Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) - Zambian President Michael Sata has released 59 female prisoners countrywide as part of the country's New Year celebrations. Full text...

Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Eleven Heads of State and 18 government delegations have confirmed their attendance at the inauguration of Ghana's President-elect John Dramani Mahama 7 January, the state-owned Graphic reported Monday. Full text...

Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - There appears to be a spike in violence ahead of general elections in Kenya 4 March 2013, with the latest being a clash between the police and the youth who were protesting the killing of three local businessmen in Nairobi’s Dandora and Huruma residential estates by gunmen Monday. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has expressed its rejection of violence and attempts to seize power by force in the Central African Republic (CAR), saying such a trend would be a setback to the progress achieved in democratising Africa. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's main opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) party Sunday accused the Administration of President Goodluck Jonathan of engaging in ''governance by deceit'', accusing the government of ''overstating its achievements and making fake promises to Nigerians''. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The Sudanese Government and northern rebels are to meet for talks next month in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, under the auspices of the African Union (AU) High level Implementation Panel, the local media reported Sunday. Full text...

Libreville, Gabon (PANA) - Foreign Affairs Ministers from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) have called on Central African Republic (CAR) rebels to immediately end their hostilities and withdraw from the cities they have occupied since launching their insurgency earlier this month. Full text...

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – The Libyan government has warned those threatening to block the smooth running of the country’s key organizations of firm punitive measures. Full text...

Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Ghana’s opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is seeking the annulment of the 7 December presidential election results that declared President John Dramani Mahama winner with 50.70 per cent of the votes. Full text...

Ouagadougou, Burkina (PANA) - Soungalo Apollinaire Ouattara was elected Speaker of Burkina’s Parliament for a five-year term Friday. Full text...

Washington, DC, US (PANA) - The U.S. Embassy in Bangui suspended its operations Friday (28 Dec) as a result of the present security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR). Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) – The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) is sending a mission to the Central African Republic to try to resolve the current crisis triggered by the march of rebels towards the capital, Bangui. Full text...

Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Kenyans have sounded more optimistic of better economic prospects in 2013, an election year likely to be dominated by the politics of a possible run-off and putting in place a new cabinet. Full text...

Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) - The lawyer representing the former ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has condemned the arrest of outspoken MMD leader Nevers Mumba, charging that recent abuses by the Zambian police show that they no longer serve the public interest but rather work as the armed wing for the ruling Patriotic Front (PF). Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) – Veteran Sudanese opposition leader, Sadeq al Mahadi, who has led his party for almost half a century, says he is stepping down to allow the younger generation take over. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The African Union (AU) on Wednesday called on Egyptian stakeholders to engage in dialogue following the approval of a new constitution in a referendum. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Ethiopian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegn, who is in Khartoum for a two-day visit, on Wednesday reviewed progress in implementation of the joint cooperation agreement Khartoum and Juba signed in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, last September. Full text...

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - The opposition Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) party has petitioned the ruling government over alleged ''human rights atrocities'' and poor governance record, according to a statement by the party. Full text...

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libya's General National Congres (CNG), the country's highest authority, decided late Tuesday to introduce a law banning officials of the Mouammar Kaddafi regime from holding public office in the country. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - International efforts to stop further rebel advances in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are expected to receive a boost Thursday when the African Union (AU) is scheduled to host a meeting to plan the deployment of a regional force and a peace monitoring group in the troubled area. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has called for urgent funding and logistical support for the regional peacekeeping mission set up to restore stability to the Central African Republic (CAR), following a resurgence of rebel activity there. Full text...

Rabat-Morocco (PANA) - The Moroccan security services have broken up a six-member cell that recruited young Moroccans to be indoctrinated to undertake jihads, an interior ministry statement in Rabat said on Tuesday. Full text...

Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama Tuesday dismissed rumours on social media platforms that he has undergone a kidney transplant in South Africa, where he is on a short holiday with his family. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - A Burkina Faso delegation, led by Prime Minister Luc-Adolphe Tiao, Monday began a two-day visit to Sudan's western Darfur region to assess the situation on the ground and explore ways to enhance Burkina Faso’s support to the AU/UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), the peace keeping mission said in a statement obtained by PANA here. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) has announced the deployment of its first long term election observers to Kenya, where elections are due to be held this year. Full text...

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – Libya on Monday celebrated its 61st independence anniversary with the people focusing on the country’s reconstruction after the 17 February 2011 revolution seen as the second independence following the toppling of the government of Mouammar Kadhafi. Full text...

