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☆ Finland to close all but northernmost border crossing with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Essi Lehto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"The government has today decided to close more border stations," Orpo told a press conference. Finland said Russia was letting migrants through those two crossing points by foot despite an agreement that they could only be crossed by car. "There are growing signs that the situation is worsening on the eastern border," Orpo said. Finland will shut three of the four remaining border crossing points from midnight on Friday, leaving only the Raja-Jooseppi crossing in the Arctic open. "Raja-Jooseppi is the northernmost (border crossing) and it requires a real effort to get there," Orpo said.

Persons: Petteri Orpo, Orpo, Ylva Johansson, Sauli Niinisto, Moscow's, Essi Lehto, Jacob Gronholt, Pedersen, Alexandra Hudson, Christina Fincher, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Nordic, European Union, Kremlin, Finland, Russia, Thomson Locations: HELSINKI, Finland, Russia, Helsinki, Moscow, Yemen, Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, EU, Estonia, Baltic, Finnish, Vartius, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, East, Africa

☆ Morocco win but other heavyweights humbled in World Cup qualifiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Mark Gleeson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

CAPE TOWN, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Ghana and South Africa both suffered embarrassing defeats in World Cup qualification on Tuesday while top contenders Cameroon, Guinea, Senegal and Zambia also found it tough on the road as they all dropped points. On a busy day of 15 matches across the continent, there were also wins for Burkina Faso, the Cape Verde Islands, Morocco, Namibia, Tunisia and Uganda. But it was the Comoros, with a population of around a million, and Rwanda, ranked 140 in world football, who tore up the form book in beating Ghana and South Africa respectively. It was Rwanda’s first victory in their last 11 home matches and took them top of Group C, where they lead not only South Africa but also Nigeria and Zimbabwe. The next round of African qualifiers will be played in June, with the continent now turning its focus to January’s Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast.

Persons: Moroni, Myziane Maolida, Innocent Nshuti, Gilbert Mugisha, Patson Daka, Hakim Ziyech, Bertrand Traore, Dango Ouattara, Tunisia’s, Youssef Msakni, Mark Gleeson, Toby Davis Organizations: Cameroon, Burkina, Ocean, African, Nations, Rogers Mato, Cape Verde Islands, Niger, Ethiopia, Malawi, Sao Tome, Thomson Locations: CAPE, Ghana, South Africa, Guinea, Senegal, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde Islands, Morocco, Namibia, Tunisia, Uganda, Comoros, Rwanda, Cameroon, Africa, Butare, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Togo, Botswana, Somalia, Libya, Mauritius, Angola, Cape, Eswatini, Qatar, Tanzania, Dar, Lilongwe, Sao Tome e Principe, Ivory Coast, Cape Town

"It is very likely that the Russian authorities are heavily involved in the transport operation. Very probably the border guards are involved on their side," he told Reuters. On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied Finland's accusation that Russia was deliberately pushing illegal migrants towards the border and said Russian border guards were carrying out their duties in line with the rules. Kivenjuuri said access to the border zone on the Russian side was controlled by Russian authorities. "The border zone is wider on the Russian side and these people are not allowed freely into the border zone.

Persons: Tomi Kivenjuuri, Dmitry Peskov, Jouko Kinnunen, Kivenjuuri, Migri, Antti Lehtinen, Essi Lehto, Anne Kauranen Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, European, Helsinki, Reuters, Finland's Border Guard, Lapland Border Guards, Russian, Asylum Unit, Thomson Locations: Finland, HELSINKI, Russia, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Helsinki, Moscow, Finnish, Vartius, Russian, Afghanistan, Morocco

