Africa

Tunisia expels European Trade Union chief for ‘interference’

Esther Lynch, who is Irish, has been expelled from Tunisia for participating in a protest organized by the country's trade union. Tunisia on Saturday expelled the head of the European Trade…

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Powerful Tunisian trade union defies president with mass protests

SFAX, Tunisia, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Thousands of members of Tunisia's powerful UGTT trade union took to the streets of eight cities on Saturday to protest against President Kais Saied's policies, accusing…

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South Africa’s naval exercise with Russia, China raises Western alarm

S.Africa hosting 10-day exercise with Russia, China Govt rejects criticism, says remains neutral on Ukraine Drills have raised alarm among important Western partners JOHANNESBURG, Feb 17 (Reuters) - South Africa…

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Turkish firms pledge investments in Egypt as relations thaw

CAIRO, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Turkish companies have committed to $500 million in new investments in Egypt after a visiting business delegation met the prime minister for the first time…

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U.S. raises concern over arrests of prominent critics in Tunisia

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - The United States was "deeply concerned" by the reported arrests of political figures, business leaders and journalists in Tunisia in recent days, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned…

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Libya aims to increase oil production to 2 mln bpd, NOC says

CAIRO, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) will increase oil production to 2 million barrels per day (bpd), the company said in a statement on Wednesday. The…

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At least 73 migrants presumed dead after shipwreck off Libyan coast – IOM

DUBAI, Feb 15 (Reuters) - At least 73 migrants were reported missing and presumed dead following a shipwreck off the Libyan coast on Feb. 14, the official account of International…

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Cameroon detects two suspected cases of Marburg virus near Eq. Guinea

YAOUNDE/GENEVA (Reuters) - Cameroonian authorities detected two suspected cases of Marburg disease this week in Olamze, a commune on the border with Equatorial Guinea, the public health delegate for the…

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Botswana warns of dangers in dash for African minerals

(Reuters) - African governments must be wary of the risks created by rising global competition for the continent's minerals, Botswana's mines minister said, as world powers seek new sources of…

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Africa witnessing exponential rise in cholera cases

Africa is witnessing an exponential rise in cholera cases and is on course to have its worst year with the infectious disease for a decade. Ten African countries are facing…

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World Bank lends Tunisia $120 mln to finance small and medium firms

TUNIS, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The World Bank has approved a $120 million loan for Tunisia to support access to finance for Tunisian small and medium enterprises, the bank said…

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Rhino, elephant numbers rising in Uganda after years of poaching – agency

KAMPALA, Feb 9 (Reuters) - The number of endangered elephants, rhinos and other animals in Uganda's reserves is steadily improving, reversing years of declines caused by poachers, traffickers and conflict,…

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Nigeria’s plan to ditch old banknotes

By MacDonald Dzirutwe LAGOS, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Nigeria's Supreme Court on Wednesday restrained the government, through the central bank, from ending the legal tender status of old banknotes on…

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Libyan military committee agrees coordination on foreign forces departure

Libya's "5+5" military committee of officers from both main sides of the civil war has agreed on a coordination mechanism for the withdrawal of foreign forces in liaison with neighbouring Sudan and…

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Tunisian president dismisses foreign minister

TUNIS, (Reuters) - Tunisian President Kais Saied dismissed Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi on Tuesday, replacing him with the former ambassador to the European Union and Belgium Nabil Ammar. The switch…

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Hope for jobs drives recruitment by militant groups in Africa – report

Hope of employment more than religious belief is driving people to join fast-growing extremist groups in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a report by the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) based on…

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Nigerian senator and family on trial in UK over organ harvesting plot

A wealthy Nigerian politician and his family plotted to bring a street trader from Nigeria to Britain and pay him a few thousand pounds to donate his kidney for a…

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US seeks to expel Russian mercenaries from Sudan, Libya

The United States has stepped up pressure on Middle East allies to expel the Wagner Group, a military contractor owned by an oligarch with close ties to Russia’s president, from…

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“Global oil companies” urged to resume work in Libya

In a speech delivered on behalf of the Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the Minister of Finance Khalid Al-Mabrouk said at the opening of the "Supporting the Oil and…

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UPDATED: Pope Francis wraps up South Sudan trip, urges end to ‘blind fury’ of violence

