More than 2,000 platinum workers returned to the surface at a South African mine on Wednesday after ending a three day underground protest over conditions, the owners said.All 2,205 workers who started the protest in two shafts about 500 metres below ground over bonuses and conditions were “now safely on the surface”, Impala Platinum Holdings …

South African platinum miners end underground protestWed, 20 Dec 2023 18:23:04 GMT Read More »

As voting got underway across DR Congo on Wednesday, in the conflict-torn east of the country, militia fighters sporting rubber boots and kalashnikov assault rifles provided security at polling booths.Voters in the impoverished but mineral-rich central African nation went to the polls to pick a new president, lawmakers for the national and provincial assemblies, and …

Voting in east DR Congo: gunfire and militia ‘protection’Wed, 20 Dec 2023 18:16:44 GMT Read More »

People in the Democratic Republic of Congo voted Wednesday in a high-stakes election pitting the incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi against a fragmented opposition, whose leaders denounced “chaos” and irregularities.The 60-year-old incumbent, wearing a blue-checked shirt, cast his vote in the capital Kinshasa, as crowds chanted their frenzied support. Tshisekedi has presided over years of economic growth …

Congolese vote amid ‘chaos’, delays, conflict in eastWed, 20 Dec 2023 16:57:37 GMT Read More »

Ethiopia and Egypt have traded blame for the failure of a fourth round of negotiations aimed at resolving a long-running dispute over a controversial mega-dam built by Addis Ababa on the Nile.Negotiations between Ethiopia and downstream neighbours Egypt and Sudan have yet to produce an agreement since construction of the $4.2 billion project began in …

Egypt, Ethiopia trade blame over failed dam talksWed, 20 Dec 2023 14:42:00 GMT Read More »

France’s domestic intelligence chief was appointed Wednesday to head the country’s DGSE foreign espionage service made famous by the fictional hit series “The Bureau”.Nicolas Lerner is to replace a career diplomat as head of the Directorate-General for External Security, Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said.It is the first time that a former head of the Directorate-General …

Domestic security boss becomes France’s top spookWed, 20 Dec 2023 13:38:17 GMT Read More »

People in the Democratic Republic of Congo were voting Wednesday in a high-stakes election pitting the incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi against a fragmented opposition, whose leaders denounced “chaos” and “irregularities”. The first polling stations in the east of the vast central African nation, which straddles two time zones, opened almost on time, shortly after 6:00 am …

DR Congo votes for president, MPs amid delays, conflict in eastWed, 20 Dec 2023 12:48:42 GMT Read More »

All is on track for African football’s biennial showpiece, the Africa Cup of Nations, according to organisers in the Ivory Coast who are confident their security measures will prevent a repeat of the tragedy that overshadowed the 2022 edition in Cameroon.Ivory Coast may be one of the heavyweights in African football but this will be …

Africa Cup of Nations organisers confident no repeat of Cameroon tragedyWed, 20 Dec 2023 12:03:36 GMT Read More »

Hundreds of firefighters on Wednesday battled a wildfire that has spread across a mountain near Cape Town and threatened South Africa’s biggest naval base.Five out of more than 300 firefighters deployed for the operation on hills overlooking Simon’s Town have been injured, authorities said.”Currently three choppers are water bombing the area while over 300 staff …

Hundreds battle wildfire threatening S. Africa naval baseWed, 20 Dec 2023 09:36:47 GMT Read More »

Polling stations opened Wednesday in a high-stakes Democratic Republic of Congo general election pitting the incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi against a fragmented opposition, while much of the east of the country is mired in conflict. Polling stations opened at 6 am (0400 GMT in the east; 0500 GMT in the west) and will close at 5 …

DR Congo polls open amid conflict in east, delaysWed, 20 Dec 2023 08:36:04 GMT Read More »

Ghana, the world’s second biggest cocoa producer, faces a growing risk to its harvest — and blow to its crisis-hit economy — from illegal mining and smugglers, industry officials, farmers and activists warn.Top producer Ivory Coast and Ghana, together with other West African neighbours, produce two thirds of the world’s supply of cocoa, the main …

Illegal mining, smuggling threaten Ghana’s cocoa industryWed, 20 Dec 2023 07:05:10 GMT Read More »