Author: Agencies

Silvio Berlusconi, the leader of Italy’s Forza Italia party and the country’s former premier, has died at age 86. He was admitted to a Milan hospital on Friday for what aides said were pre-planned tests related to his leukemia. Berlusconi’s death on June 12, leaves a “huge void” because he was a great man, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Twitter on Monday. Berlusconi led Italy as prime minister three times between 1994 and 2011. A billionaire, Berlusconi made his fortune in media, founding Fininvest, a media holding company, in the 1970s. In the 90s, he established the right wing Forza…

The anti-gay bill passed in Uganda is gratuitous in its cruelty. It criminalises the human body, speech, thought, intent, literature, music and language. In short it criminalises culture itself while claiming to be protecting African culture. I therefore feel I cannot honor my invitation to visit Makerere University to give a lecture this August at the Mashariki Conference. There are things we simply cannot allow, and outlawing humanity should be at the top of the list. How does just being who are you become illegal? Should we not be protecting and celebrating our sexual diversity? This is not an easy decision to make.…

When President Salva Kiir announced the abolition of secondary school fees in South Sudan in February 2023, he was following several fellow African leaders. Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Zambia have all announced free secondary education policies in the last five years. Rwanda, Kenya and South Africa were early trendsetters in this regard. Despite its popularity with policymakers, parents and other stakeholders, the abolition of secondary school fees in resource-constrained contexts is still a subject of debate. The African Union, global NGOs like Human Rights Watch and various United Nations agencies are in favour. Others are sceptical. They highlight financial sustainability and equity implications, especially at the upper secondary…

What can the world expect in five, 10 or 25 years? SWI swissinfo.ch put this question to members of the science and diplomatic communities at Swiss Anticipation Day, hosted by the University of Zurich. In all about 250 experts converged on the University of Zurich campus to sample coffee and croissants alongside panel discussions and talks organised by the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator, or GESDA. The group publishes an annual Science Breakthrough RadarExternal link, which summarises the most important science trends for the coming years. What follows is a breakdown of what scientific and diplomatic specialists consider to be the…

Negotiations with investors for Tanzania’s $42 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project have been successfully concluded, a senior government minister has revealed. The agreements, aimed at tapping into the country’s vast offshore gas resources, are now awaiting review and approval next month, according to media reports. Energy Minister January Makamba said that the finalised agreements would be presented to the government’s cabinet for approval before being officially signed. LNG investors and the government are expected to sign an amended production sharing agreement in June as per the Ministry of Energy’s budget speech for 2023/24 available on its website. However, the minister did not…

Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni assented to the anti-homosexuality bill on 26 May 2023. The new law legislates, among other things, a ten-year jail term for “attempted homosexuality”, a 20-year jail term for “promotion of homosexuality”, a life sentence for “the offence of homosexuality” and a death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality”. Previously there has been been historical surveillance and targetting of queer people in Uganda, but no penalties nearly as harsh as this. This is reflective of a spate of new laws across Africa. Their proponents argue that they protect the heterosexual African family and “African values” in a rejection of “western norms”. Similar laws have been…

Natural gas prices in Europe are likely to plummet further on lackluster demand from power generation and industry. This downward trend has led traders and industry officials to consider the possibility of day-ahead prices dipping below zero in some European markets during the summer, according to a report by Oilprice. According to the report, several factors have contributed to this situation, including abundant inventories after a mild winter, consistent imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and weak demand. As a result, European benchmark natural gas prices have experienced eight consecutive weeks of losses, marking the longest losing streak in over six years.…

The instability that defined the oil and gas market for much of 2022 has continued into 2023. With bullish and bearish pressure on oil and gas, this can fluctuate quickly depending on what happens in European markets, OPEC+ decision-making and the situation in Iran, where a nuclear deal has stalled and tensions — internal and with neighboring countries — are elevated. In what could be a year of volatility and uncertainty ahead, here are some of the top oil and gas risks KPMG anticipates for 2023. War in Ukraine The outcomes of the war in Ukraine will have a potentially…

Tina Turner, the dynamic rock and soul singer who rose from humble beginnings and overcame a notoriously abusive marriage to become one of the most popular female artists of all time, has died, her family announced in a statement. She was 83. Turner died Wednesday at her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland. “With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model,” her family said. “With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow. Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves…

Nigeria’s new Dangote petroleum refinery is Africa’s biggest – it will produce 650,000 barrels a day, giving it the potential to address the country’s energy supply crisis. Owned by Nigerian industrialist and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, the refinery is expected to boost domestic refining capacity, getting rid of the current consumption shortfall. It will also reduce import dependency and stimulate economic growth. It is the first privately owned crude oil refinery in Nigeria. Nigeria’s existing refineries, plagued by operational inefficiencies under government control, have failed to meet the growing demand for petroleum products. Substantial imports have become necessary. Nigeria currently imports more than 80% of its…