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☆ Hunting for returns, savers dash for euro zone government debt
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Yoruk Bahceli | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Leading the way is Italy, which sold a record 18.2 billion euro retail bond this month to increase domestic holdings of its debt. This means around 15% of outstanding Portuguese government debt now sits with retail investors, versus 10% in recent years. Belgium meanwhile has issued 390 million euros of state notes to retail investors this year, the highest since 2011. But individuals still only hold 1% of its 1.3 trillion euro public debt overall, a spokesperson said. Italy first launched retail bonds in 2012 amid the euro zone debt crisis, reducing reliance on international investors as borrowing costs surged.

Persons: that's, Rui Amaral, Amaral, Banks, Maric, Post, Jorge Garayo, Cyril Rousseau, Rousseau, Yoruk, Dhara Ranasinghe, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Spanish Treasury, Spanish, European Central Bank, ECB, Treasury, Generale, Germany, Thomson Locations: Portugal, Spanish, Italy, Belgium, Europe, Spain, France, Germany

☆ 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

This week’s attempt to rescue the five individuals trapped in the submersible, includes both the U.S. Navy and the Coast Guard. But, she said, when the cost of search and rescue efforts “crosses a certain threshold, funds may be diverted from N.P.S. The Coast Guard did not immediately respond to questions about the expense of past extensive search and rescue efforts. Credit... U.S. Coast Guard, via Associated PressMr. Derreumaux said he was thankful to the Coast Guard for saving his life, along with the lives of many others in need of its help. “I would not have called the Coast Guard if it weren’t a life-threatening situation,” he said.

Persons: ”, Chris Boyer, —, Boyer, Cynthia Hernandez, Peter Anderson, Cyril Derreumaux, kayaker, Derreumaux, “, ” Claire Fahy Organizations: U.S . Navy, Coast Guard, National Association for Search, National Park Service, OceanGate Expeditions, Abercrombie, Kent, The Coast Guard, San Francisco Chronicle, Coast Guard helicopter, . U.S . Coast Guard, Associated Press, Guard Locations: United States, New Hampshire, N.P.S, California, Hawaii, Marin County, Calif, . U.S

[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

☆ 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 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

☆ 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, “

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ African Leaders Talk Peace in Ukraine, as Missiles Explode Overhead
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( John Eligon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and African leaders on a peace mission to Kyiv had testy exchanges on Friday on how to end the war with Russia, hours after Russian forces fired missiles at the capital while the African heads of government were there. The African leaders spoke of hope and dialogue after talking with Mr. Zelensky, but the Ukrainian leader ruled out peace talks until Moscow withdraws its troops from occupied territory, and he called for Russia to be frozen out diplomatically. President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa laid out a plan for de-escalation of fighting by both countries, a prisoner exchange, the return of children taken from Ukraine and the free flow of grain and fertilizer to world markets. But toward the end of their joint news conference, Mr. Zelensky said he did not clearly understand the “road map” mentioned by the visiting leaders, who will meet with President Vladimir V. Putin on Saturday in St. Petersburg, Russia. “I don’t want to have any surprises because tomorrow, you’ll have conversations with the terrorist, and then this terrorist will have proposals to you,” Mr. Zelensky said.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Cyril Ramaphosa of, Vladimir V, Putin, “, Mr Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Moscow, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, St . Petersburg

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

☆ 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

In a response to Reuters questions, South Africa's national treasury said it, along with President Cyril Ramaphosa's office, had appointed a consultant that it did not name to find ways to resolve the issue. It would also allow the decommissioning of three power plants, which the government is considering delaying because of the shortages of generation capacity. Rudi Dicks, the head of project management at the South African presidency, said there was a need to "clarify as a matter of urgency" whether the international loans could be accepted. Of the $8.5 billion pledged to South Africa, $3 billion is from the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), a leading multilateral investor in developing countries. In a statement it said it remained "committed to supporting South Africa's just transition from coal to clean power".

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa's, Rudi Dicks, Promit Mukherjee, Carien du Plessis, Olivia Kumwenda, Barbara Lewis Organizations: European Union, Reuters Graphics, Reuters, Partners, Investment Funds, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, Britain, France, Germany, United States, South Africa, Africa

☆ US lawmakers call for S.Africa to lose summit over Russia ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Referring to the letter, South African foreign ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela said on Twitter: "There is no decision by the State Department/White House to move the AGOA Forum from SA." South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry, which manages the country's trade relations with the United States, said it was not planning to respond publicly to the letter. South Africa's government has declared its neutrality in the war in Ukraine, and President Cyril Ramaphosa is participating in an effort by African leaders to mediate in the conflict. The lawmakers also appeared to back up an accusation by the U.S. ambassador to South Africa that a sanctioned Russian vessel collected weapons at a South African naval base last year. South African officials say they are not aware of such an arms transfer and have launched an independent inquiry into the incident.

Persons: Russia S.Africa, Antony Blinken, AGOA, Clayson Monyela, Cyril Ramaphosa, Vladimir Putin, Antony Blinken's, Joe Bavier, Carien du, William Maclean Organizations: AGOA, Twitter, State Department, White, SA, Africa's Department of Trade and Industry, South, International Criminal, U.S, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, U.S, Africa, Washington, Russia, JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, South, Nigeria, Ukraine, United States, China, Russian

☆ Early-stage investor Black Seed wants to help create the Black Silicon Valley. It just raised $6.25 million to do just that.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

London-based Black Seed has raised $6.25 million to back early-stage Black founders. The fund wants to create a "Black Silicon Valley" in London by investing in seed-stage startups. Black Seed, a VC fund dedicated to backing Black founders in the UK, has raised $6.25 million to invest in early-stage tech. Based out of Brixton, south London, Black Seed is the brainchild of Cyril Lutterodt and Karl Lokko. Black Seed has indicated that intends to raise the full amount.

Persons: Cyril Lutterodt, Karl Lokko, Lutterodt, We've, Lokko, hasn't, Black, haven't Organizations: Molten Ventures, Ventures, University of Texas, WestRiver Locations: London, Brixton, Manchester, Europe, Atomico, Black, Soho, Mayfair

JOHANNESBURG, June 12 (Reuters) - The South African rand extended gains on Monday, building from the previous week, as investor sentiment towards Africa's most industrialised economy improved. At 1517 GMT, the rand traded at 18.5600 to the dollar, about 0.87% stronger than its closing level on Friday. South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected this week to travel to Russia and Ukraine for an Africa-led peace mission in an attempt to end the ongoing war. South Africa's sovereign dollar-denominated bonds also continued their June rally, with the 2044 maturity up and rising 1.153 cents at 1526 GMT to 73.017 cents in the dollar, according to Tradeweb data. South Africa's benchmark 2030 government bond was stronger, with the yield down 5.5 basis points to 10.765%.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Kieran Siney, Cyril Ramaphosa, Casparus Treurnicht, Razia Khan, Nellie Peyton, Tannur Anders, Rachel Savage, Bhargav, Alexander Winning, Toby Chopra Organizations: Analytics, Gryphon Asset Management, Standard Chartered, Johannesburg Stock Exchange, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, Johannesburg, South Africa, Russia, Ukraine, Africa

☆ BRICS ministers put on show of strength as Putin arrest warrant looms large
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Wendell Roelf | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"The answer is the president (Cyril Ramaphosa) will indicate what the final position of South Africa is. At a news conference later, the ministers side-stepped a barrage of questions about the Putin issue. The ICC accused Putin in March of the war crime of forcibly deporting children from Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. South Africa had invited Putin in January. The BRICS bloc "was inclusive ... in sharp contrast to some countries' small circle, and so I believe the enlargement of BRICS will be beneficial to the BRICS countries," he said.

