Participants into the Malta Mediterranean Summit pose for a family photo at Castille Square in Valletta, Malta, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Rene Rossignaud)Participants into the Malta Mediterranean Summit pose for a family photo at Castille Square in Valletta, Malta, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Rene Rossignaud)Participants into the Malta Mediterranean Summit pose for a family photo at Castille Square in Valletta, Malta, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Rene Rossignaud)Participants into the Malta Mediterranean Summit pose for a family photo at Castille Square in Valletta, Malta, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said EU countries “need to determine on our own terms who enters” the 27-nation bloc.

The jailed leader of Tunisian opposition party Ennahdha, Rached Ghannouchi, 82, began a hunger strike on Friday (Sep. 28) to protest his detention and express support for other "political prisoners", his party said. Ghannouchi "decided to begin a three-day hunger strike to denounce the arbitrary and unfounded prosecution of the opposition", said Imed Khemiri, spokesman for the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party. "It is also in support of the hunger strike started by Jawhar Ben Mbarek," he said, referring to the left-wing opposition figure and leading member of the National Salvation Front (FSN) opposition alliance. FSN leader Ahmed Nejib Chebbi told a news conference on Friday that Ben Mbarek had started "an indefinite hunger strike until this injustice" is corrected. "Faced with the government's determination to dismiss opponents through baseless legal cases, the only option left to political prisoners is to go on hunger strike," said Khemiri.

Egypt and UAE signs currency swap deal worth $1.4 BillionEgypt and United Arab Emirates have signed a currency swap deal worth around $1.4 billion in a move to help the North African country ease its economic crisis. According to a report by Bloomberg, this deal will allow the central banks of both Arab countries exchange their local currencies up to 5 billion dirhams and 42 billion Egyptian pounds. Egypt Currency CrisisBloomberg also reports that Egypt is battling its worst foreign-currency squeeze in years. According to Bloomberg Ecomonist, Ziad Daoud,“With inflation already at a record high, Egypt is unlikely to devalue the currency before the presidential election in December. The agreement was signed during the “Seamless North Africa 2023” conference at the Egypt International Exhibition Center in New Cairo, Egypt.

Scientists have identified Europe’s oldest shoes, dating back 6,000 years. The shoes, along with 75 other perishable artifacts, were discovered inside a Spanish cave in the 19th century and were preserved at the Museo Arqueológico Nacional of Madrid. A new analysis of the materials revealed that the artifacts are made of organic materials and associated with the first farming communities in Europe. The sandals have been woven using grass and are in excellent condition due to the low humidity levels inside the cave and cool winds. “In southern Europe, good preservation in archaeological contexts dated to Mesolithic and Neolithic periods is extremely rare and restricted to a few sites where waterlogging, charring, or desiccation occurs,” noted the researchers.

Sandals buried in a bat cave in southern Spain may be the oldest footwear ever discovered in Europe, scientists said this week, estimating that they could be up to 6,200 years old. The study used radiocarbon dating to date 76 items, including baskets and 22 sandals made from esparto, a kind of grass used in crafts across the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa for thousands of years. The ancient humans crushed the grass to make twine to braid baskets, bags and sandals. Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Similar sandals found in Armenia are estimated to be 5,500 years old, while the shoes worn by “Ötzi the Iceman” — a prehistoric man found in Italy in 1991 — are dated to 5,300 years ago.

Since President Abdelmadjid Tebboune came to power, presidential advisors have gained considerable influence, raising serious concerns about democracy and human rights in the country. According to analysts, one of the main concerns about the new powers of presidential advisors is the lack of transparency. Another major reason for concern is the lack of accountability of presidential advisors. Furthermore, some decisions made under the influence of presidential advisors have raised worries about human rights in Algeria. In a nutshell, the Presidential advisors’ extensive powers raise questions about the pathway the country is taking.

Deeper cooperation across both shores of the sea will benefit us all,” wrote EU Commission President von der Leyen on X . Germany, on the other hand, has removed its veto on the agreed-upon EU migratory framework but is tussling with Italy over NGO ships. Berlin’s requested amendment to the text, designed to protect the operation of NGO ships, is “a step backwards,” argued PM Meloni. Still, the Italian PM noted there’s a general “will to tackle the issue with thoroughness and speed” among MED9 countries. Cooperating with Northern African countries.

IP +0.34% Add to/Remove from WatchlistInternational Paper (NYSE: IP) announced on Friday that it will release its earnings for the third quarter of 2023 on October 26, before the opening of the New York Stock Exchange. According to InvestingPro data, the company has a market cap of 12.35B USD and a P/E ratio of 12.03. The company's revenue for the last twelve months was reported at 20.24B USD, with a gross profit of 5737M USD. The company's dividend yield as of 2023 was 5.23%, reflecting a strong return to shareholders. InvestingPro Tips reveals that International Paper has a high shareholder yield and has maintained dividend payments for 53 consecutive years.

