WORLD

The North African country has become a major gateway for irregular migrants and asylum-seekers attempting the perilous sea voyage in often rickety boats in the hope of a better life in Europe.

Nearly 100 pilot whales have died after beaching in Western Australia, wildlife officials said Thursday, following desperate rescue attempts.

China said Thursday it opposed "malicious hype" concerning this week's removal of foreign minister Qin Gang, as it continued to avoid questions about the senior diplomat's disappearance.

"We've also added a much stronger focus on matters of trade. All of these will be part of the subjects that we will discuss during this second summit," Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor said.

The Russian president will on Thursday host leaders of African countries for a summit in his native Saint Petersburg, as the continent braces for the consequences of Moscow's withdrawal from the Ukraine grain export deal.

As Sahel countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso fell to military junta rule in recent years, Niger's Mohamed Bazoum stood as one of the region's few remaining pro-Western, democratically elected leaders.

Turkey's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday spoke in Ankara with the Palestinian president and the head of Hamas in the run-up to a crucial meeting of Palestinian factions set for the weekend.

Russia on Wednesday sentenced Ilya Sachkov, co-founder of the Group-IB cybersecurity firm, to 14 years in prison on treason charges, according to an AFP journalist in the Moscow court.

We are not alone -- and American authorities are covering up the evidence, a former US intelligence officer told a congressional committee on Wednesday.

African migrants pleaded to be saved from a desert zone between Libya and Tunisia on Wednesday, weeks after Tunisian authorities allegedly dumped dozens of them there with nothing.

Internet privacy company Proton announced Wednesday a new VPN Observatory, tracking demand for its services to detect attacks on free speech in countries like Russia and Iran before they hit the headlines.

Members of Niger's Presidential Guard on Wednesday sealed off the residence and offices of President Mohamed Bazoum, a source close to Bazoum said, describing the move as a "fit of temper" by the elite troops and that "talks" were underway.

Weary Kenyans on Wednesday voiced cautious optimism for an end to political unrest after President William Ruto said he was ready to meet opposition leader Raila Odinga "anytime" following months of anti-government protests.

"South Africa remains deeply committed to multilateral diplomacy, in principle and in our demonstrable actions - particularly through our close collaboration in the bloc," Minister in the Presidency of South Africa, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said.

Crisis-hit Lebanon -- which has no president and is ruled by a caretaker government -- will also have to go without a central bank chief from next week, says the country's deputy premier.

A former US Marine who spent more than two years in a Russian prison was injured fighting in Ukraine, the State Department confirmed Tuesday.

Around 300 protesters rallied in Tunis Tuesday to mark the second anniversary of President Kais Saied's adoption of sweeping powers, and to demand the release of about 20 detained opposition figures.

Libyan border guards have recovered the bodies of several migrants from a desert area where many have reportedly been forcibly taken by Tunisian authorities, Tripoli's interior ministry said Tuesday.

Air strikes and artillery barrages from Sudan's warring generals killed at least 16 people in a Khartoum neighbourhood on Tuesday, a neighbourhood group reported.

The International Monetary Fund has slightly upgraded its outlook for world growth this year on the back of resilient service sector activity in the first quarter and a strong labor market, the lender said Tuesday.

China offered no explanation for the sacking of foreign minister Qin Gang on Wednesday, while scrubbing mentions of him from a government website.

Ever since Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin staged a mutiny in Russia last month, questions have been raised over the future of his group in Africa, the cradle of its wealth and notoriety.

Spain's coastguard on Tuesday said it had rescued a migrant boat off the Canary Islands, pulling 84 people to safety but also finding the body of a man who had died en route.

Russia hosts African leaders this week for a summit aimed at boosting ties despite concerns in Africa over the conflict in Ukraine and the suspension of a deal on Ukrainian grain exports.

The Presidency issued a statement on Monday, revealing that President Ramaphosa will lead the South African delegation to the second Russia-Africa Summit on Thursday and Friday, this week. The delegation will include Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor and Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

"There are also challenges that are persistent and affect all of us as a global family. We must reinforce the way we do things through both the BRICS and the multilateral system of the United Nations, as we deal with challenges such as counter-terrorism, transnational crimes and cybersecurity," Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said.

Karina, a seven-year-old war orphan who lives in Kyiv with her aunt, has vivid memories of life before her parents were killed fleeing invading Russian forces.

The problem is particularly acute on the outskirts -- vast swathes of the city that are almost completely cut off from public services and resemble densely populated villages.

A three-day United Nations summit opened in Rome on Monday aimed at tackling a "broken" global food system where millions are starving, two billion are overweight or obese and the planet is suffering.