Pope ends visits to DR Congo, South Sudan Celebrates open-air Mass in Juba Urges people of South Sudan to end violence In first, Anglican leader joined pope in S.Sudan JUBA,…

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Pope wraps up Congo visit, heads to volatile South Sudan

Pope received vibrant welcome in Kinshasa Addressed DR Congo's struggles with war, exploitation Now heads to predominantly Christian South Sudan Archbishop of Canterbury joins for South Sudan leg KINSHASA, Feb…

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Israel, Sudan announce deal to normalise relations

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Israel and Sudan have finalised a deal to normalise relations, with a signing ceremony expected following a transfer of power from the military to a civilian government…

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Morocco’s trade deficit widens 56.5% in 2022

RABAT, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Morocco's trade deficit widened 56.5% to 311 billion dirhams ($ 30.6 billion) in 2022, boosted mainly by higher energy costs, data from the foreign exchange…

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Egypt’s current account deficit shrinks 20.2% in July-September

CAIRO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Egypt's current account deficit narrowed by 20.2% to $3.2 billion in the July to September quarter as imports shrank, exports rose and tourism revenue shot…

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Shun ethnic rivalry and corruption, Pope tells African youth

KINSHASA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Thursday urged young people in Democratic Republic of Congo to forge a new future without the ethnic rivalry, corruption and distrust that…

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Spain, Morocco forge economic ties as Western Sahara policy reversal eases tensions

Spain, Morocco hold first summit in eight years Relations long strained by illegal migration issue Expected to sign up to 20 accords on trade, investment By Belén Carreño and Ahmed…

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Pope Francis urges mutual forgiveness to end Congo conflict

By Philip Pullella and Paul Lorgerie More than a million attend huge open-air Mass Pope calls for amnesty of the heart to end violence Asks Christians involved in conflicts to…

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‘Hands off Africa,’ Pope Francis tells rich world

By Philip Pullella and Paul Lorgerie Pope begins trip to DR Congo and South Sudan Francis to meet victims of war in Congo Trip postponed from July due to pope's…

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Blinken discusses Mideast tensions with Egypt’s Sisi on first leg of tour

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed efforts to de-escalate tensions between Israel and the Palestinians in talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday during a three-day visit…

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Tunisians elect weakened parliament on 11% turnout

By Tarek Amara and Angus McDowall TUNIS, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Tunisia announced that a mere 11% of the electorate had voted on Sunday in parliamentary runoffs in which critics of President…

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South Africa defends planned military drills with Russia and China

South Africa's foreign minister on Monday deflected criticism of joint military drills planned with Russia and China, saying that hosting such exercises with "friends" was the "natural course of relations."…

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Nigerian flights disrupted by striking ground staff

LAGOS, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Airlines in Nigeria said on Monday flights were being disrupted after ground staff began an indefinite strike to demand higher pay. Air Peace, which has…

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Libyan warlord Haftar may transfer his powers to his son

A report by the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta has shed light on the Moscow- Libyan relations after the "Khalifa Haftar era," citing that the rogue military commander is considering transferring…

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Morocco sends T-72B main battle tanks to Ukraine

Morocco has reportedly sent around 20 T-72B main battle tanks to Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s armed forces. In its latest update, the military said: A week ago, Morocco sent 20…

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Egypt’s soaring prices drive home economic pain

Currency crunch has seen Egyptian pound slide Charities say donations dropping, demand rising IMF deal calls for structural reform, social spending By Mariam Rizk CAIRO (Reuters) - In better times,…

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Burkina Faso military government demands departure of French troops

OUAGADOUGOU, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Burkina Faso's military government has demanded the departure of French troops stationed in the country, the West African nation's national television reported on Saturday, citing…

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Pope’s Congo visit seeks to heal ‘still bleeding’ wounds, envoy says

KINSHASA, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Pope Francis's visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo will remind the world not to ignore decades-long conflicts that have beset the mineral-rich nation and…

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Africa’s economic growth to stabilise, inflation seen easing – AfDB

Headwinds last year hampered post-pandemic recovery Growth to rebound to 4% in 2023, 2024 Inflation to decline from last year's decade-high Improvements remain fragile By Joe Bavier JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -…

