Africa

A woman was burnt beyond recognition due to her inability to repay a N70,000 loan she took from a microfinance bank, popularly known as LAPO, in Oke-Keesi, Itoko, Abeokuta, Nigeria. LAPO is known for lending money to traders and other small-scale business owners with specific instructions for repayment plans. A …

More than 70 women working on two British-owned tea plantations in Kenya have told the BBC they were forced to have sex by their managers to retain their jobs. Undercover filming by the BBC caught local bosses pressuring a female worker for sex. The two firms, Unilever and James Finlay …

Twelve South African cheetahs began a voyage to India on Friday as part of an intergovernmental agreement to reintroduce the big cats to the Asian country, Reuters agency reported. They will join eight cheetahs from neighbouring Namibia that were released into the Kuno National Park in central India last year. …

Police in Kenya have questioned a member of parliament over claims of funding bandits in the country’s northern Rift Valley region. Pokot South MP David Pkosing was arrested on Thursday evening by officers from the Serious Crimes Unit and released hours after interrogation. His lawyer says the MP will appear …

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said his country will not embrace homosexuality and the West should stop seeking to impose its views to compel dissenting countries to “normalise” what he called “deviations”. Officiating at the national celebrations to mark Janani Luwum Day at Wii-Gweng village in Mucwini Sub-County, Kitgum District, Mr …

A request by a provincial government for a state funeral to be given to a popular South African rapper murdered last week has been rejected by the president, local media report. Gauteng’s premier Panyaza Lesufi had written to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting permission to give slain rapper Kiernan Forbes, popularly …

A pastor, founder of the Santa Trindade evangelical church in the central province of Manica, died after fasting for 40 days in an attempt to reach the record set by Jesus on the biblical Mount of Olives in Mozambique. After 25 days of fasting, the pastor had lost a lot …

A 35-year-old man has been arrested for killing his biological father for challenging his right to marry the woman of his choice in Ghana, according to reports. “The 75-year-old man prevented his son from marrying his cousin, which goes against culture,”according to Adom News. The suspect was adamant on his …

South African new electricity minister will assume full responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the country’s response to crippling power cuts, Reuters agency reported on Thursday, citing President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa said he would appoint the new minister last week during a State of the Nation Address (SONA) in parliament. …

Three of Nigeria’s biggest music artists are set to perform an “Afrobeats-themed performance” at one of the biggest sporting events in the US on Sunday. Burna Boy, Rema and Tems have been confirmed as the half-time acts during the NBA All-star game in Utah, which is usually watched on TV …