ROME (Reuters) – The Italian coastguard rescued 573 migrants at sea who were trying to reach Europe aboard two fishing boats in distress in bad weather, a statement said on Tuesday. One body was found. The rescue operation took place off the southern Italian coast. Three coastguard units transferred the migrants to another vessel, which …
Italy rescues hundreds of migrants at sea, one found dead Read More »
KAMPALA (Reuters) – Uganda plans to impose fines on people who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who fail to pay could be sent to prison under a new public health law which lawmakers are scrutinising, parliament said on Tuesday. Although the East African country started administering COVID-19 jabs nearly a year ago, …
Ugandans would face fines, jail for refusing COVID jab under new law Read More »
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has appointed senior diplomat Xue Bing as its new special envoy for the Horn of Africa, a region that is currently troubled by conflict including in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. Xue has previously worked as China’s Ambassador to Papua New Guinea and has experience working in Africa, America and Oceania, China’s …
China appoints new special envoy for turbulent Horn of Africa region Read More »
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopia plans to open up its banking industry to foreign competition as soon as parliament passes policies permitting it, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said, flagging reforms of one of the last major sectors of the economy still to be liberalised. When Abiy took office in 2018, he pledged to overhaul sectors …
Ethiopia’s Abiy tells banking sector to get ready for foreign competitors Read More »
ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) – Cyclone Emnati, barrelling towards Madagascar, is expected to hit late on Tuesday with wind speeds of up to 170 kilometres per hour, the government’s meteorological department said, making it the fourth major storm to slam into the Indian Ocean island in a month. Madagascar’s National Office for Risk and Disaster Management said …
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya’s interim prime minister on Monday announced a plan for elections in the summer as he seeks to stay in office despite a push by parliament to dislodge him in favour of a new government. Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, who heads the Government of National Unity (GNU) in the west of the country, repeated …
Libyan PM pushes summer election amid parliament bid to oust him Read More »
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) – About 60 people were killed and dozens more wounded on Monday in an explosion at an informal gold mining site in southwest Burkina Faso, state television reported, citing local officials. The cause of the explosion in Poni province was not yet known, Poni’s high commissioner Antoine Douamba told state television. Images showed …
About 60 killed in blast at informal gold mine -Burkina Faso state TV Read More »
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – At least four Nigerian security personnel were killed when their patrol vehicle detonated a landmine in the western-central state of Niger, a security official said. Authorities in Niger said last year that Islamist militants had established a presence in the Shiroro local government area for the first time. Last month, President …
Four Nigerian security personnel killed in landmine explosion, government says Read More »
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali has taken legal action to get sanctions imposed by West Africa’s monetary union lifted, lawyers for the country’s ruling military junta said on Monday as it battles a debt crisis that threatens to wreck the economy. Eight-nation regional monetary authority UEMOA on Jan. 9 told all financial institutions under its umbrella …
Mali files lawsuit against “illegal” West African monetary sanctions Read More »
(Corrects paragraph 14 to show govt wage figure is monthly, not yearly) By Paul Lorgerie and Tiemoko Diallo BAMAKO (Reuters) -Mohamed Cisse used to employ hundreds of workers in Mali’s capital Bamako before economic sanctions last month shut borders and cut the lifeblood of his construction business. Cement is scarce. Its key ingredient, clinker, comes …
Mali’s workers feel the squeeze as sanctions take hold Read More »