☆ Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's new cabinet
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez takes the oath of office during a ceremony at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain November 17, 2023. Andres Ballesteros/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsNov 20 (Reuters) - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday announced his new cabinet, keeping the same number of 22 ministers, 12 women and 10 men, despite reshuffling some of their portfolios. SOCIALIST MINISTERS:NADIA CALVINO - ECONOMYCalvino remains as Sanchez's first deputy prime minister and top economic expert. FELIX BOLANOS - JUSTICEBolanos saw his profile boosted by heightened media exposure while acting as Sanchez's de facto cabinet chief. SIRA REGO - CHILDREN AND YOUTHThe second-in-command and main spokesperson for the United Left, she became an MEP in 2019.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Andres Ballesteros, NADIA CALVINO, Calvino, Sanchez's, TERESA RIBERA, Ribera, MARIA JESUS MONTERO, Sanchez, Montero, FELIX BOLANOS, JUSTICE Bolanos, JOSE MANUEL ALBARES, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, MARGARITA ROBLES, Robles, FERNANDO GRANDE, Miquel Iceta, PILAR ALEGRIA, Alegria, Isabel Rodriguez, ISABEL RODRIGUEZ, Rodriguez, JOSE LUIS ESCRIVA, DIANA MORANT, LUIS PLANAS, Puente, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, JORDI HEREU, Hereu, Hector Gomez, ANGEL VICTOR TORRES, Torres, ELMA SAIZ, Escriva, Redondo, Podemos party's Irene Montero, SUMAR, YOLANDA DIAZ, LABOUR Diaz, Sumar, MONICA GARCIA, Garcia, Isabel Diez Ayuso, ERNEST URTASUN, PABLO BUSTINDUY, Bustinduy, Alberto Garzon, Ione Belarra, SIRA REGO, David Latona, Aislinn Laing, Grant McCool Organizations: Spain's, REUTERS Acquire, Spanish, Monday, European Investment Bank, JUSTICE, High, Culture, Social Security, Universities, Democratic, Socialist, ANA REDONDO, LABOUR, Mas Madrid, Greens, European Free Alliance, Consumer Affairs, United Left, Thomson Locations: Zarzuela, Madrid, Spain, Dubai, France, Morocco, Ukraine, Melilla, Gandia, Valladolid, Barcelona, Canary, Bolanos, Pamplona, Navarre, Mas, Podemos, Gaza, SIRA, Israel

☆ World Bank and kin head for a $100 bln cash call
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

World Bank President Ajay Banga arrives for a signing ceremony with Thailand to host the 2026 International Monetary Fund and the World Bank annual meetings on the last day of this year's meeting, following last month's deadly earthquake, in Marrakech, Morocco, October 15, 2023. REUTERS/Susana Vera Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 20 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The World Bank and its fellow institutions are heading for a cash call. The World Bank and its regional peers, such as the African Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank, are well placed to help developing countries craft strategies to develop in a green way. Donald Trump may seem an unlikely supporter of the World Bank if he wins. The People’s Republic, for its part, will want to increase its stake in the World Bank as part of any capital increase.

Persons: Ajay Banga, Susana Vera, Fitch don’t, Chris Humphrey, Janet Yellen, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, There’s, David Cameron, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum Organizations: Monetary Fund, World Bank, REUTERS, Reuters, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Group, FIRST, AAA, Bank, Moody’s, European Bank for Reconstruction, U.S, Thomson Locations: Thailand, Marrakech, Morocco, Washington, United States, China, Britain, Ukraine, U.S, Israel, Republic, United Kingdom, France

Now Widodo also needs a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States for Indonesian materials to qualify for the generous EV subsidies available under the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). What it got after last week's bilateral meeting was a commitment "to develop a critical minerals action plan (...) with a view toward establishing the foundation to launch future negotiations on a critical minerals agreement". The joint statement included some pointers as to what the United States expects from that action plan in terms of environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. A limited trade agreement on critical minerals could become an even more restricted deal if it were to apply only to non-Chinese material streams. South Korea has the advantage of having had an FTA with the United States since 2012.

