AFRICA

Bangui, Central African Republic | AFP | France on Tuesday handed over 1,400 AK-47 assault rifles and three amphibious vehicles to the Central African Republic to shore up its beleaguered armed forces. French Defence Minister Florence Parly oversaw the handover at a ceremony at M’Polo military base in the capital …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Streaming giant Netflix announced on Monday that it will launch the platform’s first original series made in Africa in 2019, adding that it planned further investment in productions on the continent. “#QueenSono — Africa’s first Netflix original! A thrilling story about a kickass female …

Maputo, Mozambique | AFP | Mozambique’s government said on Monday that it had identified 30,000 “ghost employees” in its civil service who cost $250 million between 2015 and 2017. Some of those on the government payroll, which accounts for 55 percent of the poor African country’s state expenditure, did exist …

Washington, United States | AFP | The United States said Monday it would forbid entry into the country of former Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh and his family over corruption during his 22-year rule. Under a US law that bans foreign officials involved in “significant” corruption or human rights abuses, the …

Mogadishu, Somalia | AFP | Somalia was plunged into fresh political problems on Monday after a motion to impeach President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed for alleged abuse of office cleared a key hurdle. Parliament speaker Mohamed Mursal agreed late Sunday to accept the motion, signed by 92 out of 275 legislators. …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | South Sudan will vaccinate key health workers against Ebola close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, which faces a new epidemic, the World Health Organization said Monday. The ministry of health’s vaccination campaign, with cooperation from the WHO, will target healthcare and …

Libreville, Gabon | AFP | Gabon’s President Ali Bongo, out of the country since falling ill in October, suffered a stroke, his vice president said, providing the first official details of his illness. The 59-year-old leader left hospital in Morocco earlier this month and is recovering at a private residence …

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Amnesty International on Monday said the International Criminal Court should start a full-blown investigation into atrocities committed in the Boko Haram insurgency, accusing Nigeria of failing to bring those responsible to justice. ICC chief prosecutor Fatma Bensouda opened a preliminary examination in 2010 into eight …

Bukavu, DR Congo | AFP | A rapper critical of outgoing President Joseph Kabila was abducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern city of Bukavu overnight, his father told AFP on Sunday. Akim Bufole Corneille, 26, was taken by unidentified people as he left a karaoke party, where he …

Bukavu, DR Congo | AFP | A rapper critical of President Joseph Kabila was abducted in the eastern DR Congo overnight, his father said Sunday amid rising tensions two weeks ahead of landmark elections. Akim Bufole Corneille, 26, was taken by unidentified kidnappers as he left a party in Bukavu, …