Danang, Vietnam | AFP | The United States and Russia issued a presidential joint statement saying there was “no military solution” to the war in Syria after their leaders met briefly on the sidelines of a regional summit in Vietnam. There had been mixed messages for days from both Moscow and …

Lome, Togo | AFP | Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe has accused the opposition of orchestrating violence that has killed at least 16 people in massive anti-government protests across the country. Since the first protests began in late August more than 200 others have been injured as the opposition agitates for …

Kano, Nigeria | AFP | At least three Nigerian soldiers and a militiaman were killed in a Boko Haram ambush on the edge of Sambisa forest near the border with Cameroon, military and militia sources told AFP Saturday. The ambush occurred as troops returned to base late Friday in the town …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | An outbreak of cholera in Tanzania has left 18 dead in two months, the health ministry said Saturday, warning the situation could worsen as the rainy season continues. The ministry said the outbreak had left “18 dead out of 570 cases recorded” between September 1 and …

Freetown, Sierra Leone | AFP | Sierra Leone said Saturday miners had unearthed a huge 476-carat diamond, eight months after an even more valuable find in the country’s diamond-rich east. It appears to be the 29th largest diamond ever found, according to experts, but it is unclear what the hefty stone …

Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was questioned by police on Thursday evening in connection with two separate investigations into alleged corruption, a police statement said. “We confirm that the prime minister was questioned today for several hours at his Jerusalem residence,” the Hebrew language statement said …

Moscow, Russia | AFP | Several heads were left being scratched on Thursday after Russia used some hardcore techno beats in a dark auditorium decked out to look like an underground dance club to present the official 2018 World Cup ball. The orb in the spotlight followed the edgy motif of …

Bujumbura, Burundi | AFP | Burundi has been gripped by turmoil since President Pierre Nkurunziza launched a bid for a third term in office more than two years ago. On Thursday the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened a full probe into alleged crimes committed during the crisis. Between 500 and 2,000 …

Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe freed on Thursday a 25-year-old American journalist charged with subverting President Robert Mugabe on account of an alleged tweet that described the ageing leader as “selfish and sick”. Martha O’Donovan had been charged with attempting to overthrow Mugabe as well as undermining or insulting the …

Lubumbashi, DR Congo | AFP | Nine children died and another was missing after a canoe capsized on Lake Tanganyika in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. a local official said Thursday. The motorised boat left the town of Kalemie and was heading for the port of Wimbi when …