Persons: Putin, Naledi Pandor, Vladimir Putin, Pandor, Cyril Ramaphosa, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ma Zhaoxu, Hossein Amir, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Carien du Plessis, Anait, Bhargav Acharya, Nellie Peyton, Alexander Winning, Estelle Shirbon, Joe Bavier, John Stonestreet, Ros Russell, Andrew Heavens Organizations: West, International Criminal Court, ICC, United Nations Security Council, New Development Bank, China's, BRICS, Iran's, Saudi, United, Thomson Locations: Cape Town, Africa, South Africa, Johannesburg, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Ukraine, Moscow, Beijing, Venezuela, Argentina, Algeria, United Arab Emirates

☆ South Africa to investigate US allegation of arms shipment to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety said on May 11 that he was confident that a Russian ship, which docked at a naval base in Simonstown in the Western Cape in December last year, took aboard weapons from South Africa. An allegation South Africa has since denied. The allegations have caused a diplomatic row between the U.S., South Africa and Russia and called into question South Africa's non-aligned position on the Ukraine conflict. South Africa says it is impartial and has abstained from voting on U.N. resolutions on the war. "The President decided to establish the enquiry because of the seriousness of the allegations, the extent of public interest and the impact of this matter on South Africa's international relations," said the statement.

☆ How the U.S. and South Africa ended up in a dispute over Russian gunrunning allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

WASHINGTON, D.C - Sep. 16, 2022: U.S. President Joe Biden meets with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (L) in the Oval Office of the White House. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty ImagesRelations between the U.S. and South Africa frayed last week, when U.S. South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), released a rather different interpretation of the conversation in its readout. RICHARDS BAY, South Africa - Feb. 22, 2023: Russian military frigate "Admiral Gorshkov" docked at the port in Richards Bay on February 22, 2023. South Africa drew criticism from the U.S. and Europe for holding 10 days of joint naval exercises with Russia and China.

☆ Russia, Ukraine to receive African mission on potential peace plan, Pretoria says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Wendell Roelf | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Details of the plan have not been publicly divulged, although Ukraine's stated position for any peace deal is that all Russian troops must withdraw from its territory. Putin and Zelenskiy had agreed to receive the mission in their respective capitals Moscow and Kyiv, a South African Presidency statement said. The peace plan is also backed by African leaders of Senegal, Uganda, Egypt, the Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year but the war has largely stalemated, although Ukraine is expected to start a counteroffensive soon to try to take back land occupied by Russia. Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Writing by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Olivia Kumwenda-MtamboOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ S.Africa's army chief visits Moscow for bilateral talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

JOHANNESBURG, May 15 (Reuters) - The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said on Monday that its army chief, Lawrence Mbatha, was in Moscow for a bilateral meeting, where he will visit Russian military academies and hold talks with officials. "It must be noted that South Africa has military-to-military bilateral relations with various countries in the continent and beyond," the SANDF said in a statement, adding that the meeting in Russia was planned well in advance. Brigety was summoned on Friday to meet South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor and he apologised "unreservedly" to the government and the people of South Africa, a foreign ministry statement said. "I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with Foreign Minister Pandor ... and correct any misimpressions left by my public remarks," Brigety said in a tweet that did not confirm whether he had apologised. South Africa, which has abstained from voting on U.N. resolutions on Russia's war in Ukraine, says it is impartial.

JOHANNESBURG, May 15 (Reuters) - South Africa's climate policy body on Monday suggested the government could delay retiring its ageing coal-fired power plants to address electricity shortages and said a power crisis had put the country on track to meet its climate goals anyway. The ruling African National Congress has recommended that state power utility Eskom delay the decommissioning of its ageing coal-fired power stations to help minimise rolling electricity outages. "The least-cost approach is to pull the coal plants off when they reach the end of their economic life," said Crispian Olver, executive director of the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC). South Africa relies on coal for electricity. South Africa's national target for emissions reductions is 398-510 MtCO2e by 2025, and 350-420 MtCO2e by 2030.

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