[WASHINGTON - VOA by Ayen Bior] He was once called a Lost Boy but today, his official title is Councilor-Elect.

Chol Majok won the 3rd District Common Council seat in Syracuse, New York, this week, becoming the first former refugee in city history to do so, according to Onondaga County’s Board of Elections.

Majok arrived in Syracuse 18 years ago with other Lost Boys of Sudan -- a group of 20,000 boys who were displaced or orphaned during the second Sudanese civil war in which about 2 million were killed. He was 16 years old and anxious to begin building his life.

He lived in foster homes until he turned 18, and although he was there for just two years, he says the conditions he experienced in the system changed his life. Read more on VOA

[Mwaakilishi, Nairobi Kenya, John Wanjohi] US technology conglomerate, Cisco has appointed Kenyan Sally Kimeu as Country Leader and Regional Manager for its East Africa operations.

[Chevenning] Dr Chuor de Garang Alier (MD, MMed-OBGY), an MSc student in Clinical Embryology at the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health, was given the top prize in awards which celebrate the academic achievements of African and Caribbean students in the UK.

[New York, USA, TCT] President of the United States Donald Trump wants nations of the world to bring to an end religious persecution.

“Today, with one clear voice, the United States of America calls upon the nations of the world to end religious persecution,” said the President during the Global Call to Protect Religious Freedom event at the United Nations, an article originally published in www.Caffeinatedthoughts.com.  

[Juba, South Sudan, ST] South Sudan and neighbouring Kenya have signed an agreement granting citizens from the two countries free visas.

The agreement, an official said, was inked last week.

[Yei,South Sudan, TCT] Yei - Rainbow FC girls’ football beat their City Stars FC counterpart to win the football trophy in Yei River State. The colorful game was played at Yei freedom square attended by thousands of fans including officials from state government and nongovernmental organizations in the town.

[Juba, South Sudan, TCT, by Philp Buda] Jubilant residents of Juba’s Gudele Block 7 neighborhood  on November 7, witnessed the laying of a foundation stone  for the construction of Gudele General Modern Hospital by South Sudan vice president James Wani Igga.

[Juba, South Sudan, TCT, By Francis Mading] A member of South Sudan Alliance of Opposition Parties and a political activist, Abdul Karim Kamoun, welcomed the decision postponing the formation of the unity government for another 100 days, describing the decision as a natural procedure.

[Juba, South Sudan, TCT, By Philip Buda] The UK-Aid- funded Girls’ Education South Sudan (GESS) phase two program has kicked off its second round of cash transfers to girls in candidates classes including Primary 8, Senior 4 and primary 5 across the country. GESS, in May this year launched its second phase program with a budget of about 70 million Sterling Pounds which will be implemented in five years from 2019 to 2024. The first program budget was about £ 60 million which ended in 2018.

[JUBA , 03 November, 2019 /(ACI Africa).- 

With the citizens of the youngest nation of the world, South Sudan, seemingly torn between apprehension and optimism against the backdrop of reports that the vice-president designate, Dr. Riek Machar wants the long-awaited November 12 date for the Transitional Government postponed yet again by another six months, the Catholic Bishops have delivered a message of hope and called on the citizens to “keep heads high.”

[Juba, South Sudan, TCT, By Francis Mading] Ethiopia’s state minister for Petroleum, Koang Tut Lam, said his country could save between 15-20% of the $3.4 billion used to import up to 4 million tons of refined oil from the Middle East yearly.

[Juba, South Sudan, TCT, By Philip Buda] The South Sudan national Ministry of Health has sent about 30 doctors on full scholarship to Ethiopia to pursue further training on various specializations in the field of medicine.