South Africa’s rugby media gave mixed reviews to the more expansive game played by the Springboks in their 27-20 win in the first Test against Ireland at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.The Afrikaans language Rapport newspaper hailed South Africa’s first win over Ireland since 2016 in a titanic battle between the top two teams in the …

New-look Springboks get mixed reviews after Ireland winSun, 07 Jul 2024 08:58:26 GMT Read More »

A West African leaders’ summit opens on Sunday amid political turmoil after the military rulers of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso cemented a breakaway union at a rival meeting.The three countries announced they were forming a new confederation, and their defiant first gathering on the eve of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) summit …

Junta leaders’ meeting overshadows West African summitSun, 07 Jul 2024 05:29:35 GMT Read More »

The military regimes of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso marked their divorce from the rest of West Africa Saturday as they signed a treaty setting up a confederation between them.The first summit of the three countries, who all pulled out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) earlier this year, also saw calls …

Sahel military chiefs mark divorce from West Africa blocSat, 06 Jul 2024 18:01:13 GMT Read More »

Eritrean sprinter Biniam Girmay won stage eight of the Tour de France on Saturday at a finish line in the village where former French president Charles de Gaulle lived and is buried.Girmay became the first black African to win a stage on the Tour de France on stage 3. “One win on the Tour is amazing …

Girmay wins again as Tour de France remembers WWII hero De GaulleSat, 06 Jul 2024 17:08:08 GMT Read More »

The military regimes of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso marked their divorce from the rest of West Africa Saturday, with Niger’s ruling general saying the junta-led countries have “turned their backs on” the regional bloc.The three country’s leaders are taking part in the first summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), set up after pulling …

Sahel region junta chiefs mark divorce from West African blocSat, 06 Jul 2024 15:11:07 GMT Read More »

A divided West Africa  hosts two presidential summits this weekend — one in Niger between Sahel region military regime leaders, followed by another in Nigeria on Sunday with leaders of a wider economic bloc.Saturday’s summit in Niger’s capital Niamey, will mark the first between the military leaders of a new regional bloc, the Alliance of Sahel …

Divided West Africa hosts two summits this weekendSat, 06 Jul 2024 06:42:53 GMT Read More »

Sierra Leone this week adopted a landmark law banning child marriage — a move heralded by rights groups and foreign partners but leaving some activists demanding more action to end pervasive female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country.Hundreds of thousands of girls are married before turning 18 in the West African nation, where a persistently …

Activists hail Sierra Leone child marriage ban, urge action on FGMSat, 06 Jul 2024 05:30:07 GMT Read More »

Bows and spears to hand, young villagers file through a wood in southwestern Chad, watching their leader for signals as they train to counter kidnappings.Breaking up into small groups, some crouch behind eucalyptus tree trunks while others crawl on through the undergrowth in the early morning sunlight.Another signal is given and everyone stops in their …

Bows at the ready, Chad villagers battle kidnappingsFri, 05 Jul 2024 20:23:52 GMT Read More »

A two-week humanitarian truce began between Kinshasa and M23 rebels on Friday in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s war-scarred east.  The United States announced the truce on Thursday, a day before it was due to begin, and expressed hope for a permanent ceasefire. The truce has not yet been publicly mentioned by anyone in DR …

M23 rebels, DRC begin two-week ‘humanitarian truce’Fri, 05 Jul 2024 18:31:30 GMT Read More »

An American on trial over an alleged coup bid in DR Congo told a court on Friday that he had been forced into participating by his father who led the plot and was later killed. The alleged coup bid struck on May 19 when armed men attacked the home of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe before raiding …

DR Congo ‘coup’ suspect says forced into it by fatherFri, 05 Jul 2024 18:29:41 GMT Read More »