AFP Africa

People were hacked to death with machetes. Gunfire erupted everywhere, seemingly at random. No one was spared, including a nine-month-old baby.Two attacks in as many weeks in Nigeria’s Plateau state have left more than 100 people dead in a region known for intercommunal conflict and land disputes between herders and farmers.But the back-to-back massacres — …

None spared in Nigeria gun, machete massacre: survivorsWed, 16 Apr 2025 22:39:42 GMT Read More »

At least 8,000 people were reported missing in war-ravaged Sudan in 2024, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Wednesday, warning that the figure is just “the tip of the iceberg”.”These are just the cases we have collected directly,” Daniel O’Malley, head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan, told AFP in an …

‘Tip of the iceberg’: Red Cross says 8,000 missing in war-torn Sudan in 2024Wed, 16 Apr 2025 18:48:17 GMT Read More »

Jihadists are assumed to be behind the recent kidnapping of a Swiss woman in Niger, the latest in a series of abductions in the volatile country, analysts say.Large tracts of the west African state are in thrall to armed groups linked to Islamic State (IS) or Al-Qaeda, with the security risk heightened by the recent …

Jihadists likely behind kidnap of Swiss woman in Niger: analystsWed, 16 Apr 2025 16:32:32 GMT Read More »

The UK on Wednesday denounced a move by Sudan’s rebel paramilitary force to install a rival government in the war-torn country, and called for a civilian-led peace settlement.”Unilateral declarations to establish parallel governments on territory under their control are not the answer,” a foreign ministry spokesperson told AFP.”Instead, preserving Sudan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are …

Rebel rival government in Sudan ‘not the answer’: UKWed, 16 Apr 2025 16:25:24 GMT Read More »

Attacks in Nigeria’s troubled north-central state of Plateau have killed more than more than 100 people in just under two weeks.Plateau, on the dividing line between Nigeria’s mostly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south, has historically been a flashpoint for intercommunal violence.Analysts say the situation in the region — the so-called Middle Belt — is …

What we know about central Nigeria’s surge in violenceWed, 16 Apr 2025 13:21:43 GMT Read More »

Gabon international striker Aaron Boupendza died on Wednesday at the age of 28 when he fell from the 11th floor of a building in China, according to the national football federation (Fegafoot).”The Gabonese international died following a fall from the 11th floor of his building in China where he was playing for Zhejiang FC,” the …

Gabon striker Boupendza dies after 11th floor fallWed, 16 Apr 2025 11:56:03 GMT Read More »

Years of negotiations culminated early Wednesday with countries agreeing the text of a landmark accord on how to tackle future pandemics, aimed at avoiding the mistakes made during the Covid-19 crisis.After more than three years of talks and one last marathon session, weary delegates at the World Health Organization’s headquarters finally sealed the deal at …

WHO countries strike landmark agreement on tackling future pandemicsWed, 16 Apr 2025 10:56:31 GMT Read More »

Ivory Coast’s main opposition party is set to nominate businessman Tidjane Thiam on Wednesday as its candidate for a presidential election expected in October.Currently out of the west African country, the former Aviva and Credit Suisse executive is the only contender for the centre-right Democratic Party (PDCI).Tensions are already high six months from the scheduled …

Opposition leader Thiam to be named I.Coast election candidateWed, 16 Apr 2025 10:27:08 GMT Read More »

Solar panels like the ones on the roof of Elhadj Abdou’s house are an increasingly common sight in Niger’s capital, which is often hit by power cuts.”There are no more power cuts here and there are no bills to pay, everything works on solar energy,” said Abdou, who lives in Niamey’s Lazaret neighbourhood.Solar energy is …

Solar boom counters power shortages in NigerWed, 16 Apr 2025 07:22:01 GMT Read More »

A rat-a-tat percussion and keyboard riff, and Youssou N’Dour’s voice tore through the dark Dakar sky, as the world music legend geared up to do what he does best — rock through the night.With a new album out and a world tour starting this week, the Senegalese icon and Grammy Award winner — who confesses …

‘Let’s rock’: world music icon Youssou N’Dour back on the roadWed, 16 Apr 2025 06:50:50 GMT Read More »