Guinea’s most wanted fugitive, who had fled the West African country after a prison break in the capital Conakry last November, has been arrested in Liberia, his lawyer said Wednesday. Colonel Jean-Claude Pivi was arrested Tuesday by security forces in a village on the border between Liberia and Guinea, Abdourahamane Dabo told reporters. “He was arrested during a routine security swoop in Liberia. Even when the information is yet to be officially communicated in Guinea, our sources told us of the arrest,” he said. Photos of his arrest circulated Wednesday on several Guinean social networks and media sites showed Pivi in a striped polo shirt, shorts and looking visibly weak. Pivi was arrested along with his son, Verny, who is believed to be the mastermind of his father’s escape from the central prison of Conakry, according to local media reports. In July, Jean-Claude Pivi was found guilty of crimes against humanity in connection with a massacre that occurred in 2009 in Conakry and sentenced to life imprisonment. At least 156 people were killed in the massacre at the Conakry stadium, with hundreds of others injured in a crackdown on an opposition rally. Pivi’s extradition plans are yet to be clear. After his escape, the military junta in Guinea offered a bounty of €50,000 ($55,558) for information leading to his arrest. He served as the presidential security minister during the rule of Guinea’s military leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, who was also sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection with the 2009 stadium massacre. Pivi remained influential in Guinea after Camara’s successor, Alpha Conde, kept him in his presidential security position.

 Botswana has granted Giyani Metals its first manganese mining license, the company announced Wednesday. The government granted the license for 15 years in the manganese-rich region of K. Hill, the Giyani Metals said in a statement. “The next step is production of battery-grade manganese from our demonstration plant, which is under construction in Johannesburg, South Africa,” Giyani Metals’ CEO Charles FitzRoy said in the same statement. Manganese is a key component in battery production, particularly those used in electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy storage systems. The K. Hill region is located on the outskirts of Gaborone, Botswana’s capital city, along the Gaborone-Lobatse highway, about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the city center. The Botswana government has emphasized its commitment to sustainable mining practices and ensuring that the project benefits local communities. The global manganese market has grown as countries move toward decarbonization and electric vehicle adoption. Botswana’s economy has historically relied on diamond mining, which has played a pivotal role in the country’s development since the precious stones were discovered in the late 1960s.

United Nations has called for urgent action from South Sudan’s political leaders to address the challenges facing the country and prepare for elections.

At least nine people, mostly civilians, were killed in a recent clash between the government and rebel forces.

Nigeria is facing a potential flood crisis as Cameroon releases water from its Lagdo dam. 11 states are at risk, including key agricultural regions.

Preliminary results show majority of the winners are returning for a second term, high voter turnout

The United States military on Monday said it had completed the withdrawal of its troops and assets from Niger, meeting a 15 September deadline. Its pull-out took place in phases, starting in May, after Niger’s new leaders scrapped a military cooperation deal with Washington. They seized power in a coup last year and in recent months, Niamey has pulled away from its Western partners, turning instead to Russia for security. The withdrawal of the US’ nearly 1,000 military personnel is seen as a major setback for Washington. Prior to the coup, Niamey had been a key partner in its battle against Islamist insurgents operating in the region. Together with France and other European countries, Washington had invested hundreds of millions of dollars in military assistance and training to Niger. The US had handed over its last military bases to local authorities last month, but about two dozen soldiers had remained, largely to oversee the withdrawal. Their departure comes amid concerns about the growing number of extremist groups operating in the West Africa region. Groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State organisation operate in the vast region south of the Sahara desert. One of them, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, known as JNIM, is active in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, and is looking to expand into Benin and Togo.

