(Bloomberg) -- Ethiopian Airlines Group said it took only a minor hit from a more than 50% plunge in the country’s currency this year, shielded by income from its international routes.

Africa’s largest carrier saw a “small impact” after authorities floated the birr in July, Chief Executive Officer Mesfin Tasew said Monday in an interview. Losses occurred when “local money in the banks was devalued” and the airline kept domestic ticket prices unchanged as a “social service,” he said, without giving figures.

The effects are limited by the fact most of Ethiopian Airlines’ passengers take international flights priced in dollars, Mesfin said on the sidelines of an aviation event in Cairo, Egypt. Going forward, Ethiopia’s move will likely be a boon for trade and the economy, he added.

The birr has lost 53.6% of its value against the US dollar since the start of 2024, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Ethiopia is also moving ahead with its plans to build a new $5 billion airport near the capital, Addis Ababa, that’s set to be the continent’s largest. Authorities have secured the location and are working on planning new homes at another site for farmers who were on the land, Mesfin said.

Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to Eritrea in early September, the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the two long-feuding neighbors that had reached a rapprochement in 2018. The state-owned carrier has said its bank accounts were suspended, meaning it couldn’t repatriate funds or pay local staff.

In the future, “there is a possibility that we may again reinstate our flight to Asmara, but we don’t know what will happen, when it is going to happen,” Mesfin said, referring to Eritrea’s capital city.

--With assistance from Fasika Tadesse.

(Bloomberg) -- Freezing Arctic weather is testing Europe’s transport and power systems, while a blizzard is hitting the Nordic region. 

There are alerts for snow and ice across a swath of France from Brittany to the southern Alps. In Switzerland, as much as 40 centimeters (16 inches) of snow is forecast above 1,600 meters, especially in Lower Valais. There are yellow warnings for snow in northern Scotland and the southwest of England.

The icy weather will force some European countries to tap gas reserves as heating demand increases. Further north in Finland, a snowstorm dubbed Jari caused power cuts and disrupted public transport across the country. 

By Thursday morning, the blizzard had left nearly 70,000 households without electricity, according to Finnish Energy, with winds on the west coast peaking at 34 meters per second. A train crashed into a fallen tree on Wednesday evening, while power lines have been brought down and roads blocked.

There are orange and yellow weather warnings along the Swedish east coast, with local media reporting up to 50 centimeters of snow expected in some places. People have been advised not to travel and thousands of homes are without power.

“A deep low pressure along Finland’s coast is causing strong gusts and the cold air is generating heavy snow fall,” Emma Harenstam, a meteorologist at Sweden’s national weather service SMHI, said on its website.

In the Mediterranean, an orange wind alert is still in place for Corsica, where port and airport operations were disrupted on Wednesday.

There are also warnings for strong winds along the west coast of Spain and the Balearic Islands.

--With assistance from Eamon Akil Farhat.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched a contactless passport renewal system, designed to simplify the application process for Nigerians at home and abroad. The system, which began on 1 November 2024, allows individuals to renew their passports online without visiting an NIS office for biometric capture or fingerprinting.

In an announcement shared on its official X platform, the NIS explained that the new service would be introduced in phases. The first phase commenced in Canada on 1 November 2024, with subsequent phases scheduled for the UK, USA, and Italy on 15 November, and Nigeria and other countries on 1 December.

“This service is exclusively for passport renewal. Applicants can complete the process from the comfort of their homes without needing to visit any NIS office,” the NIS stated in a video explainer.

The system leverages biometric databases, facial recognition, and live authentication checks to confirm applicants’ identities. Applicants aged 18 and above with existing biometric records can use the platform. First-time applicants are still required to visit NIS offices for interviews and biometric capture.

Renewals can be initiated through the NIS portal or mobile app by creating a profile, completing eligibility checks, providing identity details, uploading documents, and making payments. Renewed passports are delivered directly to applicants via courier services.

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo The Minister of Interior revealed that the system was developed by two Nigerian software companies. Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, he highlighted the Federal Government’s decision to prioritise indigenous technology for the project.

“The solution is completely indigenous. We did not go to look for foreign technology. The two companies/vendors that came together to develop the solution are Nigerian software companies,” Tunji-Ojo said.

The minister noted that the initiative is aimed at alleviating challenges faced by Nigerians in the diaspora, such as long travel distances, accommodation costs, and time off work for passport renewals.

Since its launch in Canada, the system has recorded significant uptake, with some applicants receiving their passports via courier. However, there have been delays in issuance due to the limited processing capacity of Nigerian embassies.

Tunji-Ojo clarified that the delays were not linked to the contactless system but to the embassies’ capacity constraints. For instance, the UK embassy processes about 300 applications daily despite having a backlog of over 48,000 renewal requests.

Efforts are underway to address these challenges. Advanced machines capable of printing up to 32,000 passports daily have been deployed to improve efficiency. The minister also emphasised ongoing reforms to enhance the reliability of the system.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) introduced a contactless passport renewal system to simplify the application process for Nigerians. The system allows applicants to renew their passports online without visiting NIS offices.

