Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- French President Jacques Chirac left Dakar for Brazzaville, Congo Friday at the end of his three-day official visit to Senegal. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- The opposition SAWAB party has said the absence of the death penalty in Thursday's treason trial ruling by the criminal court in Wad Naga, 45 km east of here, presents "a reason for hope" among Mauritanians. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- Fresh from their acquittal, former Mauritanian President Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidallah and two others also acquitted from alleged treason charges have appealed for dialogue in the country. Full text...

N'djamena- Chad (PANA) -- Following is the new Chadian cabinet nominated by new Prime Minister Pascal Yoadimnadji and appointed Thursday by President Idriss Deby: Prime Minister: Pascal Yoadimnadji Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Integration: Nagoum Yamassoum (incumbent) Minister of Agriculture: Laokein Kourayo Médard Minister of Planning Development and Cooperation: Mahamat Ali Hassane Minister of National Defence, Ex-servicemen and War Victims: Emmanuel Nadingar Minister of Territorial Administration: Mahamat Zène Bada Minister of Justice: Kalzeubet Pahimi Deubet Minister of Public Security and Immigration: Abdéraman Moussa Minister of Economy and Finance, delegated for Budget: Nguéyam Djaibé Minister of Public Works and Transports: Adoum Younousmi Minister of Public Health: Mrs Aziza Baroud Minister of Education: Mahamat Maouloud Izzadine Minister of Commerce, Industry and Arts and Crafts: Routouang YomaGolom Minister of Environment and Water: Adoum Diar Minister of Civil Service, Labour and Employment: Mahamat Nour Mallaye Minister of Social Action and Family: Mrs Fatimé Kimto Minister of Animal Husbandry: Mahamat Abdoulaye Minister of Communication, Government spokesman: Barthélemy Natoingar Bainodji Minister of Territorial Planning, Urban Planning and Habitat: Sandjima Dounia Minister of Oil: Youssouf Abassalah Minister of Mines and Energy: Mahamat Nasser Hassane Minister of Posts and Telecommunications: Brahim Seid Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Vocational Training: Pr Avocksouma Djona Minister of State Control and Moralisation: Dr Haoua Outman Djamé Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports: Baharadine Haroune Minister of Tourist Development: Oumar Kadjallami Boukar Government secretary general in charge of Relations with Parliament: Abakar Mallah Minister delegated to the Prime Minister, charged with Decentralisation: Oumar Boukar Secretary of state for Economy and Finance: Abbas Mahamat Tolli Deputy Government Secretary general: Djividi Boukar Dibeing Full text...

Abuja- Nigeria (PANA) -- Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo is upbeat about the forthcoming national conference, in spite of opposition from many quarters, including the lower House of Representatives which has rejected the proposed 932 million naira (over $7 million) to host the meeting. Full text...

Nairobi- Kenya (PANA) -- British envoy's latest allegation of massive corruption in Kenya has drawn the anger of government officials with Justice and Constitutional Minister Kiraitu Murungi calling High Commissioner Edward Clay an "enemy" of the government. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- The Wad Naga criminal court Thursday sentenced 102 people to various imprisonment sentences, nine of them 15 years in connection with their role in the alleged plots to overthrow the regime, while 95 others were acquitted. Full text...

Harare- Zimbabwe (PANA) -- Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said Thursday it would take part in the country's 31 March parliamentary polls, which the party had threatened to boycott alleging uneven playing field. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- A Mauritanian, Moustapha Limam Chaavi who is an adviser to President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso was sentenced in absentia to 15 years imprisonment when a court here passed judgement in the trial of persons suspected of plotting against the government in Nouakchott. Full text...

Niamey- Niger (PANA) -- A national Francophonie week has been slated here for 14-20 February, in prelude to the 5th Francophonie Games billed for Niger in December this year. Full text...

Tripoli- Libya (PANA) -- The Libyan general popular committee met here Wednesday to review the country's five-year development plan (2005-2009). Full text...

Luanda- Angola (PANA) -- Angola has acceded to the African Union (AU) Convention against terrorism, official sources said in Luanda Wednesday. Full text...

Nairobi- Kenya (PANA) -- The Refugee Consortium of Kenya Thursday called for the unconditional release of Saleh Suleiman Adam, detained over last October's deadly attack on a humanitarian convoy in Sudan's troubled western region of Darfur. Full text...

Rabat- Morocco (PANA) -- Polish Senate President Longin Pastusiak is expected in Morocco next Monday on a three-day visit at the invitation of his Moroccan counterpart, Mustapha Oukacha, official sources said in Rabat Thursday. Full text...

Accra- Ghana (PANA) -- Ghanaian President John Kufuor said Thursday in Accra his government had put in place the necessary legal and administrative instruments to create an enabling environment for the entrenchment of good governance in the country. Full text...

Lome- Togo (PANA) -- Three Togolese opposition parties have refused to send representatives to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) to protest the "unilateral adoption of the election code", official sources said here Thursday. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- A criminal court in Wad Naga, 45 km east of here, Thursday acquitted about 150 Mauritanian soldiers and political leaders linked two plots in 2003 and 2004 to topple the Nouakchott government. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- French President Jacques Chirac has hailed the warm welcome accorded to him upon his arrival on Wednesday in Dakar to begin a three-day official visit to Senegal. Full text...

Abuja- Nigeria (PANA) -- African Union (AU) leaders who met in here 30-31 January have extended the tenure of Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo as AU chairman by six months, presidential spokesperson Remi Oyo said Thursday. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Visiting French President Jacques Chirac told journalists in the Senegalese capital of Dakar on Wednesday that NEPAD was a beautiful initiative for the development of Africa. Full text...