Africa is home to some of the world’s most delicious mangoes, especially from Mali and Egypt

Gabon’s parliamentarians have less than a week to submit proposed amendments to the country’s future constitution ahead of the September 22 deadline. A draft of the document was delivered to transitional president General Brice Oligui Nguema earlier this month, following last year’s military ousting of President Ali Bongo, who had ruled for over 50 years. Civil society groups have proposed key amendments, including reducing the presidential term from seven to five years and relaxing what they describe as “discriminatory rules” for presidential candidates. They are also concerned about a provision allowing the head of state to dissolve the National Assembly and have called for the abolition of the vice presidency, along with clearer criteria for removing a president. Presidential candidate Daniel Mengara has openly rejected the draft, criticizing its “hyper-presidentialism” and advocating for a return to a parliamentary system to balance power. He has applied for official recognition of his party, the Congress of Free Citizens. While discussions on the draft constitution continue, the ruling military will have the final decision, with a referendum expected by the end of the year.

Tanzania’s president rebuked several Western nations on Tuesday, including the US, for criticizing the country’s handling of internal affairs, including murder and kidnapping. “We’re not here to be told how to run our country,” Samia Suluhu Hassan said in the Moshi area of the northeastern Kilimanjaro region. Without directly naming any embassies, Samia alluded to gun violence in the US, noting that incidents “happen in every country” yet Tanzania has “never directed its ambassadors to interfere in other nations’ internal affairs.” Hassan was responding to a US Embassy statement on Sept. 9 that urged an independent investigation into the murder of Ali Mohamed Kibao, the former leader of Tanzania’s main opposition CHADEMA party, whose mutilated body was discovered and dumped in Dar es Salaam the previous day. And a joint statement released Sept. 10 by the EU head of mission, the British and Canadian high commissions, and the Norwegian and Swiss embassies addressed concerns about “recent reports or acts of violence, disappearances and deaths or political and human right activists.” Reaffirming her government’s commitment to protect and defend the Constitution without external pressure, Samia urged foreign diplomats to “not act as technicians guiding” Tanzania on its governance. “We have sworn to protect the security of Tanzania and defend the constitution of Tanzania and we will do everything possible to enhance the protection and security of Tanzania because it is our responsibility, and on this responsibility, we need no direction from anyone,” she said.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was sworn in Tuesday for a new five-year term following his victory in the Sept. 7 presidential election. Tebboune, who secured 84.30% of the vote, tasked Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui’s government with continuing its duties after it submitted its resignation following the election.​​​​​​​ Larbaoui submitted the government’s resignation as part of a “mandatory constitutional procedure” following the inauguration of the newly-elected president, according to a statement from the presidency.

The devices, reportedly boobytrapped with explosives by Israeli Mossad agents, were imported from a Taiwanese-based pager company, Gold Apollo

Tanzania’s president rebukes the US and Western countries for interfering in national matters, highlighting internal security concerns and foreign diplomacy issues.

A brutal attack by the CODECO militia in eastern Congo left 10 civilians dead, raising fears of further violence in the Ituri province.

The accident occurred during a religious pilgrimage, and the death toll continues to rise.

The RSF accused Minawi of stealing humanitarian aid, committing war crimes, and spreading lies about the RSF’s role in Sudan’s humanitarian crisis.

Tanzanite, a gemstone celebrated for its mesmerizing blue and violet hues

Gunfire at Faladie Gendarmerie School camp in Bamako began as early as 0530GMT and continued for at least 3 hours

The pipeline will connect the western port city of Pointe-Noire with the capital, Brazzaville

The collapse occurred between 11:00 and 12:00 local time on Monday, with two girls and a boy, all under five years old, among the victims

The Health Ministry said in a statement that 266 new cholera cases were registered, bringing the total since August to 9,533, including 315 deaths. Authorities declared cholera an epidemic in the country on Aug. 12. In the same report, the ministry said the number of deaths from floods and rains across Sudan has reached 225, with 889 others injured. More than 35,794 homes have been severely damaged, while 40,781 have been partially damaged due to floods and rains since June, it added. On Sunday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced that more than 178,000 Sudanese have been displaced due to floods and rains in 15 out of 18 states since June.

The accident has claimed the lives of at least four people, and many others are feared missing.

Kenya has initiated a national debt audit to address public concerns and ensure transparency in government finances.

Somalia has joined the IGAD initiative to establish a regional center for blue economy, aiming to harness the ocean’s potential for economic development and environmental protection.