Africa

Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of social media platform Twitter, has announced he and US rapper-turned-businessman Jay-Z are investing a chunk of their own money into bitcoin development in Africa and India. Mr Dorsey says they are putting a total of 500 bitcoin, worth around $23.6m, in the endowment fund called …

Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo have confirmed a third case of Ebola in the east of the country. The case occurred in North Kivu province, the same area as two earlier cases were detected. Efforts are underway to trace people who have come into contact with the …

Police in South Africa have arrested 15 people for alleged corruption relating to the funeral of the former president, Nelson Mandela, in 2013. Those arrested include the health minister of Eastern Cape province, Sindiswa Gomba, a number of business figures, and other lawmakers from the governing African National Congress. Among …

The European Commission on Thursday warned that the Tigray region of Ethiopia could be approaching a famine, as the country’s three-month-long conflict continued. The European Commission on Thursday warned that the Tigray region of Ethiopia could be approaching a famine, as the country’s three-month-long conflict continued. The region is largely …

There was a scare on Thursday when a Kenyan member of parliament said colleagues were unsafe during proceedings because one member was armed. The MP, Elisha Odhiambo, informed the speaker that he had seen what looked like a gun behind the coat of his colleague, Mohamed Ali. Speaker Justin Muturi …

It’s been 100 days since fighting broke out in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. In that time, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced out of their homes. Many are going hungry. “I’m sheltered at my friends and I rely on them … I have no work,” one of the …

The head of Rwanda’s military, Lt Gen Jacques Musemakweli, died a “natural death” on Thursday at a military hospital, according to Rwanda Defence Force. “Yes, General Musemakweli has died, he was ill,” a senior Rwandan army official told the BBC. The Rwanda Defence Force is deeply saddened to announce the …

With Russian and Rwandan allies, the Central African Republic’s army has recaptured the western border town of Beloko from rebels. Several groups that have controlled most of the country for the last eight years formed an alliance in December, and started a rebellion to try to seize power. The recapture …

Uganda’s army has confirmed the death of a pilot in a helicopter crash after take-off near Entebbe on Thursday. Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) spokeswoman Brig Flavia Byekwaso said the incident happened during a flight training session. “Today afternoon at about 2:15pm a jet ranger piloted by two cadet trainees …

Nigeria’s Information Minister Lai Mohammed has warned against planned protests at Lekki toll gate in Lagos where security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters in October. The fresh protests, dubbed Occupy Lekki toll gate, are planned for Saturday. Organisers say they will demonstrate against the reopening of the toll gate. …