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  • Libya and Italy to set up joint operations to tackle migrant smuggling

    Libya’s UN-backed government has entered into an agreement with Italy to establish a joint operations room for tackling migrant smugglers and traffickers.

    The agreement was announced after a meeting in Tripoli between the head of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Seraj, Libyan Interior Minister Aref Khodja, and his Italian counterpart Marco Minniti.

    While no details were given as to where the center would be located and how it would work, Seraj’s office said the center would consist of representatives from the coastguard, the illegal migration department, the Libyan attorney general, and the intelligence services, along with their Italian counterparts.

    Libya is the main gateway for migrants trying to cross to Europe by sea, though numbers have dropped sharply since July as Libyan factions and authorities have begun to block departures under Italian pressure. More than 600,000 migrants have made the journey over the past four years.

    More pressure mounted on the Libyan authorities when CNN released footage that appeared to show African migrants being sold as slaves in Libya. Protests in Europe and Africa caused the UN backed Libyan government to promise action including investigating reports of slavery and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

    The United Nations migration agency IOM is currently repatriating migrants back to their home countries, helping up to 13,000 to return voluntarily to Nigeria, Guinea and other countries from Libya this year. It provides them with transport and pocket money and documents their often harrowing testimonies.

    The agency recently blasted social media giants Facebook for not doing enough to prevent use of their platforms by the people smugglers.

    The Italian navy already has a presence in Tripoli port, providing “technical” assistance to Libya’s coastguard, according to Italian and Libyan officials.

    The coastguard, which is receiving funding and training from the European Union, has become more assertive in recent months in intercepting migrants and bringing them back to Libya.

    According to Saturday’s statement, Seraj told Minniti that “despite the successes achieved in the migration file, the number of illegal immigrants outside shelters remains large and we need more cooperation, especially in securing the borders of southern Libya through which these migrants flow”.

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  • Leekens urges Algeria to avoid Zimbabwe trap

     

    Algeria's Riyad Mahrez (centre) is expected to be one of the star players in Gabon along with Senegal's Sadio Mané (right) and Gabon skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.Reuters/Montage/RFI

    Georges Leekens tapped into more than 30 years in the dugout to warn his players about the dangers of taking on so-called "underdogs". Leekens, 67, leads Algeria into the 2017 Cup of Nations seeking their second title. They face Zimbabwe in their opening game in Group B on Sunday in Franceville.

    Algeria, according to the Fifa rankings, should beat Zimbabwe. There are more than 60 places between the countries.

    But Leekens, who started his coaching career in 1984 with Cercle Brugge in Belgium, said he ignored such prognostics.

    CAN 2017 - WHAT MATCHES ARE WHERE?
    Click on the crosses to find CAN matches

     

    "I view our game against Zimbabwe as a tough challenge. We need to apply our minds 100 percent to how we are going to conquer Zimbabwe.

    “The first match of a tournament is always important. Zimbabwe are a good side but we’ve worked hard and are in a good state of mind.”

    Group B has been reduced to a three way fight between Senegal – the current top ranked African team - Tunisia and Algeria, who are rated fourth and fifth respectively.

    Zimbabwe, who are 30th in the lists, had an unsettled prelude to the event in Gabon. The players and the Zimbabwe Football Association rowed over fees and bonuses for appearing at the tournament for the first time in 11 years.

    "I know they had some pre-tournament problems,” said Leekens who coached Algeria in 2003. “But the Cup of Nations history is littered with teams who have defied off-field problems to succeed. Zimbabwe travelled to Cameroon and drew 1-1 in a warm-up match. That was an impressive result.”

    Thinking about Zimbabwe

    Algeria enter the tournament with their own set of formidable weapons. Riyad Mahrez was anointed African footballer of the year just before the Cup of Nations for his stellar performances with Leicester City as they defied the odds to win the English Premier League title in 2016.

    Mahrez, 25, was born in France but opted for the land of his father and he will be one of the keys to Algerian success along with his Leicester City teammate Islam Slimani.

