Ivory Coast, the world’s biggest cocoa grower, dismissed two military officials and other local government personnel amid continuing efforts to curb smuggling of the crop.

Port officials in the Ivory Coast's largest city Abidjan on Monday insisted that a ship carrying 20,000 tonnes of potentially explosive ammonium nitrate moored in its outer harbour posed "no danger".

The chief of staff of Ivory Coast's army has ordered the suspension of five officials tasked with combating cocoa smuggling in the west of the country, the army said in a statement seen by Reuters late on Tuesday.

A vessel loaded with 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate – the same chemical that left large parts of Beirut in ruins in an explosion in 2020 – is nearing the port of Abidjan. Campaigners have

Port authorities in Ivory Coast have dismissed safety fears about a moored boat loaded with 20,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which is the same compound that caused a catastrophic blast in Lebanon four years ago. Ammonium nitrate is commonly used as an agricultural fertiliser, but is also potentially explosive.

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara said he would consider seeking a controversial fourth term in office later this year if his party backed his candidacy.Most Read from BloombergNYC Condo Owners May Bear Costs of Landmark Green Building LawNYC’s Subway Violence Deters Drive to Bring Workers Back to OfficeDutch Central Bank Restores Amsterdam’s ‘Ugliest Building’Can American Drivers Learn to Love Roundabouts?

Ivory Coast striker Sebastien Haller is going to rejoin FC Utrecht. The striker, who played for Utrecht from 2015 to 2017, will leave his current club Borussia Dortmund on loan until the end of the season in May,