Africa News

UN children's agency warns of south Sudan famine

CAIRO - The deputy head of the U.N. children's agency said Thursday that a famine is looming in southern Sudan because of scarce rainfall and inadequate foreign funds for the region.

SAfrica business dispute sets off racism charges

JOHANNESBURG - A struggle over how to manage South Africa's state-owned power company has opened debates on racism in the boardroom and political meddling in a country where politics and race remain a volatile mix.

Libya to try 2 Swiss amid spat over Ghadafi's son

TRIPOLI, Libya - Two Swiss businessmen arrested in Libya amid a spat with Switzerland involving leader Moammar Gadhafi's son, are to go on trial on accusations of tax evasion and violating residency laws, a Foreign Ministry official said Thursday.

Guinea junta seeks to hold on to power

OUAGADOUGOU (AFP) - - Guinea's ruling junta presented proposals for the creation of a transitional government that would keep junta chief Captain Moussa Dadis Camara in place.

Scientists: New dinosaur species found in SAfrica

JOHANNESBURG - A newly discovered dinosaur species that roamed the Earth about 200 million years ago may help explain how the creatures evolved into the largest animals on land, scientists in South Africa said Wednesday.

Make peace _ mom's dying wish to rebel leader son

KAMPALA, Uganda - The mother of one of Africa's most notorious rebel leaders relayed one last wish for her son before her death Wednesday, according to a nurse at her deathbed.

Trial for top Zimbabwean PM's aide gets under way

Trial of top Tsvangirai aide to resume in Harare

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AFP) - - The terrorism trial of Zimbabwe's Roy Bennett, which prompted Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's government boycott was due to resume Monday in Harare.

W. Africa's last giraffes make surprising comeback

KOURE, Niger - A crisp African dawn is breaking overhead, and Zibo Mounkaila is on the back of a pickup truck bounding across a sparse landscape of rocky orange soil.

Madagascar political rivals reach government deal

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Madagascar's political rivals have agreed on posts within a transitional government that will hold power until next year's elections following a power struggle that brought months of volatility to the country, an African Union statement said.

ICC prosecutor confident over Kenya suspects

NAIROBI (AFP) - - Top war crimes prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said on Saturday he has a strong case against the masterminds behind last year's post-election violence in Kenya.

Tsvangirai calls off Zimbabwe unity government boycott

MAPUTO (AFP) - - Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday called off a boycott of power-sharing ties with President Robert Mugabe that had paralysed the fragile unity government for three weeks.

South Africa cancels Airbus contract

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's government says it has canceled a contract to buy eight Airbus military aircraft that had set off a debate about public spending.

Top rebel commander 'surrenders' to Uganda troops

KAMPALA (AFP) - - Senior Lord's Resistance Army commander Charles Arop, who was implicated in leading a massacre on Christmas Day that killed at least 143 Congolese, has surrendered to the Ugandan military, the army spokesman told AFP on Thursday.

Air Zimbabwe plane smashes into wild pigs

HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's transport ministry says one of the national airline's planes collided with five wild pigs on the runway in the capital during takeoff.

Report: Suspend Zimbabwe over diamond smuggling

JOHANNESBURG - Investigators for the world's diamond control body say Zimbabwe should be suspended because its security forces are raping women, killing illegal miners and smuggling gems out of a diamond field in the troubled country's east.

British coup-plotter arrives in Britain

LONDON - Freed mercenary Simon Mann has expressed his gratitude for being able to return to Britain after serving time in prison for attempting to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea.