Mali's government signed a ceasefire accord with Tuareg rebels Tuesday, paving the way for presidential elections in the troubled west African state next month. The agreement, reached after 10 days of tense negotiations, will enable Malian troops to enter the Tuareg-held city of Kidal in the northeast to secure polls scheduled to take place on July 28. The two sides agreed to halt hostilities and for Tuareg rebels, who took part in an uprising last year that brought the country to its knees, to be restricted to set areas. Long-term peace talks will start after the election.

By Kwasi Kpodo ACCRA (Reuters) - China is determined that its relations with Ghana will not be undermined by the arrest of some 200 Chinese illegal gold miners in a crackdown by Ghanaian authorities, a senior Beijing Foreign Ministry official said on Tuesday. The arrests are a sensitive issue for China, which would want to defuse any issue that could stoke popular resentment against its citizens doing business in Africa or threaten its expanding trade relationship with the continent.

The Mali government and Tuareg rebels signed a ceasefire accord Tuesday paving the way for presidential elections in the troubled west African state next month. The agreement, reached after 10 days of tense negotiations, will enable Malian troops to enter the Tuareg-held city of Kidal to secure the polls scheduled to take place on July 28. The two sides agreed to halt hostilities and for Tuareg rebels, who took part in an uprising last year that brought the country to its knees, to be restricted to set areas. Long-term peace talks will start after the election.

The Malian government and Tuareg rebels occupying a key northern city signed an accord Tuesday paving the way for presidential elections in the troubled west African state next month. The agreement, reached after 10 days of often tense negotiations, will enable nationwide polls to take place on July 28 and put Mali back on the path to recovery. It allows the Malian army to enter the key northern town of Kidal -- currently occupied by Tuareg rebels -- to secure the ballot.