Madrid, Spain | AFP | Spain on Tuesday defended holding in prison nearly 500 migrants who arrived in the country by boat. Following criticism by rights groups, the Spanish government said it was due to a lack of space at immigration detention centres. “We feel it is better that the migrants …
Read More »Venezuela’s Maduro in Algeria for talks on oil
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited fellow OPEC member Algeria Monday for talks after announcing Caracas would sell crude oil in non-dollar currencies in a bid to resist US sanctions. Maduro arrived late Sunday in the North African country and met Senate speaker Abdelkader Bensalah on …
Read More »GROUP OF DEATH: Zambia overcome double blow to beat Algeria
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Zambia overcame conceding a goal and having a player sent off inside 60 seconds to score a historic 3-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Algeria in Lusaka Saturday. Brian Mwila scored twice to give the “Chipolopolo” (Copper Bullets) a two-goal half-time advantage before a …
Read More »Algeria praises UN vote on disputed Western Sahara
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Algeria on Saturday hailed a UN Security Council resolution endorsing a new peace initiative on the disputed territory of Western Sahara as a “diplomatic success”. Friday’s vote came as UN military observers confirmed that Polisario Front forces, fighting for independence in Western Sahara, had withdrawn …
Read More »Bouteflika’s frail health halts Merkel visit
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika had acute bronchitis on Monday, causing German Chancellor Angela Merkel to call off a visit to Algeria at the last minute, the presidency said. Bouteflika, Algeria’s longest-serving leader, suffered a mini-stroke in 2013 that affected his mobility and speech. The …
Read More »Tunisia through to Cup of Nations quarter-finals
Libreville, Gabon | AFP | Tunisia became the first team to score four goals in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations match as they beat Zimbabwe 4-2 in Libreville Monday to seal a quarter-finals place. The Carthage Eagles, who led 4-1 at half-time, finished Group B runners-up behind Senegal and …
Read More »Mahrez scores twice but Algeria held by Zimbabwe
Franceville, Gabon | AFP | Algeria 2 (Mahrez 12, 82) Zimbabwe 2 (Mahachi 17, Mushekwi 29-pen) Standings P W D L F A Pts Algeria 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Zimbabwe 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Senegal 0 0 0 0 …
Read More »Volkswagen to build car assembly plant in Algeria
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Volkswagen on Sunday signed a deal with its Algerian sales partner Sovac for the construction of a vehicle assembly plant in the North African country, officials told a news conference. Under the deal, worth $170 million (160 million euros), the plant will produce its first …
Read More »Algeria awards China contract to revamp refinery
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | Algeria’s state energy company Sonatrach on Sunday awarded the China Petroleum Engineering and Construction Corporation (CPECC) a 380-million-euro ($420-million) contract to renovate its Algiers refinery. CPECC, which is affiliated to the China National Petroleum Corporation, will rehabilitate the refinery after Sonatrach severed an initial deal …
Read More »Algeria urges OPEC decision to stabilise oil price
Algiers, Algeria | AFP | The world’s top oil producers “must take a decision” to stabilise prices, Algeria’s energy minister said on Sunday ahead of an OPEC meeting on Wednesday in Algiers. Oil prices are already depressed after two years of oversupply amid deep disagreements between members of the Organization …
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