AFP Africa

Up to nine starters and four replacements will be desperate to impress South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber in a Rugby World Cup warm-up against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday.  They have varying chances of making the 33-man squad of the title-holders for the global showpiece in France, that kicks off on September 8.Nienaber will …

Last chance saloon for Springbok World Cup hopefulsFri, 04 Aug 2023 01:03:59 GMT Read More »

Niger’s junta must “come to reason” and return power to ousted President Mohamed Bazoum before the country and the wider region collapse, Niamey’s ambassador to Washington said Thursday.”If Niger collapses, the entire Sahel will collapse, will be destabilized,” Ambassador Kiari Liman-Tinguiri told AFP in an interview on Niger’s independence day, as the future of Western …

Niger ambassador to US warns coup could destabilize regionFri, 04 Aug 2023 01:02:24 GMT Read More »

Nigeria’s president on Thursday told delegations from a West African bloc to do “whatever it takes” to reach an “amicable resolution” in Niger, as they embarked on talks in Niamey and the region to resolve the standoff following last week’s coup.Regional bloc ECOWAS on Sunday gave the junta a week to reinstate democratically elected President …

Nigerian president calls for ‘amicable resolution’ of Niger crisisThu, 03 Aug 2023 22:36:14 GMT Read More »

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday inaugurated a Chinese-funded power station that he said would go a long way in easing power shortages ahead of national elections. Mnangagwa, 80, who is seeking a second presidential term on August 23, has been on a ribbon-cutting spree as he attempts to portray himself as a go-getter and reassure …

Zimbabwe president opens power plant as election nearsThu, 03 Aug 2023 17:56:08 GMT Read More »

Sierra Leone’s president on Thursday called for “unity” and “dialogue” to overcome deep divisions over the disputed June 24 elections, speaking at the state opening of parliament, which the opposition boycotted.In his address, Julius Maada Bio also admitted to “logistical limitations” during the general elections and said a committee comprising members of civil society and development …

SLeone president calls for dialogue, admits ‘logistical limitations’ in electionThu, 03 Aug 2023 17:44:40 GMT Read More »

The coup in Niger represents a major setback for French President Emmanuel Macron, raising questions about France’s military presence in the country but also the future of his wider strategy in Africa, analysts said. The coup against Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum is the third such putsch in the region in as many years, following similar actions …

Macron suffers new Africa setback with Niger coupThu, 03 Aug 2023 15:57:19 GMT Read More »

Thousands of people rallied Thursday in Niger’s capital in support of the coup that toppled the democratically elected government, as security concerns mounted among Western nations.Demonstrators in the heart of Niamey, some brandishing giant Russian flags, chanted anti-French slogans at the rally called to mark the anniversary of the west African nation’s 1960 independence from …

Coup backers rally in Niger as security worries growThu, 03 Aug 2023 13:51:16 GMT Read More »

Nigerian workers have suspended a nationwide strike over the rising cost of living following the removal of a petrol subsidy scheme, the government and union leaders said Thursday.Hundreds of workers across all sectors went on strike on Wednesday in compliance with the directives of the two main unions — the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and …

Nigerian workers suspend strike over cost of living crisisThu, 03 Aug 2023 10:22:22 GMT Read More »

Security concerns built Thursday ahead of planned protests in coup-hit Niger, with France demanding safety guarantees for foreign embassies as some Western nations reduced their diplomatic presence.Britain and the United States announced the pulling back of embassy personnel in Niger as a precaution a week after the internationally condemned toppling of elected President Mohamed Bazoum.The …

Western security worries grow in coup-hit NigerThu, 03 Aug 2023 08:32:44 GMT Read More »

From doctored photos making small crowds big to posts praising government accomplishments that never were, WhatsApp has become the channel of choice for disinformation in Zimbabwe before this month’s elections.The landlocked southern African country heads to the polls on August 23 to elect the president and legislature in what analysts expect to be a tense …

Zimbabwe election disinformation spreads on WhatsAppThu, 03 Aug 2023 06:41:23 GMT Read More »