West Africa’s regional bloc appealed for unity on Thursday after emergency talks on the withdrawal of three coup-hit countries from the group.The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) extraordinary session also addressed President Macky Sall’s decision to delay elections in Senegal, a major concern for the region that came just a week after Burkina …

Fractured West African bloc appeals for unityThu, 08 Feb 2024 23:24:12 GMT Read More »

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday that an end to crippling power cuts was “within reach” and pledged thousands of new jobs in a key speech ahead of knife-edge elections this year.With his historically dominant African National Congress (ANC) party struggling in the polls, Ramaphosa used a state of the nation address to highlight …

S. Africa’s Ramaphosa pledges jobs, end to power cuts in key speechThu, 08 Feb 2024 20:37:34 GMT Read More »

A California museum on Thursday returned seven royal artefacts to Ghana’s traditional Ashanti king to commemorate his silver jubilee in the first planned handovers of Ashanti treasures looted during colonial times. The ceremony came as pressure grows for European and US museums and institutions to restore African artefacts stolen during the rule of former colonial powers …

Ghana’s Ashanti king receives looted royal artefacts from US museumThu, 08 Feb 2024 17:51:55 GMT Read More »

Civilians facing bombs, thousands forced to flee and lost children — aid organisations have sounded the alarm over the impact of escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where fresh fighting erupted on Thursday.Clashes between M23 rebels and pro-government forces that have gone on for more than two years have intensified in particular in …

Aid groups sound alarm over escalating DR Congo violenceThu, 08 Feb 2024 16:18:30 GMT Read More »

Earth has endured 12 consecutive months of temperatures 1.5C hotter than the pre-industrial era for the first time on record, Europe’s climate monitor said Thursday, in what scientists called a “warning to humanity”.Storms, drought and fire have lashed the planet as climate change — supercharged by the naturally-occurring El Nino weather phenomenon — stoked record …

World sees first 12 months above 1.5C warming level: climate monitorThu, 08 Feb 2024 15:10:08 GMT Read More »

Ethiopian lawmakers on Thursday approved the appointment of intelligence chief Temesgen Tiruneh as deputy to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in a high-level reshuffle that comes as the country faces rumbling internal conflicts, a food crisis and regional tensions.In other moves, Abiy’s foreign policy aide Taye Atske Selassie was named foreign minister, while national security advisor …

Ethiopia names intelligence chief as new deputy PMThu, 08 Feb 2024 14:44:57 GMT Read More »

Ivory Coast’s victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals on Wednesday leaves them just 90 minutes away from completing arguably the most remarkable turnaround in major international tournament history.Sebastien Haller’s goal was enough to give the host nation a 1-0 win over DR Congo at the Ebimpe Olympic …

Back from the dead: Ivory Coast on verge of remarkable AFCON triumphThu, 08 Feb 2024 14:17:08 GMT Read More »

Senegalese civil society groups on Thursday urged mass action after this month’s presidential poll was deferred to December, as President Macky Sall sought to quell public outcry and faced global pressure. The normally stable West African nation has plunged into its worst political upheaval in decades after lawmakers backed Sall’s decision to postpone the February 25 …

Senegal civil society calls for mass action over delayed electionThu, 08 Feb 2024 14:02:48 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Thursday give his most important state of the nation address in an election year when his ruling party risks losing its parliamentary majority for the first time.Ramaphosa, 71, must rally support behind the scandal-tainted African National Congress in the speech to lawmakers at Cape Town City Hall at …

S. Africa’s Ramaphosa under pressure in state of the nation speechThu, 08 Feb 2024 12:29:41 GMT Read More »

Fresh fighting erupted between M23 rebels and pro-government forces Thursday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after deadly clashes forced thousands from their homes near a key provincial capital, residents said.Local people contacted by phone told AFP fighting broke out in several villages between the M23 rebel group and armed loyalist groups calling themselves “patriots”.The …

Fresh fighting erupts between DR Congo rebels, loyalists: residentsThu, 08 Feb 2024 11:59:45 GMT Read More »