AFRICA

Gunmen have killed six people including a priest as Mass was being celebrated in a church in Dablo in northern Burkina Faso, officials say. The attackers, said to number between 20 and 30, then burned down the church. The town’s mayor, Ousmane Zongo, said that there was panic as other …

South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) has been returned to office after winning parliamentary election, but with a reduced majority. The ANC secured 58% of the vote, ahead of the Democratic Alliance (DA) on 21%. The radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), came third with 11%. The ANC, which has been …

A majority of African communities have specific rituals for celebrating pregnancy and birth. All these are inspired by long-standing traditions held dear by the community. One of the fascinating rituals is by South Africa’s Xhosa community called Sifudu, a purification and cleansing ceremony for newborn babies. This elaborate ritual takes …

Abused, sold into marriage at 12 years old, and now a single mother of 42 children; This is Mariam Nabatanzi’s story, the 39-year-old woman who has caused a stir online with news of her given birth to 42 children in just 15 pregnancy and she has been dubbed by locals …

The lawyer representing the EFF argued in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Monday that journalist and political commentator Karima Brown did not conduct herself in a fair, objective or professional manner in her criticism of the EFF. “The journalist we are dealing with is one who is intent …

Children among African migrants held in Yemen Children are among over 2,000 African migrants rounded up and detained in a football stadium in Yemen, an official for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has told BBC Newsday programme. Olivia Headon, IOM spokesperson in Yemen, said the migrants, predominately from Ethiopia, …

The latest pre-election poll undertaken by the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) shows that Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal could be hung provinces, unless there is a late surge in favour of the ANC in both provinces. The tracking poll, which was in the field from April 27 to May …

Ghana was one of the main West African departure points for the transatlantic slave trade. The government has launched a campaign to reach out to the descendants of those Africans who were forcibly removed from their homelands. It has dubbed 2019 the “Year of Return”. Several hundred people have already …

Hundreds of “yellow vest” protesters demonstrated in the Libyan capital,Tripoli against an offensive by military strongman Khalifa Haftar accusing France of backing him. Wearing the trademark yellow vests of French anti government demonstrators, they flooded the Libyans central Tripoli square to rally in support of the internationally recognised government of …

At least 137 people have been killed and hundreds more injured in explosions at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, police and hospital sources say. At least six explosions have been reported. Three churches in Kochchikade, Negombo and Batticaloa were targeted during Easter services. The Shangri La, Cinnamon Grand and …