Persons: Joko Widodo, Tesla, Widodo, Washington, Biden, Joe Manchin, Janet Yellen, Manchin, Trafigura, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Vale Tbk, U.S, Biden, GREEN, Benchmark Minerals, Australia, Greenpeace, of, Group, Minerals, Korea, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Sorowako, Indonesia's, Asian, United States, Indonesia, United, GREEN Indonesia, Philippines, Ulsan, South Korea, Morocco, South

"The Compact with Africa conference aims to send this signal: You can count on Germany as a partner". The 4 billion euros would be channelled into the common EU-Africa Initiative for Green Energy. The European Union had already announced it would deliver it 3.4 billion euros in grants. German trade with Africa was 60 billion euros ($65.4 billion) last year, which is a fraction of its trade with Asia but up 21.7% on 2021. Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said the number of German companies had tripled in five years while Morocco's Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch said German investment had increased sixfold since 2015.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der Leyen, Liesa, Scholz, Christian Lindner, Alassane Ouattara, Aziz Akhannouch, Andreas Rinke, Sarah Marsh, Riham Alkousaa, David Gregorio Our Organizations: French, REUTERS, Rights, Africa, Africa Initiative for Green Energy, European Union, " Finance, Ivory, Morocco's, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Africa, Berlin, Germany, Europe, China, West, Russia, Asia, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Guinea, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia

☆ As Morocco Tries to Rebuild After Quake, Tradition Is Top of Many Minds
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Aida Alami | More About Aida Alami | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Whatever the fate of the villages dotted across the Atlas Mountains, the example of Agadir shows just how difficult it is to repair the trauma of a devastating earthquake. Every year around the end of February, the anniversary of the disaster, a commemoration occurs. The graveyard sits on a hill that once was a neighborhood of Agadir. Not much remains from that time: some trees, a disused hospital and the ruins of collapsed homes. Sometimes visitors come to ask him to help them locate the grave of a loved one.

Persons: Mohammed V, ” Mr, Kouti Locations: Agadir, Agadir’s, Ihchach

Scholz, who has visited Africa several times since taking office in late 2021, will hold bilateral talks with several African countries on Sunday, before hosting a German-African investment summit at Berlin's Marriott Hotel on Monday morning. African countries have long complained that while Europe talks about investment, China actually provides financing without any moral lecturing. Still, Chinese lending in Africa is in decline, while European interest is rising as it seeks to diversify supply chains. Nearly two thirds of German companies want to expand their business in Africa, according to a study by KPMG and the German-African Business Association. The member countries of the G20 Compact are Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia.

Persons: jostling, Scholz, Macron, Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Mark Rutte, Olaf Scholz, Sarah Marsh, Andreas Rinke, Mike Harrison Organizations: Africa, Dutch, African Union, KPMG, African Business Association, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Africa, Macron BERLIN, Germany, Berlin's, Europe, United States, Russia, China, Asia, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia

☆ IMF may need to augment Egypt program amid Gaza war impacts, Georgieva says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, addresses the media on the fourth day of the annual meeting of the IMF and the World Bank, following September's deadly earthquake, in Marrakech, Morocco, October 12, 2023. REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO, Nov 17 (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told Reuters on Friday the Fund was "seriously considering" a possible augmentation of Egypt's $3 billion loan program due to economic difficulties posed by the Israel-Hamas war. Georgieva told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit that the conflict is "devastating" Gaza's population and economy and has "severe impacts" on the West Bank's economy and is also posing difficulties for neighboring countries Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan through the loss of tourism and higher energy costs. Reporting by David Lawder Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kristalina, Susana Vera, Kristalina Georgieva, Georgieva, David Lawder, Chris Reese Organizations: International Monetary Fund, IMF, World Bank, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Monetary Fund, Reuters, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan

☆ Treasury Department's hunt for Russian oil sanction violators on the seas is intensifying
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"Management of all the Sovcomflot ships was transferred to Sun Ship Management in March/April 2022 when their offices in Europe were closed. 30 ship owners targeted in new Treasury probeThis is just one example of the murkiness within the Russian oil trade. There are grey areas in the U.S. government's Russian oil guidelines, though the efforts can ultimately lead maritime investigators to the truth. In the U.S. Treasury's "Preliminary Guidance on Implementation of a Maritime Services Policy and Related Price Exception for Seaborne Russian Oil," ship owners are under a Tier 2 category. This document could provide a "safe harbor" for ship owners who are relying on that customer's "attestation" to comply with sanctions.

