In the news

Hundreds of Ethiopians and Eritreans are protesting across various cities in the US, demanding that the US government drop two separate bills which would impose tough sanctions on people hindering an end to war in Ethiopia. The demonstrators say the policies would hurt ordinary Ethiopians and derail ongoing peace negotiations. …

The majority of lawmakers in Ghana’s parliament approved a controversial electronic direct debit bill, which includes taxes on mobile money payments. It has been fiercely opposed by the opposition since it was proposed in November last year, delaying the passage of the national budget. The Minority in Parliament walked out …

Many public figures in Ghana celebrate their President, His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo, who turns 78 today. Below are some of the goodwill messages for President Akufo-Addo: Happy birthday Mr. President ❤️😍🥰 pic.twitter.com/ADHrgk0UOY— Rebecca Akufo-Addo (@RAkufoAddo) March 29, 2022 Tomorrow is Mr President’s birthday. Long life, @NAkufoAddo pic.twitter.com/awW4RV31mz— nana aba (@thenanaaba) …

South African Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) has spoken out against a wine ad that has been criticized as offensive and “perpetuating the culture of rape”. It said the ad depicting a young woman with her mouth open and wine being poured into her mouth was in breach of advertising regulations. …

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has issued a directive to declassify intelligence reports on how the country’s long-running civil war began. President Kiir said all those found culpable of offences by the released materials will be granted presidential pardon. The declassification is expected to help in the process of national …

Former Guinean Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo expressed his displeasure against military authorities who decided to destroy his private residence. Military leaders in Guinea said they were targeting irregularly acquired state property and sub-standard buildings. Last month they ordered Mr Diallo to leave the residence, but the former prime minister …

Gunmen in Nigeria attacked a train in which they abducted an unknown number of passengers in northern Kaduna state, local media reported. The gang mined the track between the capital, Abuja, and Kaduna city and forced the evening train to a halt. Many of the approximately 1,000 passengers on board …

The family of the late Jacob Oulanyah, the former Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament, who died in the United States, has said his body will spend a night in his unfinished mansion in Omoro District before burial, Ugandan Monitor reports. Oulanyah, 56, represented Omoro in the 11th Parliament and, according to …

American actor Will Smith apologized to the Academy and all the other Oscar nominees, after he slapped comedian Chris Rock, one of the event’s presenters who joked about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. Watch below: "I want to apologize to the Academy, I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees," …

Sixteen suspects – including motorcyclists accused of sexually assaulting a diplomat in Kenya’s capital Nairobi – have been released, local media reported. The prosecution said it had no evidence to charge the 16 suspects who were arrested and detained about two weeks ago. The main suspect in this case, Zachariah …