FAUBE, Burkina Faso (Reuters) - When an Islamist preacher took up the fight in Burkina Faso's northern borderlands almost a decade ago, his only weapon was a radio station. The words he spoke kindled the anger of a frustrated population, and helped turn their homes into a breeding ground for jihad.

ALGIERS (Reuters) - A court in Algeria sentenced 21 protesters on Tuesday to six months in jail for "undermining national unity", official media reported, a month ahead of a presidential election.

LAGOS (Reuters) - Thousands of people with mental health conditions are held in chains in institutions across Nigeria, Human Rights Watch said in a report published on Monday in which it urged the government to ban the practice.

JOHANNESBURG, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Ghana, the world's number two cocoa producer, has sold nearly 200,000 tonnes of cocoa for the 2020/21 season, with prices including a new premium to support farmers, the head of the cocoa regulator told Reuters.

JOHANNESBURG, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Ghana, the world's number two cocoa producer, has sold nearly 200,000 tonnes of cocoa for the 2020/21 season, with prices including a new $400 per tonne living income differential (LID), the head of the cocoa regulator told Reuters.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Two people have died amid downpours in an eastern province of South Africa brought down their house, a few months after many were killed in another torrential rain.

PORT LOUIS (Reuters) - Mauritius has sworn in Renganaden Padayachy as its new finance minister, local media reported on Tuesday, days after incumbent Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth secured another a five-year term.

CONAKRY (Reuters) - Guinea President Alpha Conde announced on Monday that he was replacing his security minister following deadly protests against suspected efforts by Conde to extend his mandate.