Persons: Wally Adeyemo, Matthew Wright, Wright, it's, hasn't, They're, shipowners, Andy Lipow, Lipow, Brent Organizations: Windward, U.S . Department, Foreign Assets Control, Treasury, Shipping, Coalition, Ukraine, United, Kazan Shipping Incorporated's, Progress Shipping Company, CNBC, Sovcomflot, Management, Sun Ship Management, Maritime Services, Ship, Lipow Oil Associates, U.S . Treasury, European Union, AIS Locations: Morocco, Price, United Arab Emirates, Kazan, Kazan Shipping Incorporated's Kazan, UAE, Europe, U.S, Asia, Ukraine, Hong Kong, China, India

☆ Sub-Saharan Africa just hit 100 World Heritage Sites. UNESCO says that’s not enough
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Tom Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

At the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee in September, UNESCO announced five new locations had joined the list of World Heritage Sites, taking sub-Saharan Africa’s total over 100 for the first time. Rwanda’s first two World Heritage Sites were named among 42 new entries worldwide. Vegetation in Rwasenkoko, Nyungwe National Park, one or Rwanda's two new UNESCO World Heritage Sites. CNLG/Courtesy UNESCOThere are currently 1,199 World Heritage sites, benefitting from the conservation agreements and tourism that come with that status. One is that some nations were slow to ratify the 1972 World Heritage convention, allowing them to submit applications for World Heritage status.

Persons: CNN —, Rwanda’s, Bale, Vande weghe, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, There’s, ”, Eloundou Assomo, –, Yonas, Assomo, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, World Heritage Committee, UNESCO, Heritage, World, Getty, “, World Heritage Fund Locations: Nyamata, Eastern, Odzala, Republic of Congo, Saharan Africa, Africa, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Guinea, Bissau, Liberia, Sao Tome, Principe , Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Rwasenkoko, Gisozi, Rwanda, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Uganda, Buganda, Kasubi, Kampala, Ethiopia, Bissagos

The Managem Group in a statement denied the findings published in German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung that pointed to increased levels of arsenic in the water near its century-old cobalt mine at Bou Azzer in the central Moroccan desert. The newspaper's investigation, published last weekend, found those levels of arsenic were hazardous. At the mine itself, they found almost 19,000 micrograms of arsenic per liter in the water. Political Cartoons View All 1250 ImagesIn its statement, Managem — a subsidiary of King Mohammed VI’s Al Mada Group — said its own monitoring had yielded no evidence of health or water quality issues. The German manufacturer said in a statement this week that it had spoken about the new allegations to Managem, which denied wrongdoing.

Persons: Sidi Blal, Managem, King Mohammed VI’s Al, —, Bou Azzer Organizations: Managem, Suddeutsche Zeitung, BMW, Renault, AFP Locations: RABAT, Morocco, Bou Azzer, Moroccan, United States, China, Europe, Congo, Australia, Bou

☆ Gruelling African World Cup qualifying gets under way
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Mark Gleeson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The New York/New Jersey's FIFA World Cup 2026 logo is revealed during the kickoff event in Times Square in New York City, U.S., May 18, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCAPE TOWN, Nov 14 (Reuters) - More places for Africa at the next World Cup finals has not lessened the intensity of the qualifying process, often described as the toughest in world football, and which kicks off this week. Carlos Queiroz, who coached Colombia, Egypt, Iran, Portugal, South Africa and now Qatar, once described the African preliminaries as "a nightmare". For the 2026 World Cup, the 54 African entrants were divided into nine groups with only the winners assured of a place at the finals. A total of 13 African countries, starting with Egypt in 1934, have played at the World Cup finals.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Carlos Queiroz, Ed Osmond Organizations: New, FIFA, REUTERS, U.S, Mauritius, D, Eritrea, January’s Africa, Nations, Rwanda, Wednesday’s, Central African, Thomson Locations: York, New York City, U.S, Africa, Asia, South America, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Egypt, Iran, Portugal, South Africa, Qatar, Cameroon, Douala, Libya, Morocco, Tanzania, January’s, Ivory Coast . Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Lesotho, Namibia, Niger, Sao Tome e Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan

Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki arrives for a news conference during the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Marrakech, Morocco, October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Tuesday that the government would take all possible steps necessary to respond to currency moves, repeating his usual mantra that excessive swings were undesirable. Suzuki made the remarks when asked about impacts from the weak yen on households which have been pressured by rising living costs due to higher import prices for fuel and food. "What's important is to maximise positive effects from the weak yen while mitigating negatives," Suzuki told reporters. Japan last intervened in the currency market - selling dollars and buying yen - in October last year.

Persons: Shunichi Suzuki, Susana Vera, Suzuki, Shinichi Uchida, Tetsushi Kajimoto, Kaori Kaneko, Satoshi Sugiyama, Chang, Ran Kim Organizations: International Monetary Fund, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Japanese Finance, Bank, Bank of, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Japan, U.S

Since the end of October, citizens of 57 largely African countries and India have had to pay the fee, according to El Salvador’s aviation authority. Also, the U.S. has been pressuring Central American countries to curb migration flows to its border with Mexico. El Salvador’s aviation authority said most passengers who have to pay the fee are headed to Nicaragua on the commercial airline Avianca. Political Cartoons View All 1244 ImagesA flight itinerary of one Senegalese migrant seen by The Associated Press showed the migrant passing through Morocco, Spain and El Salvador before landing in Managua. “Part of me wonders ... we will not critique the Bukele administration as much because it’s supposedly reducing the levels of migrants?”___Associated Press writer Marcos Alemán in San Salvador, El Salvador, contributed to this report.

Persons: — El, El Salvador’s, Nayib Bukele, Donald Trump's, Bukele, Joe Biden, ”, Biden, Pamela Ruiz, ” —, Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A, Nichols, “, Ruiz, Marcos Alemán Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Aviation, Central, Associated Press, El Salvador, El, U.S . State Department, Central America, International Crisis, State, Western Hemisphere Affairs, Crisis Locations: MEXICO, India, U.S, Mexico . U.S, Nicaragua, Haiti, Cuba, Africa, Morocco, Spain, El Salvador, Managua, United States, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, San Salvador , El Salvador

☆ Protests sweep around the globe as Israel’s war in Gaza grinds on
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Prasanta Kumar Dutta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A graphic shows all demonstrations in the ACLED data clustered by whether they were pro-Palestinian, pro-Israel or neutral. Pro-Palestinian make up 3,761 demonstrations; pro-Israel, 529 demonstrations; and neutral, 95 demonstrations. Note: Analysis includes peaceful protests, protests with intervention, protests with excessive force used against protesters and violent demonstrations as categorised by ACLED. In Berlin, ACLED reported hundreds of demonstrators were arrested during multiple protests during October, as pro-Palestinian protestors clashed with police. There are many pro-Israel demonstrations as well as pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Persons: Israel —, ACLED, Gazans Organizations: Israel, Al, Arabi, Palestinian, Palestine, ”, U.S Locations: Israel, Gaza, London, Berlin, Paris, Ankara, Istanbul, Washington, Israel’s, Palestinian, Ahli, Gaza City, East, North Africa, West, Yemen, Iran, Turkey, Morocco, Europe, United States