The phased rollout began on 1 November 2024 in Canada and extended to the UK, USA, and Italy on 15 November. By 1 December, it will be available in Nigeria and other countries, easing challenges like travel costs and time constraints for Nigerians in the diaspora while enhancing passport service efficiency globally.

Steps to apply for the contactless passport renewal

Applicants can access the new system via the NIS web portal or mobile app, available on Google Play, the App Store, and Windows Store. The process is as follows:

1. Download the app or visit the portal

Access the NIS mobile app or visit the official portal at www.passport.immigration.gov.ng.

2. Create a profile

Register using a valid email address to initiate the application process.

3. Complete the eligibility check

Take a quick test to determine if your passport qualifies for renewal.

4. Provide identity details

Enter your National Identification Number (NIN) and current passport number for verification.

5. Submit personal information

Fill in your bio-data and upload the necessary documents such as:

NIN slip Birth certificate Local government certificate

6. Capture biometric data

Use your mobile device to record your fingerprint biometrics.

7. Review and submit

Verify that all entered information is accurate before final submission.

8. Make payment

Complete the required payment online to finalise your application.

9. Wait for processing and delivery

After submission, your application will be processed, and the renewed passport will be delivered to the address provided.

Requirements for a Fresh Passport

For those applying for a new passport, the following documents are required:

For Adults:

Letter of identification from the local government or state of origin Valid staff ID card (for government employees) Completed passport application form Marriage certificate (if applicable) Birth certificate issued by the National Population Commission (for those born after December 1992) Acknowledgement slip and proof of payment

For Minors:

Completed application form and a passport-sized photograph Birth certificate issued by the National Population Commission Evidence of Nigerian citizenship of parents Letter of consent from a parent or guardian Acknowledgement slip and proof of payment

For Adopted Children:

Court order and letter of approval from the Ministry of Women and Child Development

The contactless passport renewal system leverages technology, including biometric databases and facial recognition, to verify identities. Applicants aged 18 and above with existing biometric records can use this service. First-time applicants must visit NIS offices for interviews and biometric capture.

BEIJING (AP) — China announced Friday that it would expand visa-free entry to nine more countries as it seeks to boost tourism and business travel to help revive a sluggish economy.

Starting Nov. 30, travelers from Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Estonia, Latvia and Japan will be able to enter China for up to 30 days without a visa, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

That will bring to 38 the number of countries that have been granted visa-free access since last year. Only three countries had visa-free access previously, and theirs had been eliminated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The addition of Japan appears to reflect a recent willingness on China's part to improve ties, which have soured in part over more strident talk from Tokyo on the Taiwan issue. The two countries reached a deal in September in their dispute over the release into the sea of treated but still radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Japan was one of the three countries with visa-free entry before the pandemic, and the government had repeatedly requested an early resumption, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters in Tokyo.

“We hope the visa exemption measure announced by the Chinese side will contribute to further smooth our exchanges between Japan and China,” he said.

The permitted length of stay for visa-free entry is being increased from the previous 15 days, Lin said, and people participating in exchanges will be eligible for the first time. China has been pushing people-to-people exchange between students, academics and others to try to improve its sometimes strained relations with other countries.

China strictly restricted entry during the pandemic and ended its restrictions much later than most other countries. It restored the previous visa-free access for citizens of Brunei and Singapore in July 2023, and then expanded visa-free entry to six more countries — France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia — on Dec. 1 of last year.

The program has since been expanded in tranches. Some countries have announced visa-free entry for Chinese citizens, notably Thailand, which wants to bring back Chinese tourists.

For the three months from July through September this year, China recorded 8.2 million entries by foreigners, of which 4.9 million were visa-free, the official Xinhua News Agency said, quoting a Foreign Ministry consular official.

The Associated Press

LONDON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - British police sent a bomb disposal team to London's Gatwick Airport after a suspected prohibited item was discovered in luggage, authorities said on Friday, following the earlier evacuation of a passenger terminal.
Sussex Police, the local force, said a security cordon would remain in place while the matter is dealt with.
Gatwick, Britain's second busiest airport which is located about 30 miles south of London, said earlier it had evacuated a large part of its South terminal, citing a security incident.

"Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20am on Friday following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage," Sussex Police said in a statement.

"As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport."
Airport authorities said on X that passengers were being kept out of the building while the incident was ongoing, while police said there was significant traffic disruption in the area and advised people to avoid it.

By Andra Timu and Irina Vilcu

(Bloomberg) -- Romania and Bulgaria secured a deal that paves the way for full access to the European Union’s vast passport-free travel almost two decades after joining the bloc.

The two Balkan states signed an agreement on Friday with Austria, the lone holdout that had blocked accession over concerns about migration, Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said on X. It was signed by the three countries’ interior ministers after a meeting in Budapest, in an accord brokered by Hungary, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

Romania and Bulgaria, which joined the bloc in 2007, have been waiting ever since to fully access the so-called Schengen area, which Europeans regularly cite as one of the biggest benefits of EU membership and a major boon to trade and investment.

Their entry, likely at some point next year, will come as the passport-free area is challenged by increasingly nationalistic governments looking to stem migrant flows. Germany in September imposed temporary border controls as part of a crackdown against irregular migration, a move slammed by its EU peers. 