Johannesburg- South Africa (PANA) -- A South African delegation of government officials and academics will visit New Site, Kapoeta County in Sudan from 5-11 February on the first phase of a joint capacity-building project on the reconstruction of the region. Full text...

Saint Louis- Senegal (PANA) -- Thousands of inhabitants of Saint Louis in northern Senegal accorded visiting French President Jacques Chirac a tumultuous reception when he arrived here Thursday morning on the second day of his three-day official visit to Senegal. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- A criminal court at Wad Naga, 45 km east of here, on Thursday handed life sentences to Saleh Ould Hannena and Abderahmane Ould Mini, two former Mauritanian military officers who admitted their role in a coup plot to topple President Maaouya Sid'Ahmed Ould Taya. Full text...

Cape Town- South Africa (PANA) -- The European Union is investing 80 million Rand in national and provincial legislatures in South Africa through a programme aimed at boosting their efficiency and functions. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- The Socialist Party (PS) in France, a member of the Socialist International, Thursday demanded the release of Ahmed Ould Daddah, leader of the opposition Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD) in Mauritania, saying he was a victim of arbitrary detention. Full text...

Nairobi- Kenya (PANA) -- The UN special envoy on the human rights situation in Somalia, Ghanim Alnajjar, has secured the release of Zamzam Ahmed Dualeh, a young girl who was detained last year by the Somaliland authorities on charges of espionage. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Presidents Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal and Jacques Chirac of France have lamented the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, describing it as "great sadness for Africa". Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- French troops under Operation Unicorn will leave Cote d'Ivoire if African countries, including the host country, do not need them anymore, French President Jacques Chirac said on Wednesday in Dakar, Senegal Starting his three-day visit to Senegal, Chirac said his country's mission was not to conquer Cote d'Ivoire. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- As the United Nations embarked on a reform process, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade has emphasised the need for Africa to have a permanent seat on the Security Council. Full text...

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) -- Though the security situation was reportedly calm in many locations in the restive Darfur region of western Sudan, many violations of the ceasefire last month rocked the southern part of the region, according to a situation report released here Thursday. Full text...

Lagos- Nigeria (PANA) -- The national conference being planned by the Nigerian government for the purpose of constitutional and electoral reforms have suffered a setback after parliamentarians refused to approve the 932 million naira ($7,007,518) budget for the dialogue. Full text...

Freetown- Sierra Leone (PANA) -- The UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has donated office equipment and furniture to the Mano River Women Peace Network (MARWOPNET). Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- Mauritania favours a consensus on countries to represent Africa as permanent members on the UN Security Council, Communications Minister and government's spokesman, Hamoud Ould Abdi said in Nouakchott Wednesday. Full text...

Monrovia- Liberia (PANA) -- Winston Tubman, the UN Secretary General's Special Representative to Somalia, announced in Monrovia Wednesday he would run for the presidency in his native country Liberia in October. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- Mauritanians are awaiting the verdict of the Trarza criminal court that has since last 21 November been trying 190 suspects in the failed attempts in 2003 and 2004 to topple the government. Full text...

Abidjan- Cote d'Ivoire (PANA) -- Foreign minister Bamba Mamadou affirmed here Tuesday that Cote d'Ivoire would back Japan in that country's bid for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council. Full text...

Cotonou- Benin (PANA) -- Parliament in Benin has elected Leon Bio Bigou as first deputy speaker to replace the late Jerome Sacca Kina, who died of a heart attack last 11 January in Cotonou. Full text...

Maputo- Mozambique (PANA) -- Armando Guebuza was Wednesday sworn in Maputo as Mozambican President at a ceremony attended by thousands of people, including African Heads of State and Government. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Senegal and France will sign two funding agreements for about 8. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- French President Jacques Chirac arrived here Wednesday afternoon at the start of a three-day visit to Senegal. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Seventy-one US Congressmen Tuesday night sent a letter to Treasury Secretary John Snow urging him to negotiate an agreement that provides 100% write-off of multilateral debts owed by impoverished countries at the 4-5 February G-7 finance ministers meeting in London. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- Mauritania and Turkey have completed a meeting during which they examined ways and means to revive their bilateral military co-operation. Full text...

Harare- Zimbabwe (PANA) -- The Zimbabwe government Wednesday deported a delegation from the Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU) after it arrived in the country on a 'fact-finding mission' without government permission. Full text...

New York- UN (PANA) -- The commission set up by the UN to determine whether genocide had been committed in Sudan's western region of Darfur, has accused the Khartoum government and Janjaweed militia of crimes against humanity that should be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for prosecution. Full text...

Nairobi- Kenya (PANA) -- Plans for relocating the Nairobi-based Somali transitional government got a boost Wednesday with a 30- member delegation of lawmakers travelling to the embattled Somali capital Mogadishu on an assessment mission. Full text...

Brussels- Belgium (PANA) -- The European Union has imposed an arms embargo on Cote d'Ivoire, according to an EU statement issued in Brussels. Full text...

Nouakchott- Mauritania (PANA) -- The Mauritanian foreign ministry Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the holding of Iraq's Transitional National Assembly election as scheduled, the Mauritanian News Agency (MAP) reported. Full text...

Paris- France (PANA) -- Three Paris-based NGOs Wednesday criticised the upcoming visit of French president Jacques Chirac to Congo, accusing him of ignoring the disappearance of 353 Congolese from a Brazzaville beach in 1999 to which the government has been linked. Full text...

Bujumbura- Burundi (PANA) -- Belgian cooperation and development minister Armand De Decker arrived here Wednesday on a two-day working visit intended to further cement bilateral economic and political ties. Full text...

Lusaka- Zambia (PANA) -- president Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia on Wednesday flew to neighbouring Mozambique to attend the inauguration of the country's third president, Armando Guebuza. Full text...