Ukraine repels 'massive' Russian drone attack

KYIV, Ukraine

Ukraine says it has repelled "one of the most massive" attacks launched by Russia since the start of the war.

Air defence systems shot down 89 Iranian-designed explosive drones and another missile overnight, the Ukrainian air force said on Wednesday.

The capital Kyiv was the main target of the attack. Buildings in the region were damaged by falling debris but there were no reports of casualties.

The attack comes more than 29 months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Almost daily bombardments have put the country's air defences under considerable strain.

Russia insists it is targeting military and energy sites, but strikes on residential areas are frequent.

Early on Wednesday the air force said it had "withstood and repelled a massive attack" by Iranian-designed Shahed drones.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later said on Telegram: "Ukrainians can fully protect their skies from Russian strikes when they have sufficient supplies."

He added: "The same level of defence is needed against Russian missiles and the occupier's combat aircraft."

Mr Zelensky repeated calls for allies to speed up deliveries of the air defence systems Ukraine relies on, particularly US-made Patriots.

"We need sufficiently courageous decisions from our partners - enough air defence systems, enough range," he said.

Ukraine continues to strike back. Its military said on Wednesday that it had hit a weapons depot in the Russian region of Kursk.

The local governor said a "facility" had been hit overnight, causing a fire, but did not provide further detail.

Meanwhile, Moscow's slow-moving advance into Ukrainian territory is grinding on.

Russian forces made small but incremental gains in July, reportedly capturing eight villages in north-east, eastern and southern Ukraine in July.

These were said to include Pishchane Nizhne in the Karkhiv region, Vovche, Ivano-Daryivka and Pivdenne in Donetsk, as well as Rozivka near Zaporizhzhia.

Africa is seeing more youth-led protests

By Okeri Ngutjinazo, ABUJA Nigeria

Across Africa, young people have been at the forefront of recent waves of protest, driven by unhappiness about their current living conditions and political leaders' failure to deliver economic progress.

In Nigeria, thousands of people are expected to take to the streets on Thursday to protest against the high cost of living and the government's handling of the economy.

In recent months, the country has experienced scattered protests, including a labor union strike that disrupted air travel and caused widespread power outages. The nationwide demonstration is expected to be the largest since the #ENDSars movement against police violence in 2020.

The protests, organized mainly by young people, have gained support on social media through the hashtags "EndBadGovernanceinNigeria" and "RevolutionNow." The organizers demand that President Bola Tinubu's government address hunger and economic hardship.

Nigerian youth groups have drawn significant inspiration from recent events in Kenya. There, demonstrations by led by the so-called Gen Z, a name given to the cohort of young people between the ages of 13 and 27, compelled President William Ruto to dismiss his entire cabinet and revoke an unpopular tax hike bill. This also inspired neighboring Uganda to hold a brief protest.

"If there's any country in the world where people have been taken for granted on account of their patience, Nigeria will be ranked number one," said Ibrahim Baba Shatambaya, a political commentator and lecturer at Usman Danfodiyo University in Sokoto.

Shatambaya said that the political and ruling elites had maintained social divisions among the populace for years to retain control. But the growing discontent in the country was beginning to have an impact.

"Manipulations that were used over the years by the political elites to keep the people in check seem to have faltered and people are demanding that the government should act responsibly," he said.

Nigerians have criticized the government's decision to scrap a long-cherished fuel subsidy. Its removal has led to a substantial increase in the cost of living. Many blame their current suffering on the reforms introduced since President Tinubu took office in May 2023.

Ironically, Tinubu played a crucial role in the 2012 Occupy Nigeria demonstrations, which opposed President Goodluck Jonathan's government's removal of the fuel subsidies. Now, the tables have turned, and like Jonathan, Tinubu finds himself under pressure. He has frequently said that discontinuing fuel subsidies was necessary to prevent the country from going bankrupt.

The US-based World Bank and International Monetary Fund have said the measures were needed to revive Nigeria's economy.

Authorities in Nigeria have urged young people to stay away from demonstrations. Some top officials have even accused the protest organizers of treason and seeking to destabilize the country.

Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun cautioned the youth against protesting and called for constructive engagement with the government to find lasting solutions to Nigeria's problems.

