Cameroon’s government has banned the media from discussing the health of President Paul Biya, Africa’s second-longest-ruling leader, amid rumours the 91-year-old is gravely ill, according to a document obtained by AFP.Biya, the world’s oldest leader, has not made a public appearance since early September, fuelling a swirl of rumours online that the veteran president’s health …

Cameroon bans media talk of president’s health amid rumoursThu, 10 Oct 2024 18:00:15 GMT Read More »

At the spot where the Chari and Logone Rivers meet, residents of Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, have been scrambling to face flooding brought on by torrential rains that have submerged entire neighbourhoods.Punishing rains have killed 576 people and affected more than 1.9 million in Chad since July, according to the United Nations, a devastating blow for …

Chad’s capital under threat as floodwaters riseThu, 10 Oct 2024 17:49:03 GMT Read More »

Ballot counting after tense but calm general elections in Mozambique got off to a slow start Thursday, with an opposition leader already claiming outright victory over the Frelimo party in power since independence from Portugal 49 years ago.More than 17 million people were called to vote on Wednesday for a new president and parliamentarians in …

As Mozambique counts ballots, the results are already disputedThu, 10 Oct 2024 16:31:07 GMT Read More »

Security agencies in northern Nigeria’s largest city Kano are on high alert over an influx of criminal gangs fleeing military offensives elsewhere, according to a leaked report seen by AFP.Northwest and central Nigeria have for years been terrorised by gangs of criminals, known as bandits, who raid and loot villages, kill and kidnap residents, and burn …

Nigerian city on high alert over bandit influxThu, 10 Oct 2024 15:32:38 GMT Read More »

The leaders of Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia met for a three-way summit in Asmara on Thursday against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the Horn of Africa region.Concerns about security and stability in the volatile area have mounted since Ethiopia in January signed a controversial deal with the breakaway Somali region of Somaliland, giving it …

Leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia meet amid regional tensionsThu, 10 Oct 2024 13:18:02 GMT Read More »

Malian soldiers and their Wagner allies recently set off towards a northern town where they had suffered heavy losses months before, but returned without engaging in any fighting, military and separatist sources said Wednesday.The exact purpose of the mission remains unclear, but the convoy’s progression northwards through the desert sparked speculation the army could be …

Mali troops return from volatile north with no combatWed, 09 Oct 2024 19:18:11 GMT Read More »