DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ At least nine killed in triple suicide bombing in central Mali
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BAMAKO, April 22 (Reuters) - At least nine civilians were killed and over 60 injured in a triple suicide bomb attack in the central Mali town of Sevare early on Saturday, Yacouba Maiga, a spokesman for the regional governor, told Reuters. "The blast destroyed about 20 houses in the neighbourhood. There are a total of nine dead and about 60 wounded, all civilians," Maiga told Reuters by phone. "Three vehicles filled with explosives were destroyed by army drone fire," the statement said, without giving further details on casualties. Images shared on social media showed several buildings, including a petrol station, destroyed by the blast, as well as injured people being given assistance.

☆ Russia's private Wagner Group denies it is operating in Sudan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] People gather outside PMC Wagner Centre, which is a project implemented by the businessman and founder of the Wagner private military group Yevgeny Prigozhin, during the official opening of the office block in Saint Petersburg, Russia, November 4, 2022. REUTERS/Igor Russak/File PhotoApril 19 (Reuters) - The Russian private military Wagner Group on Wednesday denied it was operating in Sudan and said it had nothing to do with battles rocking the giant impoverished African state. Western diplomats in Khartoum said in March 2022 that Wagner was involved in illicit gold mining in Sudan, among other activities. Sudan denied this was the case. Companies associated with Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin have no financial interests in Sudan, it added, saying the conflict was a purely internal Sudanese affair.

Oxford scientist Adrian Hill said Ghana's drug regulator has approved the vaccine domestically for the age group at highest risk of death from malaria - children aged 5 months to 36 months. Oxford has a deal with Serum Institute of India to produce up to 200 million doses of the vaccine - known as R21 - annually. "This shows how close the world is to having a second approved vaccine to fight malaria," he said. MEETING THE NEEDThe first malaria vaccine, Mosquirix from British drugmaker GSK (GSK.L), was endorsed by the WHO last year after decades of work. Since it began in 2019, 1.2 million children across the three countries have received at least one dose of the Mosquirix vaccine.

☆ Factbox: What is known about latest leak of U.S. secrets
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here is what we know and do not know about what appears to be the gravest leak of U.S. secrets in years:ARE THE DOCUMENTS REAL? Materials marked that way would have been seen by thousands of people with security clearances. But because not all of the documents are marked FVEY, U.S. officials believe whoever leaked them could be American. - China: Predictions about how China would respond to Ukrainian strikes inside Russia, along with details about British plans in the Indo-Pacific region. - South America: Information about Brazilian officials' plan to visit Moscow in April to discuss a Ukraine mediation scheme.

☆ Forty-four dead in two attacks in Burkina Faso
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OUAGADOUGOU, April 8 (Reuters) - Unknown assailants killed 44 people in two attacks in northern Burkina Faso overnight on Thursday, authorities said. It is not clear which group carried out Thursday's attacks. More than 2 million people are displaced and thousands have been killed by the violence in Burkina Faso, one of the world's poorest countries. The violence has since spread into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger and threatens to destabilise coastal countries further afield. Reporting by Thiam Ndiaga; Writing by Edward McAllister, Editing by Angus MacSwan and Giles ElgoodOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Uganda’s anti-gay bill is the latest and worst to target LGBTQ Africans
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Aditi Bhandari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +14 min

Same-sex activity in Africa is punishable by … Map of the 32 African countries where same-sex activity is illegal. Same-sex activity in Africa … Map of the 22 African countries where same-sex activity is legal. In 1993, Guinea-Bissau became the first African country to legalise LGBTQ activity when it adopted a new Penal Code that didn’t include any laws criminalising it. Country Constitutional protection Broad protections Employment Hate crime Incitement Marriage or civil union Adoption Angola No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Botswana No No Yes No No No No Cape Verde No No Yes Yes No No No Gabon No No No No No No No Guinea-Bissau No No No No No No No Lesotho No No No No No No No Mozambique No No Yes No No No No Sao Tome and Principe No No Yes Yes No No No Seychelles No No Yes No No No No South Africa Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes YesNote: Broad protections include laws protecting against discrimination in at least 3 of 4 categories: the provision of goods and services, housing, healthcare and education. Namibia and Mauritius criminalise same-sex activity, but around 35% of respondents said they would dislike having a gay neighbour.

