AFRICA

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudan’s national carrier aims to revive its fleet by procuring new components from Boeing and Airbus after Washington lifted its 20-year-old trade embargo on Khartoum, a minister said Sunday. Sudan Airways, one of the oldest airlines in Africa, has 12 of its 14-strong fleet of aircraft …

Tunis, Tunisia | AFP | Tunisia’s health minister died of a heart attack on Sunday after taking part in a charity marathon to help battle cancer, officials said. Slim Chaker, 56, fell ill after running some 500 metres (yards) and then making a speech at the start of a race in …

Accra, Ghana | AFP | Ghana’s government on Sunday promised to tighten safety at fuel stations across the country after seven people were killed and scores more injured when a tanker truck carrying natural gas caught fire in the capital and triggered explosions. The fire and blasts in the Legon area …

Monrovia, Liberia | AFP | Liberian presidential candidate George Weah on Friday denied contact with ex-leader Charles Taylor as controversy erupted over the former warlord’s alleged behind-the-scenes role in the country’s politics. After stepping off a helicopter on his return to the capital, Monrovia, from a nationwide tour ahead of elections …

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | A leaked memo from Nigeria’s minister of state for oil has shown that irregularities in the state-owned oil giant remain entrenched, despite official vows to root out the “cancer” of graft. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari to report on questionable practices in the …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Up until a few years ago, Sudanese engineer Ahmed Abdallah used to manage his family’s expenses on his $400 monthly salary but he has since had to take out loans to make ends meet. With the US State Department’s announcement Friday of an end to some …

Abuja, Nigeria | AFP |  Arsenal forward Alex Lwobi sent Nigeria to the 2018 World Cup finals with the winning goal in a 1-0 African qualifying victory over Zambia on Saturday. The Super Eagles became the first African team to advance to Russia after taking an unassailable lead atop Group …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudan on Friday welcomed the US decision to end its 20-year trade embargo against Khartoum as a “positive decision”. Earlier Friday, Washington announced it was ending the embargo, citing improvements made by Sudan in its human rights record. “The leaders of Sudan, the government of Sudan …

Maiduguri, Nigeria | AFP | Greater international cooperation is required to defeat Boko Haram and neutralise the threat from the Islamist militants in Nigeria and beyond, military commanders and politicians said this week. The jihadists, who are allied to the Islamic State group, have destroyed swathes of remote northeast Nigeria since …

Niamey, Niger | AFP | Niger has declared three days of national mourning in memory of four of its soldiers killed alongside three US Green Berets in an ambush, state television said Friday. The joint patrol came under fire on Wednesday in southwestern Niger near the border with Mali, in what …