    "All the Algerian media and public are talking about is Senegal and Tunisia," added Leekens, who coached Tunisia for a year just before rejoining Algeria. "But I am thinking only of Zimbabwe.”

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  • Trump call for budget cuts sparks new shutdown fears

     

     
    President Donald Trump

     

    Trump call for budget cuts sparks new shutdown fears

    President Donald Trump will make a cost-cutting opening budget offer Monday that will dismiss hopes for a grand budget deal and likely stoke fresh fears of another government shutdown.

    Trump will put on paper what the White House has already prepared lawmakers to receive — an audacious plan for sucking 5 percent from the budgets of non-military arms of the federal government, while using an accounting trick to bust beyond set spending limits for defense programs. The 5 percent would be below the fiscal 2019 budget limits for domestic agencies.

    Trump in his budget request also is expected to rekindle partisan feuds over the border wall, project robust economic growth above 3 percent, take longer to balance the books than Republicans have advocated in the past and pay for a new Space Force within the Air Force.

    Although the request is merely a messaging document, the president’s posture will contribute to apprehension about a government shutdown, some seven months before federal funding runs out again on Sept. 30.

    On Capitol Hill, even Republicans are saying the president will need to come to the realization that the GOP must give some ground this year to Democrats, who hold the House majority and 47 seats in the Senate. But the Trump administration wants to hold fast to its mission to slash spending.

    “Congress wants an automatic big-spending deal, and now they’re upset because they lost their favorite talking point that the president’s budget assumes a caps increase,” a senior administration official speaking on background said Saturday, referring to an increase in budget limits set eight years ago. “Congress hasn’t grappled with their spending addiction since 2011, and the administration is forcing the conversation before the debt crisis worsens.”

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  • Attaque à Ouagadougou: témoignages et réactions de Burkinabè

    Par RFI Publié le 14-08-2017 Modifié le 14-08-2017 à 16:13

    Quelques heures après la fin de l’attaque qui a frappé la capitale du Burkina Faso, faisant 18 victimes, les témoignages et réactions de Burkinabè affluent. Entre résignation, peur, révolte et fierté de la réaction des Ouagalais face à ce nouvel acte terroriste : témoignages sur place.

    « C’est vraiment douloureux. On ne sait pas comment on va faire. En tout cas, ça fait mal. » Quelques heures seulement après la fin de l’attaque lancée contre le café Aziz-Istanbul, dans le centre de Ouagadougou, les Burkinabè sont encore sous le choc.

    L’attaque, qui n’a pour l’instant pas été revendiquée, a fait au moins 18 victimes civiles. Deux assaillants ont été tués par les forces de l’ordre, selon les autorités burkinabè. « Cela commence à devenir très inquiétant. D’autant plus que c’est pratiquement au même endroit que les événements passés », note un Ouagalais au micro de RFI.

    « On avait cru qu’avec les attaques de janvier 2016, la sécurité serait beaucoup plus renforcée sur les lieux, parce que tout le monde sait que c’est l’un des endroits les plus fréquentés de la capitale. Il y avait beaucoup de monde, c’était le week-end. On ne s’imaginait pas qu’on vivrait encore une pareille expérience, une douloureuse expérience, encore quelques mois après. »

    « Ce sont nos propres citoyens qui se radicalisent »

    L’attaque menée la nuit dernière par des hommes armés a ciblé un café qui se situe à quelques centaines de mètres seulement des lieux de l’attaque de janvier 2016 sur le café Capuccino, lors de laquelle 30 personnes avaient été tuées.

    « N’importe qui peut être un terroriste », s’inquiète un autre riverain de ce quartier central de la capitale. Pour lui, « on ne peut pas accuser qui que ce soit, aussi bien les autorités ou les forces armées et de sécurité » face à cette nouvelle attaque.

    « Les terroristes ont pris du terrain et généralement ce sont nos propres citoyens qui se radicalisent », estime-t-il, plaidant pour « continuer à sensibiliser les populations » afin de favoriser la remontée d’informations aux autorités sur les radicalisations éventuelles.

