Africa - TotalEnergies to return more cash to shareholders as oil and gas output rise

Bombardments escalate as military factions battle in Sudan's capital

Reuters

23-05-16 06:24


The Sudanese army has intensified its attacks on paramilitary rivals in the capital city of Khartoum, with airstrikes and artillery fire reported to have increased in volume on 18 May. Clashes and blasts were heard throughout parts of Khartoum and its neighbouring cities, as the Sudanese Armed Forces sought to rout the Rapid Support Forces, which it has battled against for over one month. The conflict has already forced around 200,000 people to flee into nearby nations and displaced over 700,000 more internally, sparking a serious humanitarian crisis that has the potential to destabilise the region. Although unrest has been noted in other parts of the country, the conflict is currently concentrated in the capital and has been reported by multiple outlets as a potential threat to the stability of the Sudanese government.

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/bombardments-escalate-military-factions-battle-sudans-capital-2023-05-16/
Rape trial of Senegalese opposition leader Sonko starts

Reuters

23-05-16 12:36


The rape trial of Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko began in Dakar, with supporters protesting that it is politically motivated. Sonko is charged with raping and threatening a woman who worked at a massage parlour in 2021, which he denies, claiming it is a scheme by the President Macky Sall to eliminate him from the next presidential election in 2024. The trial was adjourned to 23 May following a debate as to whether Sonko's lawyers needed more time to prepare given the complexity of the case. The charges against Sonko have led to protests, with his supporters believing Sall is trying to cling to power.

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/rape-trial-senegalese-opposition-leader-sonko-starts-2023-05-16/
Libya parliament replaces its appointed PM, spokesperson says

Reuters

23-05-16 12:25


Libya's eastern-based parliament has suspended Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha and given his duties to Finance Minister Osama Hamada. Bashagha was appointed last year but has been unable to take over from Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, who rejected his appointment.

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/libya-parliament-replaces-its-appointed-pm-spokesperson-says-2023-05-16/
As Turkey heads to a pres­i­den­tial elec­tion run-off, what’s next?

Al Jazeera

23-05-16 11:54


Following a contested first round of elections in Turkey, a run-off vote will be held on 28 May. Recep Tayyip Erdogan is predicted to win the second round due to a five-percentage point gain achieved during the first round against Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Erdogan has already delivered on some of his promises, including to earthquake-hit regions. However, the opposition faces a difficult battle to counter Erdogan, having disappointed voters in the first round, and must overcome claims by the current government that the opposition is linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/16/as-turkey-heads-to-election-run-off-whats-next
Russia, Ukraine agree African mission on potential peace plan, Ramaphosa says

Reuters

23-05-16 11:51


Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have agreed to meet with African leaders to discuss a potential peace plan for their ongoing conflict, according to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa said the initiative also has the support of Senegal, Uganda, and Egypt, as well as the United Nations, the United States, and Britain. However, the success of the discussions will depend on the outcome of the meeting. Both Washington and London have expressed "cautious" support for the plan.

https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-ukraine-agree-african-mission-potential-peace-plan-ramaphosa-says-2023-05-16/
UN reports extensive flooding damage in central Somalia

The Toronto Star

23-05-16 11:07


The annual rains have caused flooding across Somalia leading to destroyed homes and farmland as well as the shutdown of health facilities. More than 460,000 people have been impacted with nearly 219,000 being displaced from the floods. The Hiiraan region of the central Somali state of Hirshabelle has been the most severely hit with the largest population in the area being forced to relocate. Rising waters in Beledweyne have meant important facilities such as government offices and at least one hospital have closed. The Horn of Africa nation faces drought conditions in some areas, while an ongoing insurgency by Islamic extremists is underway in the capital, Mogadishu.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/africa/2023/05/16/un-reports-extensive-flooding-damage-in-central-somalia.html
Putin, Zelensky agree to separate meetings with delegation of African leaders to discuss possible plan to end war

The Globe and Mail

23-05-16 16:44


South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced plans to create an African delegation of leaders to meet with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. The discussions will aim to discuss a plan to end Ukraine’s 15-month war with proposed talks taking place in Moscow and Kyiv. While the details of the talks and their timing haven’t been released, Ramaphosa stated that Zambia, Senegal, Congo, Uganda, and Egypt would make up the delegation along with him. South Africa has claimed to remain neutral on the war and has also maintained relations with the United States.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-putin-zelensky-agree-to-separate-meetings-with-delegation-of-african/
African leaders to present peace plan to Putin and Zelenskyy

