When artists step onto the stage for the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, all except one of the nominees for the newly created Best African Music category will be Nigerians.For the country’s creative industry leaders, the dominance of Afrobeats stars like Burna Boy and Ayra Starr at music’s biggest accolade is recognition of …

Grammys showcase Nigeria’s ‘soft power’ on world stageFri, 02 Feb 2024 11:01:11 GMT Read More »

The deadly gas explosion that engulfed a Nairobi estate was a disaster waiting to happen, shaken residents told AFP on Friday as they raged against the government.Nearly 300 people were rushed to hospital and at least three killed when a truck packed with gas cylinders exploded just before midnight on Thursday, turning the sky orange …

‘Disaster in waiting’: Kenya fire victims slam authoritiesFri, 02 Feb 2024 10:45:10 GMT Read More »

On the banks of the Ubangi River, Odilon Salima and his co-worker sing to give themselves courage for the work ahead.At dawn they are already out on the water, equipped with just a wooden dugout canoe and rudimentary tools. It’s not fish the muscular workers are after but another crucial commodity for the Central African Republic’s …

‘Sandfishing’ a risky lifeline in impoverished C.AfricaFri, 02 Feb 2024 09:16:31 GMT Read More »

At least three people were killed and more than 270 injured in a massive fire when a truck laden with gas exploded in the Kenyan capital, police said Friday. Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by around 9:00 am (0600 GMT), more than nine hours after it erupted, according to an AFP journalist at …

Three dead, over 270 injured in huge fire in Kenyan capitalFri, 02 Feb 2024 07:43:37 GMT Read More »

Rising Black Caps batting star Rachin Ravindra said Friday he is relishing his next crack at Test cricket when New Zealand take on a weakened South Africa side this weekend.The 24-year-old was voted emerging player of 2023 by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after impressive displays at last year’s 50-over World Cup.World Cup centuries against …

Rising Black Caps star Ravindra eager for South Africa TestsFri, 02 Feb 2024 06:57:26 GMT Read More »

At least three people were killed and more than 270 injured in a massive fire when a truck laden with gas exploded in the Kenyan capital, police said Friday. Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by around 9:00 am (0600 GMT), more than nine hours after it erupted, according to an AFP journalist at …

At least three dead, over 270 injured in huge fire in Kenyan capitalFri, 02 Feb 2024 06:49:47 GMT Read More »

While most teams at the Africa Cup of Nations rely heavily on players based in Europe, South Africa stand out in having an almost entirely home-based squad with coach Hugo Broos leaning heavily on the Mamelodi Sundowns side that dominates domestically.Ten members of the Bafana Bafana squad preparing to take on Cape Verde in the …

Sundowns stars help home-grown South Africa rise at Cup of NationsFri, 02 Feb 2024 02:48:09 GMT Read More »

A leading opposition politician before he went to prison, Zimbabwe’s Job Sikhala said on Thursday that after almost two years in solitary confinement he needs to consider whether he can carry on in politics.The 51-year-old was released this week after finally being handed a suspended sentence on charges supporters say are politically motivated. “Everything about me …

Zimbabwe opposition figure Sikhala questions political future after prisonThu, 01 Feb 2024 15:43:23 GMT Read More »

The governor of a troubled Nigerian state has inaugurated a 2,600-strong vigilante force to combat violent criminal gangs terrorising the country’s northwest.Impoverished Zamfara state is one of several in the region plagued by criminals known as bandits who raid and loot villages, kill residents and burn houses to the ground.The gangs maintain camps in a …

Nigerian state turns to vigilantes in fight against banditsThu, 01 Feb 2024 14:13:42 GMT Read More »

With an exuberant flourish, Ethiopian artist Fikru Gebremariam slaps bold streaks of paint across the large canvas propped up against a wall in his Addis Ababa studio.The acclaimed 50-year-old painter — whose art hangs in galleries and collections across the world — explains how he honed his now vibrant, abstract style.”My job to just take …

Ethiopian artist Fikru lays bare his emotions on canvasThu, 01 Feb 2024 13:15:56 GMT Read More »