"We must recognize that no investor will be attracted to a country perceived as unstable due to frequent protests. We should not allow ourselves to be manipulated by leaderless movements, often sponsored by frustrated politicians who have failed to gain power," Abiodun said while speaking as a guest of honor at the 22nd convocation ceremony of Babcock University in Ilisan Remo in Nigeria's Ogun State.

However, opposition leader Atiku Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party insisted that the government must provide security for "peaceful protests."

"Any attempt to suppress these rights is not only unconstitutional but a direct affront to our democracy," Abubakar said on X.

Our correspondent said the youth groups had alerted the Nigerian police force and all security agencies and "there's no going back for them to take to the street on August 1."

"It's one of the indications that the youth are desperate to have their demands or their problems solved," he said.

Angola announces ceasefire deal between DR Congo and Rwanda

LUANDA, Angola

Angola on Tuesday announced a ceasefire agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.

The deal follows a meeting between the foreign ministers of Rwanda and DRC hosted by Angolan President Joao Lourenco at the presidential palace in the capital, Luanda.

Kinshasa has long accused Kigali of backing M23 rebels fighting the army in its eastern North Kivu province, an accusation Rwanda denies.

A report commissioned by the UN Security Council found that 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan soldiers have been fighting alongside the M23 and that Kigali had "de facto control" of the group's operations.

This latest suspension of hostilities is due to come into effect from midnight on 4 August, as a partially respected humanitarian truce between the M23 and government forces expires.

But it is not yet clear which parties have agreed to down their arms.

The DRC’s mineral-rich east has been racked for some 30 years by fighting between both local and foreign-based armed groups, including M23 rebels.

The United Nations says more than 1.7 million people have been displaced by fighting in the province, driving up the number displaced by multiple conflicts in the country to over 7 million.

World Bank approves $1.5 billion for Ethiopia

WASHINGTON, US

The World Bank's board has granted approval for $1.5 billion in financing for Ethiopia's budget support, marking the first time the lender has offered this type of lending to the country.

This decision comes as Ethiopia strives to advance its long-standing debt restructuring.

The second most populous country in Africa received a $3.4 billion program from the International Monetary Fund on Monday, following the decision to float its birr currency by the central bank, allowing for progress in its debt restructuring.

Ethiopia will receive a $1 billion grant and a $500 million low interest credit line from the World Bank, in what is the first direct budgetary support facility provided to the country by the global lender.

Financial support was contingent on the government implementing important economic reforms, which included liberalizing the foreign currency market.

Ethiopian officials report that the funding is included in a $10.7 billion financial package provided by the IMF, World Bank, and other lenders.

Guinea's ex-military ruler jailed over stadium massacre

CONAKRY,  Guinea 

A court in Guinea has sentenced former military ruler Moussa Dadis Camara to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity.

The charges stemmed from one of the worst massacres in the nation's history - the killing of more than 156 people after troops opened fire at a rally held in September 2009 to demand a return civilian rule.

Camara took power in a coup when long-time President Lansana Conté died in 2008, but he fled the country after surviving an assassination attempt not long after the massacre.

He returned from exile in Burkina Faso in September 2022 to face justice, insisting that he was innocent.

Camara was convicted along with seven of his military commanders, while four others were acquitted.

The massacre took place when tens of thousands of people had packed a stadium in the capital, Conakry, to press him not to stand in a presidential election.

Many were shot, stabbed, beaten or crushed in a stampede as security forces fired teargas and charged into the stadium.

Scores of women were also raped.

Camara was charged with murder, rape, torture and kidnapping, but these were reclassified to crimes against humanity.

He denied any involvement in the stadium massacre. His lawyer described the ruling as politically motivated and said they would appeal.

An election in 2010 ushered in a decade of civilian rule, which brought Alpha Condé to power as president. He was overthrown in a coup nearly three years ago in the wake of protests after his controversial third term.

Tanzania told to stop forcing indigenous tribes off ancestral lands

NAIROBI,  Kenya 

Human Rights Watch is accusing Tanzania of forcing indigenous tribes from their ancestral land in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In a report released Wednesday, the rights group documents a Tanzanian government program to move 82,000 people off their land to use it for wildlife conservation, tourism and hunting.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area in northern Tanzania is a U.N. World Heritage Site managed by the Tanzanian government. For centuries, the Maasai tribe has lived in the area side by side with wild animals.