Deutsche Welle

23-05-16 16:26


A delegation of African heads of state will travel to Moscow and Kyiv to help end Russia's war in Ukraine, according to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. He had held separate phone calls with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who both agreed to host the African leaders to discuss a potential peace plan for the conflict. Senegal, Uganda, Egypt, the Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and South Africa have been chosen to take part in the mediation effort, and Ramaphosa confirmed the US and UK had expressed “cautious” support for the plan. It is the latest in a string of foreign offers of mediation and peace talks. Ramaphosa stated that Guterres and the African Union (AU) welcomed the initiative, after the UN Secretary-General said peace talks in the Ukraine conflict were not possible at the moment. There is no timeline as yet for the visits, but Ramaphosa said the conflict had been “devastating, and African countries suffered a great deal” from it. South Africa has previously abstained from voting on UN peace resolutions relating to the war, however Ramaphosa insisted that South Africa was impartial after recent allegations that Russian ships containing military hardware were loaded in Cape Town. Despite the allegations, he said that South Africa would not be drawn “into a contest between global powers”.

https://www.dw.com/en/african-leaders-to-present-peace-plan-to-putin-and-zelenskyy/a-65648099
Minister: 2 major gas companies keen on Israel-Cyprus plan for pipeline, gas processing facility

Associated Press

23-05-16 16:22


Israeli-Cypriot plans to build a pipeline that will transport natural gas has attracted two major international gas companies so far. The pipeline will carry gas from both countries to Cyprus where it will then be liquified for export. Once Israel and Cyprus have agreed upon the project and energy companies have come on board, a tender process will open for the construction of the pipeline and processing facility. Some of the gas conveyed to Cyprus will be used for domestic power generation so as to reduce energy costs for consumers. This move offers European markets another option as they are currently primary targets for Israel’s gas.

https://apnews.com/article/cyprus-israel-gas-pipeline-57176025a20c7d78a8c0ac9946a62b25
For­mer UFC heavy­weight cham­pi­on Fran­cis Ngan­nou signs with PFL

Al Jazeera

23-05-16 15:21


Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, has signed a deal with the Professional Fighters League to fight exclusively in its pay-per-view super fight division. He is expected to make his debut in mid-2024 and will also be a member and chairman of the championship's advisory board and will be an equity owner of PFL Africa. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/16/former-ufc-champion-francis-ngannou-signs-with-pfl
Vodafone's to cut 11,000 jobs to regain competitiveness

Deutsche Welle

23-05-16 15:18


Vodafone is to axe 11,000 jobs over the next three years as part of a wider cost-cutting programme to improve the company's financial performance. Margherita Della Valle, CEO of the telecoms group, said earlier this week that "the circumstances of our industry and the position of Vodafone within it require us to change". The job losses, which will comprise Vodafone's largest ever cuts, will occur across Europe and Africa, while the company's Spanish business is under strategic review, with a full or partial sale among the options.

https://www.dw.com/en/vodafones-to-cut-11000-jobs-to-regain-competitiveness/a-65640457
South African rand dips after unemployment data, turbulent market

Reuters

23-05-16 20:13


South Africa’s rand weakened after the country’s unemployment figures for Q1 2019 were released, showing the rate to have risen to 32.9%. The data suggests that South Africa’s economy may be in worse condition than previously thought following last week’s economic turbulence due to accusations that South Africa provided arms to Russia, and the worst rolling blackouts ever, which have seen households and businesses left in the dark for up to 10 hours per day.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/south-african-rand-dips-after-unemployment-data-turbulent-market-2023-05-16/
Child dead, 23 missing after hippopotamus capsizes canoe in Malawi

The Toronto Star

23-05-16 19:50


A one-year-old child has died and 23 people are feared dead after a hippotamus capsized a canoe along the Shire River in southern Malawi. The long wooden canoe was carrying 37 people who were travelling to Mozambique. Thirteen people were rescued but the search and rescue operation is still ongoing. Hippos are known to cause problems in the area and locals are calling for authorities to relocate some of the animals.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/africa/2023/05/16/child-dead-23-missing-after-hippopotamus-capsizes-canoe-in-malawi.html
Trial of Senegalese opposition leader postponed as protests continue

