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☆ At Least 16 Are Killed in Suspected Gas Leak in South Africa
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

JOHANNESBURG — At least 16 people were killed in a gas leak at an informal housing encampment on the outskirts of Johannesburg, the police said on Wednesday. An emergency official said the deaths resulted from a leak in a cylinder of gas at the encampment, called the Angelo informal settlement, near the district of Boksburg in Gauteng Province. The South African Police Service said two other people were taken to the hospital for treatment, according to The Associated Press. Emergency services officials initially said that as many as 24 people had died, but later revised the death toll. A spokesman for the emergency services, William Ntladi, told local news outlets that officials had received a call about an explosion about 8 p.m. local time, but found instead that there had been a leak.

Persons: Angelo, William Ntladi Organizations: South African Police Service, Associated Press Locations: JOHANNESBURG, Johannesburg, Boksburg, Gauteng Province

☆ Suspected gas leak kills at least 16 in South African informal settlement
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Onlookers gather at the scene following a suspected gas leak thought to be linked to illegal mining, in the Angelo shack settlement, near Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, South Africa July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Siphiwe SibekoJOHANNESBURG, July 5 (Reuters) - At least 16 people died in an informal settlement near Boksburg east of Johannesburg following a suspected gas leak, the head of the provincial government said on Wednesday after a recount of fatalities. The team has assured me that they have done a recount," Lesufi said. The previously reported number of deaths was 24. South African media reported that the gas leak could have been linked to suspected illegal mining activities.

Persons: Premier Panyaza Lesufi, Lesufi, it's, Anait Miridzhanian, Olivia Kumwenda, Bill Berkrot, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, South Africa's Gauteng, Premier, SABC, Thomson Locations: Angelo, Boksburg, Johannesburg, South Africa, Siphiwe, JOHANNESBURG, South Africa's

☆ Aldrich Potgieter: Teenager shoots par-four hole-in-one in PGA Tour qualifier
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Only one par-four ace has ever been recorded in a competitive PGA Tour event. “That was really exciting, and it was kind of a weird moment,” Potgieter told the PGA Tour. pic.twitter.com/WLZdxB4mW2 — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 3, 2023It ended up being a bittersweet day for Potgieter, who missed out on qualifying for Thursday’s tournament by a single stroke. American duo Reid Martin and Anders Larson stamped their tickets to their first ever PGA Tour event, while Japanese pair Yuto Katsuragawa and Kaito Onishi will be making their fifth and third starts respectively. 1275 Potgieter, who finished 65th at the US Open in June, will have to wait a little longer for his sixth PGA Tour appearance, but the future looks bright for the teenager.

Persons: Aldrich Potgieter, John Deere, Andrew Magee, Tom Byrum –, Magee, Harry, ” Potgieter, “, —, ingle, artin, hird Organizations: CNN, Pinnacle Country, Waste Management, PGA Locations: Milan , Illinois

☆ South Africa nearing end of daily power cuts, minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary Electricity minister said summer could see no blackoutsCountry's power generation almost meeting demand, he saidWorst scenario of peak winter demand has not materialisedJOHANNESBURG, July 2 (Reuters) - South Africa's electricity minister said on Sunday the country was closer to ending daily power cuts as warmer weather returns towards the end of the year, but declined to give a specific date. South Africa is on course to see its most blackout days in history this year with daily power cuts extending to almost 10 hours a day, affecting businesses and households in an economy already hobbled by high interest rates and inflation. The power cuts, called loadshedding locally, is expected to shave off 2 percentage points from GDP this year, the central bank said last month. The capacity available is plateauing around 29,000 MW, giving enough room to bring the power cuts down to Stage 3, where 3,000 MW are taken off the grid, leading to between two and fours hours of daily power cuts, the minister added. South Africa implements power cuts in stages from one to eight with eight being the highest and translating into over 10 hours of daily power cuts.

