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Africa News


Mali coup leader to have status of former head of state

2012-05-21T01:12:22Z

Captain Amadou Sanogo will retain the title of former head of state and all privileges coming with itThe leader of putschists who ousted Mali's president in March will retain the title of former head of state and all privileges coming with it, interim authorities and the West African ECOWAS bloc said.

UN praises progress in Liberia since end of civil wars

2012-05-20T21:14:28Z

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf speaks in MonroviaLiberia has made considerable progress in the years since back-to-back civil wars devastated the nation and killed about 250,000 people, a UN Security Council delegation said Sunday.

Islamist insurgency darkens Nigerian leader's year in office

2012-05-20T20:52:31Z

Public transport motorcylists drive past an Islamic inscription on a sign post in MaiduguriThe retired general, a revered man here, reaches into his immaculate white robe after taking a seat in his living room and pulls out his Beretta, placing it on the table in front of him.

Hardline Islamists hold annual meeting in Tunisia's Kairouan

2012-05-20T19:59:36Z

Tunisian Islamists pray in Okba mosque in KairouanThousands of hardline Islamists, some in Afghan military garb and waving swords, converged Sunday in central Tunisia to rally for one of the country's most radical religious movements.

Egypt landmark poll stirs passions in farming village

2012-05-20T19:50:39Z

A supporter of Egyptian presidential candidate Hamdin Sabahi holds a campaign posterThe cars rumbled to a dusty halt outside the community centre of a farming village miles from Cairo, where men -- from the elderly village chief to the university student -- prepared to engage in a war of words over upcoming presidential polls.

UN rights chief in Zimbabwe to assess human rights situation

2012-05-20T18:31:44Z

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay (L) is received by Zimbabwe Justice Minister Patrick ChinamasaThe United Nation's top human rights official on Sunday began a visit to Zimbabwe, where she will meet with President Robert Mugabe.

Claims of dirty tricks on final day of Lesotho campaign

2012-05-20T18:09:24Z

Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha MosisiliThousands of people braved Lesotho's early winter cold Sunday for the final rallies ahead of next weekend's closely fought vote, with the opposition claiming dirty tricks had undercut their turnouts.

SAfrica ex-youth leader got public project kickbacks: media

2012-05-20T18:04:59Z

South Africa's renegade ex-youth leader Julius MalemaSouth Africa's renegade ex-youth leader Julius Malema received large and questionable payments from businesses in his home province of Limpopo, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Algeria Islamist party says won't join government

2012-05-20T17:54:12Z

The leader of the Islamist party Movement for a Society of Peace casts his vote for Algeria's legislative electionAlgeria's largest legal Islamist party on Sunday announced that it would turn down any offer to join the government following legislative polls it claims were fraudulent.

Egypt protest seeks to end military courts

2012-05-20T17:43:49Z

Egyptian anti-military protesters chant slogans during a demonstration outside the Egyptian Supreme CourtSeveral hundred activists took part in a one-day hunger strike in Cairo on Sunday to protest the ruling military council's continued use of military courts to try civilians.

New fighting erupts in eastern DR Congo

2012-05-20T16:49:00Z

UN helicopters take off from the Congolese border town of BunaganaFresh clashes between the DR Congo's army and a group of mutineers erupted Sunday in the eastern province of Nord-Kivu, defectors said, a day after fierce battles near a gorilla park.

Sudan army frees captured UN deminers

2012-05-20T16:46:12Z

The captives were later turned over to their respective embassiesFour UN deminers arrested by the Sudanese army along the country's tense southern border were released Sunday and turned over to chief African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki, the defence minister said.

Gebrselassie wins Great Manchester Run

2012-05-20T16:11:45Z

Ethiopian running star Haile Gebrselassie won the Great Manchester RunEthiopian running star Haile Gebrselassie won the Great Manchester Run on Sunday in the fastest 10 kilometres time of the year.

Algeria arrests Qaeda Islamists on way to Libya

2012-05-20T15:07:52Z

Security forces had the militants surrounded for several daysAlgerian security services have arrested a large number of armed Algerian Islamists in the country's northeastern Tebessa region as they were preparing to enter Libya, newspapers reported on Sunday.

Sudan army frees captured UN deminers

2012-05-20T13:23:22Z

The men were detained more than three weeks agoFour United Nations deminers arrested by the Sudanese army along the country's tense southern border were released on Sunday and turned over to chief African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki, the defence minister said.

Sudan's forex black market on hold

2012-05-20T11:39:33Z

Bankrupt Sudan has lost billions of dollars in oil receipts since South Sudan gained independence last yearBlack market currency traders in Sudan put their business on hold on Sunday to assess the impact of new government measures aimed at closing a wide gap between the official and unofficial forex rates.

Stormers topple Bulls from top of Super 15

2012-05-20T11:11:55Z

Stormers' Joe Pietersen (L) clears the ball as Jean de Villiers supports himWestern Stormers supplanted the Northern Bulls at the top of the Super 15 series this weekend with the ACT Brumbies, Canterbury Crusaders and Coastal Sharks keeping in the hunt for the playoffs.

Benni reminds South Africa coach of his talent

2012-05-20T11:08:15Z

McCarthy was ignored when the squad was named for 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia and Botswana during JuneOrlando Pirates striker Benni McCarthy gave South Africa coach Pitso Mosimane food for thought this weekend with a title-clinching brace.

Zimbabwe's Mugabe says 'tired of ruling'

2012-05-20T09:28:00Z

Mugabe has ruled the southern African country since independence in 1980Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe reportedly told a former minister in his government that he wants to retire but fears his party would disintegrate, an independent weekly said on Sunday.

G8 pledges to lift 50 million Africans out of poverty

2012-05-20T02:23:30Z

G8 leaders pledged to lift millions of Africans out of poverty by promoting investments in sustainable agricultureG8 leaders on Saturday pledged to lift millions of Africans out of poverty by promoting investments in sustainable agriculture.

Mali's interim president Traore 'to head transition'

2012-05-20T00:26:23Z

Mali's interim president Dioncounda TraoreLeaders of a coup in Mali said they respect a decision by the West African bloc ECOWAS that interim president Dioncounda Traore must head the transition until general elections.

G. Bissau junta, parliament, parties sign roadmap

2012-05-19T22:28:16Z

Guinea Bissau's transitional Prime Minister Rui Duarte BarrosGuinea-Bissau's junta, parliament and a group of political parties have signed a roadmap aimed at ending the crisis created by the April 12 coup, officials told AFP Saturday.

Bashir says Sudan, South need peace: Mbeki

2012-05-19T22:06:15Z

SUDAN-BASHIRSudan and South Sudan need peace and Khartoum is committed to all security agreements it has signed, African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki on Saturday quoted the Sudanese leader as saying after talks.

Thousands march after rare Angolan court victory

2012-05-19T20:59:18Z

Men stand on a truck chanting slogans as thousands of Angolans take part in a demonstrationThousands of people rallied Saturday in a demonstration by the opposition Unita, to celebrate a surprise court victory that forced the national elections chief to step down months ahead of polls.

Lesotho holds early voting in fiercely fought elections

2012-05-19T20:27:21Z

Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha MosisiliLesotho held early voting Saturday, one week before the mostly hotly contested general elections since the 1998 polls that degenerated into looting and sparked a South African intervention.