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Al Shabaab kills seven soldiers in attack on military base

Islamist fighters from al Shabaab on Tuesday stormed a military base in a part of central Somalia they were forced from last year, killing at least seven soldiers, including the base commander, an officer…

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Eni, Chevron announce new Mediterranean gas discovery

Italian energy group Eni and U.S. energy major Chevron revealed that they had made a new gas discovery in an Egyptian offshore field in the Eastern Mediterranean sea. The Nargis-1…

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Death toll rises to 14 in Congo church attack claimed by Islamic State

BENI, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The death toll from a church bombing in east Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday has risen to 14, an army…

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Egypt to sell discounted bread to fight inflation

By Sarah El Safty CAIRO, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Egypt's government will start selling discounted bread to people not enrolled in its bread subsidy programme as it battles accelerating inflation,…

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Catholic priest burned to death, another shot in north Nigeria

(Reuters) - Gunmen burned a Catholic priest to death and shot and injured his colleague in northwest Nigeria on Sunday, police said, the latest violence raising concerns about security ahead…

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Eni Announces A New Gas Discovery In Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Offshore Egypt

San Donato Milanese (Milan), January 15, 2023 – Eni announces a significant new gas discovery at the Nargis-1 exploration well located in Nargis Offshore Area Concession, in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea,…

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Morocco’s economy to grow 3.3% in 2023 – statistics agency

RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's economic growth is expected to recover to 3.3% in 2023 after 1.3% in 2022, driven by domestic demand, the statistics agency HCP said. The forecast assumes…

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Thousands of Tunisians rally against president on revolution anniversary

TUNIS, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Protesters pushed through police barricades as they demonstrated against Tunisian President Kais Saied's seizure of near total power in central Tunis on Saturday, the anniversary…

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CIA chief makes rare visit to Libya

TRIPOLI, (Reuters) - U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief William Burns made a rare trip to Libya on Thursday, meeting Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah in Tripoli, the Libyan government said.…

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West losing patience with Libyan elite over aborted elections

Western leaders are losing patience with an entrenched Libyan political elite that has collectively failed to agree on the basis of elections for more than a year but has boosted…

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Dollars flow into Egypt currency market after depreciation -bankers

CAIRO, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Hundreds of millions of dollars have flowed through Egypt's interbank market since the central bank allowed the Egyptian pound to depreciate by 13% to a…

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‘Dangerous’ Tunisian droughts threaten food security

Three years of drought have dried up Tunisian reservoirs, threatening harvests that are critical to the North African country's battered economy and pushing the government to raise tap water prices…

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UPDATED: Traffic in Suez Canal normal after ship breakdown dealt with- SCA

CAIRO, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Shipping traffic in the Suez Canal was proceeding normally on Monday after tugs towed a cargo vessel that broke down during its passage through the…

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Tunisia cenbank warns of consequences if inflation rockets

By Tarek Amara TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia's central bank governor warned this week inflation could spiral out of control if it did not raise interest rates, a day after government…

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Morocco complains of European Parliament ‘harassment’ after graft probe

RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's ties with the European Union must be protected against harassment at the European parliament, foreign minister Nasser Bourita said this week, following a European probe into…

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Five African migrants die, 10 missing after boat sinks off Tunisia

TUNIS (Reuters) - At least five African migrants died and another 10 were missing after a boat sank off Tunisia, as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to Italy, a…

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Tunisian tourism revenues grow 83% in 2022 to reach $1.35 billion

TUNIS, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Tunisian tourism revenues jumped by 83% in 2022 and remittances from workers abroad rose by 12%, central bank figures showed on Thursday. Remittances reached 8.4…

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Tunisia’s cbank governor says inflation to average 11% in 2023, up from 8.3% in 2022

TUNIS, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Tunisia's central bank governor said on Wednesday that inflation rate was expected to average 11% in 2023, up from the 8.3% in 2022. Marouan Abassi…

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Libya’s total oil revenues at $22.01 bln in 2022

TRIPOLI Jan 4 (Reuters) - Libya's oil revenues rose to 105.5 billion Libyan dinars ($22.01 billion) in 2022 from 103.4 billion libyan dinars in 2021, the central bank said on…

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