☆ BMW says it is looking into Morocco labour, environment issues after newspaper report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The headquarters of German luxury carmaker BMW is seen in Munich, Germany, August 5, 2020. BMW has contacted local supplier Managem with a range of queries and requested additional information, a spokesperson for the company told Reuters. By far the largest proportion of the world's cobalt deposits are located in the Congo, where child labour still occurs, particularly in small mines. BMW no longer sources cobalt from Congo, said the BMW spokesperson. Reporting by Christina Amann, writing by Vera Eckert, Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Michael Dalder, Managem, Christina Amann, Vera Eckert, Hugh Lawson Organizations: BMW, REUTERS, Bayerische Motoren, FRANKFURT, Reuters, Managem, Daily, Sueddeutsche Zeitung, NDR, WDR, Thomson Locations: Munich, Germany, Moroccan, Morocco, Congo, Australia

☆ Germany's Scholz backs Spain's Calvino for EIB presidency
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Susana Vera/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT, Nov 11 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday backed the candidacy of Spanish acting Economy Minister Nadia Calvino for the post of president of the European Investment Bank (EIB). "I think she will be a very good president of the EIB," Scholz said in an address to a weekend congress of the Party of European Socialists (PES) in Malaga, Spain. He added that they had worked well together in the past when they headed their respective countries' finance ministries. The EIB is currently led by German Liberal Democratic Party (FDP) politician Werner Hoyer. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Nadia Calvino, Susana Vera, Olaf Scholz, Scholz, Werner Hoyer, Andreas Rinke, Vera Eckert, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Monetary, Financial, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Saturday, European Investment Bank, Party of European Socialists, European Union, Berlin, German Liberal Democratic Party, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Malaga, Spain, Germany, France

☆ Germany, Like U.S., Tries to Curb Surge in Asylum Seekers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Bojan Pancevski | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

People waited at a registration center for asylum seekers in Berlin last month. Photo: clemens bilan/ShutterstockBERLIN—Germany is working on a plan to send some asylum seekers to Africa while their cases are decided, marking a U-turn for a country that has long been open to migrants but is straining under a surge in arrivals. Berlin is considering approaching Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Morocco and others to house some asylum seekers while they await approval of their applications, a process that can sometimes take years, according to several German officials familiar with the discussions. The plans, which are still being negotiated, could include permanently resettling those that fail to win refugee status in those countries, officials said, as well as incentivizing those with some right to protection in Germany to settle in third countries.

Persons: clemens bilan Organizations: BERLIN — Locations: Berlin, BERLIN, BERLIN — Germany, Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Morocco, Germany

☆ Fact Check: Video does not show protesters burning French flag in Paris
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A video of a woman burning a paper French flag during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Morocco in October 2023 has been falsely shared as a scene taking place in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron visited Israel on Oct. 24, expressing solidarity with Israel and condemning the militant Islamic Palestinian group Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Moroccan outlet Tanja News TV uploaded the video (archived) circulating online to YouTube on Oct. 24 stating that it showed the French flag being burned outside the French Consulate in Tangier. A building with green and black signage displaying the name of Morocco-based bank BMCI that is seen in the video is located on Tangier’s Place de France, opposite the French consulate. The video shows a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the French consulate in Tangier, Morocco, not a pro-Palestinian protest in Paris.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Read Organizations: Islamic, Facebook, Israel, France, Tanja, YouTube, Consulate, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Morocco, Paris, Israel, Islamic Palestinian, France, Tangier, Morrocco, Moroccan

☆ Morocco call up Nice midfielder Diop for World Cup qualifiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 9 (Reuters) - Former France under-21 international Sofiane Diop has accepted a first call-up from Morocco for the start of their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign this month, coach Walid Regragui confirmed on Thursday. Nice midfielder Diop, 23, was born in France but is also eligible for Morocco, who reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar and recently recruited another French youth international in Bayer Leverkusen winger Amine Adli. "He (Diop) is a player who could have chosen other countries also. Morocco are scheduled to host Eritrea next Thursday in their qualification opener and despite reports the latter could withdraw from the preliminaries, Regragui said they have received no confirmation from FIFA. The Atlas Lions will travel away to Tanzania on Nov. 21 for their second game.

