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/ 17 April 2008

At least four dead in E Guinea plane crash

At least four people were killed and seven missing after a plane crashed on Wednesday into the Atlantic Ocean off the Equatorial Guinea island of Annobon, the Malabo government announced. There was no confirmation of earlier reports that said that leaders of the ruling party were on board the plane when it crashed.

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/ 30 March 2008

Mann fingers Thatcher in E Guinea plot

A British mercenary awaiting trial in Equatorial Guinea for leading a failed 2004 coup has said the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was involved in the plot, the public prosecutor said on Sunday. Jose Olo said former British special forces officer Simon Mann had testified that Mark Thatcher knew all about the scheme to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.

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/ 12 March 2008

SA rejects Mann’s coup-plot allegations

South Africa on Wednesday rejected ”with contempt” claims by jailed British mercenary Simon Mann that it backed his plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea. ”South Africa is thrown in just out of the blue … he says he had a nod from us. I would like to know in what sense he had a nod,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said.

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/ 13 February 2008

British diplomat visits Mann in E Guinea prison

A British diplomat on Tuesday paid a jail visit to Simon Mann, the suspected British mastermind of a failed 2004 coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea. The visit enabled David Harris to ”see for himself the quality of care Simon Mann has been receiving daily since his arrival” in Malabo, where he was imprisoned, the radio report said.

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/ 4 February 2008

Simon Mann ‘kidnapped’, says lawyer

A Briton alleged to be the mastermind behind a foiled coup in Equatorial Guinea has been ”kidnapped” and his legal team has lost contact with him, his lawyer said on Monday. Simon Mann was flown out of Zimbabwe, where he was in prison, early Thursday after being handed over to officials from Equatorial Guinea.

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/ 29 August 2007

Mugabe: Zimbabwe won’t collapse

President Robert Mugabe, accusing the West of trying to push Zimbabwe into collapse, declared it would survive thanks to its people’s resilience and support from Africa, state radio reported on Wednesday. Mugabe said Britain, the former colonial ruler, and his opponents sought his ouster.

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/ 28 August 2007

Zimbabwe farmers face bleak future

Despite putting on a brave face at the annual Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, farmers in Africa’s one-time breadbasket face a bleak future as they battle power cuts, fertiliser shortages and drought. Hundreds of farmers from across the country have been gathering in the capital, Harare, since Monday for the showpiece agricultural event.