Cecelia Johnson has voted in five Liberian presidential elections and lived through two brutal civil wars, but the 65-year-old small trader says the past few years have been some of the toughest, economically, in memory.When she goes to the polls for Liberia’s presidential and parliamentary elections on October 10, Johnson, like many Liberians interviewed by AFP, …

Rising prices, peace on Liberian voters’ mindsFri, 11 Aug 2023 13:40:25 GMT Read More »

A rubber dinghy brings back dozens of people from one of six boats the Tunisian coastguard intercepted in a 24-hour period off Sfax, a migrant launchpad for Europe.”Our priority is to save lives,” said Mouhamed Borhen Chamtouri, a commander of Tunisia’s coastguard, as the dinghy headed towards the speedboat that had spotted the migrants on …

Migrant crisis: 24 hours at sea with Tunisia’s coastguardFri, 11 Aug 2023 10:24:29 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma reported back to prison on Friday only to be swiftly released, in a government move lashed by the opposition as a “monumental insult” to the public.In the latest twist arising from a sentence for contempt of court, Zuma was ordered to report back to jail, arriving at 6:00 am …

S.Africa’s Zuma quickly released after reporting to prisonFri, 11 Aug 2023 09:48:33 GMT Read More »

West African leaders have approved the deployment of a “standby force to restore constitutional order” in Niger, an intervention that will take place as soon as possible, Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said Thursday.The ECOWAS regional bloc did not provide details on the force to be deployed or the timetable for action against the military …

West African bloc backs military ‘standby’ force for NigerFri, 11 Aug 2023 03:17:45 GMT Read More »

Four months into a battle both believed they would win, Sudan’s army has lost its grip on Khartoum to paramilitaries, who are unable to declare victory and instead are accused of waging war on civilians.When fighting began on April 15, Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was certain it would be over “within two weeks”.His …

After 4 months, Sudan war stalemated and plagued by abusesFri, 11 Aug 2023 01:40:26 GMT Read More »

West African leaders have approved the deployment of a “standby force to restore constitutional order” in Niger, an intervention that will take place as soon as possible, Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara said Thursday.The ECOWAS regional bloc did not provide details on the force to be deployed or the timetable for action against the military …

ECOWAS backs military ‘standby’ force for NigerThu, 10 Aug 2023 21:58:36 GMT Read More »

Violence in Cape Town eased after a week-long minibus taxi strike that paralysed the city and left five dead including a British tourist, police confirmed on Thursday.The strike, which stranded commuters in one of South Africa’s largest cities, was called off on Thursday evening after long negotiations. No new violence has been reported since Tuesday. The …

Briton among five dead in Cape Town strike violenceThu, 10 Aug 2023 19:43:56 GMT Read More »

The West African bloc ECOWAS, which on Thursday said it will muster a “standby force” against the coup leaders in Niger, has a long history of military interventions in the region.The 15-member Economic Community of West African States, which is dominated by Nigeria, has previously sent troops into a number countries since 1990. – Liberia – In …

When West African states intervene in their neighboursThu, 10 Aug 2023 19:17:22 GMT Read More »

The president of the Central African Republic said his country wanted good relations with France, in an interview that followed years of tension fuelled by the CAR’s rapprochement with Russia.”We are not against France,” President Faustin Archange Touadera said in an interview with AFP and France’s TV5 Monde.”I have just received France’s new ambassador to …

C.African president says ‘not against France’ despite tensionsThu, 10 Aug 2023 16:49:59 GMT Read More »

Violence in Cape Town appeared to have eased after a week-long minibus taxi strike that paralysed the city and left five dead including a British tourist, police confirmed Thursday.News of the toll came as the strike in one of South Africa’s largest cities — which has stranded commuters — was extended at least until Friday, …

Briton among five dead in Cape Town strike violence: policeThu, 10 Aug 2023 16:43:10 GMT Read More »