http://www.mail.com/locations/1362-west-africa.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.20/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/locations/1362-west-africa.html http://www.mail.com/news/world/1766310-abducted-mother-nigeria-finance-minister-freed.html LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The mother of Nigeria's finance minister has been released five days after her abduction, an official said Friday, bringing an end to a family crisis which showed few people are out of reach of kidnapping rings in the oil-rich southern delta. Paul Nwabuikwu, a spokesman for Nigeria's finance ministry, said in a statement that the mot... Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:15:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1766310-abducted-mother-nigeria-finance-minister-freed.html 2012-12-14T11:15:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1764702-witnesses-3-killed-raped-guinea-army.html CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — A military crackdown on protesters in a remote Guinean town this week left three people dead and dozens more wounded, while at least three women were raped by soldiers, witnesses alleged Thursday. A defense official denied soldiers shot civilians, but the incident still added to concerns about Guinea's army, which already has been implicated in a massa... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 20:11:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1764702-witnesses-3-killed-raped-guinea-army.html 2012-12-13T20:11:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1763902-mali-prime-minister-military-ouster.html BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — The troubled nation of Mali swore in a new interim prime minister on Thursday, just days after soldiers behind this year's military coup arrested his predecessor and forced his resignation. Diango Cissoko officially took office in the Malian capital of Bamako, where he said the former prime minister would be available as needed during ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:49:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1763902-mali-prime-minister-military-ouster.html 2012-12-13T16:49:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760966-mali-prime-minister-forced-ouster.html BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's interim president has named a replacement prime minister after soldiers behind a coup earlier this year forced out his predecessor and placed him under house arrest, provoking international condemnation. The political turmoil has deepened concerns about Mali's stability at a time when the international community is considering b... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:36:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760966-mali-prime-minister-forced-ouster.html 2012-12-13T00:36:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760656-ghana-police-raid-opposition-office.html ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Police and soldiers have raided an office where the opposition party is re-tabulating votes in their preparation to contest the results of last week's presidential poll, which handed a slim victory to the incumbent. African statesmen have urged opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo to concede defeat to President John Dramani Mahama in orde... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:06:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1760656-ghana-police-raid-opposition-office.html 2012-12-12T10:06:00Z http://www.mail.com/sports/other/1760616-trading-soccer-wickets-nigeria-cricket-boom.html LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Near the parade ground that Queen Elizabeth II once toured when Nigeria was still under British rule, the sharp crack of a ball against a bat marks the rebirth of a colonial sport now finding a second life. Cricket, once the preserve of Nigeria's educated elite, is finding favor in schools for poor children and in the streets of some... Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:02:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/sports/other/1760616-trading-soccer-wickets-nigeria-cricket-boom.html 2012-12-12T10:02:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757434-malis-pm-forced-to-resign-arrest-junta.html BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Soldiers arrested Mali's prime minister and forced him to resign before dawn on Tuesday, showing that the military remains the real power in this troubled West African nation despite handing back authority to civilians after a coup in March. The prime minister's ouster comes as the United Nations considers backing a military interventi... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 23:47:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757434-malis-pm-forced-to-resign-arrest-junta.html 2012-12-11T23:47:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757904-ghana-opposition-to-contest-poll.html ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Ghana's opposition party said Tuesday that they plan to contest the results of the recent presidential election, ignoring the appeals of the international community, which fears that a protracted political fight could destabilize one of the only established democracies in the region. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, the chairman of the New Patri... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:39:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1757904-ghana-opposition-to-contest-poll.html 2012-12-11T16:39:00Z http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1758376-monopoly-to-lagos-nigerias-biggest-city.html LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's largest city of Lagos is no boardwalk, but now Monopoly is taking inspiration from the city's sprawling chaos. Officials unveiled a Lagos-themed Monopoly board game Tuesday in the city. Officials walked past a massive display of the new board game on the floor at Lagos' City Hall on Lagos Island, showing the familiar spaces... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:41:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1758376-monopoly-to-lagos-nigerias-biggest-city.html 2012-12-11T15:41:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1757612-15-killed-nigeria-shoot-out-with-radical-sect.html MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — A shootout in northeastern Nigeria between security forces and members of a radical Islamist sect killed at least 15 people, including a local police chief, authorities said Tuesday. The shootings took place in the city of Potiskum, which has increasingly become the scene of violent attacks by the sect known as Boko Haram. Army s... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 10:12:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1757612-15-killed-nigeria-shoot-out-with-radical-sect.html 2012-12-11T10:12:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1757336-malis-pm-resigns-arrested-junta.html BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's prime minister presented his resignation on state television in a broadcast at 4 a.m. local time, hours after soldiers who led Mali's recent coup arrested him at his home in Bamako. Prime Minister Cheikh Modibo Diarra said in his address: "Men and women who are worried about the future of our nation, you are hoping for peace. I... Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:18:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1757336-malis-pm-resigns-arrested-junta.html 2012-12-11T03:18:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755492-eu-condemns-israel-settlements.html BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union warned Israel of unspecified consequences Monday if it goes through with plans to build thousands of new settler homes in Jerusalem and the West Bank. The bloc's 27 foreign ministers said they were "deeply dismayed" by Israeli plans to expand settlements in East Jerusalem and particularly the E1 project, which would sepa... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:26:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755492-eu-condemns-israel-settlements.html 2012-12-10T18:26:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1755500-ghana-opposition-mulls.html ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Ghana's opposition met on Monday to discuss whether to accept the results of the recent presidential election, which handed victory to incumbent President John Dramani Mahama. The opposition New Patriotic Party said in a draft statement sent to reporters late Sunday that they would contest the results, accusing the ruling party of fals... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:59:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1755500-ghana-opposition-mulls.html 2012-12-10T17:59:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1756448-ap-local-reporter-detained-gambia.html DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A local reporter for The Associated Press in Gambia was released by security officials on Monday, after being detained by the country's intelligence service for more than 24 hours, the journalist and his colleagues said. Gambian journalist Abdoulie John is the editor of the website Joloff News, and a contributor to AP. On Sunday, he ... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:54:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1756448-ap-local-reporter-detained-gambia.html 2012-12-10T17:54:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755704-nigeria-ministers-mother-abduction-trend.html LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Police searched Monday for the kidnapped mother of Nigeria's powerful finance minister, after an abduction that shows no one is out of reach of criminal gangs in the West African nation's oil-rich southern delta. Kamene Okonjo, the 83-year-old mother of Nigeria's Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was kidnapped Sunday afternoon in... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:44:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755704-nigeria-ministers-mother-abduction-trend.html 2012-12-10T15:44:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755816-transgender-prostitutes-face-abuse-ivory-coast.html ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — It seemed like a case of simple blackmail. Late one night last month, two cars carrying around 10 soldiers pulled up to a group of prostitutes in Abidjan's Vallon neighborhood and began demanding bribes. To save themselves, some of the women in the group approached the soldiers and told them what they knew would divert their at... Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:42:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1755816-transgender-prostitutes-face-abuse-ivory-coast.html 2012-12-10T15:42:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754064-ghanas-president-declared-election-winner.html ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — President John Dramani Mahama on Sunday was declared the winner of Ghana's presidential election, despite widespread technical glitches with the machines used to identify voters and protests by the country's opposition which claims the vote was rigged. Armored tanks surrounded Ghana's electoral commission and police barricaded the road... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 23:03:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754064-ghanas-president-declared-election-winner.html 2012-12-09T23:03:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754264-senegals-casamance-rebels-free-8-army-prisoners.html DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Roman Catholic peacemakers say that eight Senegalese soldiers were freed by rebels in the southern Casamance district. The Sant'Egidio Community confirmed, in a statement issued in Rome, that the soldiers were released by the rebels to promote peace negotiations. A conflict has raged for more than 30 years between the Senegalese gove... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 14:56:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1754264-senegals-casamance-rebels-free-8-army-prisoners.html 2012-12-09T14:56:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1753998-papal-envoy-to-ivory-coast-dies-car-accident.html ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Ivory Coast's president says that the papal envoy to Ivory Coast was killed in a traffic accident. Ouattara expressed "deep regret," in a statement read out on state television Saturday evening over the death of Indian archbishop Ambrose Madtha. Madtha, who assumed his post in 2008, had officiated a service in the northwestern ... Sun, 09 Dec 2012 11:20:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1753998-papal-envoy-to-ivory-coast-dies-car-accident.html 2012-12-09T11:20:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1752710-ghana-2nd-day-voting-to-technical-hitches.html ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — International observers endorsed Ghana's presidential and parliamentary polls despite delays at polling stations that pushed voting into a second day Saturday. "All of Africa was looking at Ghana to make sure that they live up to their reputation and their name of being a mature democracy," said Ahmed Issak