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Official says Zimbabwe power-sharing talks go well
Power-sharing talks between Zimbabwe's rival political parties were proceeding well Friday, a South African official said, although violence continued and hundreds of opposition supporters remained jailed. (AP, 2:26 p.m.)
Somali opposition says could fight UN peacekeepers
Somalia's new hard-line opposition leader promised Friday to pacify his shattered country through Islamic law, warning U.N. peacekeepers they will face attack if they deploy and support the government. (AP, 3:49 p.m.)
47 dead, 100 missing in Congo boat accident
At least 47 people died when a motorized boat sank on a river in Congo, and more than 100 people are missing, a district official said Friday. (AP, 9:11 a.m.)
12 killed in Cameroon attack over oil
Ten insurgents and two Cameroonian soldiers were killed in a rebel attack in the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula, Cameroon's Defense Minister said on state-run TV on Friday. (AP, 11:45 a.m.)
US strengthening Zimbabwe sanctions
The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe says the United States is in the process of strengthening sanctions against individual Zimbabweans blamed for deadly electoral violence. (AP, 7:45 a.m.)
Ruling party says Mugabe must lead unity government
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's ruling party will not accept a power-sharing deal that fails to recognize his re-election or seeks to reverse his land reform program, a state-owned newspaper said on Friday. (Reuters, 12:17 p.m.)
At least three killed in north Lebanon clash
Gunmen from rival sectarian factions exchanged machinegun and grenade fire on Friday in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli, killing at least three people and wounding 17, medical sources said. (Reuters, 12:17 p.m.)
Sudan bombed Darfur during Bashir tour: rebels
A Darfur rebel faction that has a pact with Sudan's government accused the army on Friday of bombing a village this week even while President Omar Hassan al-Bashir was in the region making a call for peace. (Reuters, 12:17 p.m.)
South Africa lawyer nominated as UN rights chief
One of South Africa's leading female jurists who won acclaim defending apartheid opponents was nominated Thursday to serve as the next United Nations high commissioner for human rights. (AP, 3:38 a.m.)
SAfrican lawyer nominated as UN human rights chief
One of South Africa's leading female jurists who won acclaim defending apartheid opponents was nominated Thursday to serve as the next United Nations high commissioner for human rights. (AP, 7/24/08)
Correction: Sudan-Darfur story
In a July 23 story about Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's trip to Darfur, The Associated Press erroneously reported that it was his first visit to the western Sudanese region in more than three years. Al-Bashir has visited Darfur on several occasions since 2003, most recently in July 2007. It was al-Bashir's first visit since an international prosecutor filed genocide charges ... (AP, 7/24/08)
Denying payoff, militants vow attack on Nigeria oil pipeline
LAGOS, Nigeria - The main militant group in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta said yesterday it will attack major oil pipelines in the next 30 days to show it has not received payment from the government to end its campaign. (Boston Globe, 7/24/08)
Sudan's Bashir goes on offense
EL FASHER, Sudan - Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the president of Sudan who has been accused of genocide, is not especially well known for his dancing moves. (Boston Globe, 7/24/08)
Zimbabwe talks are in progress, aide says
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's presidential spokesman said yesterday that power-sharing talks between Zimbabwe's ruling and opposition forces were underway at a secret location. (Boston Globe, 7/24/08)
Islamist takes over Somali opposition
NAIROBI - A fundamentalist Muslim suspected by the United States of collaborating with Al Qaeda has taken over as head of Somalia's exiled opposition movement, pushing out a relative moderate who tried to strike a peace deal with the government, officials said yesterday. (Boston Globe, 7/24/08)
Senegal lifts final bar to trial of Chad's Habre
Senegal lifted the last constitutional obstacle to its courts trying former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre for human rights crimes, the Senegalese Minister of Justice said on Wednesday. (Reuters, 7/24/08)
Libya protesters target Swiss banks over arrest
OPEC member Libya should withdraw deposits in Swiss banks if the Swiss government fails to apologize for the arrest of a son of Muammar Gaddafi, an influential Libyan political group said on Wednesday. (Reuters, 7/24/08)
Bashir offers peace, aid in defiant Darfur tour
