Africa (except North Africa)

UNITED NATIONS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Relief efforts are underway in southern Africa after recent rains caused at least 60 deaths and affected nearly 843,000 people in Mozambique and Malawi, a UN spokesman said on Wednesday.

"Our humanitarian colleagues report that flooding in Malawi and Mozambique has affected nearly 843,000 people and caused at least 60 deaths, according to preliminary reports from the respective governments," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — U.N. investigators say crimes against humanity may have been committed when at least 535 people were killed in intercommunal violence over three days in Congo in December.

The investigative team believes the death toll from the massacre in western Congo is likely higher, saying many victims’ bodies are believed to have been thrown in a nearby river.

Investigators say the violence between the Banunu and Batende communities began after a dispute over a burial for a Banunu customary chief.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — U.S. aviation experts on Tuesday joined the investigation into the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jetliner that killed 157 people, as a growing number of airlines grounded the new Boeing plane involved in the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration arrived at the crash site outside the capital, Addis Ababa, with representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board. They join an Ethiopian-led investigation.

11 Mar 2019; AFP: A world forum on addressing the planet's environmental crisis opened in Nairobi on Monday, the mood darkened by the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy that killed 157 people a day earlier, including at least 22 UN staff, many headed for the event.

Delegates arrived at the sprawling compound to see the UN flag flying at half-mast and the usually colourful display of national flags removed.

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Mar 10 : An Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed shortly after takeoff from the capital Sunday morning killing all 157 thought to be on board, according to statements from the airline and the state broadcaster.

There were no immediate details on what caused the crash of the Boeing 737-8 MAX plane, which was new and had been delivered to the airline in November.

YAOUNDE, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon is "outraged" by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs Tibor P. Nagy Jr. calling for the release of imprisoned opposition leader, according to a statement released on Tuesday.

DAKAR, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Constitutional Council of Senegal announced on Tuesday the official final results of the presidential election held on Feb. 24, proclaiming Macky Sall re-elected president of Senegal.

According to the results verified by the Constitutional Council, Macky Sall obtained 2,555,426 votes, or 58.26 percent of the valid votes. Idrissa Seck came second with 899,556 votes, or 20.51 percent.

WARRI, Nigeria (AP) — More than 50 people are missing after a leaking oil pipeline exploded and caused a stampede in southern Nigeria, a local official said Saturday.

The blast early Friday caused massive oil spillage in the Nembe kingdom in Bayelsa state, the Nembe Chiefs Council spokesman, Chief Nengi James-Eriworio, told The Associated Press.

The Nembe trunk line is operated by the Port Harcourt-based Aiteo Group and carries crude to the Bonny export terminal. Aiteo had yet to comment on the explosion. It was not immediately clear if the pipeline had been shut down.

GABORONE, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Wednesday blasted Western countries for their outburst over Botswana's plan to lift a hunting ban and allow an elephant cull.

Botswana is "a sovereign state and do not have to be arm twisted by the western countries," said Masisi in an interview with Xinhua during his stopover at the Francistown International Airport in Botswana's second largest city on transit to Zimbabwe.

ABUJA, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's electoral body on early Wednesday declared incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari the winner of the country's presidential election.

Buhari, the candidate of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) party, topped the poll with 15,191,847, or 55.6 percent of the total 27,324,583 valid votes in presidential election held on Saturday, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mahmood Yakubu announced.