☆ Russia wants to ditch the Wagner Group and replace it with another private army that's easier to control, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tensions between Wagner and Russia's Defense Ministry have been simmering for months. Russia might replace the Wagner group with another private military company that it can exert "more control" over, the British Ministry of Defense tweeted on Tuesday. It comes as a very public feud between Russian military leaders and the Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin appears to have spiraled out of control. This led to the Kremlin cutting all ties with the group, Prigozhin said last month. A spokesperson for Russia's Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ Washington trying to wreck Russia-Africa summit -Russia's Lavrov
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Ronald Popeski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. is trying to wreck Russia's planned summit with African countries as part of efforts to isolate Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published on Tuesday. Moscow is preparing for its second summit with African countries, scheduled for the end of July in St. Petersburg, including work on infrastructure, technology and energy projects. "It is true that the United States and its vassals are doing everything possible to achieve Russia's international isolation," Lavrov told the website. "In particular, they are trying to torpedo the planned second Russia-Africa summit ... to persuade our African friends not to take part." U.S. President Joe Biden hosted a U.S.-Africa leaders summit in 2022 in Washington, seeking to bolster alliances amid the growing Russian and Chinese presence on the continent.

☆ Burkina Faso expels two French journalists
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The two are "journalists of perfect integrity, who worked in Burkina Faso legally, with valid visas and accreditations ... We strongly protest against these absolutely unjustified expulsions," Liberation said in an editorial statement on its website. There was no statement from the authorities in Burkina Faso and it was not immediately possible to reach them for comment. The French foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The junta has since ordered French troops to withdraw from the country and suspended broadcasts by France's RFI radio and television channel France 24. Frustrations over authorities' failure to restore security has spurred anti-French sentiment and helped bring about two military takeovers in Burkina Faso and two in Mali since 2020.

☆ 'It's not a pretty picture': Russia's support is growing in the developing world
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this month and the two leaders vowed to deepen economic ties. watch nowWhile South Africa caused controversy in February by holding joint military drills with Russia and China on the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. The EIU said the number of neutral countries rose from 32 to 35, now representing almost 31% of the global population. However, this bloc also represents just under 68% of global GDP, highlighting an emerging disconnect between wealthy Western economies and the Global South. Countering organized Russian propaganda first requires acknowledging the problem, and building awareness about the aims and effectiveness of sanctions, she said.

☆ The Move That Lets College Stars From Abroad Cash In Like Their Teammates
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Louise Radnofsky | Alicia A. Caldwell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

March Madness has made instant stars of college players from Great Britain, Mali and Russia. And after months of hand wringing, immigration lawyers, agents and foreign student advisors have figured out how to help them cash in on this one shining moment. The most popular way: making sure those athletes literally don’t have to lift a finger as part of their endorsement deals.

☆ Kamala Harris starts Africa tour in Ghana, announces security aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Francis Kokoroko | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Akufo-Addo reiterated that he was concerned about Wagner's presence in West Africa. Several countries across West Africa and the Sahel region have been struggling to quell Islamist insurgencies that have caused humanitarian disasters and fuelled discontent -- contributing factors to military coups in Mali and Burkina Faso. "We appreciate your leadership in response to recent democratic back-sliding in West Africa," Harris told Akufo-Addo. [1/5] U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris meets with Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo during her week-long trip to Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia, in Accra, Ghana March 27, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko 1 2 3 4 5After Ghana, Harris will head to Tanzania and Zambia.

☆ In Ghana, Kamala Harris 'excited about the future of Africa'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

U.S. Vice President, Kamala Harris, arrives at the Kotoka International Airport as she begins her trip to Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia, in Accra, Ghana, March 26, 2023. Vice President Kamala Harris was greeted by schoolchildren, dancers and drummers as she arrived Sunday in Ghana for the start of a weeklong visit to Africa intended to deepen U.S. relationships amid global competition over the continent's future. "What an honor it is to be here in Ghana and on the continent of Africa," Harris said. Harris is the highest-profile member of President Joe Biden's administration to visit Africa this year. In the evening, they will attend a state banquet with the Ghanaian president and first lady.

