A devastating fire shut down Nairobi’s international airport Wednesday in a “major crisis” that forced scores of flights at east Africa’s biggest transport hub to be cancelled or diverted.

Global diplomatic efforts to resolve the political deadlock in Egypt following the Army’s removal of the country’s first democratically elected President Mohammed Morsi have failed, the presidency said Wednesday, holding the Muslim Brotherhood “full responsibility” for the impasse.

An Egyptian police official says that if followers of ousted President Mohammed Morsi abandon their protest sit-ins, this will allow his Muslim Brotherhood group to have a normal role in the political process.

Tunisia’s Army pressed ahead Saturday with operations against Islamists in a remote mountain range after a deadly ambush on its troops heightened a crisis sparked by a political assassination.

Zimbabwe election observers said Thursday that the country’s crunch vote was “seriously compromised,” citing a slew of problems that questioned a claim of victory by President Robert Mugabe’s allies.

Vote counting was underway in Zimbabwe’s tightly fought election, amid high turnout and accusations of rigging by President Robert Mugabe’s allies who wish to extend his 33-year rule.

Tunisia’s President declared a day of mourning Friday after gunmen shot dead a leading opposition figure, plunging the country into fresh political turmoil, sparking protests and prompting calls for a general strike.

Seven people were killed and 261 wounded in overnight clashes in Cairo between supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and security forces, health officials said on Tuesday.

India has overtaken the US as the top buyer of Nigerian crude oil, a top Indian diplomat here has said.

Activists for and against ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi have called rival rallies for the first Friday of Ramadan, as tensions soar over the army’s overthrow of the Islamist leader.