AFRICA

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma on Tuesday threw his weight behind the ex-head of the country’s tax collection agency who was recently sacked by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The move pitted Zuma directly against his successor Ramaphosa, who came to power in February when …

Lusaka, Zambia | AFP | Zambian police on Tuesday questioned opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema for allegedly fuelling attacks on Chinese nationals, in a sign of growing political tension in the country. Hichilema, of the United Party for National Development, was last year detained for four months for alleged treason in …

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | A 48-year-old man appeared in court on Monday accused of attempting to defraud people around the world of $20.5 million by pretending to be Nigeria’s First Lady. Julius Anyawu Uche was charged with 10 offences under cybercrimes legislation after scam emails were sent in the …

Kano, Nigeria | AFP | Boko Haram jihadists at the weekend attacked three military bases in northeast Nigeria, putting the spotlight on insecurity in Nigeria just three months before presidential polls. On Sunday, fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) faction attacked a base in Metele, a remote …

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria’s opposition leader Atiku Abubakar launched his presidential campaign on Monday vowing to create millions of jobs to tackle rising inequality and insecurity in Africa’s top oil producer. Seated for a nine-minute address streamed live on Facebook and Twitter, Abubakar laid out his plan to …

Tshikapa, DR Congo | AFP | A soldier in the Democratic Republic of Congo attacked a congregation of mourners, shooting dead five people and injuring ten others, police sources said Sunday. The motive of the shooter was unclear, they said after the overnight attack in the city of Tshikapa in …

Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday put the fight against corruption at the heart of his bid for another four-year term, as official campaigning got under way for elections next year. Voters go to the polls on February 16, four years after Buhari’s landmark victory …

Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso | AFP | In Burkina Faso, a country struggling to contain jihadist violence, education is one of the victims of the insurgency, with hundreds of schools closed, teachers in hiding and pupils kept indoors over the fear of attacks. In the conflict-ridden north, more than three years …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Efforts to fight a deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s restive eastern Beni region have resumed after a brief suspension following clashes, the World Health Organization said Sunday. “On Sunday, all activities have re-launched, including vaccination,” the UN health agency said in …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will pay back 500,000 rand ($35,000) donated to his campaign fund by a firm with links to his son after admitting he misled parliament, an official said. Ramaphosa has staked his reputation on fighting corruption after his predecessor Jacob …