☆ Russia pardons 5,000 former criminals after fighting in Ukraine, Prigozhin says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW, March 25 (Reuters) - More than 5,000 former criminals have been pardoned after finishing their contracts to fight in Russia's Wagner mercenary group against Ukraine, the founder of Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said on Saturday. Wagner Group, originally staffed by battle-hardened veterans of the Russian armed forces, took on a much more prominent role in the Ukraine war after the Russian army suffered a series of humiliating defeats last year. "At the present time, more than 5,000 people have been released on pardon after completing their contracts with Wagner," Prigozhin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, said in an audio clip posted on Telegram. The United States casts Prigozhin as an oligarch and has sanctioned him for attempts to interfere in U.S. elections and for spreading Russian disinformation across the globe. It dismisses Western criticism of what it says are sometimes harsh methods and strict discipline by pointing to the use of private military contractors by the United States and its allies around the world.

☆ African migrants stuck in Tunisia say racism persists after crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Sudanese refugee, Awadhya Hasan Amine, reacts during a protest asking for evacuation, outside the headquarters of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in Tunis, Tunisia March 22, 2023. REUTERS/Jihed AbidellaouiTUNIS, March 24 (Reuters) - Weeks after a violent crackdown on migrants in Tunisia that triggered a perilous rush to leave by smuggler boats for Italy, many African nationals are still homeless and jobless and some say they still face racist attacks. Outside the United Nations refugee agency in Tunis, dozens of African migrants stood protesting this week by the temporary camp where they have lived, including with children, since authorities urged landlords to force them from their homes. While the official crackdown appeared to end weeks ago, migrants say they still face abuse. "Tunisia is an African country.

☆ French and US hostages released in West Africa after years of captivity
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dubois was kidnapped in Mali in 2021, while Woodke was kidnapped in neighbouring Niger in 2016. "After several months of efforts, Nigerien authorities obtained the liberation of the two hostages from the hands of (JNIM), an active terrorist group in West Africa and the Sahel," Niger's interior minister Hamadou Adamou Souley told journalists at the airport, flanked by the two men. French President Emmanuel Macron thanked Niger for its help in securing the Dubois's release. "I’m gratified & relieved to see the release of U.S. hostage Jeff Woodke after over 6 years in captivity," Sullivan said on Twitter. Those groups have repeatedly declared French citizens in West Africa to be targets since a 2013 military intervention by France drove them back a year earlier.

☆ Factbox: What is the International Criminal Court?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, March 17 (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of responsibility for the war crime of illegal deportation of children from Ukraine. It can prosecute crimes committed by nationals of member states or on the territory of member states by other actors. It has 123 member states. * The ICC website says there have so far been 31 cases before the court, with some cases having more than one suspect. * The ICC has convicted five men of war crimes and crimes against humanity, all African militia leaders from Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Uganda.

☆ Blinken brings U.S. aid to Sahel for fight against Islamist insurgencies
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Daphne Psaledakis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NIAMEY, March 16 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $150 million in new humanitarian aid for Africa's Sahel region during a visit on Thursday to Niger, a country Washington views as an important ally in the fight against Islamist insurgencies. Landlocked Niger and its neighbors Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Chad are all struggling to repel Islamist insurgents who have killed thousands of people, displaced millions more and in some cases seized control of vast swathes of territory. "They're making the right choices, we think, to help deal with the kind of threats that are common across the Sahel. Blinken said the use of Russian mercenaries had not proven an effective response to insecurity. Ghana has asserted that Burkina Faso has also hired Wagner mercenaries.

☆ Blinken brings aid and praise to Niger as it battles insurgents
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Blinken's visit to Niger, the first by a U.S. Secretary of State, signals its importance as a U.S. ally in the Sahel, a senior State Department official told reporters travelling with Blinken. Landlocked Niger and other countries in the Sahel, including its neighbours Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Chad, are all struggling to repel Islamist insurgents who in some cases have seized control of swathes of territory. The official praised Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum for opposing military coups in Mali and Burkina Faso and for consulting the parliament over security issues rather than deciding alone. Ghana has asserted that Burkina Faso has also hired Wagner mercenaries. "They use a lot of misinformation and disinformation to besmirch the French, I think, and the traditional French security partnership."