In 2022, the government of Tanzania launched a program to encourage the voluntary relocation of the Maasai tribe from the conservation area to Msomera, a town about 600 kilometers (370 miles) away.

However, what the government called a voluntary relocation plan was far from voluntary, Human Rights Watch says.

Allan Ngari, the group’s Africa advocacy director, said the forced movement of the people is against the Tanzanian constitution and international law.

“There are clear violations, including the Maasai people's rights to consultation, including prior to planning and execution of the relocation, the prohibition of forced evictions, which is happening even for Msomera residents. And then their culture and development has been inhibited,” Ngari said. “So, there's just a general disregard of the obligations by the government that raises serious concerns about the prospects of any accountability, justice.”

For the 86-page report, titled “It’s Like Killing Culture,” Human Rights Watch interviewed at least 100 people, including Ngorongoro Conservation Area residents who were resettled.

Community members say they were not informed about the resettlement plans and that consent was not sought.

In January, government spokesman Mobhare Matinyi said the relocation process was ongoing and on the right track despite some civil societies and others spreading false information. According to local activists, some 8,000 people have been relocated.

Ngorongoro is home to more than 80,000 people, but since 2021 residents say the government has reduced the availability of essential services in the area like water, land for food production and adequate schools.

Local media reports the government has denied reducing such services. But Ngorongoro resident Denis Oleshangay said authorities are edging them out of their homes.

“The government is trying to make the situation uncomfortable, to make them restless, to make the situation hard for the human being to survive, by denying them the right to access all important places for pasture and water,” Oleshangay said. “But as a result of that, many people lost their livestock because now they have not enough place to pasture. The situation in schools, you have no permit to build even a collapsing classroom, build houses.”

Residents also say government-employed rangers assault and beat them with impunity, and that moving around Ngorongoro has become dangerous.

Over the years, the Tanzanian government has developed a plan to set aside more land for tourists, wild animals, and game hunting.

Authorities argue that though they allowed the Maasai to live within national parks, the growth of their population has put them in direct competition with wildlife.

Ngari of Human Rights Watch said the government needs to discuss its plan with the affected communities and provide necessities to those still residing in the conservation area.

“We are asking for availability and accessibility of basic services,” Ngari said. “So there needs to be a restoration of funding and resources to the Ngorongoro conservation area. This has been removed by the government.”

The New York-based group says the government needs to respect the rights of the indigenous people and ensure their survival, well-being, and dignity.

Iran vows revenge against Israel over assassination of Hamas chief Haniyeh

TEHRAN,  Iran 

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has sworn revenge on Israel over the killing of Hamas' political chief, in a shock assassination that risks escalating the conflict.

Khamenei said Israel "prepared a harsh punishment for itself" after Ismail Haniyeh was killed in a predawn airstrike in the Iranian capital Tehran on Wednesday.

"We consider his revenge as our duty," Khamenei said in a statement on his official website, saying Haniyeh was "a dear guest in our home".

His comments came after Hamas put the blame for the attack firmly at the feet of Israel.

In a statement, the group said that Haniyeh was killed "in a Zionist airstrike on his residence in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of Iran's new president".

"Hamas declares to the great Palestinian people and the people of the Arab and Islamic nations and all the free people of the world, brother leader Ismail Ismail Haniyeh a martyr," the statement said.

Israel had vowed to kill Haniyeh and other leaders of Hamas over the group's 7 October attack on Israel.

An Israeli military spokesman declined to comment; Israel often doesn't when it comes to assassinations carried out by their Mossad intelligence agency.

In another statement from Hamas, the group quoted Haniyeh as saying that the Palestinian cause has "costs" and "we are ready for these costs: martyrdom for the sake of Palestine, and for the sake of God Almighty, and for the sake of the dignity of this nation."

Hamas' military wing said that Haniyeh's assassination "takes the battle to new dimensions and will have major repercussions on the entire region." It said Israel "made a miscalculation by expanding the circle of aggression."

Speaking to the AP, a Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the loss of Haniyeh won't impact the group, saying it had emerged stronger after past crises and assassinations of its leaders.

Haniyeh left the Gaza Strip in 2019 and had lived in exile in Qatar. The top Hamas leader in Gaza is Yehya Sinwar, who masterminded the 7 October attack.

In April, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed three of Haniyeh's sons and four of his grandchildren.

