AFRICA

South Africa | AFP |  It’s old, doesn’t look like much and is located well out the way in an arid part of western South Africa. But the Steenkampskraal Mine may be about to become piping hot mining property thanks to some of the world’s highest-grade deposits of rare earth metals. …

Fresh fighting breaks out in northeastern DR Congo: army Bunia, DR Congo | AFP |  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Beni in North Kivu in DRC on September 1. Ituri and North Kivu province, just to the south, are trying to roll back a major epidemic of Ebola that has …

  Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  Mangosuthu Buthelezi, head of the once-feared Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), on Saturday stepped down as party leader after 44 years. Buthelezi, 90 led the party from its inception, a reign marked by bloody territorial battles with ANC supporters in black townships …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudan’s deposed military ruler Omar al-Bashir appeared in court Saturday for the second hearing of his corruption trial, during which his defence asked for his release on bail. Bashir, wearing a traditional white gown, sat in the same metal cage he appeared in on Monday when …

Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Algerians on Friday were back on the streets demanding an overhaul of the political system as the country’s protest movement entered a seventh month with no let-up in sight. Crowds of demonstrators who thronged the capital and key cities across the North African nation rallied to …

Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | A senior official of Zimbabwe’s main opposition party has been arrested for failing to stop an outlawed protest, the party said Friday. Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) organised several protests to highlight the collapsing economy in the southern African country, but the government has launched a …

Mogadishu, Somalia | AFP |  Somalia’s southern state of Jubaland is under lockdown ahead of a tense election Thursday which has pitted regional authorities against Mogadishu and sparked tensions with neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia. The highly contested election in the semi-autonomous state has been postponed several times as a result of …

Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Sudan took further steps in its transition towards civilian rule Wednesday, with the swearing in of a new Sovereign Council and prime minister. A government is expected to be formed within a week, after which the new institutions can tackle the daunting task of rescuing …

Why Uganda and Rwanda leaders have signed pact to end months-long standoff Luanda, Angola | AFP | The presidents of Rwanda and Uganda on Wednesday signed an agreement in Angola to ease months of tensions after the two leaders exchanged accusations of spying, political assassinations and meddling. Rwanda’s President Paul …

Luanda, Angola | THE INDEPENDENT | Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and his counterpart Paul Kagame of Rwanda have signed the Angola Quadripartite Summit agreement today. “We have agreed on a raft of issues that will be implemented between our two countries, largely meant to improve our security, trade, and political …