KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan has begun allowing private traders to export gold, a measure designed to crack down on smuggling and attract foreign currency into the country's cash-strapped treasury.

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - A South African military plane crash-landed on Thursday at the Goma airport in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a U.N. spokesman said.

KHARTOUM, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Sudan has begun allowing private traders to export gold, a measure designed to crack down on smuggling and attract foreign currency into the country's cash-strapped treasury.

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia's parliament passed legislation on Thursday aimed at curbing gun ownership after a surge in regional ethnic violence blamed on a proliferation of small arms in private hands.

KINSHASA (Reuters) - Paulin Bolumbu thought his family lived a safe distance from the Congo River, but in November the water overran its banks by more than half a kilometre, inundating his corrugated iron house.

KIGALI/OSLO (Reuters) - Norway this year will take in 600 people evacuated to Rwanda from Libyan detention centres, the Nordic country said on Wednesday as it sought to discourage the smuggling of refugees across the Mediterranean Sea.

BAMAKO (Reuters) - Twenty people were wounded on Thursday in northern Mali, including 18 U.N. peacekeepers, in a rocket attack on a military base for U.N., French and Malian forces, a U.N. spokesman said.

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan has seized the assets of ousted President Omar al-Bashir's now dissolved party, a senior member of the country's ruling sovereign council said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on South Sudanese First Vice President Taban Deng Gai, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement, in Washington's latest move to pressure the country's politicians to form a unity government.

ISTANBUL/BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Turkey and Russia urged Libya's warring parties on Wednesday to declare a ceasefire on Sunday as warring factions clashed and carried out air strikes in a conflict drawing increasing foreign involvement and concern.

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) - About 20 soldiers were killed and nearly 1,000 people made homeless in a militant attack on a town in northeastern Nigeria, two residents and a military source said on Wednesday.