Good morning, everyone!
Today, we will look at U.S. politics, the war in Ukraine, and other news spanning each continent.
Let’s get to it.
Africa
-Tunisia’s central bank left its benchmark interest rate steady on Friday. The bank had slashed rates in March for the first time in five years as policymakers faced pressure from authoritarian President Kais Saied.
Separately, the Bank of Mozambique cut the Southeast African nation’s rate amid cooling inflation.
-Botswana’s government is expected to slash its economic growth projection for 2025 amid a downturn in the global diamond industry.
The southern African country is the world’s largest producer of the mineral.
Separately, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects the country’s economy to contract by 0.4% this year.
-The African Development Bank announced that it would launch a carbon markets support facility for the 54-nation continent.
-At least 200 people have died from heavy flooding that struck Nigeria’s north-central state of Niger over the weekend.
Other Links:
Tanzanian politician's lawyers ask UN to declare his detention arbitrary - Reuters
Kenyan and Ugandan activists say they were sexually assaulted in Tanzania - Reuters
Sudan's new PM dissolves government one day after taking office - Africa News
South Africa’s shares boom amid global trade turmoil - Semafor
Bill Gates says most of the $200 billion he's pledged to donate will go to Africa - CBS
Americas and the Caribbean
-Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with the country’s 10 premiers yesterday in Saskatoon. The leaders pledged to accelerate energy and mining projects in a bid to cut reliance on the United States amid strained bilateral ties.
-Chilean President Gabriel Boric pledged to decarbonize his country’s economy during a three-hour speech to lawmakers.
-Cuba’s foreign ministry accused the top U.S. diplomat stationed in the Caribbean nation of “interventionist” and “disrespectful conduct.”
-The Russian government has used Brazil as an “assembly line for deep-cover operatives,” according to a report in The New York Times.
-People across Latin America favor closer economic ties with China, according to a new survey. The data comes amid intense U.S.-China rivalry in the region.
-Canada’s economy expanded by 2.2% in the first quarter, compared to the same period a year earlier, beating expectations.
Other Links:
Mexico’s president defends first judicial election despite low turnout and democratic criticism - AP
Mexican authorities seize more than 3 million liters of stolen fuel - Reuters
Argentina objects to EU's deforestation “standard” risk rating - MercoPress
Ecuador apologizes to plantation workers who were exposed to ‘modern slavery’ conditions - AP
Peru reduces Nazca Lines park by 42%, raising concerns over environmental and heritage risks - AP
Asia/Indo-Pacific
-South Korea will hold a snap presidential election today.
Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung has consistently led his conservative opponent, People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo, in the run-up to the vote.
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