South Africa has deported an Israeli airline official following allegations that Isreal’s secret police, Shin Bet, have been operating in Johannesburg’s international airport. The official was employed by the Israeli embassy in South Africa and had a diplomatic passport, reports The National. - Wednesday 25 November 2009 - 14:58

Islamist insurgents who control large parts of southern Somalia have told the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) to stop importing good into the country. The al-Shabab group issued a statement saying the WFP must start buying from Somali farmers, saying mass importing had devastated local agriculture, states Africa News. - Wednesday 25 November 2009 - 14:56

South Africa’s economy has come out of recession, with a growth of 0.9 per cent in the third quarter of this year, says WSJ. The results, which were released on Tuesday, show southern Africa’s biggest economy to have ended its first period of negative growth in 17 years, according to the country’s national statistics board. - Wednesday 25 November 2009 - 14:54

Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has agreed to calm tensions between Algeria and Egypt in an increasingly heated row over their football World Cup play-off, writes AlJazeera. Egypt and Algeria have accused each other of failing to protect their citizens and property from attacks by rival football fans. - Wednesday 25 November 2009 - 14:52

UN-backed operations against rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have failed, a leaked report says. The document, seen by the BBC, says mineral resources are being plundered with impunity and there has been a new surge of rapes and killings. It says UN forces supporting Congolese government troops have failed to stop supply lines to Rwandan-Hutu rebels. - Wednesday 25 November 2009 - 14:51

The trial of two alleged Congolese militia leaders charged with war crimes is due to begin at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, reports BBC. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui are accused of directing an attack on a village in 2003 in which more than 200 people were killed. They face charges of ordering attacks on civilians, sexual slavery, rape, and enlisting child soldiers. Both deny the charges and have expressed sympathy for the victims. - Tuesday 24 November 2009 - 14:19

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Niamey, calling for the resignation of President Mamadou Tandja. The opposition disputes an August 4 referendum that allows Tandja to stay in power beyond 2012, after he was supposed to step down in December after two five-year terms in a row, writes IOL. - Tuesday 24 November 2009 - 14:19

Zimbabwean migrants in search of employment in South Africa are facing persecution at the hands of local populations who are accusing them for taking their jobs. The persecution, which forced about 2,000 migrants to seek refuge in a rugby stadium, began on Tuesday when the migrants’ shacks in a farming community in De Doorns were leveled. Local residents say they are too tired of competing with Zimbabweans for space and jobs, notes AlJazeera. - Tuesday 24 November 2009 - 14:18

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan could be the next two states to become members of the East African Community, EAC’s secretariat in Arusha has revealed, according to AllAfrica. Ambassador Juma Volter Mwapachu, the Secretary General for the EAC conveyed the DRC and Sudan have greatly expressed interest in boosting the community membership from the current five to seven states. - Tuesday 24 November 2009 - 14:17

According VOA, two human rights activists from Zimbabwe were honored at the White House last Monday. President Obama led the tribute by presenting awards to the leaders of Women of Zimbabwe Arise, or WOZA. Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu have braved beatings and imprisonment under Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe. - Tuesday 24 November 2009 - 14:16