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, in a show of defiance, made his first visit to Darfur on Wednesday since the International Criminal Court prosecutor accused him of genocide and war crimes and sought his arrest. (Reuters, 7/24/08)
Militants threaten to destroy Nigerian pipelines
Nigeria's main militant group threatened Wednesday to destroy the nation's major oil pipelines within 30 days to counter allegations it had struck a $12 million deal with the government to protect them. (AP, 7/23/08)
Zimbabwe talks are starting at secret location
South Africa's presidential spokesman said Wednesday that power-sharing talks between Zimbabwe's ruling and opposition forces were under way at a secret location. (AP, 7/23/08)
Full Zimbabwe crisis talks to start on Thursday
Zimbabwe's opposition MDC and President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF will begin negotiations on a power-sharing deal in earnest on Thursday, officials said on Wednesday. (Reuters, 7/23/08)
Islamist takes over Somali opposition
A fundamentalist Muslim suspected by the U.S. of collaborating with al-Qaida has taken over as head of Somalia's exiled opposition movement, pushing out a relative moderate who tried to strike a peace deal with the government, officials said Wednesday. (AP, 7/23/08)
Pirates seize ship with 20 Filipinos off Somalia
Pirates have seized a cargo ship with 20 Filipino sailors on board off the coast of Somalia, a Philippine government official said Wednesday. (AP, 7/23/08)
EU presses Mugabe on power-sharing
JOHANNESBURG - Europe turned up pressure on Zimbabwe's president to share power with the opposition, toughening sanctions yesterday against Robert Mugabe just as his ruling party was to begin talks with its chief rival mediated by South Africa. (Boston Globe, 7/23/08)
In Horn of Africa, 14m need food aid, UN says
MOGADISHU, Somalia - Dahir Abdi Salah used to feed his children three meals a day - pancakes for breakfast, spaghetti for lunch, and beans for dinner. (Boston Globe, 7/23/08)
Nigeria bulldozes slums to polish capital
Scavenging through mounds of rubble in Nigeria's capital Abuja, Usman Landam plucks out the biggest mud blocks he can find, determined to rebuild his two-bedroom hut after government bulldozers knocked it down. (Reuters, 7/23/08)
Darfur rebels condemn AU on ICC warrant
Darfur rebels accused the African Union of bias on Tuesday after it said it would urge the U.N. Security Council to suspend any warrant to arrest Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war crimes. (Reuters, 7/23/08)
UN officials say Congo prisoners dying of hunger
At least 26 prisoners have died of hunger in a prison in Congo since the beginning of the year, U.N. officials said. (AP, 7/22/08)
Zimbabwe crisis talks starts in South Africa
Zimbabwe's ruling party and the opposition MDC began negotiations on Tuesday in neighboring South Africa on a power-sharing deal that could end the country's political crisis, diplomatic sources said. (Reuters, 7/23/08)
UN says 14 million in Africa's Horn need food aid
Dahir Abdi Salah used to feed his children three meals a day -- pancakes for breakfast, spaghetti for lunch and beans for dinner. (AP, 7/22/08)
Somali pirates hijack private yacht: official
Somali pirates have seized a small yacht carrying a German family and French captain as well as a cargo ship off the lawless Horn of Africa nation's coast, an official said on Tuesday. (Reuters, 7/22/08)
Zimbabwe president under pressure to share power
Europe turned up pressure on Zimbabwe's president to share power with the opposition, toughening sanctions Tuesday against Robert Mugabe just as his ruling party was to begin talks with its chief rival mediated by South Africa. (AP, 7/22/08)
Mugabe, opposition leader consider sharing power
JOHANNESBURG - President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and his bitter rival, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, shook hands for the first time in a decade yesterday, agreeing to settle the country's violent political crisis. (Boston Globe, 7/22/08)
U.N. may want to suspend ICC action on Bashir: Russia
The U.N. Security Council may want to consider suspending any war crimes indictment of Sudan's president by the International Criminal Court, Russia's U.N. ambassador told reporters on Monday. (Reuters, 7/22/08)
Cease-fire accord between Mali, Tuareg rebels
The government of Mali and ethnic Tuareg rebels have reached a truce agreement in dangerous northern Mali, Algeria's ambassador to the West African country said Monday. (AP, 7/21/08)
Mugabe, Tsvangirai sign Zimbabwe framework deal
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday signed a deal laying down the framework for formal talks on forming a power sharing government to end a deep political crisis. (Reuters, 7:15 a.m.)
