Tottenham are left with only one recognised striker after Emmanuel Adebayor joins the Togo squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Malian soldiers fire on Islamist fighters, military sources say, in the first significant clashes reported since Islamists seized the north in April.

The government of Uganda returns 4m euro of misappropriated aid funds to Ireland.

An appeal court in Cameroon acquits two men jailed in 2011 for homosexual acts, in a decision hailed by gay rights campaigners.

The music was alien to him and the language incomprehensible but for young South African Mthetho Maphoyi, the chance discovery of an opera CD led to a life-changing experience.

An alleged Algerian computer hacker wanted by the FBI on suspicion of stealing millions of dollars from US banks is arrested in Bangkok, Thai police say.

Libya's main liberal coalition withdraws from the national assembly to protest against delays in drafting a constitution for the post-Gaddafi era.

A minibus taxi driver appears in court in South Africa over the death of Olympic cyclist Burry Stander in a road accident on Thursday.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi drops Kilmarnock's Rabiu Ibrahim and three others from his Africa Cup of Nations squad.

And other 2013 African predictions from Andrew Harding

Ghana coach Kewsi Appiah drops Andre Ayew from his Africa Cup of Nations squad.

Ozwald Boateng, the British fashion designer says the financial crisis has made many Africans who came to Europe during good times, think about returning to Africa.

Egypt's Orthodox Coptic Church is celebrating the feast of Christmas under a new and recently elected Pope and also under the country's new Islamist leader.

Ghanaian President John Mahama is due to be sworn into office in a ceremony in Accra which the main opposition is set to boycott.

Images of Sierra Leone's pristine beaches threatened by construction boom

Arthur Wharton was the first black professional footballer but a campaign aims to put his name on the global sports map.