Daily News on the Issues Affecting Africa for January 7th

Continue reading for a summary of recent news stories relating to some of the most pressing issues on the continent. We draw on a wide range of respected news sources, both from Africa itself and around the world. The themes of today's In the News post are updates on the State Department's remarks regarding peace talks in South Sudan, CAR's continued struggle with violence, the murder of the Rwandan opposition's former head of external intelligence, economic interests of Sudan and South Sudan, the effect of Ugandan anti-gay laws internationally, public health concerns in Ghana, changing South African political climate, and Chinese decision to destroy ivory artifacts from Africa.

State Department on start of direct talks on South Sudan
Today the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) announced the start of direct talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, between the parties to the conflict in South Sudan. We are grateful for IGAD's extraordinary efforts to convene the parties and strongly support the efforts of its mediators, former Minister Seyoum Mesfin and General Lazaro Sumbeiywo. The parties must use these talks to make rapid, tangible progress on a cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access, and the status of political detainees. We urge the Government of South Sudan to uphold its commitments and release political detainees immediately. – State.gov
To read more, please visit the State.gov site here.

Nearly a million flee violence in Central African Republic
As the violence in the Central African Republic reaches unprecedented levels, aid organizations say the number of internally displaced people edges toward a million, further hampering humanitarian relief efforts. The nearly 935,000 displaced people are hiding in bushes and seeking refuge with host families, and churches and schools have been turned in to makeshift shelters. More than half the population of the capital city of Bangui has been displaced, and nearly 60% of them are displaced children, according to the latest report from UNHCR, the United Nations' refugee agency. – CNN
To read more, please visit the CNN site here.

Karegeya murder: Tough times for Rwanda opposition
Rwandan opposition groups have been rattled by the murder of Patrick Karegeya, former head of external intelligence, who was found dead in a Johannesburg hotel. Mr Karegeya's body was discovered on January 2 in his room at the Michelangelo Hotel; the police said he was suspected to have been strangled. A rope around his neck and a bloodied towel were found in the room. Opposition groups in and outside the country have condemned the incident. – The East African
To read more, please visit the East African site here.

Sudan and South Sudan agree to protect oil fields
Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to consider setting up a joint force to protect vital oilfields during the ongoing crisis in the South, Sudan's foreign minister has said. The discussion was broached on Monday during a visit to Juba by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, where South Sudan requested talks on deploying a joint force to secure at-risk oil fields. – Al Jazeera
To read more, please visit the Al Jazeera site here.

Ugandan ambassadors face hard time over anti-gay law
A number of Ugandan ambassadors on foreign missions have pleaded with parliamentarians to explain anti-gay laws that were recently passed by the legislature, as they were having a hard time explaining these to their host nations. Some ambassadors claim that some foreign capitals have threatened to shut down Ugandan embassies, due to what they describe as the draconian anti-gay laws passed by the East African nation's parliament last December. – The Africa Report
To read more, please visit the Africa Report site here.

Ghana: Home for some, e-waste dump for world
The e-waste dump Agbogbloshie exemplifies the downside of globalization: It's the bitter end of a supply chain where children, instead of going to school, wander barefoot gathering bits of salvaged metal for pennies. Black, poisonous smoke darkens the sky above Agbogbloshie, the final destination for electronic waste shipped from all over the globe. Some 50,000 people, including many children, live here - at one of the world's largest e-waste dumping grounds. – allAfrica
To read more, please visit the allAfrica site here.

South Africa, unequal by design
South Africa is not happy. Not only has the country lost its first black president, Nelson Mandela, but it is now facing its deepest crisis since its democratic transition in 1994. A host of challenges face the country in the new year: protests and strikes continue to hobble key industries; gold prices (and, concomitantly, the value of the rand) are projected to fall; and economists have cut their forecast for economic growth due to high unemployment and a lack of foreign investment. Adding to this cloudy forecast for 2014, inequality in the country has remained sky-high, despite two decades of African National Congress (ANC) power. – Foreign Policy
To read more, please visit the Foreign Policy site here.

China destroys tons of ivory in landmark move
China has for the first time destroyed a large quantity of confiscated ivory, in a public event described by conservation groups as a landmark move. Just over six tons of carvings, ornaments and tusks amassed over the years were fed into crushing machines. State media say the move aims "to discourage illegal ivory trade, protect wildlife and raise public awareness." – BBC
To read more, please visit the BBC site here.