RFI

23-05-16 19:36


Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko faces accusations from a woman who worked at a massage parlour of sexual assault and making threats on his witnesses' lives. Sonko and his supporters claim that the charges are part of a political conspiracy to target his candidacy in the next presidential election. The trial, which began Tuesday, has sparked protests pitting the opposition against President Macky Sall and law enforcement forces. In the past year, there have been several protests calling for Sall to resign due to alleged corruption. Sall has held the presidency for over ten years and is yet to announce whether he will seek re-election in a move that opponents argue would be unconstitutional. The situation is expected to remain tense for the foreseeable future.

https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20230516-trial-of-senegalese-opposition-leader-postponed-as-protests-continue
UN says prospects dim for robust global economic recovery despite uptick for US, EU and China

Associated Press

23-05-16 19:36


The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has predicted a slight uptick in financial growth rates for China, the European Union and the US, but warns the global economy will remain weak owing to a number of factors, including inflated pricing and the ongoing impact of COVID-19. The body flagged stubbornly high inflation rates, alongside credit squeezes and environmental factors, as negatively impacting growth in emerging markets. While revised projections indicate a 2.3% rise in the world GDP in 2023, this is far below a 3.1% increase experienced in 2022.

https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-world-economic-forecast-a3d149f4ee0f616772667b19a70d6cfd
Toddler dead, 23 others missing as hippo capsizes boat in Malawi

CNN

23-05-16 18:34


A toddler has been killed and 23 people were feared dead after a hippo caused the ferry they were travelling on to capsize in Malawi. Over 30 villagers were on the boat crossing the Shire River when it was tipped by the giant animal. The river is known to be dangerous because of its crocodile and hippopotamus population. Although the child’s body has been recovered, 23 people remain missing and are being sought by rescuers. Hippopotamus attacks on humans are common in southern Africa, where the creatures are native.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/16/africa/hippo-capsize-canoe-malawi-intl/index.html
South African children struggle to read by age of 10

BBC

23-05-17 00:09


The majority of South African schoolchildren aged ten struggle with reading, according to an international study by the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. South Africa ranked last out of the 57 countries studied, which tested 400,000 students about their reading abilities. The number of illiterate South African pupils rose from 78% in 2016 to 81%. South Africa's education ministry blamed the results on Covid-19 school closures, and said that schools' current focus on oral reading performance was neglecting reading comprehension. The lack of adequate infrastructure and resources are also cited as reasons for underperformance.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-65618058
FirstFT: US accuses ex-engineer of stealing Apple’s trade secrets

Financial Times

23-05-16 22:19


A Chinese native has been charged by the US Department of Justice with stealing trade secrets from Apple, including information on autonomous vehicle technology. Weibao Wang, a former software engineer accused of stealing thousands of documents, is one of five individuals to be pursued as part of a government task force created to combat the theft of critical technology by foreign countries. Wang, who told investigators he had no plans to travel to China, immediately flew to Guangzhou upon being questioned by law enforcement officers who discovered a large volume of Apple data at his California home in 2018.

https://www.ft.com/content/bbb71e31-1b11-42ff-b76f-494c90cfca82
Gunmen attack US convoy in southeast Nigeria; 2 policemen, 2 consulate staffers killed

The Toronto Star

23-05-16 22:12


Gunmen have attacked a convoy in southern Nigeria, killing four police officers and local embassy workers. The assailants targeted a local government area of Anambra State, which is known for separatist violence led by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group. Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has said repeatedly that he opposes the separatists, but they have become increasingly violent as they seek a referendum on independence. Each attack raises military tensions and adds to the overall level of uncertainty in the region.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/africa/2023/05/16/gunmen-attack-us-convoy-in-southeast-nigeria-2-policemen-2-consulate-staffers-killed.html
Dealmakers’ worst nightmare

Financial Times

23-05-17 05:19


US antitrust tsars Lina Khan and Jonathan Kanter are scaring corporate executives with their willingness to sue to block deals that promote rampant consolidation, according to the FT. The Federal Trade Commission’s recent decision to file a lawsuit to block Amgen's $28.3bn acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics surprised many in the industry. So far, mergers challenged or blocked by the duo (with the help of friendly regulators in the UK and EU) include Microsoft’s $75bn acquisition of gaming company Activision Blizzard, Lockheed Martin’s planned $4.4bn acquisition of US missile products supplier Aerojet Rocketdyne, and the $2.2bn merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster. The duo have said they will try to sue to block deals even if they know they might lose. Vince McMahon, the founder of World Wrestling Entertainment, relied on merchant bank Raine Group for strategic advice and its help in selling his company. Raine will earn $65m from the $21bn transaction.

https://www.ft.com/content/14157a08-92d1-4a3e-9640-01f6dc4102e0