World leaders attend Chirac funeral in Paris

World leaders attend Chirac funeral in Paris

Heads of state from across Africa and the globe gathered in Paris Monday for the funeral of former French president Jacques Chirac, but among those who didn’t were a few notable exceptions. African leaders on hand for the funeral at Saint Sulpice included President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville, as…

Tunisia’s Essebsi honored with state funeral

Tunisia’s Essebsi honored with state funeral

Tunisians on Saturday bid farewell to President Beji Caid Essebsi, the 92-year-old leader who died Thursday at a military hospital in Tunis following years of service to the North African nation. Essebsi’s state funeral included throngs of people in the streets who came to honor him, lining the route between…

Coup leader killed as Ethiopia plans state funerals

Coup leader killed as Ethiopia plans state funerals

Ethiopian officials say the military leader behind Saturday’s coup attempt in the Amhara region was killed Monday, as the country honored a national day of mourning. Brigadier General Asamnew Tsige, who served as head of the Amhara region’s Peace and Security Bureau, was killed by security forces in Addis Ababa….

Congolese welcome home the body of Etienne Tshisekedi

The body of longtime Congolese opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi arrived Thursday evening in Kinshasa as his son Felix – now the nation’s president – waited expectantly at the airport. The younger Tshisekedi then accompanied the body during a formal procession that stopped at his home and at the headquarters of…

Musician Mtukudzi laid to rest in Zimbabwe

Burial services were held Sunday in Zimbabwe for musician Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi, whose legendary music was beloved across the world. The 66-year-old Mtukudzi, considered a cultural icon in Zimbabwe for his Afro-jazz style as well as his philanthropy and political activism, was laid to rest in his hometown of Madziwa….

Vietnam begins two-day funeral honors for President Quang

Funeral services were held in Hanoi on Wednesday to honor President Tran Dai Quang of Vietnam, who died on Friday after a serious illness. He was 62. The ceremonies began at 7 a.m. local time, with Acting President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh burning ceremonial incense and leading state officials to…

South Africa’s Zuma family grieves loss of son to lupus

In South Africa, the family of former president Jacob Zuma – mourning the loss of his son, Vusi Nhlakanipho Zuma – issued a statement Wednesday explaining that the 25-year-old died at the weekend from complications of lupus. Services will be held Saturday in Johannesburg, followed by burial at the Westpark…

DRC: Commission to finalize plans for Etienne Tshisekedi burial

Congolese sources say there’s a new deal to complete the burial arrangements for longtime political opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, who died in February 2017 in Brussels but 14 months later still has never had his remains repatriated to Democratic Republic of Congo. The Tshisekedi family, along with the Union for Democracy…