Persons: Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Ramokgopa, Promit Mukherjee, Alison Williams Organizations: Electricity, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, South Africa

☆ BMW taps abstract artist Julie Mehretu to paint its latest Art Car
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Now, Ethiopian American artist Julie Mehretu, known for her work in abstract painting, has been chosen to create the company’s next Art Car. The first BMW Art Car was painted in 1975 by the American sculptor Alexander Calder after French racing driver Hervé Poulain brought the idea to BMW. The first woman to take on a BMW Art Car was South African artist Esther Mahlangu, who in 1991 painted a 525i sedan. Esther Mahlangu's Art Car featured the bold colors and geometric patterns used in the traditional arts and crafts of the Southern Ndebele people. Enes Kucevic/BMWMehretu’s will be the 20th BMW Art Car.

Persons: Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Jenny Holzer, Robert Rauschenberg, Julie Mehretu, Alexander Calder, Hervé Poulain, Poulain, Calder, Roy Lichtenstein, Warhol, Esther Mahlangu, Holzer, Esther Mahlangu's, Enes, Marian Goodman, Josefina Santos, BMW Mehretu, Madeleine Grynsztejn, ”, Julie, ” Grynsztejn, ” Mehretu, I've, ” Julian Kroehl, City’s Solomon R, hasn’t, Mehretu, “ Organizations: CNN, BMW, Ethiopian, Le, CSL, BMW Le, Fine Arts, Rhode Island School of Design, MacArthur, US Department of State, of, Pritzker, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Daytona, Guggenheim Museum Locations: Ethiopian American, American, African, Southern, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, United States, New York, Daytona Beach , Florida, New

☆ South Africa to host BRICS summit despite Putin arrest warrant
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Carien Du Plessis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

South Africa has a duty as a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to arrest Putin if he attends the talks between the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China, due to an arrest warrant over the deportation of children from Ukraine. "South Africa will host the 15th BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Sandton, Johannesburg, from 22 to 24 August 2023," the Department of International Relations said in a statement. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed to Reuters in a text message that this meant the whole summit, including the main part involving the BRICS heads of state, would take place in South Africa. He and a spokesperson for the international relations department declined to comment on whether or not Putin will attend. On Tuesday, South Africa's Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor said Putin had not yet replied to an invitation, sent before the ICC charged him on March 18.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Vincent Magwenya, International Relations Naledi Pandor, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Pandor, Sergey Lavrov, Tim Cocks, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: International Criminal Court, ICC, African National Congress, ANC, Department of International Relations, Reuters, South Africa's, International Relations, India's, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, China, Brazil, Russia, India, Ukraine, Africa, Sandton, Johannesburg

☆ The Elite South African Reserve That Allows Just a Handful of Safari Guests
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Mary Holland | Photography Andrew Morgan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An hour-and-a-half flight from Johannesburg, in northwest South Africa, sits the country’s largest private nature reserve. It’s a remote 441-square-mile tract of the Kalahari, where red soil rolls for miles into shrubland, savanna and low, rounded mountains that carve into the powder-blue sky. Despite the unforgiving landscape, this area has been the subject of an intensive restoration process for nearly three decades. What it lacks in abundance, it makes up for in rare wildlife, such as meerkats and pangolins. And endangered and threatened species are slowly starting to thrive—the desert black rhino and white rhino populations have quadrupled here since the animals were reintroduced 15 years ago.

Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa

☆ ‘Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire’ brings Afro-futurism to Disney+
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Flo Cornall | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

It’s not only the episodes making leaps and bounds into the future – there’s also a new generation of African filmmakers who are taking to the small screen. Fourteen up-and-coming directors are at the helm of the anthology, hailing from Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt. “There was a real coalescing of talent, and it felt like the time was right for this particular set of voices to be unleashed on the world.”A year later he was contacted by Triggerfish, the driving force behind “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire,” about its anthology idea which had Disney+ support. At some point you forget that we are all one tribe.”Mogajane views all the shorts in “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire” as fundamentally human stories that spark an important conversation. “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire” will premiere on Disney+ on July 5, 2023.

