Africa

Madjer back to coach Algeria

ALGIERS (Reuters) – Former African Footballer of the Year Rabah Madjer has been appointed Algeria’s new coach after Spaniard Lucas Alcaraz was fired on Wednesday, the country’s football federation has said. The 58-year-old returns for a third spell after being away from coaching for more than a decade, working instead as a television analyst. He […]

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De Villiers finds sweet spot on South Africa return

PAARL, South Africa (Reuters) – AB de Villiers feels he is hitting the ball as sweetly as he ever following his recent break from the South African side, an ominous sign for bowlers ahead of a busy season across all three formats. South Africa were given a glimpse of what they have been missing as […]

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South African court revokes shale gas regulations; AgriSA

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – South Africa’s High Court has quashed regulations governing proposed shale gas fracking, farmers lobby AgriSA said on Thursday after taking the government to court to stop fracking in Eastern Cape province. The ruling marks the latest setback to South Africa’s shale gas ambitions after a scientific study published last month suggested […]

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Kenya’s shilling under pressure due to election jitters

NAIROBI (Reuters) – Kenya’s shilling weakened on Thursday due to concerns about a repeat presidential election on Oct. 26, which has been plagued with uncertainty. At 0811 GMT, commercial banks quoted the shilling at 103.50/60 to the dollar, compared with Wednesday’s close of 103.45/55. The central bank pumped in dollars on Wednesday after the shilling […]

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Kenyan election head: No guarantee vote will be free and fair

By Duncan Miriri and Katharine Houreld NAIROBI (Reuters) – The head of Kenya’s election commission said on Wednesday he could not guarantee next week’s presidential election will be free and fair, citing interference from politicians and threats of violence against his colleagues. Wafula Chebukati’s statement came hours after another commission member resigned and left the […]

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South Africa’s rand ekes out gains on short-covering ahead of budget speech

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s rand inched firmer early on Thursday, helped by some investors taking profits from the dollar’s recent rally and short covering triggered by the currency approaching technical support levels. At 0630 GMT the rand was 0.1 percent firmer at 13.5675 per dollar compared to an overnight close of 13.5775 in New […]

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S.Africa’s Cabinet replaces Zuma ally as head of national airline

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s government has named Johannes Bhekumuzi Magwaza as chairman of loss-making state-owned airline South African Airways (SAA), replacing Dudu Myeni, who was an ally of President Jacob Zuma, the finance minister said on Thursday. In all six board members were replaced, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said in a statement without giving […]

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Nigerian lawmakers to probe national grid firm over $2 bln of foreign loans

By Camillus Eboh ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigeria’s lower house of parliament will investigate $2 billion of foreign loans which the state-owned national electricity grid operator may have raised without official approval, lawmakers said on Wednesday. The investigation could be a blow to efforts to improve Nigeria’s creaking power infrastructure, which is often blamed for hobbling […]

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U.N. chief pushes for 900 more peacekeepers in Central Africa

By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – Amid a U.S. push to cut United Nations peacekeeping costs, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday he hoped the U.N. Security Council would agree to send an extra 900 troops to protect civilians in Central African Republic. Guterres, who will visit Central African Republic next week, told reporters […]

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Four killed in Togo as protesters clash with security forces

By John Zodzi LOME (Reuters) – Four people were killed in Togo on Wednesday in clashes between security forces and demonstrators calling for an end to a half century of Gnassingbe family rule, the security minister said. Opposition activists have been demonstrating since August against Gnassingbe’s administration and say a constitutional reform he has proposed […]

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Angola is not the next Venezuela, state oil firm says as it cuts debt

By Libby George and Karin Strohecker LONDON (Reuters) – Angola is not the next Venezuela, the head of state oil firm Sonangol said on Wednesday while pledging to further cut debt, even if both oil-rich nations have relied heavily on loans from China. Venezuela, the Latin American oil behemoth, has found itself struggling to repay […]

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South Africa’s poor tax revenues to delay fiscal consolidation

By Vuyani Ndaba JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s finance minister is expected to address concerns over dwindling tax revenues in his mid-term budget on Wednesday to reassure credit agencies of his commitment to a tighter purse, a Reuters poll found. Malusi Gigaba is due to give his first review on finances on Oct. 25 and […]

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