AU seeks to block charges against Sudan leader
The African Union urged the U.N. Security Council on Monday to put on hold the International Criminal Court's move to indict Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir over war crimes in Darfur. (Reuters, 7:15 a.m.)
East Congo peace deal "meaningless": rights group
A 6-month-old peace deal in eastern Congo is "meaningless" because it has failed to protect civilians against murder and rape, a leading human rights group said on Monday. (Reuters, 7:15 a.m.)
Ousted Comoros separatist in Benin, wants to stay
The deposed separatist leader of the breakaway Comorian island of Anjouan arrived in the West African country of Benin at the weekend and said he wanted to stay as long as possible. (Reuters, 7:15 a.m.)
AU to seek delay in al-Bashir indictment
The African Union will ask the U.N. Security Council to suspend action for a year on a prosecutor's request for a warrant to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for his alleged role in the atrocities in Darfur, Nigeria's foreign affairs minister said on Monday. (AP, 7/21/08)
10 tons of drugs seized in Morocco
Morocco's state news agency says police have seized more than 10 tons of drugs during raids in the north of the country and along its coasts. (AP, 7/21/08)
Kenya blocks aid work in restive west
Kenyan armed forces are preventing aid workers from helping homeless, hungry families caught between a brutal militia and an army crackdown, an aid agency said Monday. (AP, 7/21/08)
Egypt police detain 39 Muslim Brotherhood members
Egypt detained 39 members of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood on Monday in the Nile Delta province of Kafr el-Sheikh, security sources and the Brotherhood website said. (Reuters, 7/21/08)
Mugabe party, opposition to sign framework deal: government
Zimbabwe's ruling party and two factions of the opposition will sign a deal on Monday to enter formal talks to solve the country's political crisis, a senior government official said. (Reuters, 7/21/08)
Zimbabwe sides agree to power-sharing talks
Three months after the voting and violence began, Zimbabwe's embattled President Robert Mugabe and his bitter opposition rival agreed Monday to hold talks immediately about sharing power to end the country's political crisis. (AP, 7/21/08)
7 civilians die in fighting in Somali capital
Hours of fighting in the Somali capital killed at least seven civilians, including three young siblings who were leaving a religious school when a mortar landed nearby, witnesses said Monday. (AP, 7/21/08)
Zimbabwe opposition party not ready to negotiate
JOHANNESBURG - Zimbabwe's main opposition party said it would not sign an accord paving the way for talks to end the country's political crisis until South African mediators address its concerns, but regional officials yesterday appeared optimistic that a breakthrough was possible. (Boston Globe, 7/21/08)
It's last call at Cairo Hyatt, and tensions are on tap
CAIRO - Diners in the revolving restaurant on the 41st floor of Cairo's Grand Hyatt once could count on a certain order to things: As surely as the torpid Nile coursed below and the Pyramids loomed in the distance, the whiskey, beer, and wine flowed for hotel guests. (Boston Globe, 7/21/08)
Squandered oil wealth leaves Nigeria in dark age
With oil prices at record highs, government coffers in the world's eighth biggest oil exporter are swollen to unprecedented levels. (Reuters, 7/21/08)
Zimbabwe's MDC holds out on signing memorandum
Zimbabwe's main opposition party said it would not sign an accord paving the way for talks to end a political crisis until mediator South Africa addressed its concerns, but regional officials on Sunday appeared optimistic a breakthrough was possible. (Reuters, 7/20/08)