Persons: Sofiane Diop, Walid Regragui, Diop, Regragui, Yassine Bounou, Munir El Kajoui, El Mehdi Benabid, Ghanem Saiss, Nayef Aguerd, Abdelkabir, Yunis, Achraf, Ayoub El, Noussair Mazraoui, Yahya Attiat Allah, Sofyan, Azzedine Ounahi, Yahya Jabrane, Ismael Saibari, Bilal El Khannouss, Amir Richardson, Hakim Ziyech, Youssef En, Tarik Tissoudali, Nick Said, Toby Davis Organizations: Bayer Leverkusen, FIFA, The Atlas Lions, Thomson Locations: France, Morocco, Qatar, Tanzania, Niger, Congo, Zambia, United States, Mexico, Canada

☆ Fact Check: Altered, miscaptioned images of Cristiano Ronaldo in pro-Palestinian video
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A video showing mostly altered photographs and miscaptioned videos of Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo is being shared online alongside claims that the images reflect his support for Palestinians. A Facebook post published on Oct. 27, 2023, sharing the video compilation that lasts over one minute had more than 21,000 views at the time of publishing. The caption reads: “Cristiano Ronaldo Full support palestine.”Reuters ImageIn the first video clip of the circulating compilation, Ronaldo is framed by a poster and map overlaid on the video and he says: “We know that you have been suffering a lot. @SavetheChildren.”The compilation of the miscaptioned images then continues to show a variety of suggestive clips and images. The videos and images in the video compilation pre-date the 2023 Israel-Hamas war and many are altered or miscaptioned.

Persons: Cristiano Ronaldo, “ Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Don’t, Jawad El Yamiq, “, Lorca, ”, Lionel Messi, Read Organizations: Ronaldo’s, Canada, Palestinian, Reuters, FIFA, TNT Sports, Lorca, Palestine, Observers, Palestinian Football Association, Thomson Locations: Portuguese, palestine, Syria, Moroccan, Madeira, Lyon, France, Budapest, Morocco, Gaza, ”, Lorca , Spain, Israel

☆ Fight, flight, or urine: 6 ways people have tried to keep orcas from destroying their boats
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Maiya Focht | Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

From fog horns to bottles of urine, sailors are trying some wild ways to save their yachts. This latest sinking adds to the hundreds of incidents of orcas interacting with, damaging, and sometimes sinking boats over the last three years. Pouring gasoline or diesel fluid and urine into the water had no effect, according to the few sailors who tried it. Dumping a black water tank filled with a "bleach solution" seemed to provoke the orcas into ramming the boat more, according to one account. Serge MELESAN / 500px / Getty ImagesIf orcas damage your boat, the GTOA recommends calling the authorities.

Persons: orcas, It's, Chase Dekker, that's, Enrique Marcarian, GTOA, Lisa Schaetzle, Alessandro De Maddalena, Orcas, John Burbeck, Arturo de Frias, Alfredo López, it's, Serge MELESAN, Hanne Strager Organizations: Service, Cruising Association, Grupo, Orca Behavior, Reuters, CA, Washington Post, Cruisers Locations: Strait, Gibraltar, Spain, Morocco, Alaska

☆ Orcas Sink Fourth Boat Off Iberia, Unnerving Sailors
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Isabella Kwai | More About Isabella Kwai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The yacht Grazie Mamma II carried its crew along the coastlines and archipelagos of the Mediterranean. Its last adventure was off the coast of Morocco last week, when it encountered a pod of orcas. The marine animals slammed the yacht’s rudder for 45 minutes, causing major damage and a leak, according to Morskie Mile, the boat’s Polish operators. The crew escaped, and rescuers and the Moroccan Navy tried to tow the yacht to safety, but it sank near the port of Tanger Med, the operator said on its website. The largest of the dolphin family, orcas are playful apex predators that hunt sharks, whales and other prey but are generally amiable to humans in the wild.

Organizations: Moroccan Navy Locations: Morocco, Tanger, Strait, Gibraltar, Portugal, Spain

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