Africa (except North Africa)

BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — The worst cholera outbreak to affect Malawi in two decades has now claimed 750 lives, a government minister said, while the World Health Organization chief described the southeast African country as among the hardest-hit amid ongoing global epidemics that are “more widespread and deadly than normal.”

Malawi’s Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda on Thursday ordered the closure of many businesses that lack safe water, toilets and hygienic refuse disposal facilities, and announced restrictions on the sale of pre-cooked food.

NDOLA, Zambia (AP) — A magistrate in Zambia on Thursday granted bail to eight Croatian nationals charged with child trafficking.

Magistrate David Makalicha in Ndola, in the mineral-rich Copperbelt province, said the eight should each pay 20,000 Kwacha (about $1,000) bail and surrender their passports to the court.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The spokesman for Tigray forces in Ethiopia says they have handed over heavy weapons as a key part of the agreement signed with Ethiopia’s government late last year to end a two-year conflict.

Getachew Reda tweeted early Wednesday that an African Union monitoring team confirmed the handover. He expressed hope it would “go a long way in expediting the full implementation of the agreement.”

KAMPALA, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Uganda on Tuesday ended a 42-day count down to be declared Ebola-free with no case reported in the period, the country's Minister of Health said.

Ruth Aceng, in a tweet, hailed the public for its vigilance in helping end the Ebola Sudan Virus outbreak, which was first reported in the country on September 20, 2022.

"Today, January 10, 2023, marks 42 days since we began the countdown to Ebola-free Uganda," Aceng said.

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Eight Croatian nationals have pleaded not guilty to charges of child trafficking before a magistrates court in Ndola, Zambia.

They were named in court documents as Damir Magic, 44, Nadica Magic, 45, Zoran Subosic, 52, Azra Imamovic Subosic, 41, Ladislav Persic, 42, Aleksandra Persic, 40, Noah Kraljevic, 45, and Ivona Kraljevic, 46.

The eight pleaded not guilty before magistrate David Makalichi in Ndola, Copperbelt province.

They are defended by a legal aid lawyer, Kelvin Silwimba. The court session was attended by Croatian officials.

COTONOU, Benin, Jan 9 (NNN-IRIN) – The people of Benin went to vote in the legislative elections yesterday.

At 7.00 a.m., local time, the vote began, under the supervision of observers from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and representatives of seven contesting political parties in the country.

Beninese President, Patrice Talon, said yesterday that, he was satisfied with the entire electoral process for the legislative ballot.

LAGOS, Jan 9 (NNN-NAN) – Thirty-one passengers were taken hostage, after gunmen attacked a train station in south Nigeria’s Edo state, a spokesperson for the government said, yesterday.

A group of gunmen broke into the Igueben train station on Saturday evening, firing shots sporadically in the air and kidnapping passengers, who were heading for Warri, a city in the neighbouring Delta state.

Initially 32 people were taken hostage and one managed to escape, Chris Nehikhare, the spokesperson, told reporters in the state capital, Benin City.

ABUJA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 people were killed in a road accident involving a van in Nigeria's northwestern state of Sokoto, the local traffic police said Monday.

Kabiru Yusuf-Nadabo, a sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Sokoto, told reporters that five people were also seriously injured in the incident late Sunday at Madake village in the Shagari local government area of the state.

CAPE TOWN, Jan 8 (Reuters) - South African power utility Eskom on Sunday said police were investigating whether an attempt was made to poison its outgoing Chief Executive Officer Andre de Ruyter.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan also told Reuters on Sunday the alleged incident "will be thoroughly investigated" and anyone responsible charged.

Without giving any details, Gordhan said an intense battle was taking place "between those who want South Africa to work and thrive and those who want to corruptly enrich themselves".

COTONOU, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- People of Benin went to vote in legislative elections Sunday.

At 7 a.m., local time, the vote began under the supervision of observers from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and representatives of seven contesting political parties in the country.

Beninese President Patrice Talon said Sunday that he was satisfied with the entire electoral process underway for the legislative ballot.