Persons: It’s, there’s, Peter Ramsey, ”, Nyeke, Anthony Silverston, “, ” Ramsey, Ramsey, Triggerfish, “ Kizazi, Lesego Vorster, Sundiata, Lesego, Nonzi Bogatsu, Terence Maluleke, Isaac Mogajane, ” Mogajane, Moto ’ Organizations: CNN, Cape Town Animation, Disney, South, “ Locations: Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Cape Town, Africa, America, Europe, South, Soweto, Johannesburg, Mati

☆ Inflation is a bigger risk than over-tightening, says central bank governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailInflation is a bigger risk than over-tightening, says central bank governorSouth African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago says it's better to go too far than not far enough on rates.

Persons: Lesetja Kganyago, it's Organizations: South African Reserve Bank

☆ S.Africa tech investor Naspers' profit slumps on lower Tencent contribution
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JOHANNESBURG, June 27 (Reuters) - Technology investor Naspers (NPNJn.J) on Tuesday reported a 78% slump in annual profit, led by a drop in the contribution from China's Tencent (0700.HK) which accounts for the bulk of earnings and revenue for the South African investor. Its headline earnings per share, a profit measure, from continuing operations dropped to 119 U.S. cents for the year ended March 31, from 547 cents posted a year ago. Naspers, which has its global investments housed in Amsterdam-listed Prosus (PRX.AS), , draws over two-thirds of its revenue from Tencent. It posted revenue of $6.8 billion and its losses from ecommerce businesses including classifieds, fintech and food delivery came to $639 million. Reporting by Promit Mukherjee; editing by Edmund Klamann and Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Naspers, China's Tencent, Promit Mukherjee, Edmund Klamann, Jason Neely Organizations: Technology, HK, South, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, Amsterdam, Tencent

☆ Brazil's Lula discusses Ukraine war, BRICS with South African leader
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, June 22 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Thursday he had discussed the war between Russia and Ukraine and an upcoming BRICS summit with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa as they met in Paris. Lula has also pitched himself as a peace broker to end the war, which began when Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022. The Brazilian leader irritated Western countries earlier this year when he suggested the West had been "encouraging" war by arming Ukraine. "We talked about the next BRICS summit and about President Ramaphosa's trip to Kyiv and Saint Petersburg, as well as the conversations he had with Zelenskiy and Putin," Lula wrote on Twitter after their meeting. Brazil, South Africa and Russia are all members of the BRICS group of emerging nations, which will hold a summit in the African nation in August.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Cyril Ramaphosa, Ramaphosa, Vladimir Putin, Lula, Ramaphosa's, Zelenskiy, Putin, Gabriel Araujo, David Gregorio Our Organizations: SAO PAULO, Twitter, New, Pact, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Paris, Kyiv, Saint Petersburg, Brazil, South Africa, India, China

☆ South African bank FirstRand sees bad loan ratio below target range
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JOHANNESBURG, June 21 (Reuters) - FirstRand (FSRJ.J), South Africa's biggest bank by market value, said on Wednesday its non-performing loan ratio would stay below its target range as it maintains its conservative lending stance. South Africa has some of the continent's biggest banks, which have built up a reputation for conservative lending policies. Africa's biggest lender by assets Standard Bank (SBKJ.J) and major local lender Nedbank (NEDJ.J) have said that their bad loans would rise this year. But FirstRand said its credit loss ratio (CLR) for the year would remain below its stated range. Its return on equity - a measure of bank profitability - is expected to remain at the upper end of the stated range of 18% to 22%, FirstRand said.

Persons: FirstRand, Promit Mukherjee, Jane Merriman Organizations: Standard Bank, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, South Africa

☆ Rwandan genocide accused abandons South African bail, seeks asylum
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CAPE TOWN, June 20 (Reuters) - Former Rwandan police officer Fulgence Kayishema, accused of participating in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has abandoned his application for bail and applied for political asylum in South Africa, prosecuting authorities and his lawyer said on Tuesday. Rwandan genocide suspect Fulgence Kayishema appears at the Cape Town Magistrates' Court where 54 new charges were added against him, in Cape Town, South Africa June 9, 2023. REUTERS/Nic Bothma/File PhotoThe NPA said the 62-year-old accused "has abandoned his bail application and will instead launch an asylum application today". "My client fears for his life, if and when extradited, hence the very reason for his asylum application which has been filed today," Kayishema's lawyer, Juan Smuts, told Reuters in an emailed response. He said further details would be revealed in his client's asylum application to officials at the Department of Home Affairs.