EU states softened their position on Schengen expansion last year by allowing the two Balkan countries admission in the areas of air and shipping travel from March of this year. But border controls remained in place for those transiting via road and rail — causing long queues at the borders and a financial hit. 

Bulgaria and Romania expect Schengen admission to significantly boost their economies. The two governments previously estimated the cost of continued exclusion from Schengen’s land access at between 2% to 5% of gross domestic product annually.

Officials in Bucharest and Sofia won over their Austrian counterparts by pledging to bolster border protection and curb migration. 

Under pressure from the far-right Freedom Party, Chancellor Karl Nehammer had put immigration at the top of the agenda during close parliamentary elections this fall. He relented with the election out of the way and as his People’s Party seeks to form a coalition with two centrist parties that would sideline the far-right. The Netherlands had already dropped its earlier objection.

Bulgaria and Romania still need to wait for a final vote in the EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Council before their Schengen accession becomes official.

--With assistance from Slav Okov, Marton Eder and Patrick Van Oosterom.

The number of Nigerian students enrolling into US higher institutions have increased every year for more than a decade except in the 2020/2021 academic year due to COVID.

byQosim Suleiman

The number of Nigerian students enrolled in higher institutions in the United States (US) has increased by 13.5 per cent in the 2023/2024 academic year compared to the previous 2021/2022 academic session.

According to the figure released by the United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria in its Open Door report on International Education Exchange, 20,029 Nigerian students enrolled in the just concluded academic year (2023/2024), up from 14,438 last year.

“This places Nigeria as Africa’s leading source of international students and 7th globally,” said the report shared with PREMIUM TIMES.

Nigerian students in the US

The number of Nigerian students enrolling into US higher institutions have increased every year for more than a decade. The only decline recorded between the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic years was attributed to the COVID19 to vaccination protocols imposed by some of the institutions.

Nigeria has now moved three places –from 10th to 7th– in the list of countries with the highest number of international students in the US.

This year, Nigeria has more international students in the US than Mexico, Brazil and Saudi Arabia. Each of the countries had more students in the US than Nigeria did last year.

International students in the US

The report reveals that US colleges and universities host a “record-breaking” 1,126,690 international students this year, marking an all-time high for international enrollment.

“This milestone aligns with the 75th anniversary of the Open Doors Report, the leading benchmark for international educational exchange in the United States,” it stated.

The report noted that Nigerian students bring a wealth of diversity, perspectives, and academic excellence to US universities, enriching the educational experience for all students. 

“Nigerian scholars are known for their strong academic backgrounds and commitment to advanced education, with over 55% pursuing graduate-level studies in the United States,” the report added.

It noted that the growth in Nigerian students choosing to study in the US reflects both the strong US commitment to high-quality education and the growing interest of Nigerian scholars in international academic experiences.

“It also highlights the importance of people-to-people connections that deepen understanding and strengthen bonds between Nigeria and the United States,” it added.

“Sub-Saharan Africa’s student mobility grew by 13% in 2023/24, maintaining its position as the fastest-growing region for the second year, following an 18% increase in 2022/23. The influx of Nigerian students is a testament to the robust educational ties between the US and Nigeria.”

Nigeria ranked sixth among 54 countries in the African Development Bank (AfDB) and African Union’s 2024 African Visa Openness Index (AVOI) report.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AVOI tracks visa-openness on African continent and how easy it is for African citizens to travel to other African countries

“Visa openness refers to the ease with which travellers can obtain authorisation to travel to and enter a country, pending final determination by the destination immigration officials.

“The more visa-open a country, the easier it is for a traveller to visit that country.

“There are different degrees of visa openness.

“A more visa-open country has a generally more liberal or relaxed visa policy for visitors, meaning that visitors either do not need a visa to enter its territory or can obtain a visa upon arrival,’’ the report said.

According to the report, Benin, the Gambia, Rwanda, and the Seychelles continued to occupy the top spot on the AVOI in 2024.

It said: “Sixteen of the top-20 ranked countries are located in West and Eastern Africa in equal parts, eight in West Africa and eight in East Africa.

“North Africa is represented by one country (Mauritania), while Southern Africa accounts for three countries, namely Madagascar, Mauritius, and Mozambique.

“Eighteen of the top-20 countries on the AVOI are classified as either lower-middle-income or low-income countries, suggesting that lower-income countries are often more embracing of liberal visa regimes.”

It said several higher-income countries had continued to maintain restrictive visa regimes, perhaps owing to concerns that visa openness would incentivise inbound travel for purely economic reasons or create pathways to irregular migration

YENAGOA, Nigeria, Nov 26 (Reuters) - At least five people were killed and 20 others are missing after a speedboat struck a submerged log and capsized in Nigeria's southern state of Delta, a police spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The incident happened on Friday in the remote Gbaramatu Kingdom of the state's Warri South-West district.
Emergency responders are still conducting a search and rescue operation to find the 20 missing people. Six survivors are receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Reporting by Tife Owolabi in Yenagoa; Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo, editing by Ed Osmond