In an interview with the Al Jazeera satellite channel at the time, Haniyeh said the killings would not pressure Hamas into softening its positions amid ongoing cease-fire negotiations with Israel.

Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian’s swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, along with other Hamas officials and officials from Hezbollah and allied groups. 

Monkeys halted Tanzania's SGR train for two hours

DODOMA, Tanzania 

The Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) has apologized to the public following an electrical fault that occurred between Kilosa and Kidete Stations causing the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train that was traveling from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma to stop for two hours on Tuesday, July 30.2024

TRC is the government agency tasked to manage state owned trains and railways, currently testing the electrical powered SGR train.

A statement issued by TRC earlier today, Wednesday July 31.2024, by the Head of the Communications Division of the organization, Jamila Mbarouk, has stated that preliminary reports show that the faults were caused by Monkeys and Owls that play or walk over the electric cables spread over  railway (overhead catenary system).

Jamila said that tthe interference caused power outage at power station number 7 (Godegode), which is technically known as (Instantaneous Overcurrent Protection Trip) around 04:20am.

The statement went on to explain that the TRC technicians successfully solved the challenge and restored the eelectricity two hours later then train continued its journey, arriving in Dodoma at 07:57am.

The country's social media went a buzz circulating reports of the SGR train traveling  from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma stalled midway due to power defects or engine malfunction.

Development on the Dar es Salaam to Dodoma line continues the heavy investment put into Tanzania’s rail infrastructure in recent years, with the country also recently welcoming a $200m loan from the World Bank to improve the existing rail line between the port city and Isaka.

US carries out strike in Iraq as regional tensions worsen

ISLAMABAD,  Iraq 

The United States on Tuesday carried out a strike in Iraq in self-defense, U.S. officials told Reuters, as regional tensions rose after an Israeli airstrike in Beirut that Israel said killed Hezbollah's most senior commander.

Iraqi police and medical sources said the strike inside a base south of Baghdad used by Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) killed four members of the group, which includes several Iran-aligned armed militias, and wounded four others.

In a statement after the blasts, the Popular Mobilization Forces made no accusation about who was responsible.

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States carried out an airstrike in Musayib, in Babil province, but did not provide more details on the location.

The officials added that the strike targeted militants that the U.S. deemed were looking to launch drones and posed a threat to U.S. and coalition forces.

The officials did not comment on any casualties.

"This action underscores the United States' commitment to the safety and security of our personnel," one of the officials said.

Multiple rockets were launched last week toward Iraq's Ain al-Asad airbase housing U.S.-led forces, U.S. and Iraqi sources said, with no damage or casualties reported. U.S. officials said none of the rockets hit the base.

Tuesday's action was the first known U.S. strike in Iraq since February, when the U.S. military launched airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against more than 85 targets linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard and Iran-aligned militias.

The 150,000-strong Popular Mobilization Forces, a state-sanctioned grouping of Iraqi paramilitaries, is dominated by heavily armed and battle-hardened groups loyal to Iran and with close ties to its Revolutionary Guards.

Iraq, a rare ally of both the U.S. and Iran that hosts 2,500 U.S. troops and has Iran-backed militias linked to its security forces, has witnessed escalating tit-for-tat attacks since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October.

Iraq wants troops from the U.S.-led military coalition to begin withdrawing in September and to formally end the coalition's work by September 2025, Iraqi sources have said, with some U.S. forces likely to remain in a newly negotiated advisory capacity.

The issue is highly politicized, with mainly Iran-aligned Iraqi political factions looking to show that they are again pushing out the country's one-time occupier, while U.S. officials want to avoid giving Iran and its allies a win.

U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq in 2003, toppled former leader Saddam Hussein and then withdrew in 2011, only to return in 2014 to fight Islamic State at the head of a coalition.

Algeria withdraws envoys to France

 By Aline Bottin, ALGIERS  Algeria 

The Algerian government announced today, Tuesday, that it has decided to withdraw its ambassador from the French Republic following Paris's move to "recognize the Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara," according to a statement issued by the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The statement, reported by Algerian media, said, "The French government has announced its unequivocal and explicit support for the colonial reality imposed on the territory of Western Sahara. This step, which no previous French government has taken, was undertaken by the current government with great disregard and carelessness without any prudent assessment of the consequences it entails,".

