Madagascar marked the official start of the electoral period on Monday after the courts cleared the way for President Andry Rajoelina to run for re-election despite his dual French nationality.At a packed event in the capital Antananarivo, election authorities assigned the 13 presidential candidates their ranking on the ballot voters will use to choose the …

Madagascar gears up for vote after court clears presidentMon, 11 Sep 2023 16:58:46 GMT Read More »

Moroccan rescuers supported by foreign teams on Monday faced an intensifying race against time to dig out any survivors from the rubble of mountain villages after the country’s strongest-ever earthquake.The 6.8-magnitude quake struck the Atlas mountains late Friday southwest of the tourist centre of Marrakesh. It killed at least 2,681 people and injured over 2,500 …

Foreign rescuers join Morocco quake race against timeMon, 11 Sep 2023 15:35:48 GMT Read More »

France is insisting that the reluctance of Morocco to accept French offers of aid in the wake of Friday’s devastating quake does not represent a snub, even if it comes at a time of growing tensions between Rabat and the former colonial power.Along with the United States, France was conspicuously absent from a list of …

France insists no Morocco snub over quake aidMon, 11 Sep 2023 12:46:26 GMT Read More »

Tanzanian authorities have launched an investigation into opposition stalwart Tundu Lissu after briefly arresting him and other party members on accusations of illegal gathering, police said Monday.Lissu, who returned to Tanzania in January after years in exile following an assassination attempt in 2017, was detained on Sunday before being released on bail hours later.He and …

Tanzania police launch probe into opposition figure LissuMon, 11 Sep 2023 11:43:12 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s last two World Cup titles, in 2019 and 2007, highlighted the importance of a sharp-shooting goalkicker, Handre Pollard and Percy Montgomery’s consummate skill off the kicking tee a key factor in their teams’ success.But questions were raised after South Africa’s 18-3 opening Pool B victory over Scotland on Sunday when Bok fly-half Manie …

Springboks bat off concerns over Libbok’s goal-kickingMon, 11 Sep 2023 10:28:19 GMT Read More »

Ordinary citizens are stepping in to do their bit for victims of the deadly earthquake in Morocco, after some complained that the authorities were slow to act.Maria Boujdig lives in Agadir but is originally from Tafeghaghte, one of the villages hardest hit in mountainous Al-Haouz province, the epicentre of Friday’s quake.She loaded her car with …

Moroccan citizens step in to help quake victimsMon, 11 Sep 2023 06:27:37 GMT Read More »

A coalition of armed groups, who are signatories to a major peace agreement in northern Mali, said Sunday they were preparing to defend themselves against the ruling junta, accusing it of violating mutual security commitments.The Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP) coalition urged civilians to move away from military facilities in what …

Mali armed groups say preparing for battle with juntaSun, 10 Sep 2023 21:34:49 GMT Read More »

A two-year transition before the free elections promised by Gabon’s new military rulers is a “reasonable objective” the new prime minister they appointed told AFP in an interview Sunday.”It’s good to set off with a reasonable objective by saying: we have the desire to see the process come to an end in 24 months so …

Two-year transition to elections ‘reasonable’: Gabon PMSun, 10 Sep 2023 21:21:57 GMT Read More »

Using heavy equipment and even their bare hands, rescuers in Morocco on Sunday stepped up efforts to find survivors of a devastating earthquake that killed more than 2,100 people and flattened villages.The first foreign rescuers flew in to help after the North African country’s strongest-ever quake killed at least 2,122 people and injured more than …

Morocco rescuers scour rubble for survivors after quake kills 2,100Sun, 10 Sep 2023 20:07:18 GMT Read More »