes to helping out with the crisis in Congo, the world is dragging its feet, said Oxfam International head Juliette Prodhan. The latest fighting in the nation, between government troops and rebels lead by Tutsi Gen. Laurent Nkunda, has caused 250,000 people to flee from their homes. “There appears to be no urgency in the international community’s talks on the crisis, but this is a deeply urgent situation. The world is failing in its responsibility to protect the Congo’s innocent civilians,” Prodhan said in a written statement, reports CNN. The refugee camps to which many flee are in poor shape, with constant outbreaks of disease due to unsanitary conditions. Workers from Oxfam have visited camps across the Democratic Republic of Congo and found that “civilians continue to face widespread brutality.” Rape and forced labor are also prevalent throughout the nation and are on the rise. There are United Nations peacekeepers in Congo, but they have been ineffective in stopping violence. In total, the country has 17,000 international peace troops and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has asked the European Union to send in 3,000 troops. With the country’s suffering, Oxfam is teaming up with other organizations to provide help. “It’s a traumatized population of people who didn’t have very much. They’ve been on the road now for weeks, and they’ve lost everything they have, and they’re in a very vulnerable situation,” Oxfam spokesman Chris Black told the news service.

Tanzania announces crackdown on albino murders. On the same day a 10-year-old albino girl was murdered and mutilated, the government of Tanzania announced a crackdown on those who kill albinos and sell their body parts, reports the AFP. Sorcerers buy the body parts of albinos intending to use them in good luck potions. The girl was murdered just a few hours after the country’s president, Jakaya Kikwete, announced a heightened crackdown on these killings saying they have “stained the country’s good image.” And the notion that albino body parts can bring good luck is just ridiculous and lazy, he said at a rally put on by the Tanzania Albino Society (TAS). “It is utterly stupid for some people to believe that albinos have magic powers and their parts can make the rich,” he said. “People should be provided with education to understand that it is only through hard working that they can prosper in life and not through selling albinos’ body parts.” But murders of albinos in the east African nation, 26 just this year (mostly women and children), are a problem. Last year it was even reported that some people were digging up graves of albino infants to remove body parts of ritual potions. And TAS leader, Ernest Kimaya, doesn’t think authorities are doing enough to stop the tragedies. “We are yet to witness any convictions and incidents; murder of albinos are on the rise,” he said. “I have a case of one albino woman who has been hiding for more than three months after her sister was killed. This is a very serious case. We are calling upon the government to address the problem.” Kikwete said 47 thought to be involved with albino killings have been arrested this year. There are about 150,000 albinos in the country; some families murder albino babies when they are born. An albino appointed to the nation’s parliament on a special seat is confident the murderers will be captured. “The criminals involved in these superstitious networks should know that their days are numbered,” Al Shaymaa Kwegyr said.

Europeans will give the Caribbean over $212 million. In an effort to help development in the region, the European Commission (EC) is set to donate over $212 million (165 million Euros) to the Caribbean, reports Caribbean News Net. The money will be placed in the European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Program for the Caribbean.  The aid was discussed during a European Partnership Agreement (EPA) meeting in Antigua. The money will go towards the Caribbean’s e-commerce, cultural industries and trade among other areas, according to CARIFORUM-EU-EPA negotiator Karl Falkenberg. And, according to Antigua’s Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, the cash flow won’t stop there. At a recent meeting, Caribbean countries will also get some of the two billion Euros reserved for the World Trade Organization. “Recognizing that the traditional pool of EDF resources available to the region will have to be augmented, the EC and its member states have committed making available to CARIFORUM countries an equitable share of the 2 billion Euros set aside for ‘Aid for Trade.’ Signing the EPA will immediately pave the way for engaging the EC in respect of access to those funds.”

Albinos in the east African nation of Burundi have left their homes over fears they will be killed by people wanting to sell their body parts in nearby Tanzania.  At least four are currently under the watch of police in Ruyigi, reports the BBC. The actions come after an Albino girl was murdered in August and after two murdered albinos were found with their legs and arms missing. There have been 26 albinos killed in Tanzania in under a year. Witchdoctors, who believe they use albino body parts to create potions to make people rich, are thought to be behind the bizarre killings. In fact, after the killing of a teen albino, six of her attackers came back to the murder scene to get her body parts. After they were arrested, they told police they wanted to sell her parts in Tanzania. There are an estimated 200 albinos currently living in Burundi.

Thieves steal food from Haiti’s needy. Thieves recently stole food that was supposed to go to Haiti’s storm victims and tried to sell it, reports Reuters. Authorities in the nation devastated by four back-to-back tropical storms, raided three storehouses of the stolen food on Tuesday. Officials were tipped off by residents who were upset that rice, that was supposed to be free for people who needed it, ended up being sold for profit. “A lot of people were buying the rice because it was much cheaper compared to prices on the regular market. You can read on the bag ‘Donated by Taiwan’ and on some other bags we read, ‘U.S. Rice,” said Yvon Jerome, mayor of Carrefour, the city where the crime took place. The food will be given out to needy families again, the mayor said. The consecutive storms that battered Haiti, which was already the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, killed at least 800 people and left almost the entire town of Gonaives under water. Police are still investigating and looking for suspects in the food thievery but are still unsure how big the operation was.

Stampede at Tanzanian disco party leaves 19 dead. A disco party in Tanzania celebrating the end of Ramadan turned for the worse with a stampede that left 19 people dead. Most of the deceased are young people between the ages of 12 and 17. According to early investigations, a stampede and suffocation in the hall were the cause of their deaths. The stampede “was caused by a commotion in the disco,” a local police commander told the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation. Several people were also taken to the hospital for their injuries. The party was a part of the Eid al-Fitr celebrations marking the end of Ramadan, the holiest month on the Muslim calendar. Police are still investigating.

Jamaican reggae star cleared on tax evasion. A judge in Jamaica threw out reggae star Beenie Man’s tax evasion case. Authorities in the nation accused the Grammy winner and Kingston native of owing almost $1 million in back taxes, reports CNN. But the judge cleared Beenie Man (whose real name is Anthony Moses Davis) of the charges because officials did not let him know his legal rights when they turned in their report last year.

World Lens: A new South African leader is sworn in; Colombian prison has a beauty pageant; and Naomi Campbell showed up at Milan’s Fashion week. See pics.