DURBAN, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast's mantle as favourites for next year's African Nations Cup was placed under early threat when they were drawn with two former winners in their opening round group.

DURBAN, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Fixtures for the 2013 African Nations Cup finals in South Africa (times GMT): GROUP A Jan. 19 In Johannesburg: South Africa v Cape Verde Islands (1600) Angola v Morocco (1900) Jan. 23 In Durban: South Africa v Angola (1500) Morocco v Cape Verde Islands (1800) Jan. 27 In Durban: Morocco v South Africa (1700) In Port Elizabeth: Cape Verde Islands v Angola (1700) GROUP B Jan. 20 In Port Elizabeth: Ghana v DR Congo (

* Creditors claim they owed $300 million (Adds details, quotes)

DURBAN, Oct 24 (Reuters) - The draw for the 2013 African Nations Cup finals conducted in South Africa on Wednesday

ACCRA, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Nearly 300 crew members of an Argentine training vessel seized in Ghana on behalf of creditors seeking to recuperate millions lost on defaulted bonds flew home on Wednesday after spending weeks in dockside limbo.

ACCRA, Oct 24 (Reuters) - A court in Ghana released a top ally of former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo on Wednesday after dismissing charges brought by Ivorian authorities that he murdered two men during last year's post-election civil war.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Gold Fields, the world's fourth-largest bullion producer, said on Wednesday that 7,000 of its striking South African employees had appealed their dismissal notices.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African millionaire businessman and one-time anti-apartheid hero Cyril Ramaphosa urged ministers to crack down on a violent platinum miners' strike the day before 34 miners were killed by police, according to emails revealed this week.

BANI WALID, Libya (Reuters) - Forces loyal to Libya's government took control of the former Gaddafi stronghold of Bani Walid on Wednesday, commanders said, but pockets of resistance on the outskirts were reported.

ONITSHA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigerian police said on Wednesday they had raided the hideout of a major kidnapping ring in the southeast, rescuing a hostage, killing three kidnappers in a shootout and arresting three others.

CAIRO (Reuters) - Business has flourished for Cairo's store owners and itinerant street traders since a popular uprising ushered in 20 months of light-touch law enforcement, but the boom-time may soon be over.

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - An arms factory in Khartoum where there were blasts and a huge fire overnight was attacked by four military planes, a Sudanese minister said on Wednesday, blaming the air strike on Israel.

* Angolan December cargoes trading at lower numbers * Nigerian Qua Iboe valued at dated plus $2 or less * Demand lull weighs, despite Nigerian disruptions * Taiwan's CPC has buying tender running LONDON, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Angolan crude cargoes for December loading were trading at lower levels, traders said on Wednesday, pressured by slower demand and narrower refining margins than those during November's trading cycle. "Buying interest is lacklustre at best," said a trader

NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) - Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has been discharged from the Paris hospital where he was being treated for a gunshot wound, a presidency official said on Wednesday.

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Newly independent South Sudan plans to help resolve the long-running border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea, a senior official said on Wednesday.

ACCRA, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Ecobank Transnational Incorporated said on Wednesday that its net profits for the first nine months of 2012 rose 22 percent to $151.279 million compared with $123.566 million during the same period of 2011.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - AngloGold Ashanti said on Wednesday it will fire about 12,000 wildcat strikers after they ignored a deadline to return to work by noon (1000 GMT).

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - AngloGold Ashanti said on Wednesday it will fire about 12,000 wildcat strikers after they ignored a deadline to return to work by noon (1000 GMT).

ACCRA, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Ghana's annual producer price inflation hit to 16.8 percent in September, the West African country's national statistics office said on Wednesday.