The developers of Zanzibar’s first wind farm have inspected potential sites on which to construct the renewable energy project. It has plans to produce renewable energy based on indigenous solar and wind resources to lessen its reliance on the mainland energy feed. Wind farm to help reduce dependence on fossil fuelThe Ministry’s Principal Secretary Joseph Kilangi, said the wind farm will harness the region’s abundant wind resources. In May, Zanzibar signed an agreement with Generation Capital Ltd and Taifa Energy to build its first large-scale solar power plant. The PPA between the Zanzibar Electricity Corporation (Zeco) and the two companies is expected to be completed in 2024, Kilangi previously said.

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Queensland Pacific Metals (QPM) has been granted federal environmental approval for its Northern Hub, in Queensland. QPM Energy has sought regulatory approvals for development of the Northern Hub some 43 km north of the Moranbah project, with the Northern Hub consisting of a gas compression facility and high-pressure pipeline to connect into the existing North Queensland Gas Pipeline (NQGP) infrastructure. Queensland state government approvals and execution of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement have already been accomplished. QPM said on Friday that with all approvals now in place, the company was in a position to develop the new infrastructure in order to collect waste gas from coal mines north of existing operations, and to connect these to the NQGP.

South Africa’s Secha Capital has announced a first close of ZAR300 million (US$15.7 million) of its second fund, the target size of which is ZAR650 million (US$34 million). Secha Capital Fund II will follow a similar mandate, and has now concluded a first close of ZAR300 million (US$15.7 million). Investors include RMB Ventures, 27four Investment Managers, the SA SME Fund and Caleo Capital. The fund, which is targeting a final size of ZAR650M (US$34 million), invests in traditional companies across sectors in Southern Africa that are making the tech-enabled transition into the green economy. Most capital in Southern Africa is invested in either extremes — early-stage startups or mature companies.

During the Huawei Northern Africa Night event on September 20, Terry HE, President of Huawei Northern Africa (North, West & Central Africa), revealed the company’s renewed strategy to guide Africa towards a "smart and connected future." This strategy, entitled "Accelerate Intelligence for New Africa", is not just a mere roadmap, but a comprehensive blueprint for Africa's digital and technological future. "Every technological evolution is characterized by perseverance, exploration, and investment", stated Terry HE, President of Huawei Northern Africa (North, West & Central Africa). For Huawei, Africa represents a pivotal element of the company's growth ambitions, underscoring its unwavering commitment to the continent's digital transformation. Operating in more than 170 countries and across the African continent, we have 28 locations in the Northern Africa region.

Three times as many migrants have died or disappeared this summer trying to cross the Mediterranean, warned UNICEF on Friday, in the midst of diplomatic negotiations on the European side on the migration issue. Since January 2023, at least 289 children have died during these crossings, Nicolo dell'Arciprete, UNICEF's coordinator for Italy, told a press conference in Rome on Friday. A "worrying" provision, alarmed Andrea Iacomini, spokesperson for UNICEF in Italy, speaking to AFP. The agency counts 21,700 unaccompanied children in these centres in Italy, compared with 17,700 a year ago. Three times as many migrants died in the Mediterranean this summer

Julie WhiteFrance-based hotel giant Accor has appointed Julie White as chief commercial officer Europe and North Africa for its premium, economy and midscale division. White joins the group from Wyndham Hotels & Resorts where she held the position of vice president commercial for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Eurasia. Based in London, White will lead Accor’s regional commercial team – which includes sales and distribution, marketing and loyalty and customer experience – with responsibility for driving revenue strategy across the Europe and North Africa markets. She will report to the group’s global chief commercial officer of the premium, midscale and economy division, Karelle Lamouche. I am excited to be working with such a great team to help deliver Accor’s commercial objectives across the region.”

Of the 32 African countries with credit ratings from one of the three main agencies, about half have been downgraded since the pandemic began. It also suggests social and development impact bonds, pay-for-success systems, forecast-based financing and equity investment in social good projects. Encouraging appropriate FDIThe UNDP Africa Investment Insights Report, which was produced by the Africa Sustainable Finance Hub in July 2023, examined opportunities for private companies to invest in African sustainable economic projects to help achieve the SDGs, often via public-private partnerships. It argues: “The potential of investment for Africa’s sustainable development progress cannot be overstated. Rescuing the SDGs in Africa – read moreThe UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a comprehensive set of global goals to end poverty, protect our planet, and improve the living conditions of the global population.