Orcas Sink Another Boat Near Iberia, Worrying Sailors Before Summer
Summer is on the way, meaning that the orcas are out to play near the Strait of Gibraltar — which is bad news for sailors. Two people were rescued on Sunday after an attack by a group of orcas caused enough damage to sink their boat, according to the Spanish maritime rescue service. Crew members onboard reported that the animals had slammed the hull, damaged the rudder and caused a leak. A nearby oil tanker quickly maneuvered toward the boat and evacuated the two sailors, who were taken to Gibraltar, the rescue service said. The boat was left adrift, and the Moroccan authorities reported that it eventually sank.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 20:19 UTC
UPDATE 1-EU asks Tunisia for clarification over arrests of journalists and activists
TUNIS, May 14 (Reuters) – The European Union said on Tuesday it was concerned about the wave of arrests of many civil society figures, journalists and political activists, and demanded clarifications from Tunisia as the North African country faces a growing political crisis. Tunisian police stormed the bar association’s headquarters on Monday for the second time in two days and arrested Mahdi Zagrouba after detaining Sonia Dahmani, another lawyer critical of the president, over the weekend.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 19:29 UTC
Libya’s Abnormal New Normal
The latter is supported by the House of Representatives and the Libyan National Army, both essentially representing eastern Libya. In this abnormal new normal, we see the usual signs of instability progressing along with a flurry of what appears to be normal government and civilian activities. Efforts by the Tripoli government to force militias back into their bases failed to deliver and violence remains normal. Daily news and newspaper headlines will make efforts to show normalized activities taking place, like more airlines resuming operations and administrations making normal decisions. Clashes like the one that rocked Aljmail risk have become trivial and normal matter.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 15:04 UTC
Orcas sink sailing yacht in Strait of Gibraltar
Reuters —An unknown number of orcas have sunk a sailing yacht after ramming it in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain’s maritime rescue service said on Monday, a new attack in what has become a trend in the past four years. The passengers reported feeling sudden blows to the hull and rudder before water started seeping into the ship. After alerting the rescue services, a nearby oil tanker took them onboard and transported them to Gibraltar. The incident is the latest example of recurring orca rammings around the Gibraltar Strait that separates Europe from Africa and off the Atlantic coast of Portugal and northwestern Spain. Although known as killer whales, endangered orcas are part of the dolphin family.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 14:53 UTC
15 ventures selected to pitch at Africa Tech Summit London
Fifteen startups have been picked to pitch to investors at the eighth Africa Tech Summit (ATS) London at the London Stock Exchange on June 7. The ATS conference series provides insight and networking with the African tech ecosystem in London, Kenya, and West Africa, bringing together tech leaders, MNOs, banks, international investors, entrepreneurs, governments, trade bodies, media, and leading ventures to drive investment and business in African tech. They are digital addressing solution OkHi, carbon finance platform Earthbond, e-health platform OneHealth, AI healthcare service PBR Life Sciences, energy solutions startup Rana Energy, clean energy venture So-Cool, and fintech startup VeendHQ. “As we celebrate the eighth ATS London, we are delighted to spotlight 15 ventures defining the future of tech innovation. With several of our past ATS Investment Showcase participants securing funding and partnerships, we’re excited to see what the future holds for these ventures,” said Lauren Adair, director at Africa Tech Summit.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 13:39 UTC
Yasmine Barka analysed Morocco-Algeria's Relations
19 - Yasmine Barka analysed Morocco-Algeria's Relations Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 30 seconds 00:00 / 20:59 Share Share Link EmbedIn the last episode of the Geopolitical Report Podcast, our discussion with Yasmine Barka shed light on the current state of relations between Morocco and Algeria and which factors can further increase the regional geopolitical risk. Yasmine Barka is a PhD candidate in international relations at Corvinus University of Budapest. She also specialises in the geopolitical relations in North Africa, notably in interaction with its adjacent regions of the Euro Mediterranean and the Sahel. Yasmine is also interested in relations between Morocco and Central European countries. Furthermore, Barka highlighted the recent intensification of disputes between Algeria and Morocco and the factors contributing to this escalation.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 13:06 UTC
Hailstorm impacts agriculture in north Kashmir and Himachal
On Sunday afternoon, north Kashmir's Tangmarg experienced a sudden change in weather, leading to a hailstorm that caused significant damage to the agricultural sector. According to thekashmirimages.com, the heavy hailstones left fruit trees in a devastated condition, greatly diminishing the expected yield. Hailstorm impacts Himachal mango cropApproximately 15% of the mango crop in the district of Hamirpur was damaged due to a hailstorm. In the district, both hybrid and local mango varieties play a crucial role in the livelihoods of farmers. A local farmer from Bhumpal village in the Nadaun subdivision, observed an exceptional flowering on his mango trees and was expecting a lucrative return.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 12:52 UTC
Nema putting the cart before the horse on biodegradable plastics
