Algeria’s Bouteflika to curb security service power: party official
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika wants to push through constitutional reforms before 2014 elections to put an end to the powerful intelligence service’s role as political kingmaker, the ruling FLN party’s chairman said.
Unrest rises in Tunisia after Islamists kill police officers
KEF, Tunisia (Reuters) – Tunisian security forces fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse hundreds of people trying to storm a local government building as demonstrations broke out over the killing of seven policemen by Islamist militants.
Back to the bush: Dhlakama’s high-risk gamble in Mozambique
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – At the age of 60, Mozambique’s former rebel leader Afonso Dhlakama is hiding out in the bush again, not backing down in a struggle between old foes that has donors and investors fretting about stability in the budding energy pr…
Israel says to announce more settlement building
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel said on Thursday it would press ahead with plans to build in existing Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, in an apparent bid to appease hardliners opposed to peace talks with the Palestinians.
Embargo fails to stop Ivory Coast illicit diamond trade: U.N. experts
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – An eight-year-old U.N. embargo has failed to stop the illicit production and trafficking of Ivory Coast rough diamonds that are continuously being smuggled out of the West African country and could be funding illegal arms pur…
South Africa’s Implats says mediator allows AMCU union to strike
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – A government mediator has granted South Africa’s Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union permission to call a strike against Impala Platinum, the world’s second largest producer of the precious metal said on Thursday….
Algerian troops find huge arms cache on Libya border
ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algerian troops discovered a huge arms cache near the border with Libya, including hundreds of surface-to-air missiles, rockets and landmines, an Algerian security source said on Thursday.
White House: no new comment on Merkel spying allegation
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House refused to comment on whether the United States had snooped on German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphone communications and acknowledged on Thursday that claims of U.S. spying have created tensions with allies.
South Africa’s Implats says AMCU union has green light to call strike
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has been granted permission by a government mediator to call a strike against Impala Platinum, the world’s second largest producer of the precious metal sa…
Sierra Leone charges editors for comparing president to rat
FREETOWN (Reuters) – Sierra Leone has charged two newspaper editors with 26 counts of seditious libel after they published an article comparing President Ernest Bai Koroma to a rat, a senior official said on Thursday, stirring concern over press freedo…
