Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Hopes rose on Wednesday that the Democratic Republic of Congo’s election saga may have turned a corner after opposition leaders reached out to President Joseph Kabila. The country is in flux over a thrice-delayed presidential vote, with the announcement of official results now postponed, …
Read More »South Africa blame ‘politics’ for humiliating loss to Egypt
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | As South Africa reeled Wednesday after a humiliating defeat by Egypt in a contest to decide the new 2019 Africa Cup of Nations hosts, the blame game began. South African football officials said the 16-1 vote in favour of Egypt in Senegal Tuesday was “political” without offering insight. Confederation of …
Read More »Bashir backers stage Sudan rally as rival demo planned
Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Crowds gathered Wednesday in Sudan’s capital in a show of support for the embattled regime of President Omar al-Bashir following several weeks of deadly anti-government protests. The rally by hundreds of backers of Bashir, who has ruled Sudan since 1989 when he swept to power in an Islamist-backed coup, …
Read More »Salah retains African award to seal great day for Egypt
Dakar, Senegal | AFP | Mohamed Salah completed a memorable day for Egyptian football by retaining his African Player of the Year award in Senegal Tuesday. The 26-year-old Liverpool star finished first with club-mate Senegalese Sadio Mane and Arsenal and Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the other finalists. “I have dreamt of winning this award since …
Read More »DR Congo election results could be counted in ’24-48 hours’: official
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Provisional results of the much-delayed Democratic Republic of Congo’s presidential election could be counted in “24 to 48 hours,” a top electoral official said on Tuesday. The elections, postponed three times over the last two years, were to choose a successor to long-term President …
Read More »Somalia’s Puntland picks ex-minister as regional president
Mogadishu, Somalia | AFP | Businessman and politician Said Abdullahi Deni was elected president of the semi-autonomous state of Puntland in northern Somalia on Tuesday in a vote by regional lawmakers. Puntland, like much of the rest of Somalia, has suffered from decades of clan warfare and, more recently, terror …
Read More »Nigeria’s Buhari accepts setbacks in Boko Haram fight
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has acknowledged setbacks in the fight against Boko Haram as the jihadists launched fresh attacks in the restive northeast. The 76-year-old head of state was elected in 2015 on a promise to end the Islamist insurgency, which has killed more than …
Read More »South African train collision kills three, injures 300
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Two passenger trains collided during the morning rush hour in South Africa’s capital city Pretoria Tuesday, killing three people and injuring hundreds, emergency services said. Two critically injured people were airlifted from the scene of the crash in Mountain View, northern Pretoria, spokesman Charles …
Read More »Gunmen kill 10 civilians, children, in east DR Congo
Beni, DR Congo | AFP | Ten civilians including children and relatives of soldiers were killed overnight in a raid by armed men in restive eastern DR Congo, officials said Tuesday. “There was an incursion yesterday (Monday) around 23:00… in the village of Mavivi” north of Beni, local administrator Donat …
Read More »Mozambique says working with US over ex-minister arrest
Maputo, Mozambique | AFP | Mozambique said Monday it was working with US and South African authorities after its former finance minister was arrested in Johannesburg over $2 billion in alleged secret loans to Mozambican state companies. Manuel Chang, 63, was arrested on December 29 and will appear in a …
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