The statement continued, "By recognizing the Moroccan autonomy plan as the sole basis for resolving the Western Sahara conflict within the framework of alleged Moroccan sovereignty, the French government is violating international legitimacy and denying the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination. It contradicts all the diligent and ongoing efforts made by the United Nations to complete the process of decolonization."

The statement considered that France "is shirking the special responsibilities that come with its permanent membership in the UN Security Council," stating, "The Algerian government has decided to withdraw its ambassador from the French Republic with immediate effect, and from now on, the chargé d'affaires will be responsible for the Algerian diplomatic representation in France."

This position comes hours after a statement from the Moroccan Royal Court, which mentioned that, in a letter addressed to King Mohammed VI, French President Emmanuel Macron officially announced that "he considers that the present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty."

In the same letter, which coincides with the 25th anniversary of Throne Day, the French President assured the Moroccan monarch of "the consistency of the French position on this issue related to the Kingdom's national security," and that his country "intends to act in harmony with this position at both the national and international levels."

Regarding the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty, the French head of state sees that "an international consensus is emerging today and is expanding more and more," confirming that "France is fully playing its role in all relevant bodies,", particularly through his country's support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his personal envoy.

President Macron emphasized in his letter, "The time has come to move forward, and I, therefore, encourage all parties to meet for a political settlement, which is within reach." 

On the other hand, after praising Morocco's efforts for economic and social development in the Moroccan Sahara, the President of the French Republic expressed his commitment that "France will support Morocco in these steps for the benefit of the local population."

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran

TEHRAN, Iran  

The leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, has been assassinated in Iran, the Palestinian group said.

Iran’s state television made the announcement of the killing early on Wednesday.

A statement by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said that Haniyeh and a security guard had been ambushed in their place of residence, and an investigation is now underway.

Haniyeh, who was the head of the political office of Hamas Islamic Resistance, travelled to Iran for the swearing in ceremony of the reformist president Masoud Pezeshkian.

The 62-year-old Palestinian leader had earlier met Pezeshkian and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, said : “This assassination by the Israeli occupation of Brother Haniyeh is a grave escalation that aims to break the will of Hamas and the will of our people and achieve fake goals. We confirm that this escalation will fail to achieve its objectives.”

“Hamas is a concept and an institution and not persons. Hamas will continue on this path regardless of the sacrifices and we are confident of victory.”

Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, head of Yemen’s Houthis, said: “Targeting Ismail Haniyeh is a heinous terrorist crime and a flagrant violation of laws and ideal values.”

Israel has promised to wipe out Hamas after the group conducted a deadly raid into settlements outside the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking hostages back to the Palestinian enclave.

Israel soon after launched a devastating military assault in Gaza and has since killed over 40,000 people, mainly civilians.

Both sides have been trying to negotiate a hostage release agreement, which would include a cessation of fighting, with the help of the US and regional negotiators.

The assassination comes amid an escalation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which was blamed for an attack on the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights which killed 12 children on the weekend.

On Tuesday night, Israel struck a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon, saying that it had killed Fuad Shukr, head of Hezbollah’s military operations room, who Israel said was responsible for the attack in the Golan Heights, an accusation the Lebanese group denies.

Israel, which has not yet commented on the killing of Haniyeh, has previously carried out assassinations in Iran on figures key to the Islamic republic’s nuclear program.

In 2021, Israel assassinated Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran’s top nuclear scientist.

But since the war in Gaza, Israel has been carrying out targeted attacks on key Hamas and IRGC figures, including Saleh Al-Arouri, a leader in the Palestinian group.

In April, Iran said its consulate in Damascus was destroyed and a top general killed in an attack Tehran blamed on Israel.

Iran soon after launched a barrage of missiles toward Israel, but they were all shot down. Israel hit back by attacking sites in Isfahan.

Further escalation between the two sides had been avoided through diplomacy, but Israel has continued to attack Iranian affiliates in Syria.

The scale of Israel’s military response to the Hamas attacks has been condemned, with the International Court of Justice agreeing that there may be a possible case that the country has engaged in acts of genocide.

Israel has also been accused of collective punishment and using starvation as a weapon in the fight against the militant group.

Guinea's new draft constitution will reduce, limit presidential term

CONAKRY,  Guinea

Guinea's transitional authorities on Monday presented a draft of a new constitution that will reduce and set presidential term limits and potentially allow current military leader Mamady Doumbouya to participate in the next presidential election.

