Africa (except North Africa)

JOHANNESBURG, May 11 (Reuters) - A sell-off in the South African rand and bonds gathered pace on Thursday, as news reports that South Africa had provided arms to Russia spooked investors already concerned about the economic impact of crippling power cuts.

The rand touched a low of 19.3250 against the dollar, down as much as 2.4% on the day and hitting its weakest since the record low set on April 6, 2020, early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

By 1553 GMT the rand had pared some of its losses to trade around 1.6% weaker than its previous close.

YAOUNDE, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon hopes to attract more Chinese investment when it takes part in the upcoming third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, said a Cameroonian trade official on Tuesday.

Joseph Mutomby Ndumbe, director of foreign trade at Cameroon's Ministry of Trade, made the remarks during a promotional conference organized in the capital Yaounde to invite the Central African nation to participate in the expo to be held in China.

JOHANNESBURG, May 9 (Xinhua) -- South Africa and Africa are expecting an increase in visitors from BRICS countries following the lifting of restrictions that had been put in place to tackle COVID-19, according to South African Tourism Minister Patricia De Lille.

De Lille made the remarks at the African Dialogue on Tourism, a side event on the sidelines of African Travel Indaba, a trade show which kicked off Monday, addressing African ministers and other tourism leaders in a hotel in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, Monday night.

ABUJA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Monday announced that it has launched an investigation into a crash-landing incident involving a domestic airline in the country.

The incident occurred Sunday when an aircraft, operated by the local Max Air, which was carrying more than 144 passengers, made a crash-landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, after losing its landing wheels.

Fortunately, there were no casualties reported, as all passengers and crew members on board were safely evacuated.

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian court on Monday began its hearing on separate suits filed by the opposition to challenge the incumbent party’s victory in the country’s presidential election.

The presidential tribunal at the Court of Appeal in the capital, Abuja, heard the opening statements of lawyers representing opposition parties, which are the challenging the outcome of the February vote won by Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

JOHANNESBURG, May 7 (NNN-BUANEWS) – South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has deployed 880 soldiers, to protect power stations of the country’s power utility, Eskom, said the Presidency, yesterday.

“Members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), will assist the South African Police, in protecting Eskom power stations around the country where sabotage, theft and other crimes may threaten the functioning of power stations and the supply of electricity,” the Presidency said in a statement.

NAIROBI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Saturday hosted a Kungfu tournament in the central Kenyan town of Kiambu located on the outskirts of capital Nairobi.

Ngaruiya Njonge, chairman of Kenya Kungfu Federation, said that 13 clubs and 70 competitors took part in the second edition of the Kenya Kungfu Championship which was sponsored by the Chinese embassy in Kenya.

"This tournament is a celebration of the rich and vibrant culture of Kungfu Wushu, a discipline that has captivated people around the globe," said Njonge.

BUJUMBURA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate end to violence in Sudan after meeting Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye in Bujumbura, the economic hub of Burundi, Friday.

Guterres met the Burundian president on the sidelines of the 11th summit of heads of state of the Regional Oversight Mechanism on the Addis Ababa framework agreement of Peace, Security and Cooperation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region taking place in Bujumbura Saturday.

KAMPALA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 people were killed and six others seriously injured in landslides and mudslides triggered by torrential rains in several villages in western Uganda between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the police and a relief agency.

"The police have visited the scenes. We are working with the local leaders and disaster management committees to respond to the situation," said Elly Matte, Kigezi regional police spokesperson, in a statement Wednesday.

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A court in Kenya on Friday gave police five more days to hold a pastor facing possible terror-related charges in the deaths of more than 100 his congregants, many of whom are believed to have starved to death.

Police rescued 15 emaciated parishioners from the 800-acre Kilifi County property of Paul Mackenzie last month. Four of them died after the group was taken to a hospital, and survivors told investigators the pastor had instructed them to fast to death before the world ends so they could meet Jesus.