AFRICA

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Hopes rose on Wednesday that the Democratic Republic of Congo’s election saga may have turned a corner after opposition leaders reached out to President Joseph Kabila. The country is in flux over a thrice-delayed presidential vote, with the announcement of official results now postponed, …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | As South Africa reeled Wednesday after a humiliating defeat by Egypt in a contest to decide the new 2019 Africa Cup of Nations hosts, the blame game began. South African football officials said the 16-1 vote in favour of Egypt in Senegal Tuesday was “political” without offering insight. Confederation of …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP |  Crowds gathered Wednesday in Sudan’s capital in a show of support for the embattled regime of President Omar al-Bashir following several weeks of deadly anti-government protests. The rally by hundreds of backers of Bashir, who has ruled Sudan since 1989 when he swept to power in an Islamist-backed coup, …

Dakar, Senegal | AFP | Mohamed Salah completed a memorable day for Egyptian football by retaining his African Player of the Year award in Senegal Tuesday. The 26-year-old Liverpool star finished first with club-mate Senegalese Sadio Mane and Arsenal and Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the other finalists. “I have dreamt of winning this award since …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | Provisional results of the much-delayed Democratic Republic of Congo’s presidential election could be counted in “24 to 48 hours,” a top electoral official said on Tuesday. The elections, postponed three times over the last two years, were to choose a successor to long-term President …

Mogadishu, Somalia | AFP | Businessman and politician Said Abdullahi Deni was elected president of the semi-autonomous state of Puntland in northern Somalia on Tuesday in a vote by regional lawmakers. Puntland, like much of the rest of Somalia, has suffered from decades of clan warfare and, more recently, terror …

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has acknowledged setbacks in the fight against Boko Haram as the jihadists launched fresh attacks in the restive northeast. The 76-year-old head of state was elected in 2015 on a promise to end the Islamist insurgency, which has killed more than …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Two passenger trains collided during the morning rush hour in South Africa’s capital city Pretoria Tuesday, killing three people and injuring hundreds, emergency services said. Two critically injured people were airlifted from the scene of the crash in Mountain View, northern Pretoria, spokesman Charles …

Beni, DR Congo | AFP | Ten civilians including children and relatives of soldiers were killed overnight in a raid by armed men in restive eastern DR Congo, officials said Tuesday. “There was an incursion yesterday (Monday) around 23:00… in the village of Mavivi” north of Beni, local administrator Donat …

Maputo, Mozambique | AFP | Mozambique said Monday it was working with US and South African authorities after its former finance minister was arrested in Johannesburg over $2 billion in alleged secret loans to Mozambican state companies. Manuel Chang, 63, was arrested on December 29 and will appear in a …