AFRICA

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Buoyed by rising stock markets and commodity prices, Africa’s billionaires are collectively wealthier than a year ago. The 23 billionaires that Forbes found in Africa – up from 21 billionaires last year — are worth a combined $75.4 billion, compared to $70 billion in January …

Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Two American and two Canadians who were kidnapped in an ambush by gunmen in northern Nigeria this week were freed on Saturday, police said. Nigerian security forces had launched a manhunt after the four were seized on Tuesday evening in the state of Kaduna by …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | In Kinshasa, perhaps just one thing beats the cost of living — and that’s the cost of being dead. Since the start of the year, funerals have become a common sight in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, the tragic outcome of floods, cholera …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | A heavy police presence is expected in the Democratic Republic of Congo capital Kinshasa on Sunday ahead of planned protests demanding that President Joseph Kabila leave power. Catholic church leaders have called for a mass peaceful demonstration against Kabila’s 17-year rule, three weeks after …

Lome, Togo | AFP | Thousands of women took to the streets of Togo’s capital Lome on Saturday to protest against the power of President Faure Gnassingbe. Since September, a coalition of 14 political parties has held almost weekly marches, where thousands have called for Gnassingbe to step down to …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa’s ruling ANC party said Saturday it would “act decisively” to rebuild its reputation, as local media reported that President Jacob Zuma could soon be forced from office. Zuma has been under growing pressure to resign since he was replaced as head of …

Cairo, Egypt | AFP | Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Friday he would stand in a presidential election due to take place in March. “I announce to you in the honesty and transparency which we are used to… my candidacy for the post of president of the republic,” Sisi …

Washington, United States | AFP | US forces in Somalia said Friday that four Al-Shabaab militants were killed in an airstrike as part of the ongoing offensive against the jihadist rebels. The US Africa Command said the strike took place on Thursday in southern Somalia, around 50 kilometers (30 miles) …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | The defence minister for the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday said the army was waging ‘war’ against two militia forces in the country’s troubled east. Crispin Atama Thabe told AFP that government forces were tackling rebels in both South Kivu province and neighbouring …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A South African court on Friday struck down a long-running effort by late president Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela to claim ownership of his former rural home. The Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed her appeal against a lower court’s ruling that she was not …