Relations between Russia and the U.S. have become more hostile since Moscow invaded Ukraine over a year ago, and Washington and its allies oppose Russian influence in West Africa. This has worried Western governments and the United Nations who say the move has led to a spike in violence. Mali, whose government took power in a 2021 military coup, has previously said Russian forces are not mercenaries but trainers helping local troops with equipment from Russia. The UK, Germany and other nations are pulling troops from a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali as security worsens. Armed groups have a foothold in coastal countries including Benin and Togo and threaten economic leaders Ivory Coast and Ghana.

☆ Italy blames surge in migration on Russia's Wagner group
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME, March 13 (Reuters) - The Italian government on Monday said Russian mercenary group Wagner was behind a surge in migrant boats trying to cross the central Mediterranean as part of Moscow's strategy to retaliate against countries supporting Ukraine. He then used a series of obscenities to describe Crosetto and to urge him to pay attention to his own country. Wagner forces have been accused of operating in several African countries including Libya, Mali, and Central African Republic. Crosetto, a senior figure in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy party, called on the NATO allies to help Italy face the rise in migrant arrivals. Similar remarks also came from Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who during a visit to Israel told ANSA news agency that it was worrying many migrants came from areas "controlled by the Wagner group".

☆ After losing more than 30,000 soldiers, the brutal Wagner Group is now recruiting in Russian schools
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Wagner Group, which has lost 30,000 soldiers in Ukraine, is now recruiting in Russian schools. It's opened six recruitment centers to attract "impressionable" youth recruits, an ISW report said. The Wagner Group, considered President Vladimir Putin's private army, has already lost some 30,000 fighters to death and injury since Russia started the war last February, Insider previously reported. In Apatity, Murmansk Oblast, members of the Wagner Group shared "heroic stories" and promoted the "little Wagner" youth camp in Crimea, according to the ISW report. In the past, Putin has also relied on the Wagner Group for Russian influence efforts in the Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, and Syria.

☆ Is the U.S. falling behind China in Africa’s lithium industry?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Sydney Boyo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The demand for lithium is rising as it has become a critical component needed in electric vehicle batteries. Zimbabwe has been mining lithium for 60 years and the government estimates that its Chinese-owned Bikita Minerals Mine, which is located 300 kilometers south of the capital Harare, has about 11 million metric tons of lithium resources. In December 2022, Zimbabwe passed the Base Mineral Export Control Act that banned the export of raw lithium. That includes Chinese firms Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt , Sinomine Resource Group and Chengxin Lithium Group which have invested $678 million into lithium projects in Zimbabwe. Both the Bikita mine, which is the largest lithium mine in the country, and the Arcadia Lithium mine are Chinese owned.

☆ Wagner Group mercenaries are being butchered in Ukraine, but US intel expects them to keep stirring up trouble elsewhere on Russia's behalf
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The notorious Wagner Group has operated around the world on Russia's behalf for years. For years, the Wagner Group has put boots on the ground in countries across Africa and the Middle East. A pedestrian walks past a mural depicting the logo of the Russian mercenary 'Group Wagner' and a slogan in Russian on January 20, 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia. Graves of Russian Wagner mercenary group fighters are seen in a cemetery near the village of Bakinskaya in Krasnodar region, Russia, January 22, 2023. Like Russia's regular military, Wagner has endured heavy losses on the battlefield.

☆ Burkina's film festival in full swing despite fighting on its doorstep
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The festival's delegate-general, Alex Moussa Sawadogo, said Burkina Faso had been dealing with the insecurity for several years, but it remained important to show that culture and its people continue to exist. "Organising an event like FESPACO is to show the world that Burkina Faso is a country that wants to continue writing stories of world cinema," he told Reuters. In total, 170 films are being screened, including 15 feature films and about 30 short films in competition. In the feature films category, movies from 13 countries are competing, including the movie Sira, directed by homegrown talent Apolline Traoré. Despite costly international efforts to contain it, the insurgency has spread to neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso and Niger, killing thousands of people and driving over 2 million from their homes.

Search resuls for: "mali"

25 mentions found