AFP Africa

As Sahel countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso fell to military junta rule in recent years, Niger’s Mohamed Bazoum stood as one of the region’s few remaining pro-Western, democratically elected leaders.He came to power in 2021 — the country’s first president to do so in a peaceful transition — and later called that a …

Mohamed Bazoum: Niger president never far from coup threatThu, 27 Jul 2023 03:27:18 GMT Read More »

African migrants pleaded to be saved from a desert zone between Libya and Tunisia on Wednesday, weeks after Tunisian authorities allegedly dumped dozens of them there with nothing.”We are dying. We are dying by the minute,” a Nigerian who wanted to be identified only by his first name, George, told AFP.”Please, I’m begging you. Take …

‘We are dying’: Migrants’ plea from Libya-Tunisia borderThu, 27 Jul 2023 00:08:55 GMT Read More »

An attempted coup was under way Wednesday in the fragile state of Niger, where members of the Presidential Guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum, triggering a standoff with the army, sources said.The head of the West African bloc ECOWAS said Benin President Patrice Talon was heading to Niger on a mediation bid after the region was …

‘Coup attempt’ in troubled Niger as president held by guardsWed, 26 Jul 2023 21:11:45 GMT Read More »

Here are five things to know about Niger, where the country’s president was being detained by guards in what the African Union on Wednesday condemned as an “attempted coup”.- Parched and poor -Niger, a vast west African country that is two-thirds desert, is one of the world’s poorest nations.Half of its 26.2 million people live …

Five things to know about NigerWed, 26 Jul 2023 15:59:24 GMT Read More »

Opposition leader Raila Odinga told AFP Wednesday that he would not hold talks with President William Ruto without a third-party mediator after months of anti-government protests.Since Odinga urged Kenyans to take to the streets in March, his Azimio alliance has held nine days of protests against the government, with the demonstrations sometimes spiralling into looting …

Kenya’s Odinga rules out talks over protests without mediatorWed, 26 Jul 2023 15:10:28 GMT Read More »

An attempted coup was underway Wednesday in the Sahel state of Niger as President Mohamed Bazoum was being held by members of his guard, who in turn were given an ultimatum by the army, sources said.The West African bloc ECOWAS, the African Union and the European Union condemned what they called an “attempted coup d’etat,” …

‘Attempted coup’ in troubled Niger as president heldWed, 26 Jul 2023 14:55:27 GMT Read More »

Barbie dolls are flying off the shelves in South Africa as “Barbie” movie mania has hit the country’s shores, with toy stores seeing a cotton candy-hued boom in sales. The iconic toy, known for its blonde mane, blue eyes, and pink clothing, has been a household name in the southern African nation for decades — but …

Barbie sales shoot up as movie frenzy hits S.AfricaWed, 26 Jul 2023 14:21:14 GMT Read More »

More than 1,000 supporters of South Africa’s leading opposition party took to the streets in Cape Town on Wednesday to protest a controversial law aimed at increasing the employment of black people.The Democratic Alliance (DA) party and some businesses in the country say the so-called “race quotas” legislation could see qualified workers lose their jobs …

March against S.Africa ‘race quotas’ draws 1,000 in Cape TownWed, 26 Jul 2023 12:32:20 GMT Read More »

Members of Niger’s Presidential Guard on Wednesday sealed off the residence and offices of President Mohamed Bazoum, a source close to Bazoum said, describing the move as a “fit of temper” by the elite troops and that “talks” were underway.The landlocked West African state is one of the most unstable nations in the world, experiencing …

Presidency sealed off, ‘talks’ underway in coup-prone NigerWed, 26 Jul 2023 11:30:45 GMT Read More »

Weary Kenyans on Wednesday voiced cautious optimism for an end to political unrest after President William Ruto said he was ready to meet opposition leader Raila Odinga “anytime” following months of anti-government protests.Since veteran politician Odinga urged Kenyans to take to the streets in March, his Azimio alliance has held nine days of protests against …

Kenyans hope for end to demos as Ruto offers to meet oppositionWed, 26 Jul 2023 09:14:31 GMT Read More »