BBC News World

The agency in charge of wildlife protection in Kenya has said it will pursue people shown in a viral video hacking an elephant to death.

The distressing video was widely shared on Twitter on Monday with many calling on authorities to identify and prosecute the attackers.

The 30-second clip shows the animal trying to get up as a group of people use machetes and axes to attack it.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said in a statement that the incident happened last year near Incoorolboro-Imenti forest, in the east of the country, after two elephants encroached on to some farmland.

KWS said in a statement that it dispatched its officers to the area as soon as it heard about the 21 June 2018 incident:

On inquiring what had happened, they [KWS officers] were informed that two elephants had raided the farm after breaking through an electric fence... one of the elephants managed to escape back in the forest. However, the second one fell... broke its leg and was unable to run away. Residents managed to catch up with it and hacked it to death."

The video was not available at the time, KWS said, adding that it would now be used to find the culprits.

Zambia may have blown their chances of qualifying for the 2021 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals after losing 2-1 to Zimbabwe on Tuesday night but the result led to a lot of banter on Twitter.

With both Zimbabwe and Zambia experiencing one of the worst periods of power cuts -commonly known as load shedding here - the match was dubbed the "Load-Shedding Derby’ while others called it the "El Sheddico".

Matches between the two giants of Spanish football - Real Madrid and Barcelona - are known as El Classico.

Debate about which country had the better view of the Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world, that straddles the Zambian and Zimbabwean borders was also revived.

While fans saw the funny side of the game, Zambia are in real danger of missing out on the Afcon finals for the third consecutive time.

They remain rooted at the bottom of their group with no points.

The 2012 Africa champions lost their first match 5-0 to group leaders and reigning Africa champions Algeria, who have six points. They are followed by Zimbabwe who have four points.

AFP

Polls have opened in a referendum in southern Ethiopia on the creation of a new federal regional state to be called Sidama.

If the referendum passes as expected, the Sidama ethnic group, who make up about 4% of the population, will control local taxes, education, security and laws in a new region.

The vote comes ahead of a national election next year.

Analysts say the referendum will be closely watched by other ethnic groups hoping to get their own federal regional state.

At least 17 people died in clashes in July between the Ethiopian security forces and Sidama activists, after the government delayed the poll.