AFRICA

Kenya will become the first country in Africa to collect data on intersex people in its national population census, in a major victory for rights activists. The August survey will determine the number of citizens who do not identify as either male or female. Intersex people in Kenya often face …

At least 20 members of a Nigerian Shi’ite organisation have died after protests in the capital Abuja this week led to clashes with police, spokesmen for the group said on Friday. The death toll may be as high as 25, one spokesman said. Nigerian police met the protests, calling for …

Prophet Shepherd Bushiri the founder and leader of Enlightened Christian Gathering has once again performed a shocking miracle at his church which has become the talk of the town in Pretoria, South Africa where his church’ headquarters is located. During church service, the Malawian preacher and motivational speaker commanded the …

Lawmakers in the south-western Nigerian state of Ondo abandoned their session on Thursday as a snake dropped from the roof, local media are reporting. Members were about to begin the business of the day when the snake dropped from a hole in the ceiling, bringing the day’s work to an …

The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has approved the historic R5bn settlement agreement in the lengthy silicosis case. Judge Leoni Windell found that “all the parties made an effort to ensure that the settlement agreement is reasonable, adequate and fair.” “The terms of the settlement agreement demonstrate that they succeeded …

The authorities in Libya are still recovering the bodies of those who drowned after their boat sunk in the Mediterranean Sea, UN refugee agency (UNHCR) spokesperson Tarik Argaz told the BBC’s Newsday programme. He added that, according to some survivors, there were between 250 and 300 migrants and refugees on board …

Up to 150 people may have drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya, the UN refugee agency says. A further 150 people were rescued by fishermen and returned to Libya by coastguards, the UNHCR said. It is not clear if the migrants were on one or two boats …

Two Gambian soldiers working for a hit squad controlled by former President Yahya Jammeh on Monday admitted to participating in the 2005 execution of 56 West African migrants, including 44 Ghanaians on the orders of Jammeh. Lieutenant Malick Jatta and Corporal Omar A. Jallow revealed to Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and …

The Edo State Police Command, on Monday, announced the death of two armed robbery suspects in a gun duel with its men during an operation in Benin. Two teenage car snatchers were killed in a similar circumstance last week. Monday’s incident took place at the Ekehuan community near the Asoro …

Kenya’s finance minister has pleaded not guilty to charges of corruption in court, after spending the night in police custody. Henry Rotich is accused of flouting procurement procedures in awarding a contract worth more than $450m (£405m) for the construction of two dams to an Italian firm, CMC de Ravenna. …