WARSAW (Reuters) – The European Union could see another record number of people seeking to reach its borders this year via irregular crossings, with more migrants driven by poverty and climate change rather than conflict, the EU’s Frontex border agency said on Friday. Frontex reported some 330,000 unauthorised arrivals via all routes last year, the…
(Reuters) – JPMorgan in a research note on Friday said it now forecast a 0.2% decline in South Africa’s 2023 gross domestic product versus a previous forecast for 0.3% growth, citing expectations for deeper power cuts. The bank added that prolonged power cuts above the current record level referred to as “Stage 6” would worsen…
(Reuters) – International Monetary Fund staff have reached agreement with Senegal on financing facilities totalling about $1.9 billion, the Fund said in a statement. The deal is subject to approval by the IMF executive board, which is tentatively scheduled to consider it in mid-June. Most of the money is a new 36-month financing arrangement under…
KHARTOUM (Reuters) -Sudan’s warring factions early on Friday committed to protect civilians and the movement of humanitarian aid, but did not agree to a ceasefire and remain far apart, U.S. officials said. After a week of talks in the Saudi port of Jeddah, Sudan’s army and rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) signed a declaration…
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – The U.N. on Thursday urged countries with influence in Africa to help end the conflict in Sudan after reported progress in ceasefire talks between the army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Clashes rocked Halfaya, an entry point to the capital, early on Thursday as residents heard warplanes circling over…
UPINGTON, South Africa (Reuters) – When she was a girl in South Africa’s Northern Cape, Katrina Esau stopped speaking her mother tongue, N|uu, after being mocked by other people and told it was an “ugly language”. Now at age 90, she is the last known speaker of N|uu, one of a group of indigenous languages…
By Marc Jones LONDON (Reuters) -Tunisia and Egypt are edging closer to major debt crises that could suck in a volatile North Africa region and pose tough choices to wealthy Gulf Arab neighbours, investors and analysts warn. The countries are already being challenged by shortages of essential goods and financial market dysfunction and in Tunisia’s…
By Emma Farge and Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber GENEVA (Reuters) -The U.N. Human Rights Council on Thursday narrowly passed a motion to increase monitoring of human rights abuses in Sudan where hundreds of civilians have been killed since a conflict erupted last month. The Western-led motion, which passed with 18 in favour and 15 against, had been…
CONAKRY (Reuters) -Guinea was hit by further anti-government protests on Thursday after organisers said at least seven people had been killed and 32 injured during demonstrations in the capital Conakry and other towns a day earlier. Police in riot gear fired tear gas at protestors who threw rocks and burnt tyres in Conakry on Thursday,…
By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis on Thursday announced that 21 Coptic Orthodox Christians beheaded by Islamic State in Libya in 2015 are being recognised as martyrs by the Vatican. He revealed the move during a meeting with Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church and said he was doing so…
