Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin takes over as AU new chairman

African Union leaders chose Benin’s President Thomas Boni Yayi Sunday as the 54-member bloc’s new chairman, at a two-day summit hoped to help resolve multiple crises facing the continent.

Boko Haram rejects talks, threatens fresh attacks

Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamists have ruled out talks with the government and threatened new attacks in Africa's most populous country, rocked by an insurgency that has killed more than 200 already this year. Residents in the northern city of Kaduna said the group, which has frequently targeted the police, may have struck again late Saturday when gunmen on motorcycles shot dead a policeman. 

Nigeria army claims retaliation as 11 Boko Haram members killed

The Nigerian army's Joint Task Force, responsible for combating one of the biggest national security threats of the last decade, said the incident took place in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri. Boko Haram was born in this remote area, near the frontier with Chad, where Islamist sentiment has steadily been gaining ground.

Toddler chews off head of snake in northern Israel

A sleepy snake came to a rather untimely end after having its head half chewed off by a fearless toddler in an Arab town in northern Israel, the child’s family told AFP on Friday. Thirteen-month-old Imad Aleeyan, who has six teeth, was found chewing on the head of the 30-centimetre snake by his mother, who alerted the neighbourhood with her screams.

EFCC to probe sacked governors

FOR allegedly mismanaging the finances of their states, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will go after some of the five former governors who were sacked by the Supreme Court on Friday.