Africa

The Cemac Banking Commission (Cobac), has not accepted the adoption by the Central African authorities of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency as one of the country’s official currencies. Following an extraordinary meeting on May 6, the Cobac banned the use of cryptocurrencies in banking and financial institutions in the countries of the …

Nigerian authorities asked Facebook and other platforms to reduce hate speech on their sites, Information Minister Lai Mohammed said on Tuesday. The minister’s comments came after meeting with Facebook’s team in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. According to Mr Mohamed, Facebook had done nothing to curtail the activities of separatist group Indigenous …

The Swedish and Finnish embassies in Zambia angered Zambians after raising the rainbow flag, a symbol of the LGBTIQ community, along with their own national flags at their premises on Tuesday. The Swedish and Finnish embassies in Zambia tweeted the rainbow flag using the hashtag #Idahot2022, which stands for International …

The Ugandan army has announced the withdrawal of troops it sent last year to help neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo fight Islamist militants. According to Lt-Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Ugandan land forces commander, Operation Shujaa had only been intended to last for six months and would end by next month unless …

Zimbabwe’s central bank has lifted the suspension on bank lending services that was meant to stop the slide of the local currency, the BBC reported. Authorities have gradually walked back from the proposal. Inflation has surged to over 96% in the country, as the government blames currency speculators who it …

A court in Kigali has cleared a rape charge against the Miss Rwanda pageant organiser but said he will be prosecuted for other alleged sex crimes. The court on Monday also denied Dieudonné Ishimwe bail following his arrest late last month. Mr Ishimwe was accused of rape, soliciting or offering …

The Nigerian army claims to have killed four members of the Biafra separatist group during a clash in the south-east of the country. According to the army, the separatists attacked one of their patrols and it returned fire, killing part of the group and forcing the others to flee. It …

Mali’s military junta thwarted an attempted coup on the night between 11 and 12 May led by “Western-backed” soldiers, it said in a statement without providing evidence. The statement read out on state television on Monday said: “The attempt was thwarted thanks to the vigilance and professionalism of the defence …

A 40-year-old man has escaped death after being attacked by wandering lion in the southern Mozambican province of Gaza, local media reported. The victim suffered serious injuries and is currently receiving medical care in a hospital. According to a local administrator, the lion that attacked the man had escaped from …

Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embaló has dissolved the parliament, three months after he had said he had survived a coup attempt, several media reported. In a statement quoted by the Reuters news agency he accused the lawmakers of corruption. He also cited “persistent and unresolved differences” with parliament, the AFP …