The Independent - Africa RSS Feed

'We want him to rule all African countries'

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:00:01 GMT

In flip-flops, a faded old T-shirt and ragged trousers, Abraham Laeyea looked the image of Africa's frustrating, dispiriting poverty. "We like Obama," he said. "We want him to come and rule all African countries. He brings hope but we need employment, jobs for the youth. Yes, we all have schooling as far as O-level here but then there is no work. People who have succeeded with business in this area move away."

Game on for Zuma as workers strike at World Cup stadiums

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:00:01 GMT

South African construction workers began an indefinite strike yesterday, halting work at stadiums for the 2010 World Cup in the biggest industrial action since President Jacob Zuma took office in May.

The plot to oust Liberia's leading lady

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Africa's first female president was propelled to power on a tide of democratic passion from voters eager to turn the page on the years of civil carnage. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was hailed as the woman whose level head and calm, almost grandmotherly, demeanour would help Liberia quietly rebuild and prosper. Now the bloody past is coming back to haunt her.

How the swine flu virus spread across the UK

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:00:35 GMT

The virus has swept through the UK since April, infecting thousands of people although most have suffered mild symptoms.

Mugabe calls top US official 'an idiot'

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:10:44 GMT

President Robert Mugabe described the US assistant secretary of state for African affairs as "an idiot" after an acrimonious meeting between the two at an African summit in Libya, Zimbabwe's state media reported today.

Daniel Howden: I ran for fun. But my friend Elijah didn't

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:00:01 GMT

In many respects, Elijah and I had the same preparation for the Lewa half-marathon. We both did training runs every day in the build-up. We travelled up to the spectacular game reserve in the shadow of Mount Kenya in the same vehicle.

African nations unite to defend Sudanese leader

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:11:29 GMT

After bitter wrangling, Africa's leaders agreed to denounce the International Criminal Court and refuse to extradite Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, who has been indicted for crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Sole crash survivor 'could hardly swim', says father

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:00:01 GMT

The 13-year-old girl who was the only survivor of the Yemenia Airbus which crashed in the Indian Ocean "could hardly swim", according to her father, Kassim Bakari.

Yemenia plane may have been circuiting

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:26:45 GMT

The Yemenia Airbus 310 that crashed into the Indian Ocean near Comoros may have been attempting a circuiting manoeuvre when it hit the sea, a pilots association says.

Teen survivor of Yemeni jet crash 'doing well'

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:02:41 GMT

A teenage girl who is the only known survivor of a Yemeni jetliner crash could barely swim but managed to hang on long enough for rescuers to find her in the ocean, her father told French radio today.

14-year-old survives Airbus ocean crash

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:01:31 GMT

Rescuers were last night hailing the “miracle survival” of a single child after a passenger jet crashed into the sea off the Comoros Islands in the Indian Ocean. With the remaining 152 passengers and crew aboard Yemenia flight IY626 feared dead, it emerged that the aircraft had been the subject of an EU investigation two years ago.

Kenya's decline and fall

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Symbols rarely come as obvious or appropriate as Nairobi's Integrity Centre. A stone's throw from State House Avenue, the headquarters of Kenya's Anti-Corruption Commission (Kacc) is both a rusting hulk and a public joke. It was built to project the arrival of a brash new world but its metal panels have oxidised and bled, scarring its bronze facade with rivulets like the tracks of filthy brown tears.

Report blames Shell over 'cover-up' of Nigeria's oil spills

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Oil giant Shell has been covering up catastrophic oil spills in the Niger Delta by blaming them on sabotage by local people, according to a leading human rights group.

Children's falls are more easily broken

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Tales are legion of the "miraculous" survival of children in plane crashes. Two years ago, a three-year-old American girl was found alive strapped into her seat in what was left of her grandfather's light aircraft. Her first words to her rescuers were to ask the whereabouts of her teddy bear.

The Big Question: Why has another Airbus crashed, and is flying becoming more risky?

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Five-year-old survives Airbus ocean crash

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:00:28 GMT

A boy was rescued alive today from the wreckage of an airliner that crashed trying to land in the Comoros islands, police said.

Toddler survives Comoros jet crash

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:54:55 GMT

A toddler was rescued alive today from the wreckage of an airliner that crashed trying to land in the Comoros islands, police said.

153 feared killed as Airbus crashes into ocean

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:20:27 GMT

An Airbus A310-300 from Yemen with 153 people on board, including 66 French nationals, crashed into the sea as it approached the Indian Ocean archipelago of Comoros in bad weather early today, officials said.

Fears for 153 as Airbus crashes into ocean

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:34:47 GMT

A passenger jet from Yemen with 153 people on board crashed in the Indian Ocean early today en route to the island nation of Comoros, a Yemeni aviation official said.

Fears for 150 as Airbus crashes into ocean

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:01:41 GMT

A Yemenia Air plane going from the Arabian Peninsula country of Yemen to the island nation of Comoros crashed in the Indian Ocean early today, a Yemen airport official said.

MDC may quit over new powers for Mugabe

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:00:01 GMT

The troubled unity government of Zimbabwe is locked in a "make or break" battle over the constitution that could see the party of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai walk out.

Pirates release captives after ransom is paid

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Somali pirates have released the entire crew of a Belgian ship seized 10 weeks ago after a ransom was paid, the Belgian government said Sunday.

Somali children being forced into war, says leader

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:00:01 GMT

Somalia's embattled president has accused Islamic extremist militias of recruiting child soldiers in their efforts to take over the country. Shaikh Sharif Shaikh Ahmed said yesterday that Hizb ul-Islam, and Al-Shabaab, a militant group with links to al-Qa'ida, was training and deploying children in frontline fighting.

Nigeria offers amnesty to militants in oil delta

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:00:01 GMT

The Nigerian President, Umaru Yar'Adua, proposed 60 days of "amnesty and unconditional pardon" for militants in the Niger Delta yesterday in an effort to end years of attacks on Africa's biggest oil and gas industry.

Lebanese pop star Suzanne Tamim's killers to be executed

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:11:51 GMT

A court confirmed the death sentence on an Egyptian businessman and politician today for ordering the murder of a Lebanese pop star, in a case that has gripped the Arab world.