http://www.mail.com/int/locations/1362-west-africa.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.28/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/int/locations/1362-west-africa.html http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2092740-official-nigeria-military-attacks-camps-kills-21.html MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Soldiers in Nigeria launched their first raid against suspected Islamic extremists in a campaign to take back control of the nation's northeast, killing at least 21 people, a security official said Friday. The fighting happened Thursday in the Sambisa Forest Reserve, just south of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, which sold... Fri, 17 May 2013 20:26:56 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2092740-official-nigeria-military-attacks-camps-kills-21.html 2013-05-17T20:26:56Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/europe/2090056-greek-police-arrest-2-accused-racist-abuse.html ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Police on Thursday arrested two Greek men on suspicion of attacking a Cameroonian national and setting fire to his coffee bar in a central Athens neighborhood that has become a flashpoint for racist violence. The suspects, both 34, appeared before a prosecutor later in the day and were formally charged with deliberate arson, illegal ... Thu, 16 May 2013 17:01:56 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/europe/2090056-greek-police-arrest-2-accused-racist-abuse.html 2013-05-16T17:01:56Z http://www.mail.com/int/business/economy/2090764-shell-large-gas-business-nigeria-shut.html AMSTERDAM (AP) — Royal Dutch Shell PLC says it has stopped delivering gas to Nigeria LNG, one of the world's largest sellers of liquefied natural gas, due to a pipeline leak. Shell said Thursday 1.5 billion cubic feet of gas capacity per day has been shut down for the time being. The company described the leak as being located near the Awoba oil field, in... Thu, 16 May 2013 16:15:43 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/business/economy/2090764-shell-large-gas-business-nigeria-shut.html 2013-05-16T16:15:43Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2086728-nations-pledge-billions-to-rebuild-mali.html BRUSSELS (AP) — A plan to turn Mali into a stable democracy rather than a terrorist haven drew massive support Wednesday as various nations and international organizations pledged 3.25 billion euros ($4.22 billion) to help reconstruct the conflict-ridden West African nation. The objective of the donors' conference in Brussels had been to raise 2 billion e... Wed, 15 May 2013 18:23:41 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2086728-nations-pledge-billions-to-rebuild-mali.html 2013-05-15T18:23:41Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2087714-nigeria-deploys-army-to-northeast-to-fight-rebels.html LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria rumbled to a war footing Wednesday as soldiers and equipment moved into its northeastern states as part of an emergency military campaign against Islamic extremists waging a bloody insurgency. In the last two days, Associated Press journalists and witnesses have seen armored tanks and soldiers moving through major roads and c... Wed, 15 May 2013 18:07:34 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2087714-nigeria-deploys-army-to-northeast-to-fight-rebels.html 2013-05-15T18:07:34Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2086890-confrontation-looms-tunisia-moves-salafis.html TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia is taking a harder line on preaching by ultraconservative Muslim groups, a crackdown that has sparked demonstrations by rock-throwing protesters and ominous warnings of terrorist attacks to come. As it struggles to hunt down al-Qaida linked terrorists in its frontiers, the government has also been trying to rein in salafis em... Wed, 15 May 2013 10:42:20 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2086890-confrontation-looms-tunisia-moves-salafis.html 2013-05-15T10:42:20Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2085108-nigeria-president-declares-emergency.html LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Admitting Islamic extremists now control some of his nation's villages and towns, Nigeria's president declared a state of emergency Tuesday across the country's troubled northeast, promising to send more troops to fight what he said is now an open rebellion. President Goodluck Jonathan, speaking live on state radio and television net... Tue, 14 May 2013 20:13:56 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2085108-nigeria-president-declares-emergency.html 2013-05-14T20:13:56Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2084596-eu-pledges-675-toward-mali-reconstruction.html BRUSSELS (AP) — On the eve of a major international donors' conference, the European Union announced Tuesday it was pledging 520 million euros ($674.8 million) over the next two years to help rebuild the west African country of Mali as a functioning state. The announcement was made by Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, the EU's exe... Tue, 14 May 2013 17:40:21 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2084596-eu-pledges-675-toward-mali-reconstruction.html 2013-05-14T17:40:21Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2084838-mali-leader-presidential-election-set-july-28.html BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's interim leader says the country's presidential vote will take place on July 28 after months of speculation about the date. On a visit to Belgium ahead of a donors' conference for Mali, President Dioncounda Traore also said Tuesday that neither he nor any member of the transitional government would run for office. A field of abou... Tue, 14 May 2013 16:37:31 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2084838-mali-leader-presidential-election-set-july-28.html 2013-05-14T16:37:31Z http://www.mail.com/int/business/economy/2084082-5-crew-kidnapped-ship-nigeria-released.html BERLIN (AP) — A German ship operator says five crew members kidnapped from one of its ships off the coast of Nigeria last month have been released. The five Polish and Russian citizens were seized April 26 from the container ship City of Xiamen. The shipping company Sunship Schiffartskontor KG said they were released Saturday and are in good health. ... Tue, 14 May 2013 12:00:34 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/business/economy/2084082-5-crew-kidnapped-ship-nigeria-released.html 2013-05-14T12:00:34Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2083946-10-year-sentence-sought-canadian-mauritania.html NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AP) — Prosecutors in Mauritania are seeking to lengthen to 10 years the sentence of a Canadian man already imprisoned on alleged links to terror groups, a judicial official said Tuesday. Aaron Yoon, 24, was convicted last July on charges of having ties to a terrorist group and of posing a danger to national security and sentenced t... Tue, 14 May 2013 11:37:02 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2083946-10-year-sentence-sought-canadian-mauritania.html 2013-05-14T11:37:02Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/us/2082398-french-minister-to-discuss-shaky-libya-us-trip.html PARIS (AP) — Terror groups ousted from Mali appear to be trying to set up a new haven in Libya, France's defense minister said Monday, vowing to discuss ways of helping Tripoli improve its shaky security with U.S. officials later this week. Jean-Yves Le Drian noted that there is common ground: both French and U.S. diplomatic outposts in Libya were hit by ... Mon, 13 May 2013 20:19:46 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/us/2082398-french-minister-to-discuss-shaky-libya-us-trip.html 2013-05-13T20:19:46Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2082236-sierra-leone-opposition-politician-released.html FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Authorities have released a prominent opposition politician in Sierra Leone who was accused of making statements that could undermine state security. Charles Francis Margai had been detained after speaking about a land dispute he has with Sierra Leone's first lady. Margai said he would fight for his land and said he would be... Mon, 13 May 2013 17:14:33 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2082236-sierra-leone-opposition-politician-released.html 2013-05-13T17:14:33Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2081702-nigeria-judge-iranian-colleague-smuggled-weapons.html LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — An Iranian and his Nigerian accomplice were sentenced to five years in prison Monday over a plot they orchestrated to smuggle a shipment of military-grade weapons including mortar rounds into West Africa. Both Azim Aghajani and his accomplice, Usman Abbas Jega, pleaded for leniency in the hearing, in which Justice Okechukwu J. Okeke ... Mon, 13 May 2013 15:48:32 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2081702-nigeria-judge-iranian-colleague-smuggled-weapons.html 2013-05-13T15:48:32Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2081828-mali-gunman-kills-3-aid-distribution-point.html BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — A suspected jihadist opened fire on a crowd at an aid distribution point in a north Malian village, killing three civilians, a local official said. However, at least one local jihadist leader said the suspect was not a member of the radical groups who ruled the region for nearly 10 months until a French-led military operation was launc... Mon, 13 May 2013 15:38:14 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2081828-mali-gunman-kills-3-aid-distribution-point.html 2013-05-13T15:38:14Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2081722-togo-opposition-protests-activists-death-jail.html LOME, Togo (AP) — Activists in Togo charged Monday that a detained leader died in custody after authorities refused a request to bring him to a hospital, the latest dispute between the government and an increasingly vocal opposition. Kodjo Yakanou was among the opposition supporters who have been detained for questioning for months in connection with the ... Mon, 13 May 2013 15:33:04 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2081722-togo-opposition-protests-activists-death-jail.html 2013-05-13T15:33:04Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2081736-security-forces-tear-gas-protesters-ivory-coast.html ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Security forces in Ivory Coast used teargas to disperse hundreds of students demonstrating Monday against overcrowded classrooms and empty libraries at the country's largest university, sending at least two students to the hospital