Equatorial Guinea, the oil rich central African country, Sunday re-elected President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, 67, with a whopping 97% of the total votes cast. According to France24 “The provisional result was just short of Obiang’s 2002 score of 97.1 percent and will come as little surprise to analysts and critics who noted the lack of credible rivals, and the lack of access to the elections for foreign media.” - Monday 30 November 2009 - 16:24

A Greek-owned Maran Centaurus, carrying oil and a 28-member crew, was Sunday hijacked by Somali Pirates 1,300km off the coast of Somalia. According to Reuters the attack took place close to the Seychelles islands. The BBC says the ship was headed towards the United States from Saudi Arabia. - Monday 30 November 2009 - 16:18

Three Spanish humanitarian workers, two men and a woman, were abducted Sunday in Mauritania as they travelled in a convoy. The convoy, which left Barcelona two weeks ago carrying members of the Barcelona-Accio NGO, had planned to donate computers and sewing machines to several communities in a number of African countries. Before their abduction, they had gone through Morocco, and were expected in Senegal and The Gambia. The attack took place between Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital, and Nouadhibou, on the Atlantic coast, says Romandie News. - Monday 30 November 2009 - 15:53

The African Development Bank announced it has approved a €1.86bn loan to South Africa’s energy giant Eskom. “South Africa’s energy problem has been a major impediment to Africa’s leading economy. We look forward to working with South Africa towards achieving energy security,” bank President Donald Kaberuka was quoted as saying according to Times Live. The loan will finance the Medupi power plant project Limpopo province, which is expected to be commissioned by February 2012. - Friday 27 November 2009 - 14:51

Zimbabwe’s three governing parties have suspended until Saturday their negotiations on outstanding issues impeding the work of the unity government after three days of epic meetings. Officials said the talks were adjourned because some of the negotiators will be out of the country on government business, states AllAfrica. - Friday 27 November 2009 - 14:43

The promise by Guinea’s military rulers to hold elections on January 31 will be “technically impossible to keep, “because of several unforeseen circumstances,” declared voting commission Chief Ben Sekou Sylla. He added that voter lists had yet to be drawn up because international donors have withdrawn aid from Guinea following the September’s bloody crackdown, according to France24. - Friday 27 November 2009 - 14:38

Most residents have fled Ndele town in the northern CAR after clashes between rebels and the army. “The town is empty of its population who have fled into the bush,” Jean-Sebastien Munie of the UN’s humanitarian agency said to the BBC. The CPJP rebels attacked at dawn on Thursday but the army is now in control. Casualty numbers are unclear, notes Bloomberg. - Friday 27 November 2009 - 14:31

Rwanda has accused Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia of being unwilling to co-operate in hunting genocide suspects. Bosco Mutangana, head of the unit tracking those suspected of involvement in the 1994 killings, claims they all had files and arrest warrants, writes Hirondelle. He added that hundred of “fugitives” were living in the Southern African region despite many diplomatic attempts to have them extradited to face prosecution. - Friday 27 November 2009 - 14:25

A court in Namibia has ruled that the National Society for Human Rights must have its status as an election observer reinstated, hours after polls opened, reports BBC. The electoral commission withdrew the group’s status days before the vote, saying it was not impartial. Despite the heat, voters’ queues have been long. - Friday 27 November 2009 - 14:17

Kenya’s government is seeking donor assistance for the implementation of Phase two evictions of the Mau Forest. While declaring success of the first phase involving those without title deeds, the government said everything was being done to move to the next stage of evictions involving those having legal documents, states the Daily Nation. - Thursday 26 November 2009 - 19:12