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http://ift.tt/2roUdYl Illegal immigrants, who were rescued by the Libyan coastguard in the Mediterranean off the Libyan coast, arrive at a naval base in the capital Tripoli on May 26, 2017.<br />At least 20 boats carrying thousands of migrants on their way to Italy were spotted off the coast of the western city of Sabratha, the Libyan navy said. / AFP PHOTO / MAHMUD TURKIA At least 44 migrants, including women and babies, were found dead after their vehicle broke down in the desert of northern Niger while on the way to Libya, local officials said Thursday. “The number of migrants who died in the desert is 44 for now,” said Rhissa Feltou, the mayor of Agadez, a remote town on the edge of the Sahara that has become the smuggling capital of Africa. Last year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded 335,000 migrants heading northwards out of Niger. The Red Cross, which said “at least 44 migrants have died”, has dispatched a team to the site “to gather ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy is set to affirm governments’ “sovereign” right to seal their borders and set migration caps, according to a draft declaration seen Friday by dpa. “While upholding the human rights of all migrants and refugees, we reaffirm the sovereign rights of states to control their own borders and set clear limits on net migration levels, as key elements of their national security and economic well-being,” the draft says. Such language chimes with the restrictive stance on migration pledged by governments in the United States and Britain, which have taken office after the 2016 G7 summit in Japan. That meeting’s final declaration did not contain a similar message. Summit host Italy, which is struggling with a record influx of asylum seekers from North Africa, wanted migration to top the agenda, and invited African partners to the G7 on Saturday. However, Rome has advocated more liberal policies on the issue. The draft from Taormina...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Three female suicide bombers have attacked a herding community in northeast Nigeria, killing two people and injuring seven others, according to a village elder and a civilian militia member. Ali Musa said the trio, believed to have been sent by Boko Haram jihadists, struck at Shuwari Buri village, 38 kilometres from Maiduguri at around 9:20 pm (2020 GMT) on Monday. “Two of them rushed into a thatched hut and detonated their explosives, killing two brothers who had retired for the night,” he added. “The third bomber detonated her explosives among residents who had gathered … injuring seven.” The three bombers had earlier told villagers they were travellers and asked them for accommodation for the night. But they were refused on security grounds. Ibrahim Liman, a member of the civilian militia assisting the military with security, gave an identical account. Shuwari Buri is in the Konduga area, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of the Borno state cap...

http://ift.tt/2pnSMY0 Southampton's English goalkeeper Fraser Forster (L) eyes up Liverpool's English midfielder James Milner before he takes a penalty during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Southampton at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on May 7, 2017. PAUL ELLIS / AFP Liverpool’s James Milner missed a penalty as his side wasted a chance to bolster their bid to qualify for the Champions League in an uninspiring 0-0 draw with Southampton on Sunday. With rivals Arsenal and Manchester United clashing in Sunday’s late kick-off, Jurgen Klopp’s team had a golden opportunity to seize the initiative in the race for a top-four finish. But the Reds never got out of first gear at Anfield in a terrible contest best remembered for Fraser Forster’s brilliant penalty save from Liverpool skipper Milner. It was Milner’s first missed penalty since November 2009, when he was playing for Aston Villa against Bolton, and it summed up the feeling ...

http://ift.tt/2o7zo4U The party’s State Publicity Secretary, Mr Taofik Gani, told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Saturday said the party was “closing ranks” for the forthcoming council elections. Ahead of the July 22 council polls in Lagos State, the Peoples Democratic Party says it is confident that its internal wranglings will be resolved for a “good showing” at the polls. The party’s State Publicity Secretary, Mr Taofik Gani, told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Saturday said the party was “closing ranks” for the forthcoming council elections. “The factions in the party in Lagos State are resolving their differences to put up a strong showing in the election. “The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)or any other party that had ruled out the PDP’s chances will be surprised at the unity of purpose with which the party will approach the election. “We will meet them at the polls as we shall surprise them, ” he said. Gani said disagreements were normal in politics,...

http://ift.tt/2phlj1q Members of the pitch medical team carry off Manchester City's Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo on a stretcher after he got injured during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on April 27, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Oli SCARFF /  Pep Guardiola has revealed Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo will miss the rest of the season with a calf injury. Bravo, who has endured an inconsistent season since arriving from Barcelona last August, was taken off on a stretcher after sustaining the injury against Manchester United on April 27. City manager Guardiola has confirmed the problem will keep the Chilean out of his side’s remaining four Premier League matches, with Willy Caballero set to continue against Crystal Palace on Saturday, while third-choice Angus Gunn sits on the bench. However, Sergio Aguero, David Silva and John Stones are all likely to play s...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the stability in the Foreign Exchange market and other activities of the apex bank. Emefiele, who spoke to State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with the President in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, said Buhari was delighted over the stability in the forex market. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that financial experts recently confirmed that the policies of the CBN has improved dollar liquidity in the foreign exchange market. According to the CBN boss, the parallel market is currently stabilising at between N380 and N385 to a dollar. “Basically as it is expected what we normally do is from time to time to brief the President about activities about the Central Bank of Nigeria. “Particularly at this time as it relates to the efforts that the central bank is doing to stabilise the forex market. “We briefed him ...