The junta that took power in a coup in 2021 proposed a two-year transition to elections in 2022 after negotiating with the Economic Community of West African States regional bloc, but it has shown little sign of moving to organize a vote.

The new draft constitution, expected to be voted on in a yet-to-be decided referendum, could pave the way for the bauxite and iron ore-producing West African nation to return to constitutional rule.

The new text, presented at the National Transitional Council, which acts as parliament under the interim regime, did not forbid members of the ruling junta from participating in the electoral process.

Former President Alpha Conde, 86, who was overthrown by soldiers almost three years ago, would be excluded from the race due to the age limit.

While in office, Conde sparked widespread anger and instability when he changed the constitution to allow himself to stand for a third term in office in 2020, after coming to power in 2010.

If the draft of the new constitution gets approval, the president will be elected for a five-year term that is renewable once, reducing the presidential term from six years in the constitution that was approved in 2020.

It remains unclear for now when presidential elections will be held.

Tanzania to pay $90m to aggrieved Australian investor in mining row

DAR ES SALAAM,  Tanzania 

Tanzania has reached an out-of-court settlement with Australian mining company Indiana Resources, agreeing to pay $90 million to end arbitration proceedings at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

This potentially ends the long-running dispute, although the settlement amount is less than the $109 million award that ICSID had ordered Tanzania to pay Indiana in July 2023, after ruling that it had unlawfully expropriated the company's licence to conduct nickel mining operations in the country. 

Indiana said in a statement that the deal would save the company from incurring more time and costs in pursuing the payment of the full award, which had increased to $121 million by last week as interest continued to accrue at the rate of $1 million per month.

Tanzania had delayed payment as it sought annulment of the award in lengthy proceedings at the World Bank-affiliated tribunal which, according to Indiana, will only be concluded once it receives the full settlement sum.

Under the agreement reached on July 29, payment modalities will be in three instalments, with the first sum of $35 million already paid by Tanzania.

Another $25 million is expected by October 25, and the final disbursement of $30 million by the end of March 2025.

Indiana Resources executive chairman Bronwyn Barnes said the company reserved the right to "recommence" the annulment process at ICSID "if for any reason Tanzania defaults on the agreed subsequent instalment payments."

"This includes our right to pursue enforcement activities, which would involve the seizure of Tanzania’s assets in any jurisdiction that is a member of the World Bank,” Ms Barnes added.

Earlier this month, the Australian Securities Exchange granted Indiana Resources' request for a temporary suspension of trading on its shares on the bourse in anticipation of the expected settlement with Tanzania. 

The deadline for the suspension was July 29.

This was the second such settlement between Tanzania and international firms that filed for ICSID arbitration after their mining licences were controversially revoked by the John Magufuli government in 2018.

In October 2023, Tanzania made a one-time $30 million payment to Canadian firm Winshear Gold Corp to conclude their case out of court.

The Vancouver-based company was claiming at least $96 million in damages for the expropriation of its retention licence for a goldmining project in southwestern Tanzania.

A third company, Montero Mining and Exploration Ltd also of Canada, is currently suing Tanzania at the ICSID for $67 million for compensation after its licence to operate a rare earth element project in Morogoro region was cancelled.

The case is pending at the Washington DC-based tribunal, with the last mention in January this year.

The Magufuli administration based its actions on new mining laws that scrapped retention licences for foreign investors, with the stated intention of safeguarding sovereign control over Tanzania's mineral resources.

Ninety-three killed, dozens trapped in India landslides

BENGALURU, India

At least 93 people have been killed and dozens are still feared trapped after heavy rains triggered massive landslides in the southern Indian state of Kerala.

The landslides struck hilly areas in Wayanad district in the early hours of Tuesday.

Rescue operations are under way, but are being hindered by heavy rains and the collapse of a crucial bridge.

"The situation continues to remain very grave. The causalities may go up," V Venu, the state's top civil servant, told media.

The landslides are the worst disaster to hit Kerala since 2018, when deadly floods killed more than 400 people.

Officials say more than 200 army personnel have been deployed to assist security forces in search and rescue efforts.

Chief Minister Pinari Vijayan told a press conference that Tuesday's "landslide has wiped out an entire area".

Local hospitals are treating at least 123 injured, and more than 3,000 people have been rescued and moved to 45 relief camps, he said.