    Cela commence à devenir très inquiétant. (...) On croyait qu'avec les attaques de janvier 2016, la sécurité était renforcée sur les lieux, tout le monde sait que c'est l'un des endroits les plus fréquentés de la capitale.
    Attaque de Ouagadougou : réactions de Burkinabè
    14-08-2017

    « Ils peuvent venir attaquer devant ta porte »

    Autre témoin des faits : Esaie. Ce jeune entrepreneur ouagalais était justement en train de quitter l’avenue Nkouma, où se trouve le café Aziz-Istanbul, au moment où l’attaque a démarré. Il avait déjà vécu l'attaque contre le Capuccino en janvier dernier. Il dit avoir eu moins peur cette fois que la précédente.

    « J’avais ce sentiment de révolte et de patriotisme, j’avais même pas envie de rentrer. J’avais un courage inédit », affirme le jeune homme, qui a tenu à rester sur place pour suivre les opérations du plus près qu’il le pouvait. Loin de se dire résigné, Esaie dit ne pas vouloir changer ses habitudes, malgré la récurrence des attaques. « Ce n’est pas une question de changer le comportement. C’est le fait d’être un peu vigilant. Hier, ils ont attaqué là-bas. En janvier, c’était là-bas. Mais tu ne sais pas demain où ils peuvent attaquer. Ils peuvent venir attaquer devant ta porte ».

    « On entendait les rafales et les explosions »

    Quand il a eu l’information sur les tirs, Samska, artiste de reggae qui est aussi l’un des membres fondateurs du mouvement citoyen Balai citoyen, a immédiatement rejoint quelques amis à proximité de l’hôtel Splendid, tout près du lieu de l’attaque.

    « Quand il y a une situation comme cela, on se demande qui, et pourquoi », explique l'activiste. Posté non loin des lieux de l’attaque, Samska a vu le dispositif sécuritaire se mettre en place. « On entendait les rafales et les explosions, ce n’était pas simple à vivre », rapporte-t-il. Mais ce qui a le plus marqué l’artiste engagé, c’est la mobilisation qu’il a vue se mettre en place autour des lieux de l’attaque. « Il y a des membres du gouvernement qui sont venus, des policiers et des militaires qui étaient là. Il y avait de la solidarité sur le terrain, et ça, ça m’a vraiment marqué : que des anciens rejoignent les jeunes », rapporte Samska.

    « Tout autour, il y a des jeunes des pâtés [de maisons] environnants qui se sont rapprochés, au cas où quelqu’un tente de s’enfuir : qu’ils puissent le signaler », raconte-t-il également, saluant l’émergence de « ce type de citoyens ». Et de saluer le fait que « tout le monde soit en alerte et que l’on ne se laisse pas prendre par la panique ».

    Chronologie et chiffres clés
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  • Togo's Gnassingbe and Guinea's Conde start Liberia mediation effort

    Embattled president of Togo Faure Gnassingbe and his Guinean counterpart Alpha Conde have entered Liberia’s political standoff ‘acting in a mediatory role,’ the AFP news agency has reported.

    Conde is in the team in his capacity as Chairman of the African Union (A.U.) whiles Faure is participating as leader of the regional political bloc of heads of state, ECOWAS.

    The Togolese leader confirmed via his official Twitter handle that the team had met with Liberian leader Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in order to discuss ways to complete the presidential polls in peace and in the interest of all parties. Reports indicate that they have also held talks with key members.

    The Liberian situation is currently at a stage where chances of the November 7 presidential run-off taking place is increasingly becoming slim. The country’s top court has halted the polls until it considers a challenge to first round results by a losing candidate who has alleged fraud.

    Third-place finisher Charles Brumskine’s Liberty Party contested the results of last month’s vote, which set up the run-off between former soccer star George Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai.

    The election is meant to usher in Liberia’s first democratic transition since 1944, after periods of military rule and civil war that ended in 2003.

    Faure who took over the ECOWAS Chairperson post from outgoing Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has political issues back home where an opposition coalition is pushing for him to step down immediately.

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