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Paul Rusesabagina is currently serving a 25-year prison term (file pic)

Family of 'Hotel Rwanda' hero files $400m lawsuit

The family of "Hotel Rwanda" hero Paul Rusesabagina has announced it has filed a $400 million lawsuit in the United States over his alleged abduction and torture.

World • 01 May 22

The mask would have been used in ceremonies by the Fang ethnic people of Gabon

African mask sells for €4.2m in France despite protests

A carved mask from Central Africa, dating from the 19th Century, has been sold in France for €4.2 million, despite Gabonese protesters in the auction house calling for the item's "'restitution".

France • 27 Mar 22

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is set to be the largest hydroelectric scheme in Africa

Ethiopia starts generating power at Nile mega-dam

Ethiopia has begun generating electricity from its mega-dam on the Blue Nile, a milestone in the controversial multi-billion dollar project.

World • 20 Feb 22

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has been at the centre of a regional dispute ever since Ethiopia broke ground in 2011

Ethiopia to start generating power from Nile dam

Ethiopia will start generating power from its controversial mega-dam on the Blue Nile tomorrow, government officials have said.

World • 19 Feb 22

Over 8 million bottles of Irish whiskey were sold across the African continent in 2020

Irish Whiskey Association wants tariff cuts in Africa

Irish whiskey is now by far the largest - and fastest growing - EU spirits export to the continent of Africa, the Irish Whiskey Association has claimed today.

Business • 15 Feb 22

Joe Biden's administration said the African countries had violated internationally recognised human rights

US excludes some African countries from trade agreement

The United States has announced that it has excluded Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from a US-Africa trade agreement

World • 02 Jan 22

Trócaire programmes in 20 countries are responding to the triple impact of Covid, climate change and conflict

Trócaire warns of 'hunger pandemic' next year

Trócaire CEO Caoimhe de Barra has said that a "hunger pandemic" will be faced by low income countries in 2022.

Africa • 27 Dec 21

Irish in southern Africa region offered assistance

There are over 35,000 Irish citizens based in South Africa, the Department of Foreign Affairs have confirmed.

Ireland • 27 Nov 21

A man holds the Ethiopian national flag at a ceremony for new military recruits (File photo)

US calls for urgent negotiations over Ethiopia conflict

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is greatly concerned about Ethiopia's military escalation and called for urgent negotiations over the crisis, a US State Department spokesperson has said.

World • 27 Nov 21

Sudanese anti-coup protesters attend a gathering in the capital Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman

Three shot dead during protests against coup in Sudan

Security forces have shot dead three people during nationwide protests in Sudan, a doctors committee said, as hundreds of thousands of people demanded the restoration of a civilian-led government after a military coup.

World • 30 Oct 21

The capture of Dessie would be a strategic gain for the Tigrayan fighters against the central government forces who are trying to dislodge them from the Amhara region (File pic)

Strategic town in Ethiopia seized: Tigrayan forces

Rebellious Tigrayan forces have said they had seized the strategic town of Dessie in Ethiopia's Amhara region where tens of thousands of ethnic Amharas have sought refuge from an escalation in fighting, but the government has denied this.

World • 30 Oct 21

The mangled body was discovered yesterday during an intelligence operation (File photo)

Suspected poacher trampled to death by elephant

An elephant has trampled a suspected poacher to death in South Africa's famed Kruger National Park, a spokesman has said.

News Lens • 22 Oct 21

Tanzania's Kilimanjaro is one of three of Africa's tropical ice fields at risk

Africa's glaciers could melt within 20 years - UN

Africa's fabled eastern glaciers will vanish in two decades, 118 million poor people face immanent drought, floods or extreme heat, and climate change could also shave 3% off continental GDP by mid-century, the UN climate agency has warned.

World • 19 Oct 21

A file picture shows villagers looking at new mosquito nets donated to try to fight high malaria in their village, Matongo, Zambia

Africa to start talks over malaria vaccine roll-out

Africa will start talks with the World Health Organization about getting the first approved malaria vaccine to the continent as soon as possible, the African Union's top health official said today.

World • 07 Oct 21

Longford town hosts its first-ever African Music Carnival

Longford ready for African carnival for Culture Night

Final preparations are being made across the country for Culture Night, which returns for its sixteenth edition tomorrow.

Longford • 17 Sep 21

Tullow Oil said its profit after tax came in at $93m for the six months to the end of June

Tullow Oil swings to profit in first half of 2021

Tullow Oil rebounded with a first-half profit today and announced a development plan for its Kenya project, sending shares in the Africa-focused firm as much as 9% higher.

Business • 15 Sep 21

Aid agencies are concerned that serious flooding could destroy harvests, pushing millions closer to famine (Pic: Christian Aid)

Deeply scarred South Sudan turns ten

The world's youngest country, South Sudan, is marking its first decade in existence today, but while there will be official celebrations, it is a country deeply scarred by conflict and hunger.

World • 09 Jul 21

A member of the Botswana cabinet holds a 1,174-carat diamond in Gaborone, Botswana

Botswana unearths second huge diamond in weeks

An exceptionally large and white 1,174-carat diamond stone has been unearthed in Botswana, trumping another huge precious stone found in the country last month.

World • 08 Jul 21

The attack is the 10th mass school kidnapping since December in northwest Nigeria

150 students missing after gunmen raid Nigerian school

About 150 students are missing after armed men raided a boarding school in Nigeria's Kaduna state.

Africa • 05 Jul 21

The Orange stand at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) fair in Barcelona

Orange sees role for Huawei in 5G Africa rollout

Orange, France's largest telecoms firm, will avoid using equipment from Chinese vendors when developing Europe's 5G networks, opting for suppliers such as Ericsson and Nokia instead, its chief executive said.

Business • 30 Jun 21

The stone, found on 1 June, was shown to Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi in the capital Gaborone

World's third-largest diamond found in Botswana

Botswanan diamond firm Debswana has said it has unearthed a 1,098-carat stone that it described as the third largest of its kind in the world.

News Lens • 16 Jun 21

Idriss Deby pictured during a visit to France in 2017

Chad's president dies after battle with rebel forces

Chad's President Idriss Deby Itno died today from wounds sustained in battle after three decades in power, the army said, opening a period of uncertainty in a country that is a key strategic ally of the West.

World • 20 Apr 21

People gather to mourn the victims of a massacre allegedly perpetrated by Eritrean Soldiers in the village of Dengolat

G7 calls for withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Tigray

The G7 group of leading nations has called for the "swift" withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Ethiopia's conflict-hit northern Tigray region, as the International Crisis Group warned of a prolonged stalemate.

World • 02 Apr 21

People displaced by the violence in Cabo Delgado arrive in Pemba, in July 2020

Dozens missing after Mozambique attack

Dozens of people were still unaccounted for following a deadly Islamist attack on Mozambique's northern town of Palma, while thousands of survivors were being evacuated to the provincial capital Pemba, various sources said.

World • 28 Mar 21

John Magufuli had not been seen in public for several weeks

Tanzania opposition leader says president died of Covid

Tanzania's main opposition leader Tundu Lissu has claimed that President John Magufuli had died from the coronavirus.

World • 18 Mar 21