with injuries, according to witnesses. The demonstration had been timed to coincide with an appea... Mon, 13 May 2013 15:02:20 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2081736-security-forces-tear-gas-protesters-ivory-coast.html 2013-05-13T15:02:20Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2080212-sierra-leone-opposition-politician-arrested.html FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — A Sierra Leonean police official says that a prominent opposition politician has been arrested for making statements to undermine state security. Assistant Superintendent of Police Ibrahim Samura said on state radio Saturday night that Charles Francis Margai was detained for alleged subversion. Margai earlier in the week spok... Sun, 12 May 2013 15:43:27 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2080212-sierra-leone-opposition-politician-arrested.html 2013-05-12T15:43:27Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2079054-gabon-thousands-march-ritual-killings.html LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Thousands of Gabonese people marched to protest ritual killings, in which people are murdered so their body parts can be used in amulets to bring good luck. Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, Gabon's first lady, led the event Saturday along with Christian and Muslim religious leaders. The president of the Association for the Fight against Ritu... Sat, 11 May 2013 18:26:13 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2079054-gabon-thousands-march-ritual-killings.html 2013-05-11T18:26:13Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2078758-gambia-frees-muslim-cleric-5-months.html BANJUL, Gambia (AP) — The Gambian government says that it has released a Muslim cleric who had been in detention for five months. The state Gambia Radio Television Services announced late Friday that Imam Baba Leigh was released by the National Intelligence Agency. The outspoken Imam was taken away by plainclothes officers on December 3, 2012. Media repor... Sat, 11 May 2013 13:03:05 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2078758-gambia-frees-muslim-cleric-5-months.html 2013-05-11T13:03:05Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2076472-suicide-bombers-launch-attacks-2-mali-towns.html BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Five suicide bombers carried out two simultaneous attacks on soldiers in Mali on Friday in another indication of the growing coordination of operations by militants against African and French forces. The attacks only killed the bombers and wounded two Malian soldiers, but they highlighted the continued threat posed by the al-Qaida-link... Fri, 10 May 2013 17:07:23 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2076472-suicide-bombers-launch-attacks-2-mali-towns.html 2013-05-10T17:07:23Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2076646-c-african-republic-child-soldier-killed-mob.html DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — An angry mob stoned to death a 17-year-old soldier in Central African Republic who had been freed from a rebel group and moved to the capital for his own safety only to be re-recruited by armed fighters, the U.N. children's agency said Friday. The killings came amid growing resentment against the fighters who seized the capital in Ma... Fri, 10 May 2013 14:24:59 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2076646-c-african-republic-child-soldier-killed-mob.html 2013-05-10T14:24:59Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2076308-liberia-journalists-protest-with-black-front.html MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) — Newspapers in Liberia have printed black front pages after a government official was accused of threatening journalists. The director of the presidential security service reportedly told a journalist: "Be careful, because you have your pens and we have our guns." The security chief, Othello Warrick, later issued a statement saying... Fri, 10 May 2013 10:33:32 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2076308-liberia-journalists-protest-with-black-front.html 2013-05-10T10:33:32Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2073918-burkina-faso-fm-passes-turkey-briefing.html ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The foreign minister of Burkina Faso on Thursday briefly passed out during a live televised news conference with his Turkish counterpart in Ankara, forcing him to delay a planned trip to Paris the next day. State media reported that he spoke of being tired and taking flu medication, while a doctor said he had low blood sugar. Djibril... Thu, 09 May 2013 15:49:45 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2073918-burkina-faso-fm-passes-turkey-briefing.html 2013-05-09T15:49:45Z http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2073798-nigeria-military-helicopter-crashes-oil-delta.html ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian military helicopter has crashed in the country's oil-rich southern delta, just days after one of its jets crashed. A statement from Nigeria's Air Force said the crash happened Thursday morning at its base in Port Harcourt and that the crew escaped unharmed. Local witnesses described seeing a plume of smoke rise from the base. Thu, 09 May 2013 12:54:53 GMT http://www.mail.com/int/news/world/2073798-nigeria-military-helicopter-crashes-oil-delta.html 2013-05-09T12:54:53Z