Mediterranean
NAPTIP chief seeks renewed regional collaboration against illegal migration, trafficking
The Director General of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, as called for renewed regional collaboration against illegal migration and human trafficking. This was as he expressed sadness over the incessant mishap involving hundreds of irregular migrants on the Mediterranean Sea enroute Europe describing it as huge loss that could be avoided. She called stakeholders across the World and specifically in African to join hands with the Agency in its renewed efforts to scale up sensitization and awareness campaign as a way of remedying the situation. Mrs Suaiman Ibrahim, according to a statement, Wednesday, by Stella Nezan, Head, Press and Public Relations Unit of NAPTIP, “made the call in Abuja while reacting to the recent human casual...
Tunisian-French rapper Swagg Man sentenced to three years imprisonment
Tunisian-French rapper Swagg Man, known for the Louis Vuitton logos tattooed on his head, has been sentenced to five years in jail for fraud and money laundering, the judiciary said Tuesday. Born in the French Mediterranean town of Nice, the 34-year-old, whose real name is Iteb Zaibet, became an internet celebrity known for his ostentatious clothing, body tattoos, and chunky jewelry. His social media fame led him to be invited onto television shows in both France and Tunisia. On Monday, a Tunis court sentenced him to five years in prison and fined him 100,000 dinars ($36,000) on charges of money laundering and fraud, judicial official Mohsen Dali told AFP. He said funds of about 17 million dinars ($6 million) in euros and Swiss francs were also confiscated from Swagg Man’s accounts. The ra...
Suez Canal reopens after stranded ship is freed
Traffic has resumed in Egypt’s Suez Canal after a stranded container ship blocking it for nearly a week was finally freed by salvage crews. Tug boats honked their horns in celebration as the 400m-long (1,300ft) Ever Given was dislodged on Monday with the help of dredgers. Hundreds of ships are waiting to pass through the canal which links the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. It is one of the world’s busiest trade routes. Peter Berdowski, CEO of Dutch salvage company Boskalis, said the Ever Given had been refloated at 15:05 (13:05 GMT) on Monday, “thereby making free passage through the Suez Canal possible again”. Egyptian officials say the backlog of ships waiting to transit through should be cleared in around three days, but experts believe the knock-on effect on global shipping could take w...
Turkish exploration vessel back in port ahead of EU summit
Turkey’s seismic exploration vessel Oruc Reis returned to port on Monday from disputed Mediterranean waters, less than two weeks before a European Union summit where the bloc will evaluate possible sanctions against Ankara. NATO members Turkey and Greece have conflicting claims to continental shelves and rights to potential energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean. Tensions flared in August when Ankara sent Oruc Reis to map out energy drilling prospects in waters also claimed by Greece. Turkey withdrew Oruc Reis from contested waters ahead of a previous EU summit in October to “allow for diplomacy”, but later sent it back after what it called unsatisfactory outcomes from the summit. Earlier this month, Turkey said Oruc Reis would operate in the region until Nov. 29. The energy ministr...
Pandemic impact on Tunisia tourism ‘catastrophic’
Tunisia’s tourism sector has collapsed, officials warned on Saturday, with earnings plunging 60% and swathes of hotels at risk of closing permanently. LIVE | All the latest coronavirus and lockdown updates The sector, a major employer that accounts for 14% of the North African nation’s GDP, has been hit hard by restrictions imposed to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. “There has been a drop in tourism activities of 60%, and we could reach 70% by the end of 2020,” Tourism Minister Habib Ammar told reporters. Tunisia’s income from tourism this year has totalled just 1.56 billion dinars ($563 million), officials statistics showed. Total bed nights – the number of nights visitors stayed in hotels – dropped by 79.5%. “The current tourism situation is very bad – if not catastrophic,” sai...
