Benin has held parliamentary and local elections after a failed coup attempt, with President Patrice Talon’s coalition expected to strengthen its grip as the opposition faces major restrictions.

Ethiopian Airlines has begun building a $12.5bn airport near Addis Ababa, set to open in 2030

Ecowas leaders met Guinea-Bissau’s junta to press for the release of detainees and a swift, inclusive transition back to constitutional rule after the November coup.

Gunmen have released travellers kidnapped in Plateau state while they were heading to a Muslim religious event, Nigerian authorities and relatives said.

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi warned against foreign interference in Tanzania while backing its leadership, as Beijing avoided commenting on post-election violence that strained ties with the West.

Egypt’s election authority announced the final parliamentary results, giving President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi the super-majority needed to amend the constitution.

Thousands gathered in Ouidah as Benin expanded its Vodun festival into a major tourism event that blended sacred rituals, cultural pride and government-backed development efforts.

UNHCR says 53 Congolese refugees have died in Burundi, with cholera and malnutrition cited as key causes

Crowds in Kampala suburbs rallied behind Bobi Wine, demanding change as Uganda nears its election

Guinea-Bissau’s ruling junta has banned unauthorised press conferences and public statements, citing threats to public order six weeks after seizing power in a post-election coup.

South Africa has launched a weeklong joint naval drill with Russia, China and Iran near Cape Town, drawing domestic criticism and renewed concerns over strained relations with the United States.

The United Nations urged Uganda to ensure safe elections, warning that repression, arrests and alleged abuses by security forces threaten a credible vote.

Somalia has denied US claims that it seized or destroyed WFP food aid, after Washington suspended assistance over warehouse demolition

A Europe-bound migrant boat capsized off Gambia’s coast, killing 39 and highlighting the dangers of West Africa’s migration routes.

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen alleged on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates helped southern separatist leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi leave the country by boat and plane, a claim that could deepen strains between the two Gulf partners as Saudi-backed forces moved to regain control in Aden. The coalition said al-Zubaidi, who heads the Southern Transitional Council (STC), departed Yemen for Somaliland, then boarded a flight to Mogadishu that was later tracked to a military airport in Abu Dhabi. His whereabouts were not independently confirmed, and the coalition did not explicitly state whether he remained on board to the UAE capital. Somalia said it had opened an investigation to determine whether its airports were used to transport what it described as a “political fugitive,” warning that such use—if proven—would be a serious violation of Somali sovereignty. Al-Zubaidi failed to appear in Riyadh for crisis talks on Wednesday amid escalating tensions after STC forces swept through parts of southern Yemen last month, including Aden, advancing toward areas near the Saudi border. Riyadh has cast the separatist push as a national security threat and has pressed the UAE to rein in the group, the coalition said. In Aden on Thursday, a Reuters witness reported calm conditions, with Saudi-backed government forces patrolling and no visible STC presence. Authorities imposed a nighttime curfew. The coalition said Saudi-backed forces have also been retaking ground elsewhere in recent days. In a possible sign of internal strains among the separatists, an STC delegation said it held “fruitful” discussions in Riyadh with Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen, according to remarks by a senior STC official. Saudi Arabia and the UAE previously operated together in a coalition fighting Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement, but their relationship has been marked by sharp differences across the region. There was no immediate public comment from the UAE or the STC on the coalition’s account.

Washington froze Somalia aid after alleging officials illegally seized UN food supplies meant for vulnerable civilians

Bobi Wine, Uganda’s opposition leader, promises to revise unfair oil agreements and criticizes Western allies for supporting Museveni despite rights abuses.

Eight KDF soldiers have been charged in Kenya over alleged involvement in a $63 million methamphetamine seizure intercepted during a maritime operation.

Clashes between a Zande militia, CAR army, and Wagner mercenaries have killed one and displaced civilians.

Heavy snowfall in northern Algeria and western Tunisia caused road closures, stranded vehicles, and rescue operations while continuing through Wednesday.

Nigeria’s ex justice minister Abubakar Malami is granted bail in a high profile $6m corruption case

CAR’s president eyes a joint drone training centre with Russia as military ties continue to deepen

Claude Pivi, convicted over Guinea’s 2009 stadium massacre, has died in detention

US adds Nigeria and Senegal to an expanded visa bond list, raising costs for travellers