UGHELLI, Nigerai (AP) — Ten foreigners abducted by pirates last month were rescued in southern Nigeria, the army said.

The victims were released unharmed by Nigeria’s security forces in...

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Authorities searched Monday for four Chinese crew members who were taken hostage by pirates in speedboats off Gabon's capital over the weekend.

BEIRUT (AP) — The Lebanese Foreign Ministry says Ethiopia has released a Lebanese businessman who had been detained in the African nation since last week.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gabon's ailing President Ali Bongo Ondimba has returned to Morocco to continue his recovery after a brief visit home, an official and a relative said Thursday.

The relative said Bongo returned to Morocco late Tuesday after swearing in a new government. A Cabinet member confirmed it. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

The Cabinet member said Bongo's recovery from a reported stroke has been strong.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who has been out of the country for health reasons since October, has returned for the swearing-in of his new government.

Bongo's return comes a week after an attempted coup by officers with the Republican Guard. Two of the plotters were killed and four others were arrested and face life sentences, authorities have said.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gabon's prosecutor general says the arrested coup plotters face life imprisonment under Gabon's penal code.

Olivier N'Zahou said late Wednesday that six individuals staged the coup attempt, including a gendarme who was on duty at the station and was convinced to join the movement at the time of the attempt. Another Republican Guard member joined them as well. He said two were killed and the other four arrested.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gabon's ruling party says ailing President Ali Bongo Ondimba will return to the country "very soon" after a coup attempt early this week.

Gabonese Democratic Party secretary-general Eric Dodo Bounguendza spoke after authorities inspected the bloody scene where soldiers briefly took over the state radio station on Monday. The Republican Guard members encouraged youth to help them "restore democracy" in the oil-rich country.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gabon officials are inspecting the country's state radio station where security officers thwarted a coup attempt by army soldiers on Monday.

Students in the capital, Libreville, returned to schools Tuesday, markets opened, the radio was back on air and phone lines were restored as President Ali Bongo Ondimba's government retained control.

Government spokesman Guy-Bertrand Mapangou said two coup plotters were killed and eight others were arrested in the attempted coup.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Several African countries with some of the world's largest elephant populations will push this year for looser controls on legal ivory trade, while another group of countries on the continent says more restrictions are the best way to curb the illegal killing of elephants for their tusks.

CAIRO (AP) — Liverpool forwards Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, are the three finalists for the African player of the year award in a repeat of last year's shortlist.

The winner will be announced on Jan. 8 in Dakar, Senegal.

The Confederation of African Football announced the finalists on Tuesday from an original list of 34 players.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gabon's government has broadcast new images of its ailing head of state, President Ali Bongo Ondimba, in his second public appearance since his hospitalization in Saudi Arabia in October and transfer to Morocco last week for convalescence.

The broadcast late Tuesday shows the 59-year-old, seated in profile, receiving a Gabonese delegation.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gabon's government has released a video showing President Ali Bongo Ondimba meeting with Morocco's king in his first public appearance since Bongo fell ill in October.

The video shared late Monday shows the men sitting and chatting in front of their national flags as King Mohammed VI visited Bongo, who is recovering at a Rabat hospital.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gabon's government says President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who has been in treatment in Saudi Arabia for more than a month, will be transferred to Morocco on Wednesday to continue treatment.

The statement says Bongo feels better and "is in full possession of all his faculties." Bongo's wife, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, says in a message on Twitter that the transfer to Morocco was possible due to "a very significant improvement" in his health.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba is recovering from an undisclosed illness in Saudi Arabia and still performing his duties, according to a statement released Sunday amid mounting speculation about his health.

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Mohamed Salah won African Player of the Year on Thursday, a reward for success on all fronts in 2017 for the Egypt forward after he inspired his country to a long-awaited World Cup place and had a phenomenal start to his career at Liverpool.

Salah won ahead of Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane of Senegal and Borussia Dortmund and Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the other finalists at the Confederation of African Football awards ceremony in Accra, Ghana.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — A man stabbed two Danish journalists in Gabon's capital, declaring it was in retaliation for U.S. attacks against Muslims and leaving one reporter in serious condition, Gabon's defense minister said.

The attack Saturday occurred while the journalists were shopping at an artisanal market, a site popular with tourists. It is the first of its kind in this West African country where Muslims and Christians coexist peacefully.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A new study says the illegal sale of ivory in open markets in Central Africa has been disappearing or going underground. But it warns that corruption and weak governance are undermining efforts to curb regional trafficking.

PARIS (AP) — An official says the benefactor who bought French presidential candidate Francois Fillon two suits worth 13,000 euros ($14,000) last month is an unofficial adviser for African and French presidents.

Lawyer Robert Bourgi had close links to former French presidents Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as the former leaders of Senegal and Gabon.

The judges who already were investigating Fillon have extended their probe to include the suits he says he received as a gift.

PORT-GENTIL, Gabon (AP) — Alain Traore fired in an 89th-minute free kick to give Burkina Faso a 1-0 win over Ghana in the third-place match at the African Cup of Nations on Saturday, the game that no one wants to play.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Only a tiny minority of African soccer players achieve stardom and the rich rewards that go with it. Some of them will feature in Sunday's African Cup of Nations final, while for thousands of journeymen professionals on this continent, it's not a beautiful game but an ugly and abusive system that has let them down badly.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Ghana goalkeeper Razak Brimah has been fined $2,500 for an expletive-laden tirade in a video posted on social media during the African Cup of Nations that was aimed at fans who had criticized his performances.

The Ghana Football Association announced the punishment on Tuesday, two days ahead of Ghana's African Cup semifinal match against Cameroon in Gabon. Razak will be able to play in that game.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — The fallen giant of the African Cup of Nations is rising again as Egypt became the final team on Sunday to force its way into the semifinals amid late drama.

The record seven-time champion, held back by years of political upheaval back home, returned to the last four for the first time since 2010 with an 87th-minute winner over Morocco in the last quarterfinal in Gabon.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Michel Dussuyer has resigned as coach of Ivory Coast after the defending champion failed to advance from the group stage at the African Cup of Nations in Gabon.

The Frenchman's exit was confirmed by the Ivory Coast Football Federation on Sunday.

Dussuyer was in charge of the Ivorian team for just 18 months, having taken over the African champion from Frenchman Herve Renard.

FRANCEVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Algeria coach George Leekens has resigned following the team's early exit from the African Cup of Nations.

Algeria, among the pre-tournament favorites, failed to win a match in Gabon. The Desert Foxes finished third in Group B, losing to Tunisia and drawing with Zimbabwe and Senegal.

PORT-GENTIL, Gabon (AP) — Algeria was eliminated from the African Cup of Nations in Gabon in a goal rush in the final games in Group B on Monday.

The one-time title contender drew with Senegal 2-2 and learned Tunisia went through to the quarterfinals in its place by beating Zimbabwe 4-2.