WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The captain and four other Polish seamen abducted from a ship off Nigeria’s coast last week are fine and called their families at home, Poland’s Foreign Ministry said Sunday. “Today the abducted seamen contacted their families in Poland by phone to tell them that they are safe and sound,” the ministry … Continue reading
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — With more than half of Africa’s population expected to live in cities by the year 2050, a gathering in South Africa on Sunday is exploring new models for urban Africa. Hundreds of city officials from across Africa have gathered for the seventh Africities Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, to discuss … Continue reading
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Agents from Nigeria’s intelligence and financial crimes agencies have detained the former presidential security adviser and several others over missing billions of dollars meant to buy weapons to fight Boko Haram. PR Nigeria, which publishes government news, said the Department of State Security on Tuesday took former national security adviser Sambo … Continue reading
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria is slashing its fine on MTN, Africa’s largest telecommunications operator, by more than a third to $3.4 billion, and the CEO of the embattled Nigerian subsidiary has resigned, the company said Thursday. The South Africa-based MTN Group also announced major management changes to strengthen oversight and regulatory compliance across all … Continue reading
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — An American who has been on trial in Kampala for counterfeiting currency notes worth $180,400 will be deported to the U.S. where he faces criminal charges, a Ugandan court ordered Thursday. Ryan Andrew Gustafson pleaded with Magistrate Flavia Nabakooza not to have him deported. “I would rather remain in Luzira (the … Continue reading
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — An appeals court decided Thursday that Oscar Pistorius got away with murder when he stood trial for killing his girlfriend, a ruling that will almost certainly send the disgraced Olympian back to prison. The court overturned his conviction on the lesser charge of manslaughter in the 2013 shooting death of model Reeva … Continue reading
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A leading Kenyan university should have sought authorization from the “highest security office in the country” for a practice exercise to test terrorism preparedness that led to a stampede in which one person died, a police spokesman said Tuesday. Police are discouraging institutions from carrying out drills on their own, said … Continue reading
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Burkina Faso took a step toward strengthening its democracy with the election on Tuesday of Roch Marc Christian Kabore, who will become the West African country’s second elected civilian president since it became independent from France in 1960. Hundreds of Kabore’s supporters chanted “Presi, Presi” after preliminary results released Tuesday … Continue reading
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Britain’s Prince Harry saw the carcasses of a slaughtered rhino and her calf during a visit Wednesday to South Africa’s Kruger National Park, which has been hard hit by poachers. Harry also stepped into a conservation debate in South Africa, saying he believes legalization of the rhino horn trade will “accelerate the … Continue reading
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — Welcomed by a military band and a guard of honor, Chinese President Xi Jinping began a state visit to South Africa on Wednesday, part of China’s effort to strengthen economic ties with Africa. The Chinese government became Africa’s largest international trading partner in 2009, according to the South African Institute … Continue reading
MOMBASA, Kenya (AP) — A court in the coastal city of Mombasa Wednesday sentenced a British national, who authorities say is an extremist who plotted attacks against the country, to nine years in prison for attempting to illegally acquire Kenyan identification documents. Justice Martin Muya said Wednesday the prosecution has proved that Jermaine Grant had … Continue reading
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan police Tuesday tear-gassed a peaceful demonstration in support of government action against corruption in East Africa’s largest economy. About 200 demonstrators held a peaceful march to the Supreme Court and Parliament buildings where they delivered petitions asking those institutions to do more to tackle corruption in Kenya, demonstration organizer Boniface … Continue reading
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Gay activists are hoping Pope Francis will preach tolerance toward homosexuals, and even go so far as to condemn violent attacks against gays during his upcoming visit to Uganda. Church leaders, however, are praying he’ll avoid the issue altogether. The divergent expectations underscore the acrimonious state of the gay rights debate … Continue reading
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Pageant judges have crowned a new winner of Zimbabwe’s 4th annual “Mister Ugly” contest, upsetting supporters of the crowd favorite who called the winner too handsome and prompting rioting at the event. Judges on Saturday chose 42-year-old Mison Sere, citing his numerous missing front teeth and a wide range of grotesque … Continue reading
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Here is a partial list of the victims of Friday’s attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in Mali which killed 19 people confirmed by The Associated Press: ___ —Anita Ashok Datar, 41, American from Maryland; a senior manager at Palladium Group, Peace Corps volunteer and expert in global health. —Zhou Tianxiang, … Continue reading
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali began a three-day mourning period with flags flying at half-staff on Monday for victims of the assault on a luxury hotel full of foreigners, a day after a dueling claim of responsibility emerged. The Islamic extremist group, Al-Mourabitoun, that first claimed responsibility for Friday’s assault issued a new audio recording … Continue reading
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s president reshuffled his Cabinet Tuesday to replace five ministers who are being investigated for graft and one who resigned over the weekend after being accused of corruption. President Uhuru Kenyatta replaced ministers for transport and infrastructure, agriculture, energy and petroleum, and lands and labor, who vacated office in March to … Continue reading
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Using hooks or their bare hands, men, women and children traipse through the murky sludge that pools around the mountains of garbage, hunting for bottles, plastic bags and anything else that can be recycled to earn themselves enough for their daily bread. The scavengers at Nairobi’s notorious Dandora dump are some … Continue reading
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — The body of a suspected suicide bomber was found at the scene of an attack on Tunisia’s presidential guard, and the Islamic State group claimed responsibility Wednesday for the attack that left 13 people dead. Tuesday’s attack on a bus carrying Tunisia’s presidential guards involved about 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of … Continue reading
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia’s president declared a 30-day state of emergency across the country and imposed an overnight curfew for the capital Tuesday after an explosion struck a bus carrying members of the presidential guard, killing at least 12 people and wounding 20 others. The government described it as a terrorist attack. The blast … Continue reading
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali’s president announced on Wednesday that he would bestow medals on the 19 people killed during an assault at a luxury hotel in the capital last week, as funerals were held for three of its employees. “All Malians are moved today,” Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said while announcing the awarding of the … Continue reading
NAMUGONGO, Uganda (AP) — More than 2 million people are expected to converge near a minor basilica in the Ugandan capital where Pope Francis will celebrate Mass on Saturday, an official with the Roman Catholic Church here said Monday even as workers put in extra hours to spruce up the shrine. The shrine is undergoing … Continue reading
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The Kenyan government has declared a national public holiday the day Pope Francis will celebrate Mass here, drawing an expected 1.4 million people. The papal Mass is due to take place Thursday on the grounds of the University of Nairobi. Large crowds are expected to flock to the event. The national … Continue reading
MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) — A teenage boy has died of Ebola in Liberia, a health official said Tuesday, the first fatality since July in one of the three West African countries hit hardest by the worst ever outbreak of the disease. The 15-year-old boy died Monday night, said Dr. Francis Kateh, chief medical officer and … Continue reading
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia’s government has started distributing rations of wheat and cooking oil to people facing hunger in the northern and northeastern parts of the country. The government is now supplying 15 kilograms (33 pounds) of wheat and a half liter (1.3 gallons) of cooking oil per adult in the areas hit … Continue reading
