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27 African migrants d!e, 83 r£scued in Tunisia shipwrecks
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Twenty-seven migrants, including women and children, died after two boats capsized off central Tunisia, with 83 people rescued, a civil defence official told AFP on Thursday
The rescued and dead passengers, who were found off the Kerkennah Islands, aimed to reach Europe and were all from sub-Saharan African countries, said Zied Sdiri, head of civil defence in the nearby city of Sfax.
Tunisia, as well as neighbouring Libya, is a key departure point for irregular migrants seeking to reach Europe for a better life. Italy’s island of Lampedusa is only 150 kilometres (90 miles) from Tunisia.
Totalling 110, the migrants were on board two makeshift boats that set sail off “the coast near Sfax on the night of December 31 to January 1,” a National Guard official said on condition of anonymity.
Searches were still underway for other possible missing passengers, said the official.
Sdiri said 15 out of the 83 rescued were taken to a hospital, without providing further details.
The National Guard, which oversees the coast guard, later confirmed the death toll in a statement, adding that a baby was among the dead.
It was the latest such tragedy off Tunisia over the past month.
On December 31, the National Guard said two Tunisian migrants, one of them a five-year-old, died after their boat broke down off Tunisia’s northern coast.
Days earlier on December 18, the National Guard said at least 20 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa died in a shipwreck off Sfax, with five rescued.
And on December 12, the coast guard rescued 27 African migrants near Jebeniana, north of Sfax, but 15 were reported dead or missing.
Each year, the perilous Mediterranean crossing is attempted by tens of thousands of people.
Among them are also thousands of Tunisians seeking to leave their country which is grappling with economic woes marked by high inflation, unemployment, and sluggish growth.
Under a 2023 agreement, Brussels has given 105 million euros ($108 million) to debt-ridden Tunisia to help it curb irregular migration, in addition to 150 million euros in budgetary support.
The deal, strongly supported by Italy’s hard-right government, aimed to bolster Tunisia’s capacity to prevent boats leaving its shore, with some money also going to United Nations agencies assisting migrants.
It has contributed to an increase in irregular migration interceptions off the North African country’s shores and a marked drop in arrivals in Europe.
The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) had counted “between 600 and 700” migrants killed or missing in shipwrecks off Tunisia in 2024, compared with more than 1,300 in 2023.
Overall, the United Nations children’s fund, UNICEF, said in a statement on Wednesday that, “The death toll and number of missing persons in the Mediterranean in 2024 have now surpassed 2,200, with nearly 1,700 lives lost on the central Mediterranean route alone.”
It added that the tally included “hundreds of children, who make up one in five of all people migrating through the Mediterranean. The majority are fleeing violent conflict and poverty.”
Frontex, the EU’s border agency, has said that irregular border crossings were down 64 per cent last year through September for the central Mediterranean route.
AFP
News
APC sets May 25 deadline for 2027 primary elections results submission
The All Progressives Congress has ordered all Primary Election Committees to submit reports and result sheets from its 2027 primaries by Monday, May 25, 2026.
The directive was announced in a statement issued May 24 by APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka. It covers governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, and state assembly primaries.
The party said submissions for legislative bye-election reports will open on May 30, 2026.
National Organising Secretary Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu signed the notice and urged committees to ensure documents are submitted promptly and accurately.
APC said sticking to the deadlines is critical for transparency and credibility in its internal electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
News
2027: Ogbeide-Ihama hails Tinubu’s reemergence as APC presidential flag bearer
Edo South Senatorial District All Progressives Congress APC Senate flag bearer, Hon Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama has hailed the reemergence of Bola Tinubu as APC presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections.
Ogbeide-Ihama in a congratulatory message he personally signed hailed President TInubu describing him as the iroko tree that provides shades for all.
Recall that Tinubu was declared winner of the keenly contested APC Presidential Primary, held at the Eagle Square in Abuja, said is truly the arrowhead of politics in Nigeria, adding that as one of the movers and shakers of APC from day one his victory did not come as a surprise.