Persons: Fulgence Kayishema, Kayishema, Nic Bothma, Juan Smuts, Wendell Roelf, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Former Rwandan, Rwanda, National Prosecuting Authority, Cape Town Magistrates, REUTERS, Reuters, Department of Home Affairs, Thomson Locations: CAPE, South Africa, Cape Town, Cape Town , South Africa

☆ Only 1% of US wineries are Black-owned. These entrepreneurs want to change that
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Jeremy Harlan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It’s a problem that the guests at the Black on Black dinner, and many others, hope to change. “What we’re trying to do is change what leadership looks like and bring more people into the wine industry. Ikimi Dubose-Woodson leads The Roots Fund, a non-profit working to create opportunities for minorities to have successful careers in the wine industry. “The amount of money and wealth that’s generated in the wine and spirits industry is never talked about,” said Burston. Connection and communicationA lack of communication between the predominantly White-owned wine industry and minority communities has also slowed diversity efforts, several dinner guests agreed.

Persons: Channing Frye, CJ McCollum, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Damian Jones, Marcus Samuelsson, “, Alicia Towns Franken, ” Franken, Franken, Jeremy Harlan, CNN Franken, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, ”, Ikimi Dubose, Woodson, “ It’s, ” Dubose, Donae Burston, Burston, I’m, Dubose, Nathan Lefebvre, Frye, Jay, we’ve, ’, ” Frye, Amir Shafii, you’re Organizations: Aspen, Colorado CNN, NBA, Wine Co, Association of African, CNN, Wine, Roots Fund, Fund, Blacks, La, Cleveland Cavaliers Locations: Colorado, Caribbean, Chicago, Aspen , Colorado, Holstein

☆ South African rand little changed as power cuts ease
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JOHANNESBURG, June 19 (Reuters) - South Africa's rand was little changed on Monday as a reduction in the intensity of rolling power cuts boosted the currency. At 1514 GMT, the rand traded at 18.1950 against the dollar , near its previous close of 18.1900. The dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six major rivals, was up 0.16% to 102.46. South Africa's benchmark 2030 government bond was weaker, with the yield up 4 basis points to 10.780%. Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian and Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Warren Venketas, Anait Miridzhanian, Shailesh Kuber, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG

[1/5] Ukrainian service members are seen on their position at a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine June 18, 2023. "The enemy's 'wave-like' offensives yielded results, despite enormous losses," the official, Vladimir Rogov, said on the Telegram messaging app. A separate statement from Russia's Vostok group of forces said Ukraine had failed to take the settlement. Ukrainian officials have imposed an information blackout to help operational security, but say that Russia has suffered much greater losses than Ukraine has during its new assault. "In all these areas, Ukraine continues to pursue offensive operations and has made small advances," it said on Twitter.

Persons: Anna Kudriavtseva, Piatykhatky, Vladimir Rogov, Russia's, Vladimir Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Putin, Ramaphosa, Dmitry Peskov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Antonio Guterres, Hola Prystan, Tamara, Dan Peleschuk, Tom Balmforth, Wendell Roelf, Mark Trevelyan, Frances Kerry Organizations: REUTERS, Ukrainian, Twitter, South, Initiative, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Donetsk region, Ukrainian, Russia, Moscow, Kyiv, Russian, Donetsk, Kherson, Bakhmut, St Petersburg, Africa, Hola, London

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with African leaders on June 17 in Russia. The Black Sea grain deal: Putin also claimed "the crisis on the global food market is not a consequence of conflict in Ukraine." “Ukrainian grain supply to the world’s markets doesn’t solve the problem of world hunger,” he said. “Countries in need should not suffer, so Moscow went to great lengths to ensure the supply of Ukrainian grain to African countries,” Putin said. Ramaphosa also pushed for "opening up of the movement of the grains across the Black Sea so whatever blockages there are should be released."

