Guinea

Guinean President Lansana Conte agreed in principle Jan. 24 to name a consensus prime minister, the key demand of unions staging a general strike in which more than 40 people have been killed, mediators said. Union leaders say the reclusive Conte is unfit to rule. The two-week-old strike has halted shipments of bauxite from the world’s top exporter of the ore, and triggered food shortages in the Conakry. (Reuters)