Apart from 65 confirmed deaths in Wayanad, 16 bodies have been found in the Chaliyar river, which flows into neighbouring Malappuram district. The body parts of a number other people have also been found.

Wayanad, a hilly district which is part of the Western Ghats mountain range, is prone to landslides during the monsoon season.

The landslides have hit several areas in the district, including Mundakkai, Attamala, Chooralmala and Kunhome.

Videos on social media showed muddy water gushing through unpaved streets and forested areas, washing away homes and leaving people and vehicles stranded.

A bridge connecting Chooralmala to Mundakkai and Attamala has collapsed, isolating the two places and making it difficult for rescue personnel to reach trapped families.

Rashid Padikkalparamban, a resident, told Reuters news agency that at least three landslides had hit the area around midnight, washing away the bridge.

State and national disaster relief teams are conducting rescue operations, with the help of local people.

Mr Venu said a small team had managed to cross the river and reach the areas that were cut off. He added that more resources were required, but strong river currents were making it difficult for rescue personnel to cross the river.

Air-relief operations also had to be postponed due to heavy rains, he said.

Raghavan C Arunamala, a local, described horrifying scenes.

“I saw a man trapped in the debris shouting for help. Firefighters and rescue workers have been trying to reach him for the last few hours," he said.

Local media reports say that people are flocking to hospitals to search for their loved ones.

Nearly 350 families are believed to have lived in the affected regions, where a number of tea and cardamom estates are located.

Most victims are people who worked on the estates and were likely to have been asleep in their makeshift tents when landslides struck.

Wayanad district and neighbouring areas are still on alert due to the forecast of heavy rains.

Schools and colleges were closed in 10 of 14 districts.

In 2019, 17 people had died after a landslide hit Puthumala in Wayanad, around 10km from the areas currently affected.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is a former MP from Wayanad, is set to visit the district on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had spoken to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and assured the federal government's help in relief efforts.

Mr Modi also announced compensation of 200,000 rupees ($2,388; £1,857) to the victims' families and 50,000 rupees to the injured.

Russian commander killed in sandstorm ambush in Mali

BAMAKO, Mali

A commander in a Russian mercenary group has been killed in Mali following an attack by rebel fighters during a sandstorm, the group said.

The military regime in the West African state had turned to the notorious Wagner group in 2021, seeking support in fighting jihadist and separatist forces.

On Monday the Russian outfit - which has now morphed into a group named Africa Corps - said it had joined Mali's military in "fierce battles" against separatist rebels and jihadist militants last week.

However, the separatists launched a major attack, killing an estimated 20 to 50 mercenaries, sources close to Africa Corps told our reporter.

Similarly, several Russian military bloggers reported that at least 20 were killed in the ambush near the north-eastern town of Tinzaouaten.

In an official statement posted to Telegram, the Russian mercenary group did not specify how many of their troops had died, but they confirmed suffering "losses". This included a commander, Sergei Shevchenko, who was killed in action.

The mercenaries initially "destroyed most of the Islamists and put the rest to flight", the statement said.

"However, [an] ensuing sandstorm allowed the radicals to regroup and increase their numbers to 1,000 people," it added.

The Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP-PSD), a separatist group dominated by the Tuareg ethnic group, claimed responsibility for the attack.

"On Saturday, our forces dealt a decisive blow to the enemy columns," AFP quoted the CSP-PSD's spokesperson as saying.

Prisoners were taken and "a large amount of equipment and weapons were damaged or captured", the spokesman added.

The rebel group has shared video unconfirmed footage which shows numerous white men in military fatigues lying motionless on a sandy plain.

Another shows a group of mostly black men wearing blindfolds with their hands tied behind their backs.

Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, has also claimed sole responsibility for the attack.

The Islamist militants said they killed 50 Russian mercenaries in a "complex ambush".

More than a decade ago, Mali's central government lost control of much of the north following a Tuareg rebellion, which was sparked by a demand for a separate state.

The country's security was then further complicated by the involvement of Islamist militants in the conflict.

When seizing power in coups in 2020 and 2021, the military cited the government's inability to tackle this unrest.

The new junta severed Mali's long-running alliance with former colonial power France in favour of Russia in a bid to quell the unrest.

But the Wagner mercenary group was in effect dismantled after a mutiny by its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin last year, leading to its replacement in West Africa by Africa Corps.