 French aid flights to help Sudanese refugees in Chad
France is to begin flying humanitarian supplies into eastern Chad on Sunday to help tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees and Chadians displaced by violence in Darfur, an army spokesperson said on Friday. The humanitarian air bridge will likely only function for several weeks. | | Côte d'Ivoire seeks more money over pollution
Côte d'Ivoire is seeking up to €340-million from Dutch-based multinational Trafigura to clear up pollution that killed 15 people, in a draft settlement proposal seen by Agence France-Presse. This would be in addition to the €152-million already agreed by Trafigura in February in an out-of-court settlement. |  |
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Allegations of coup plot in Zimbabwe
A group of soldiers was in custody in Zimbabwe on charges of plotting to oust President Robert Mugabe and replace him with a Cabinet minister, a newspaper report claimed on Friday. In sensational revelations, the weekly Zimbabwe Independent newspaper said it had obtained court papers containing the allegations. | | Freed Nigerian oil rebel renounces violent struggle
A former Nigerian militia leader whose release has raised hopes of improved security in the oil-producing Niger Delta has pledged to continue his struggle for local control of oil wealth, but not in a criminal way. The situation in the region remains volatile despite the release of Mujahid Dokubo-Asari on Thursday. | | |
Malawi govt faces collapse after court ruling
Malawi's Supreme Court granted powers on Friday to the speaker of Parliament to fire defecting MPs in a move likely to lead to the collapse of President Bingu wa Mutharika's minority government. Chief Justice Leonard Unyolo determined that the speaker could use a controversial constitutional provision to expel any lawmaker who had changed party affiliation. | | Former Zim cricketer's arson trial postponed
A Zimbabwe court on Friday postponed the start of former Test batsman Mark Vermeulen's arson trial to allow time to study medical reports as to whether he is mentally fit to take the stand. Vermeulen (28) is charged with setting fire and causing extensive damage to Zimbabwe's cricket academy, which was housed in a thatched building, and a sports club in Harare. | | |
Somali movie-goers targeted in grenade attack
A grenade attack killed four people and wounded six others watching a foreign film in the western town of Baidoa in the latest flare-up in chaotic Somalia, residents said on Friday. Militant Islamists, who have been fighting the Horn of Africa nation's government, are opposed to Western and Indian films. | | Annan leads drive to reverse Africa's farming decline
Former United Nations chief Kofi Annan took the helm on Thursday of an alliance of African government and business leaders seeking to reverse a decline in the continent's agricultural output. Sub-Saharan African food production was declining year-on-year as a third of the continent's population suffers from hunger, Annan told reporters. | | |
African nations strike deal on ivory
African nations on Thursday agreed a landmark nine-year ban on international ivory commerce, which was immediately approved by a 171-nation United Nations forum, officials said. The ban will go into effect after the one-off sale by four Southern African nations of government-held stock of elephant tusks, thought to total about 50 tonnes. | | Gadaffi, Mugabe discuss federal govt for Africa
Libyan leader Moammar Gadaffi and visiting Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe want African leaders to agree next month to unite Africa under one government to help it solve its own problems, state media said on Thursday. The two men agreed in talks that the 53-nation African Union should be turned into an embryonic federal government. | | |
Zim passes controversial 'snooping' Bill
Zimbabwe's Parliament, heavily dominated by President Robert Mugabe's party, has passed a controversial new Bill that allows the government to monitor phones, emails and post, reports said on Thursday. The Interception of Communications Bill, which critics say will violate freedom of expression, was passed on Wednesday. | | Missing Kenyan cops killed at Somali border
Two Kenyan police officers believed to have been kidnapped by Islamist fighters have been found murdered on the border with Somalia, police said on Thursday. "At 7.30am [local time] this morning, the two officers were found murdered on a hill about 500m inside Kenya," Kenya police spokesperson Eric Kiraithe said. | | |