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, ” Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Ramaphosa, Maria Lvova Organizations: United Nations, “, Initiative, African Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, St . Petersburg, ”, Turkey, Africa, Russian

☆ African leaders arrive for Ukraine talks with Russia's Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 17 (Reuters) - African leaders hoping to mediate in the Ukraine conflict were welcomed to a government palace near St Petersburg on Saturday by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had said after meeting the leaders in Kyiv on Friday that peace talks with Russia would be possible only after Moscow withdrew its forces from occupied Ukrainian territory. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said in Kyiv that the leaders had come "to share the African perspective" and saw talks with Russia as part of the mission. Television footage showed them shaking hands with Putin and then being welcomed into a room with a circular conference table. The African leaders are seeking agreement on a series of "confidence building measures" even as Ukraine last week began a counteroffensive to push back Russian forces from Ukrainian territory they occupy.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Cyril Ramaphosa, Putin, South Africa's, Nelson Mandela, Kevin Liffey, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Moscow, Putin, South, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, St Petersburg, Kyiv, Russia, Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, Uganda, Congo Republic, South Africa, Gulf of Finland

☆ Putin rebuts key elements of African peace plan for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Putin opened Saturday's talks with representatives of Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, Uganda, Congo Republic, Comoros and South Africa in a palace near St Petersburg by stressing Russia's commitment to the continent. But after presentations from the Comoran, Senegalese and South African presidents, he stepped in to challenge the assumptions of the plan - predicated on acceptance of internationally recognised borders - before the round of statements could go any further. And he said Russia had never refused talks with the Ukrainian side, which had been blocked by Kyiv. Peskov said Putin had shown interest in the plan, whose 10 points South African President Cyril Ramaphosa laid out in his presentation, and Russia would continue dialogue with the African countries. Since the International Criminal Court indicted Putin in March on war crimes charges - which he rejects - South Africa, as a member of the court, finds itself in the awkward position of being obliged to arrest him if he sets foot there.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Putin, Pavel Bednyakov, Sergei Lavrov, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Cyril Ramaphosa, Lavrov, Zelenskiy, Kevin Liffey, Andrew Cawthorne, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Saturday, South, RIA Novosti, REUTERS, Russian, Criminal, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Moscow, Russia, Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, Uganda, Congo Republic, Comoros, South Africa, St Petersburg, Africa, RIA, Black, Russian, Brazil, India, China

☆ Ukraine tells African mission no peace talks with Russia before withdrawal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after meeting African leaders in Kyiv on Friday that peace talks with Russia would be possible only after Moscow withdraws its forces from occupied Ukrainian territory. Zelenskyy added that he failed to understand what could be gained from the leaders meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday in St. Petersburg. "We need real peace, and therefore, a real withdrawal of Russian troops from our entire independent land." Ukraine stood by its own peace initiative, based on a complete Russian withdrawal, but invited the African leaders to take part in an international peace summit that is being drawn up. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the leaders had come "to share the African perspective" and saw talks with Russia as part of the mission.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin, Zelenskyy, Cyril Ramaphosa, Nelson Mandela Organizations: Moscow Locations: Kyiv, Russia, St . Petersburg, Ukraine, Senegal, Egypt, Zambia, South Africa, Comoros

☆ African leaders meet with Putin as part of their 'peace mission' to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —African leaders hoping to mediate in the Ukraine war met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg Saturday. The delegation aims to bring the warring sides to the negotiating table despite both of them playing down the possibility. Many African countries have been impacted by the Ukraine war, well into its second year, in particular with grain prices soaring. A statement released by the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed his arrival in St. Petersburg, alongside the leaders of Zambia, the Comoros, Congo Brazzaville, Egypt, Senegal, and Uganda. The leaders visited Kyiv on Friday to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ramaphosa, Zelensky, ” Organizations: CNN, Petersburg, South, Kyiv, Ukrainian, United Nations General Assembly Locations: Ukraine, Russian, St, St . Petersburg, Zambia, Comoros, Congo Brazzaville, Egypt, Senegal, Uganda, Russia, Africa, Kyiv, “

☆ South Africa's Ramaphosa arrives in Ukraine on African peace mission
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, June 16 (Reuters) - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Ukraine on Friday as part of an African peace mission, the South African presidency said on Twitter. Ramaphosa is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday and then travel to Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Saturday. The South African presidency posted footage of Ramaphosa arriving by train in the Bucha area near Kyiv after travelling via Poland. Along with Senegal President Macky Sall, Ramaphosa is heading a delegation including leaders from Zambia, the Comoros, and Egypt's prime minister. The peace mission could propose a series of "confidence building measures" during initial efforts at mediation, according to a draft framework document seen by Reuters.

