Jacob Zuma says ‘all are praying’ for Nelson Mandela

South African President Jacob Zuma says Nelson Mandela is “very serious but stabilised” in hospital and that “all are praying” for his recovery.

Mr Zuma said the doctors were doing a “very good job”, adding that the former president was a “good fighter”.

The 94-year-old is spending his fifth night in a Pretoria hospital suffering from a recurrent lung infection.

Relatives, including his ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, visited the ailing former leader on Tuesday.

Libya seeks to recover Gaddafi assets in S. Africa

Libya is seeking to recover more than $1 billion in assets allegedly stashed in South Africa by former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, a local newspaper reports.

The paper said on Sunday that the South African government has been called upon to assist Tripoli in repatriating diamonds, gold and cash.
Repots said that Libyan investigators had provided the South African treasury with evidence that four local banks and two security companies have held the assets.

US offers rewards for capture of African militants

The US is offering rewards for the first time for information on Islamist militants in North and West Africa.

The highest reward of up to $7m (£4.6m) is for information leading to the location of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, the state department said.
Smaller rewards are offered for leading figures in Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (Mujao).

Ghana ex-airport official Adelaquaye faces US drug charges

The ex-security chief at Ghana's international airport has been charged in the US with conspiring to smuggle Afghan heroin to New York.

Solomon Adelaquaye was arrested with two Nigerians and a Colombian in May following a joint US-Ghanaian investigation, officials said.
West Africa is a major hub for drugs smuggled from Latin America and Asia to Europe and the US.
The men have not yet commented on the allegations.
"Drug trafficking in West Africa has become a plague," said US

Africa’s development hinges on food security – UN agencies

Three United Nations bodies have called on the global community to place food security and nutrition at the centre of Africa’s development Agenda.
The three Rome-based United Nations agencies; the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development, (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said supporting smallholder farmers in Africa is a panacea to improving global food security and empowering rural women.
According to the three bodies addressing gender inequalities

Kenyan MPs vote to increase their pay despite protests

Kenyan MPs have voted to raise their salaries in defiance of proposals to cut pay.

The vote suggests a monthly salary of about $10,000 (£6,540). The average annual salary in Kenya is about $1,700.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had asked the MPs to accept the pay cuts in order to free up funds for the creation of jobs.