Sochi - As the Russian city of Sochi gears up for the 2014 Winter Olympics, two killer whales recently captured from the wild in the Russian Far East will debut in Sochi for the Olympic Games along with a dolphin torchbearer.

Kidal - Two French journalists,were murdered in Mali, North Africa, Saturday, just hours after being kidnapped by insurgents. The two journalists have been identified as 57-year-old Ghislaine Dupont and sound technician, Claude Verlon, aged 55.

If you know anything about the Tuareg it is probably that he rides a camel. This one rides a motor bike and plays lead guitar.

New York - New, more gory details have emerged in what was reported first as the killing of 35 Muslim worshipers and the wounding of 14 last week in the town of Dumba village in Borno State, Nigeria.

Boko Haram says it has launched a war against the Borno state authorities and a hunt for youths in Borno and Yobe states who recently formed vigilante groups to assist Nigerian forces identify and arrest insurgents in their local communities

Many of us have bought chocolate on a hot day planning to have a treat later only to pull it out of the bag once home and find it melted. That problem may now be solved - at least for part of the world.

Maiduguri - The US government has posted a bounty of $7 million on Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the militant Islamic sect, Boko Haram. The reward will go to anyone who can provide information leading to his arrest.

Niamey - Revenge attacks for Niger's role in helping France in neighbouring Mali, killed 24 soldiers and one civilian in coordinated attacks on a French uranium mine and a military base.

Niamey - The US will help train African troops in Niger. The troops will then take part in the UN-backed offensive against Islamic militants in neighbouring Mali.

Bamako - According to the Nigerian Defense Headquarters (DHQ), a Nigerian Air Force jet deployed to operations in Mali crashed in Niger Republic Monday. Two Nigerian Air Force pilots died in the crash.

A newly released Human Rights Watch (HRW) report, entitled "This Old Man Can Feed Us, You Will Marry Him:’ Child and Forced Marriage in South Sudan," calls on the government of South Sudan to adopt measures to protect girls from child marriage.

The kidnapping is the latest of several affecting French citizens in recent years. In 2010 four French workers were kidnapped in Niger, and in 2011 two French businessmen were kidnapped in Mali.

Niamey - Reminiscent of early U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, President Barack Obama on Friday informed Congress about the deployment of 40 additional U.S. troops to join 100 other U.S. advisers in Niger.

Bamako - While the French, together with Malian forces, have managed to retake much of the territory formerly occupied by rebels, there has been little coverage of what is happening from anywhere near the front.

Bamako - Thousands of Malians turned out on the streets of the northern Mali city of Gao yesterday, the largest city in northern Mali, to welcome French and Malian soldiers with chants of, “Mali, Mali, France, France."

Bamako - The Voice of Nigeria (VON) reports that the first batch of Nigerian troops arrived in Mali on Thursday to reinforce French and Malian troops fighting to halt the advance of al Qaeda-linked rebels from the north of the country.

French airstrikes against Islamist revolutionaries in Mali have killed scores of rebels as well as at least 11 innocent civilians.

Toronto - Dozens came out to the freezing cold temperatures in Toronto Saturday as part of the international Occupy Nigeria movement. Since the violent protests began in the West African nation, thousands of Nigerians have showed their support for the protesters.

Al-Saadi Gaddafi has been offered asylum in Niger as the authorities there believe that no one from the Gaddafi family would be safe if returned to Libya.

Niamey - The son of ousted Libyan tyrant Muammar Gaddafi has been intercepted after a convoy of nine people crossed the border into Niger, Libya's southern neighbour.