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa, Ramaphosa, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Vladimir Putin, Macky Sall, Putin, Pavel Polityuk, Timothy Organizations: Twitter, Ukrainian, Reuters, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, St Petersburg, Bucha, Kyiv, Poland, Russian, Senegal, Zambia, Comoros, Belarus

CNN —An African delegation on a peace mission to Ukraine headed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was greeted with explosions and forced to shelter in bunkers amid air strikes on the capital Kyiv. The African leaders are expected to travel to Russia Saturday to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin. “Russia’s missile attack took place just as African leaders arrived in the capital,” Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said Friday. He has also come under fire after the US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, said South Africa supplied arms to Russia in December last year. He added that the future of this agreement would be discussed at his meeting with the African leaders on Saturday.

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, “, ” Andriy Yermak, “ Putin, ”, Joe Biden, Antonio Guterres, ” Yermak, ” Ramaphosa, Macky Sall, Hichilema, Azali Assoumani, Andriy Kostin, Valentyn Ogirenko, Andrzej Duda, Ramaphosa, Reuben Brigety, Vincent Magwenya, Putin, Moscow, ” Putin Organizations: CNN, South, UN, Russia, Ukraine's, Reuters, Polish Border Guard, United Nations General Assembly Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, ”, Senegal, Zambia, Comoros, Egypt, Congo, Uganda, Africa, Bucha, Poland’s, Warsaw, Poland, South Africa, America, Latin America

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Ukraine says children abducted by Russia; 'unprecedented' security measures taken for Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Ukraine's National Resistance Center said 150 children were taken on June 8 from the Russian-occupied Luhansk region of Ukraine to facilities on Russian territory, where 750 Ukrainian children were expected to arrive this month. Kyiv says nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia, something that Washington has warned constitutes a war crime. NBC has not been able to verify the situation on the ground. Russia is ramping up security for an annual economic forum in St. Petersburg where President Vladimir Putin is set to speak on Friday. Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Kyiv with an African peace mission to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: Resistance Center, NBC, South Locations: Russian, Luhansk, Ukraine, Russia, Washington, St . Petersburg, Kyiv

☆ Exclusive: African leaders to propose 'confidence building measures' to Russia, Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Summary African leaders travel to Ukraine and Russia Friday and SaturdayAiming to begin "diplomacy-led" process to resolve conflictAfrica hit hard by economic fallout of warJOHANNESBURG, June 15 (Reuters) - African leaders could propose a series of "confidence building measures" during their initial efforts to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, according to a draft framework document seen by Reuters on Thursday. "The conflict, as well as the sanctions placed on Russia by major trading partners of the (African) Continent, have had an adverse effect on African economies and livelihoods," it said. The document lists a number of measures that could be proposed by the African leaders as part of the first stage of their engagement with the warring parties. The African peace effort is just one of several competing initiatives aimed at ending the fighting. Among the measures that could be proposed by the African leaders in the first stage of their engagement was an "unconditional grain and fertiliser deal".

Persons: Macky Sall, Cyril Ramaphosa, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Antonio Guterres, Ramaphosa, It's, Guterres, Zelenskiy, Michelle Nichols, Tom Balmforth, Joe Bavier, Olivia Kumwenda, Mark Potter, Nick Macfie Organizations: Reuters, Ukrainian, Global, NATO, United, Johannesburg, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Africa, JOHANNESBURG, Senegal, Zambia, Comoros, Kyiv, St, Petersburg, Russian, Belarus, China, Moscow, United Nations, Turkey

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