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) – The Mauritanian and Senegalese armed forces on Monday began a joint awareness campaign on terrorism along their common border, security forces told PANA in Nouakchott. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has urged his compatriots to emulate Jesus Christ by drawing immense strength and inspiration from his enduring personification of selflessness, dedication to duty, and commitment to the well-being of others. Full text...

Lusaka, Zambia (PANA) - Zambian President Michael Sata has sacked Elijah Muchima as Deputy Minister for Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protect Full text...

Paris, France (PANA) - Dominique Nimi Madingou, a vice-chairperson of the Congolese opposition Pan-African Union for Democracy and Socialism party (UPADS), on Sunday urged President Denis Sassou N'Guesso to step down as Chairman of the ruling Congolese Labour Party (CPT) and free himself from unnecessary 'partisan politicking'. Full text...

Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Kenyan economy's reliance on agricultural exports to mostly Europe, foreign tourism earnings and remittances from the Diaspora, is weighing heavily on the minds of voters as political parties begin campaigns for the March 2013 Presidential polls. Full text...

Djerba, Tunisia (PANA) - A rally, organized here by the main Opposition party in Tunisia, Nida Tounes, was disrupted Saturday by people believed to members of the ruling Islamist movement, 'Ennahdha', according to Aida Klibi, the Publicity Secretary of Nida Tounes. Full text...

Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Somali President Sheikh Hassan Mohamud Sunday ended a two-day state visit to neighboring Kenya, his first since his election, clinching a border security deal with Nairobi. Full text...

Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - The villagers from Kipao, in the restive Tana Delta in Kenya, where up to 40 people were killed in a dawn tribal raid Friday have desecrated the bodies of at least 10 suspected attackers there. Full text...

New York, US (PANA) – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN Security Council have condemned the shooting down on Friday of a UN helicopter by South Sudan's armed forces killing all four crew members on board. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, Mr. Luc Adolph Tiao, arrived in Khartoum on Saturday for an official visit to the Sudan, the official Sudan news agency SUNA reported. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - After months of back and forth lobbying for the approval of an international peacekeeping force in Mali, the African Union (AU) has hailed the authorization of a force there as "a milestone". Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - The Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday axed three more political parties, bringing to 31 the number of parties so far de-registered, according to local media reports. Full text...

Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan Friday congratulated South Korea’s President-Elect Park Geun-hye on her victory in the country’s presidential elections. Full text...

Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - ECOWAS has welcomed the UN resolution, adopted at its meeting on 20 December, 2012, authorizing the deployment of the African-led International Support Mission (AFISMA) in Mali, under the provisions of Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Full text...

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) Thursday wrapped up its national conference in Mangaung in the Free State Province with re-elected President Jacob Zuma tightening his grip on power while his deputy Kgalema Motlanthe faces an uncertain political future. Full text...

New York, US (PANA) - The UN Security Council has authorised the deployment of the African-led International Support Mission in Mali, to be known as AFISMA, for an initial period of one year to assist the authorities in recovering rebel-held regions in the north and restoring Full text...

Ebène, Mauritius (PANA) – The Indian Ocean Commission, which brings together islands from that part of the world (Madagascar, Mauritius, The Reunion, The Seychelles and Comoros) on Thursday celebrated its 30th anniversary. Full text...

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) – Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz was on Thursday officially invited to attend festivities marking the celebration of the second anniversary of the Tunisian revolution planned for next month. Full text...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Ibn Chambas, a distinguished Ghanaian international diplomat, who headed the efforts to resolve conflicts in West Africa, has been named the new head of the African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). Full text...

Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - Congolese head of state Denis Sassou N'guesso is expected in N'djamena Thursday where he will attend a mini-summit of leaders of Central African countries, PANA reported, quoting official sources here. Full text...

Malabo, Equatorial Guinea (PANA) - The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States have rounded off a two-day summit for Heads of States and Government in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, by committing to stronger South-South cooperation and calling for more development-friendly relations with European partners. Full text...

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) – The Mauritanian government on Wednesday declared three days of national mourning for former president, Moustapha Ould Mohamed Saleck, who died on Tuesday evening in France. Full text...

Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - Rwanda's ruling Patriotic Front (FPR) has said it will take stock of the country's development when it marks its 25th anniversary on Thursday, PANA learnt from official sources here Wednesday. Full text...

Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to devote their next round of negotiations to security issues and disengagement procedures, a major hurdle that has stalled the exportation of South Sudanese oil though Sudanese national territories. Full text...