Nigerians home and abroad Wednesday commemorated the 15th anniversary of the execution of environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa.

Saro-Wiwa and his Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) waged a campaign against Shell Oil Company for causing environmental damage to Ogoni land

Nigeria’s two main labor unions are calling a three-day warning strike over pay. The Nigerian Labor Congress and the Trade Union Congress say it will begin Wednesday and could be extended indefinitely, countrywide.

The unions are demanding that the government make good on its agreement to raise the minimum wage to $120 a month. The government says it is making arrangements to do that, but the unions say they have run out of patience

The leader of Zambia’s main opposition Patriotic Front (PF) party has denied allegations he “illegally” gave about $100,000 to a Roman Catholic priest, Reverend Frank Bwalya, an avowed critic of President Rupiah Banda’s government, to launch attacks on his administration

In Ivory Coast, a spokesman says President Laurent Gbagbo is confident of victory as he prepares for a runoff election later this month against former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara. The election is the first presidential ballot in the West African nation in 10 years, when Mr. Gbagbo became head of state.

Neither President Gbagbo nor former prime minister Ouattara won a majority in Sunday’s much-awaited presidential vote

A top official of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called on the people of Ivory Coast to demonstrate what he described as the same maturity and patriotism in the scheduled 28th November presidential run-off vote seen in Sunday’s election.

Sonny Ugoh, communications director for the West African regional bloc, said there is consensus among both local and international poll observers that Sunday’s vote was credible

Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has dismissed her Cabinet to provide herself with a “clean slate” ahead of next year’s presidential election.

President Sirleraf made the announcement Wednesday on the eve of her departure on an overseas trip, including a stop in the United States

Provisional results from Ivory Coast’s electoral commission show the country’s current president and its former prime minister are leading returns from Sunday’s vote.

With more than half of an estimated 4.2 million votes counted, President Laurent Gbagbo and former prime minister Alassane Ouattara each have just over a third of the ballots cast.

That appears to indicate that this vote will go to a second-round run off as neither man is likely to win an outright majority from Sunday’s poll

Ivory Coast’s electoral commission is releasing provisional results from Sunday’s presidential vote.

Electoral commission spokesman Bamba Yacouba began with results from the north-central Vallee du Bandama region.

Yacouba explained how many voters were registered, how many voted, how many ballots were disqualified, and how many people voted for each of 14 candidates

Ivorians in the country’s troubled western regions continue to call for peace as the country waits for results in its long-delayed presidential election.

After five years of repeated delays, voters in Ivory Coast went to the polls Sunday for a presidential election meant to reunite the country after a 2002-2003 civil war split it between a government-held south and a rebel-held north

A top official of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has congratulated the people of Ivory Coast over what he described as a mature and peaceful presidential vote Sunday.

Sonny Ugoh, communications director for the West African regional bloc, also urged the losing presidential candidates to use the country’s state institutions, including the courts, to address their concerns about the poll results.

“We wish to congratulate them for the way they conducted themselves in the elections on Sunday

South African President Jacob Zuma has sworn in seven new ministers as part of a major Cabinet reorganization. The president said the purpose was to accelerate the delivery of social services, especially to the poor, but observers noted that political considerations were also behind many of the changes

An anxious Ivory Coast is standing by for the results of Sunday’s long-awaited presidential election.

The country’s election commission Monday released returns from Ivorians voting overseas. President Laurent Gbagbo won among voters in Ghana and South Africa, while challenger Alassane Ouattara won among voters in Gabon, Mali and Spain

Ivory Coast Prime Minister Guillaume Soro says everything is in place for the nation’s long-delayed presidential election set for Sunday.

At a news conference Saturday in the commercial center of Abidjan, Mr. Soro said campaigning for the election ended Friday night and Saturday will be a day of reflection before Sunday’s vote.

The prime minister promised the election would be peaceful and transparent

An anti-corruption group says Africa is the most corrupt region in the world, with Somalia being the most corrupt country.

Transparency International released its annual report Tuesday surveying perceived corruption in 178 countries.

The 2010 list ranks six African nations among the 10 most corrupt countries. They are Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Burundi, Angola and Equatorial Guinea

All the political protagonists in Ivory Coast are on board for a presidential election finally scheduled to take place October 31st. The country has been divided since rebels took up arms in 2002. The election was initially scheduled for 2005 but was repeatedly pushed back over delays in implementing a peace deal between President Laurent Gbagbo and the northern-based rebels