Antananarivo, Madagascar | AFP | Former president Andry Rajoelina on Friday took an early lead in Madagascar’s election count with a clear advantage over his rival Marc Ravalomanana, according to partial official results. With about one-third of polling stations counted, Rajoelina had 54.85 percent of the vote and Ravalomanana had …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | A journalist was arrested and “violently beaten” in Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday for covering a meeting of opposition presidential hopeful Martin Fayulu, a media rights group said. Rodrigue Ndakazieka, described as a “journalist-technician” with a Kwilu province radio station, in the west …

Paris, France | AFP | Africa’s second largest country, Democratic Republic of Congo, is rich in raw materials and minerals but cursed by deadly violence, insurgencies, graft and poverty. Presidential elections were scheduled for Sunday, but electoral authorities delayed the vote by seven days until December 30 after a warehouse …

Berlin, Germany | AFP | A German court on Thursday ruled in favour of US chipmaker Qualcomm in a patent dispute case against Apple, which could lead to a ban on sales of iPhones in Germany. This marks a second major win for Qualcomm in a month after a court …

Kano, Nigeria | AFP | Eleven young women were arrested in the northern Nigerian city of Kano for allegedly planning a lesbian wedding, the Islamic law-enforcement agency, the Hisbah, told AFP Thursday. The suspects were arrested on Monday by a team of Hisbah personnel while making last minute preparations for …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino may be the bookmakers favourite to get the number one job at Manchester United on a permanent basis but on Thursday the club press officer refused to allow questions on the matter. The press officer said the 46-year-old Argentinian …

Antananarivo, Madagascar | AFP | Vote counting in Madagascar’s presidential election was roiled by accusations of fraud on Thursday as the two candidates both claimed victory in a stand-off that has raised fears of instability on the Indian Ocean island. Andry Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana, both former presidents and long-time …

Niamey, Niger | AFP | Around 100 schools have closed or suspended classes in Niger due to the threat from Islamist militants, the UN said on Thursday, in the latest warning over jihadist presence. Western African leaders last month held regional talks on the escalating attacks by Boko Haram jihadists …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has directed the Auditor General to carry out an audit into the sh478 billion injected into Crane Bank Limited by the Central Bank. The money was injected into the defunct Bank by the Central Bank …

Paris, France | AFP | The French government will give police officers a long-sought raise after a strike called in the wake of the “yellow vest” anti-government protests, which have strained security forces already on high alert after years of jihadist terror attacks. The accord was announced just before midnight …