Mahdia is dedicated as the new fortified coastal capital of the Ifriqiya Province of the Aghlabid Dynasty (present-day Tunisia). Palaces are built for the Fatimid rulers, as well as the Great Mosque of Mahdia (pic).

The timeless board game prominent in Swahili culture is seen played in Comoros, where it has migrated from the East African mainland, by 22 year-old British linguist and scholar Thomas Hyde, who reports on its popularity and its name: bao. The game can be complex, and requires strategy, as players move seeds on the board’s row of pits. The loser is the player who runs out of seeds or is outmaneuvered until he can no longer make possible plays.

Three French Army pilots make the first two-way aerial crossing of the Sahara Desert, flying Breguet 14 biplanes.

The release of the British movie Rhodes in Africa. The fictionalised biography of British adventurer Cecil Rhodes is among the top ten most successful films of the year in England. In the film, Africans are referred to as “children,” and in the scene after Rhodes dies, Matabele warriors are shown hailing him with the royal salute “Bayete!”, as the viewer is told this honour is for Rhodes “alone of white men, before or since.” In reality, Rhodes cheated and then subjugated the Matabele, and he considered Africans good only for slave labour.

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In Gold Coast (Ghana), dissatisfaction with British colonial rule is unleashed when Independence leader Kwame Nkrumah addresses a group of World War II veterans who fought on behalf of Britain in the Royal West African Frontier Force. They have never received their promised bonus payments. The veterans will march to the seat of colonial government, Christianborg Castle, on 28 February. British police officer Colin Imray orders his officers to open fire on the unarmed marchers, and when the police refuse to do so he personally shoots dead three men.

Cooperation between all African countries on aviation issues is essential to avoid air catastrophes, and matters like establishing nations’ airspace, the air control jurisdictions of airports and other matters are being addressed at a meeting of Africa’s aviation officials concluding today at the International Civil Aviation Organisation Africa office in Dakar, Senegal. (pic: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania international airport)

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Nigeria elections for the National Assembly result in the People’s Democratic Party, which opposed to the Abacha regime that ruled from 1993 to 1998, winning a majority of the seats in the House or Representatives and Senate. The election is highlighted by the colourful body paint of political parties’ youthful supporters.

The Democratic Republic of Congo adopts a new flag, which resembles the country’s flag before dictator Mobutu Sese Seko changed the country's name to Zaire from 1971 to 1997.

Egypt’s Court of Cassation upholds the 11 death sentences of 73 defendants on trial for the murder of 72 football fans in a 2012 riot at Port Said Stadium. Five defendants receive life sentences, 28 are acquitted and the remainder receive sentences from one to 15 years in prison.

Japan’s Isuzu Motors reopens a vehicle assembly plant previously owned by the U.S.’ General Motors, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, saving 1,000 factory jobs and 3,000 jobs of companies supplying the plant. South Africa’s auto industry employs 113,000 and makes up 7.5% of GDP.