Africa

Sudan has declared a state of emergency in part of the conflict-ridden western region of Darfur after violence and unrest in two towns, state news agency SUNA said. The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (Unamid) said it had sent a team to Kutum town in North Darfur state following …

The eastern-based Libyan parliament, which supports the Libyan National Army (LNA), has given go-ahead to the Egyptian armed forces to intervene in the Libyan conflict, citing AMN. In early June, Egypt put forward the Cairo peace initiative, outlining a path for a political settlement in Libya and calling for warring …

A blaze has broken out in one of the World Trade Center’s towers in the capital city of Nigeria, Abuja. Footage from the scene shows a large plume of smoke billowing from the building’s top floors. The fire ignited at the massive tower, which is still under construction, on Monday. …

Confronted by surging hospitalizations due to COVID-19, South Africa is considering a return to tighter restrictions to combat the disease, which officials say may soon overwhelm the country’s health system. President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced he will speak to the nation about the crisis on Sunday evening after top health …

The Libyan National Army vowed to continue its oil blockade in the war-torn North African country unless its demands are met as the conflict between the self-styled army and the UN-backed Government of National Accord rages on. Register Now The LNA, backed by a host of countries including Russia and …

After more than 30 years of Islamist rule, Sudan has outlined wide-reaching reforms including allowing non-Muslims to drink alcohol and scrapping the apostasy law and public flogging. “We [will] drop all the laws violating the human rights in Sudan,” Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari said. A raft of new laws was …

The Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya will only agree to a ceasefire if the Libyan National Army (LNA) withdraws from the strategic positions of Sirte and Jufra, Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu told the Financial Times (FT) on Sunday. Cavusoglo told the FT that there …

Police in South Africa says five people are dead and more than 40 have been arrested after an early-morning hostage situation at a church near Johannesburg. A statement says police and military who responded to reports of a shooting at the International Pentecostal Holiness Church in Zuurbekom found four people …

A military buildup around the Libyan city of Sirte has raised fears of a major battle for control of the area’s strategic oil reserves, the Arab News website reported. The Libyan National Army (LNA), which has occupied Sirte since May, accused Turkey of targeting the oil-rich city and supplying militias …

The Libyan National Oil Company announced Friday the resumption of oil production and exports after a nearly six-month shutdown due to conflict dividing the country. “The NOC has lifted force majeure on all oil exports from Libya,” the company said in a statement, adding that production will take time to …

Protests in DRC capital Kinshasa turned violent, reportedly leaving at least 3 people dead as demonstrators objected to the planned appointment of a new Electoral Commission chairperson

A Nigerian man accused of multimillion-dollar fraud and money laundering by the United States was kidnapped by the FBI from Dubai, his lawyer says. Ramon Olorunwa Abbas – known to his 2.5 million Instagram followers as Ray Hushpuppi – and another cyber-heist suspect Olalekan Jacob Ponle (aka Mr Woodberry) were …

Libya’s permanent representative to the UN said that his country “no longer accepts the UAE’s presence in its political dialogues”. This came during Taher al-Sunni’s speech at the UN Security Council session on Libya, late Wednesday in New York. “The UAE is involved in supporting the failed coup attempt in …

The Turkish Ministry of National Defence has announced that large-scale naval exercises off the Libyan coast will take place soon. According to the official statement, the expected maneuvers will be called “Naftex”, adding that the maritime exercises will take place off the Libyan coast in three different regions: Barbaros, Turgutreis, …

Alphabet Inc began offering the world’s first commercial high-speed internet using balloons to villagers in remote regions of Kenya’s Rift Valley on Wednesday. The service is run by Loon, a unit of Google’s parent Alphabet, and Telkom Kenya, the East African nation’s third-largest telecoms operator. “Kenya is the first country… …

Amadou Gon Coulibaly, Ivory Coast’s prime minister and its ruling party’s candidate for the October presidential election, has died, President Alassane Ouattara said on Wednesday, adding that the country was mourning. Gon Coulibaly, 61, became unwell during a weekly cabinet meeting and was evacuated to a hospital where he passed …

Russia and Turkey will continue joint efforts on finding a solution to the Libyan crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday. The two countries are seeking an approach that would allow for an immediate cease-fire in Libya, the minister said, speaking at a news conference in Moscow. “Within the …

Africa now has more than a half-million confirmed coronavirus cases, while South Africa’s health minister declared Wednesday that “we have now reached the surge.” The continent-wide total is over 509,000, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after South Africa recorded another day of more than 10,000 …

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the Security Council on Wednesday that the conflict in Libya has entered a new phase “with foreign interference reaching unprecedented levels.” The oil-producing country descended into chaos after the NATO-backed overthrow of leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Since 2014, Libya has been split, with …

Two policemen were killed and two civilians were injured in a roadside blast in Mogadishu on Wednesday, witnesses said. Police cordoned off the area but a vehicle damaged by an explosion could be seen, witnesses said. Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the blast in the …