AFRICA

Cairo, Egypt | AFP | An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi to life in prison in an espionage trial in which six of his co-defendants were handed death penalties. Morsi, who has been sentenced to death in a separate trial, was Egypt’s first democratically elected …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has declared a four-month ceasefire in two states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan, where recent fighting between troops and rebels has left scores of casualties, the army said Friday. Bashir’s forces have been battling the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North …

The imminent closure of Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp will stretch Uganda’s already meagre resources for refugees, Hilary Onek, the country’s minister of relief, disaster preparedness and refugees has said. “Uganda is experiencing an influx of refugees who have been living in neighbouring countries but have now been chased,” Onek said. …

Attacks in the Central African Republic have increased in the first three months of the year, with 42 incidents, six deaths and 252 abductions, according to a report by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. United Nations, United States | AFP | The rebel Lord’s Resistance Army is stepping up attacks, …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Eight Kenyan politicians are behind bars on suspicion of hate speech in the latest sign of rising political tensions a year ahead of elections. Three lawmakers from the ruling Jubilee party, and four plus a senator from the opposition CORD alliance, were ordered to be …

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Arch-rivals Ethiopia and Eritrea traded blame Tuesday for one of the fiercest border clashes since a 1998-2000 war, with Addis Ababa warning any further conflict is “up to Asmara.” The neighbours are bitter enemies, with tens of thousands of troops dug into trenches eyeing …

Luanda, Angola | AFP | The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday it had offered Angola $4.5 billion in loans as the country, which was wracked by civil war until 2002, has been badly impacted by falling oil prices. “Angola can receive a maximum $4.5 billion (4.0 billion euros)… the loan …

President Yoweri Museveni is in Luanda, Angola for the 6th Ordinary Heads of State and Government Summit of The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). The Summit is being held under the theme “Accelerating the effective implementation of the Pact and its Protocols for a more democratic and stable …

Banjul, Gambia | AFP | The Gambia has banned music, dancing and drumming during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on pain of being arrested — and people are complying, police said Monday. Ordinary citizens in the small west African country — whose president declared it an Islamic state in …

Bamako, Mali | AFP | As the United Nations looks to extend its most deadly active mission for peacekeepers for another year, those working closely with its venture in Mali say poor local collaboration and funding gaps are costing lives. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has asked the Security Council to …