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West Africa

Mali seeks French help against extremists
Mali's president asked France for help Thursday to counter an offensive by extremist and terrorist groups who control the northern half of the country ...
Gambia releases on bail local journalist for AP
A Gambian journalist who contributes to The Associated Press was released on bail Thursday after being detained by Gambia's internal security service ...
Mali army, Islamist rebels clash
The Mali army attacked Islamist rebels with heavy weapons in the center of the country which divides the insurgent-held north and the ...
Anouma loses 1st half of African election appeal
FIFA executive committee member Jacques Anouma has failed to get an interim ruling to become a Confederation of African Football presidential ...
Talks on Central African Republic begin in Gabon
Talks on the crisis in Central African Republic began Wednesday with representatives of the government, rebels and other groups gathering in this ...
Sierra Leone stricken by fuel shortage
A fuel shortage has hit Sierra Leone, causing rationing and long lines at gas stations and hampering the movement of vehicles and goods in the West ...
Adebayor to play for Togo in African Cup
Emmanuel Adebayor has been called up by Togo and will go to the African Cup of Nations, English club Tottenham said Wednesday, ending uncertainty over ...
Gambian lawyer sees local AP reporter in detention
A Gambian journalist who contributes to The Associated Press is in good condition although he has been held in detention by Gambia's internal security ...
Italy: 4 sailors kidnapped off Nigeria freed
Italy's foreign minister says three Italian shipmen and one Ukrainian kidnapped Dec. 23 off Nigeria's coast have been freed. Minister Giulio Terzi ...
Massive fire rips through slum in Nigeria megacity
A massive fire tore through a waterfront slum in Nigeria's megacity of Lagos on Tuesday, burning down dozens of shack workshops and homes.
Senegalese man dies after setting himself on fire
Authorities in Senegal say a man has died after setting himself on fire outside the presidential palace. Radio station RFM reported that the man had ...
Gambia detains local AP reporter for second time
A Gambian journalist who contributes to The Associated Press was held by security officials Monday night, according to the Gambian Press Union.
Official: Mali Islamists closer to gov't areas
Islamist extremists who seized Mali's north have moved even closer toward areas under government control Monday, a military official and witness said, ...
Rebels, Central African Republic to hold talks
Talks between Central African Republic's government and the rebels who now control much of the country's north are set to get under way no later than ...
Ghana inaugurates John Mahama as president
John Dramani Mahama became president of Ghana on Monday, sworn in as the opposition continues to dispute election results in one of West African's ...
CAS rejects Liberia appeal against election rules
Sport's top court says Liberia has failed in its appeal against the Confederation of African Football's new election rules, which limit challenges to ...
Cameroon judge frees 2 men jailed for looking gay
A court has overturned the conviction of two men who were sentenced for five years in prison for "looking gay" and ordering Bailey's Irish Cream.
Ivory Coast report: Many factors caused stampede
Officials say that the New Year's stampede in Ivory Coast which killed 64 people was caused by a combination of several factors including unofficial ...
7 killed, 7 wounded in northwest Nigeria attacks
A government official says suspected armed robbers terrorizing northwest Nigeria raided three villages there, killing at least seven people and ...
S. Africa sends troops to Central African Republic
The South African presidency announced Sunday that is sending 400 army troops to Central African Republic to help the country's army as it faces a ...
Rebels in C. African Republic seize another town
Rebels in Central African Republic seized control of another town on Saturday, just days before they are to begin negotiations with the government in ...
Mali's Islamists withdraw cease-fire pledge
An Islamist group in northern Mali says it's suspending its pledge to halt hostilities less than a month after it agreed to do so. The group Ansar ...
Different challenges in Central African Rep., Mali
Two land-locked, desperately poor African countries are gripped by rebellions in the north that have left huge chunks of both nations outside of ...
Nigeria police: Hyundai paid $187K to free workers
Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. paid about $187,000 to free four abducted South Korean workers and their local colleague, a lucrative ransom showing the ...