But the recent push by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) for mandatory biodegradable bin liners for organic waste feels like putting a fancy Band-Aid on a gaping wound. In recommending the shift to biodegradable garbage bags, there is a need for Nema to recognise the glaring gaps and weaknesses in Kenya's waste ecosystem. Granted, the Sustainable Waste Management Act 2022 has various provisions that are yet to be implemented, including enforcement on the closure of illegal dumpsites or landfills. Worryingly, Nema has not made public what standards would be used to determine what would constitute biodegradable garbage bags. Biodegradable materials should be broken down by microbial action, chewed up, and turned into natural byproducts like biomass and methane.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 12:44 UTC
Egyptian fintech startup MNZL raises $3.5m seed funding round to scale
Egyptian fintech startup MNZL has raised US$3.5 million in seed funding to enhance its technology and scale operations to empower more Egyptians. Founded in 2023 by Sameh Saleh, Ahmed Eldessouky and Bassem El Shaer, MNZL allows users to transform their assets like homes and cars into liquidity for their projects and needs. This shift not only empowers families by providing financial leverage but also contributes to broader economic prosperity in the region,” Saleh said. MNZL has now raised a US$3.5 million seed round of funding, led by P1 Ventures, Localglobe, and Ingressive Capital, with additional support from 500 Global, Flat6Labs, First Circle Capital, Enza Capital, Beenok, and other angel investors. “We are thrilled to support Sameh and the MNZL team as they build a transformative platform.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 12:43 UTC
Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria among largest global wheat importers – The North Africa Post
Egypt will be the largest global wheat importer in 2024/25 (July-June) as the country recovers from a foreign exchange reserve crisis and seeks to rebuild inventories, the US department of agriculture USDA said. Drought conditions will necessitate larger imports in other North African countries, most notably Morocco,” USDA said in a recent report. Algeria is expected to be the second largest wheat importer in Africa at 8.5 million tons, followed by Morocco with 7.5 million tons, while Nigeria will be the fourth largest importer at 4.8 million tons. Global wheat production for 2024/25 is forecast at 798.2 million tons, up 10.5 million from the previous year, it said. High wheat prices in Pakistan resulted in higher planted area, in turn yielding a larger crop, up 1.8 million tons.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 12:42 UTC
Global Defense Spending Annual Part 4 – Europe & USA
In this final part of the Global Annual Defense Spending Snapshot series, Forecast International analysts examine defense spending trends in regions shaping 56% of the global landscape — Europe and the USA. EuropeEuropean defense spending has been on the rise since 2014, but many countries struggled to meet NATO’s goal of spending 2% of GDP on defense. In response to these efforts, Europe’s share of global defense spending reached 15 percent last year. It currently accounts for a whopping 41 percent of global defense spending. To further explore these insights and additional spending forecasts from Forecast International analysts, please download our Global Defense Spending Annual Snapshot series at www.forecastinternational.comShare this:TweetPrintEmail
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 11:44 UTC
Amb. Al-Awadhi: Cultural activities helpful to cement Kuwait-UK ties
Al-Awadhi: Cultural activities helpful to cement Kuwait-UK tiesLONDON: The State of Kuwait Ambassador to the United Kingdom Badr AlAwadhi has affirmed significance of cultural and artistic exhibitions for bolstering the bonds of friendship and cooperation between Kuwait and the UK. Ambassador Al-Awadhi expressed gratitude to the two countries’ foreign departments, Al-Sadu Society, represented by Chairperson Sheikha Bibi Duaij Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, for supporting such a distinguished cultural event that promotes creative works of Kuwaiti citizens. Cultural activities contribute to diplomacy and constitute a substantial foundation for strengthening bonds and ties between the two countries, he said. AlSadu Society launched the exhibition as part of the International Crafts week event, which coincides with the 125th anniversary of the Kuwaiti-British partnership. Al-Sadu Society is a non-profit, self-sustained organization dedicated to preserving, documenting, and promoting Kuwait’s rich and diverse textile heritage.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 11:04 UTC
Internet outage hits Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda – The North Africa Post
Millions of users in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda complained of internet outage that operators blamed on undersea cable failures. Internet service in the region was disrupted after problems in the cable that connects the region with the rest of the world through a cable that crosses South Africa, the BBC reported citing experts. On Monday, internet was slow in Kenya where operators told clients they were still working on the issue. In March, a similar problem occurred leaving users in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Benin, Ghana, and Burkina Faso without internet due to undersea cable problems. The outages disrupted economic activity that rely on the internet, including international bank transfers.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 10:15 UTC
500 Global and Sanabil Investments announce Batch 7 of the Sanabil 500 MENA Seed Accelerator Program
Valdosta, GA (31601)TodayThunderstorms, accompanied by locally heavy rainfall at times. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..TonightScattered thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with more showers at times. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 08:49 UTC
Full agenda announced for Vision Northwest North Carolina
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Source:The North Africa Journal
May 14, 2024 08:42 UTC