He stressed that the emergence of Senator Tinubu was a result of dint of hard work, and that the votes that gave him victory was a clear manifestation of his general acceptance.
Ogbeide-Ihama noted that Tinubu is truly a political caterpillar that pilots his affairs without rancour with his massive shoulders warehousing all and sundry to the admiration of his political adversaries.
” I hail you my Excellency as you have proven it again that definitely you can take Nigeria to the next level.
News
Just in: Oil Falls With Brent Below $100 Per Barrel On Hopes Of US-Iran Hormuz Deal
The price of North Sea Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate slipped close to five percent to $99.41 and $92.49 a barrel, respectively.
The United States and Iran appear closer than ever to a deal that would end the war that has ravaged the Middle East since late February, sending energy prices soaring and stoking global inflation.
But sticking points in their negotiations have tempered hopes of a swift resolution to restore the transit of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had informed US negotiators “not to rush into a deal”.
“The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side,” a post to Trump’s official Truth Social account said.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency said that, based on their information, key clauses of a possible agreement remained unresolved.
One of the main sticking points has been whether Tehran is willing to hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The release of Iran’s frozen assets held under longstanding US sanctions and whether Lebanon, repeatedly targeted by Israeli strikes, will be included in any peace deal are also key issues.
Markets across Asia climbed in early trade on hopes that Washington and Tehran will be able to overcome these hurdles.
Tokyo soared more than three percent in early trade on Monday, while Hong Kong and Seoul were closed for public holidays.
Shanghai inched upwards, with Taipei, Manila, Bangkok, Jakarta, Singapore, Sydney, and Wellington also climbing.
Kuala Lumpur was down 0.1 percent.
“The weekend news flow has once again focused on the prospects for a negotiated deal between the US and Iran,” said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone.
“According to reports from Donald Trump, a memorandum of understanding has been ‘largely negotiated’, with details to be announced at some stage soon, although there appears to be limited urgency,” Weston said.
Investors will also be keeping an eye on how the US Federal Reserve and its new chief, Kevin Warsh, react to Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data this week, as well as European inflation metrics.
“The inflation story remains central to the entire setup,” said SPI Asset Management analyst Stephen Innes.
“Investors will receive another critical read on Thursday with the release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge.
“After several hotter-than-expected consumer and producer inflation reports earlier this month, markets are increasingly concerned that elevated oil prices and supply disruptions tied to the Middle East conflict are beginning to seep into the broader inflation pipeline.”
The conflict erupted after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, and the Islamic Republic responded with missile and drone attacks across the region.
The United States and Iran have observed a ceasefire since April 8 while mediators push for a negotiated settlement, although Tehran has imposed controls on Gulf shipping and Washington has blockaded Iran’s ports.
Currency dealers monitor exchange rates as an electronic screen shows the prices of WTI (L), Brent crude (C), and Dubai crude (R) in a foreign exchange dealing room at the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on March 13, 2026. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
Key Figures At Around 0215 GMT
Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 3.99 per cent at $99.41 a barrel
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 4.25 per cent at $92.49 a barrel
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 3.2 per cent at 65,358.97
Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.3 per cent at 4123.89
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.9 percent at 25,606.03 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at 1.1640 from 1.1608 on Friday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3480 from $1.3441
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 158.86 from 159.13 yen
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.35 from 86.36 pence
New York – DOW: UP 0.6 per cent at 50,579,70 (close)
New York – S&P 500: UP 0.4 per cent at 7,473.47 (close)
New York – Nasdaq: UP 0.2 per cent at 26,343.97 (close)
London – FTSE 100: UP 0.2 per cent at 10,466.26 (close)
Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.4 per cent at 8,115.75 (close)
Frankfurt – DAX 30: UP 1.2 per cent at 24,888.56 (close)
AFP
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