AFP Africa

Cyclone Chido inflicted “catastrophic” damage on the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte on Saturday, a senior local official told AFP, battering the archipelago with winds of up to 220 kilometres (137 miles) per hour.”We don’t know if anyone has been killed but, given the damage, it’s likely,” said Madi Madi Souf, head of the …

Cyclone batters French Indian Ocean island of MayotteSat, 14 Dec 2024 11:44:01 GMT Read More »

Through a cloud of dust in the late afternoon sunshine, Chadian jockeys, some riding bareback, raced their sleek, muscular steeds around the oval track marked out just a few days earlier to the cheers of a large crowd.Horse racing in the central African country draws the wealthy and elite who venture far from the comforts of …

‘Last of Mohicans’: Chadians saddle up for bush horse racingSat, 14 Dec 2024 06:47:13 GMT Read More »

Maputo’s normally bustling markets are emptier than usual with the stalls for staples such as potatoes and onions nearly bare and traders anxious as two months of post-election unrest regularly blocks imports from South Africa.Protests over Mozambique’s disputed election result — which have killed more than 100 people, according to civil society groups — have …

Mozambique markets struggle as vote protests hit importsSat, 14 Dec 2024 06:40:45 GMT Read More »

More than two-thirds of displaced families in eastern Sudan are unable to secure enough food, as war has pushed millions to the brink of famine, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Friday.The number of displaced in eastern Sudan has surged particularly since mid-year when paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), at war with Sudan’s army, …

Over two-thirds of displaced families in east Sudan short of food: NGOFri, 13 Dec 2024 19:45:23 GMT Read More »

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Friday it was stopping its migrant search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean as the hard-right Italian government’s policies have made it “impossible” to continue.”We have ceased operations on board our search and rescue vessel, Geo Barents, which had been operational since June 2021,” the international NGO said in a statement.”Italian …

MSF pulls migrant search vessel from Med over Italy policiesFri, 13 Dec 2024 12:34:45 GMT Read More »

The African Union on Thursday urged Ethiopia and Somalia to implement “without delay” an agreement aimed at ending tensions between the neighbours over Ethiopia’s access to the sea, calling the deal an “important act”.The two countries have been at loggerheads since landlocked Ethiopia struck a deal in January with Somalia’s breakaway region Somaliland to lease …

African Union urges Somalia, Ethiopia to swiftly implement agreementFri, 13 Dec 2024 01:20:14 GMT Read More »

The African Union on Thursday urged Ethiopia and Somalia to implement “without delay” a breakthrough agreement aimed at ending tensions between the neighbours over Ethiopia’s access to the sea and called the deal an “important act”.The two countries have been at loggerheads since landlocked Ethiopia struck a deal in January with Somalia’s breakaway region Somaliland …

African Union urges swift implementation of Somalia-Ethiopia dealThu, 12 Dec 2024 12:46:45 GMT Read More »

Somali troops have retreated from positions in the semi-autonomous southern Jubaland region following clashes with regional forces, Mogadishu said Thursday.Conflict-weary Somalia is a federation of five semi-autonomous member states — Puntland, Jubaland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle and South West — and a central government in the capital.Tensions have been rising between the central authority and Jubaland, with …

Somali federal forces retreat from Jubaland positions after clashesThu, 12 Dec 2024 09:36:31 GMT Read More »

FIFA on Wednesday confirmed that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, underlining the Gulf kingdom’s growing influence in world sport despite criticism of the country’s human rights record.At the same time, a virtual Congress of world football’s governing body confirmed that Morocco, Spain and Portugal will be joint hosts of the 2030 World …

FIFA confirms Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup hostThu, 12 Dec 2024 01:45:51 GMT Read More »

Somalia and Ethiopia have reached a deal to end a nearly year-old bitter dispute following hours of Turkish-brokered talks in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.Hailing it as a “historic agreement”, Erdogan said he hoped the deal would be “the first step towards a new beginning based on peace and cooperation between Somalia and …

Turkey says Ethiopia, Somalia reach compromise deal to end feudWed, 11 Dec 2024 22:05:50 GMT Read More »