Hassan, head of an observer ... Sat, 08 Dec 2012 16:42:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1752710-ghana-2nd-day-voting-to-technical-hitches.html 2012-12-08T16:42:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1752940-long-disdain-jamaica-1st-patois-bible.html KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — When English teacher Faith Linton first proposed translating the Bible into Jamaica's patois tongue in the late 1950s, most people who heard the idea shook their heads. Some on the deeply Christian island believed it was sacrilegious. Others opposed it because the unique mixture of English and West African languages was widely dis... Sat, 08 Dec 2012 15:08:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1752940-long-disdain-jamaica-1st-patois-bible.html 2012-12-08T15:08:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1752808-mali-demonstrators-call-military-intervention.html BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Police say that Malians demonstrated for an international military intervention to regain control of the country's north, which is currently controlled by Islamist extremist rebels. An estimated 2,000 protestors marched through Bamako to urge the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution for a military campaign to push out t... Sat, 08 Dec 2012 13:08:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1752808-mali-demonstrators-call-military-intervention.html 2012-12-08T13:08:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1750310-election-underscores-ghanas-democratic-reputation.html ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Voters in Ghana selected their next president Friday in a ballot expected to mark the sixth transparent election in this West African nation, known as a beacon of democracy in a tumultuous region. Proud of their democratic heritage, residents of this balmy, seaside capital trudged to the polls more than four hours before the sun was ev... Fri, 07 Dec 2012 20:16:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1750310-election-underscores-ghanas-democratic-reputation.html 2012-12-07T20:16:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1750488-border-raids-ivory-coast-threaten-security.html ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Cross-border raids into western Ivory Coast have become more violent and better organized, and could have profound effects on security in the region near Liberia if they continue, a United Nations expert panel warned in a report. The U.N. experts said the attacks are believed to have been orchestrated by supporters of former Iv... Fri, 07 Dec 2012 10:35:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1750488-border-raids-ivory-coast-threaten-security.html 2012-12-07T10:35:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1748738-chad-refugees-cameroon-start-returning.html YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Nearly 2,000 Chadian refugees who fled a 2008 civil war between rebels and government forces into Cameroon began leaving their camp to return to their home country. State-run Cameroon Radio Television said Thursday that the first group of 182 Chadians started leaving the Langui camp in the country's north. Political unrest pitting... Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:43:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1748738-chad-refugees-cameroon-start-returning.html 2012-12-06T16:43:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1748446-ghana-election-democracy-test.html ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — With five peaceful elections under its belt, Ghana has shed its past of military coups and is poised to choose a president and a 275-seat parliament at the ballot box on Friday. The main question for the 25 million people of this gold, cocoa and oil producing nation is which candidate will ensure the country's new-found wealth reaches ... Thu, 06 Dec 2012 14:48:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1748446-ghana-election-democracy-test.html 2012-12-06T14:48:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1745632-us-military-planners-focused-mali-intervention.html WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. military planners are working closely with African nations in advance of an offensive to wrest control of northern Mali from al-Qaida linked extremists, Obama administration officials said Wednesday. The cooperation reflects the increasing U.S. and international concern about the political, security and humanitarian challenges in Ma... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:23:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1745632-us-military-planners-focused-mali-intervention.html 2012-12-05T18:23:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1745760-african-leader-aims-mali-mission-early-2013.html PARIS (AP) — U.N.-mandated African forces could intervene early next year to dislodge al-Qaida-affiliates from their new stronghold in northern Mali, Ivory Coast's president said Wednesday, even as the president of Chad decried "total confusion" about a possible international intervention. The African leaders were in Paris separately Wednesday amid increa... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:02:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1745760-african-leader-aims-mali-mission-early-2013.html 2012-12-05T18:02:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1745346-somalia-bottoms-transparency-survey.html JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Somalia has bottomed out in an annual ranking of the perceived corruption of nations, joining Afghanistan and North Korea. Transparency International's annual Corruption Perceptions Index, released Wednesday, shows Somalia ranked at 174 out of the 174 nations surveyed. Botswana was the highest of all African nations, coming in at 30. ... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:39:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1745346-somalia-bottoms-transparency-survey.html 2012-12-05T15:39:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1744582-islamist-sect-nigeria-grows-deadly.html JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The radical Islamist fighters gather around piles of weapons and ammunition they've stolen and shout praises to God as they shoot into the expanse of the African desert. Those depicted in this video don't come from long-lawless Somalia, nor from al-Qaida North Africa branch. These extremists are from Boko Haram, the Islamist group in N... Wed, 05 Dec 2012 09:21:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1744582-islamist-sect-nigeria-grows-deadly.html 2012-12-05T09:21:00Z