Burst riverbanks are causing turmoil in DR Congo’s capital Kinshasa, with dark and foul-smelling water pouring into homes across working-class neighbourhoods in the central African megacity. The impoverished metropolis of some 15 million people sits on the Congo River — the second largest in Africa after the Nile — which has swollen to near-record levels over …

DR Congo capital in tumult as river bursts banksFri, 12 Jan 2024 16:08:44 GMT Read More »

A defiant Matteo Salvini, Italy’s far-right deputy prime minister, defended his hard line against illegal migration in court on Friday, saying he had done a “useful service” in blocking migrants from disembarking at an Italian port in 2019. Salvini, a partner in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition, is on trial on charges of deprivation of liberty …

Salvini claims ‘useful service’ for Italy at migrant trialFri, 12 Jan 2024 15:33:25 GMT Read More »

Violence in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions and the Far North increased in the second half of 2023 with civilians “severely impacted”, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).Clashes between armed groups and government forces saw an increase in “cases of unlawful killings, abduction and raids on villages” in the last six months of the year, the New …

Cameroon civilians suffer ‘severe impact’ of rising violence: HRWFri, 12 Jan 2024 14:48:35 GMT Read More »

Former South Africa opener Dean Elgar has joined Essex after calling time on his international career, the English county announced on Friday.Elgar ended his time as a South Africa player earlier this month after 86 Tests and over 5,000 runs for the Proteas. His final international appearance last week saw him captaining the Proteas who crashed …

Former South Africa captain Elgar joins English county EssexFri, 12 Jan 2024 14:27:34 GMT Read More »

Nelson Mandela’s battered African National Congress faces its biggest battle since the epic “struggle” against apartheid to retain a majority in a landmark election this year.Cash-strapped and attacked over corruption, a weak economy, power cuts and mounting crime, polls show the ANC is still likely to come out ahead in an anniversary parliamentary vote in …

Back to the ‘struggle’ for South Africa’s ANC as vote loomsFri, 12 Jan 2024 14:24:01 GMT Read More »

Africa Cup of Nations hosts Ivory Coast will go into the opening game of the tournament on Saturday against Guinea-Bissau without Sebastien Haller as their star striker recovers from injury.The 29-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward, who came off in his club’s last game in the German Bundesliga on December 19, has been struggling with an ankle …

AFCON hosts Ivory Coast without Haller for opening gameFri, 12 Jan 2024 12:49:43 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s ex-president Jacob Zuma joined forces with another graft-tainted former top ruling party official on Friday, announcing a political alliance ahead of elections in a blow to the embattled African National Congress.Zuma, 81, and Ace Magashule, a close ally and former ANC secretary-general, said they would soon unveil plans for a joint political future. The …

S.Africa’s Zuma, disgraced ally team up in election blow to ANCFri, 12 Jan 2024 12:26:43 GMT Read More »

A defiant Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister, defended his hard line against illegal migration in court on Friday, saying he had done a “useful service” in blocking migrants from disembarking at an Italian port in 2019. Salvini, the head of the far-right League party and a partner in current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition, denies …

Salvini did ‘useful service’ for Italy, he tells court in migrant trialFri, 12 Jan 2024 11:54:51 GMT Read More »

Israel said Friday it was not seeking to destroy the Palestinian people, as it hit back at what it called a “profoundly distorted” and “malevolent” genocide case against it at the UN’s top court. South Africa has launched an emergency case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) arguing that Israel stands in breach of the …

Israel hits back at ‘distorted’ genocide caseFri, 12 Jan 2024 11:31:35 GMT Read More »

Israel said Friday the genocide case at the UN top court against it was “profoundly distorted” and did not reflect the realities of the Gaza war.South Africa has “regrettably put before the court a profoundly distorted factual and legal picture,” said Tal Becker, a top lawyer for Israel at the International Court of Justice in …

Israel hits back at ‘distorted’ genocide case at UN top courtFri, 12 Jan 2024 09:40:15 GMT Read More »