Morocco, China, South Africa.

Today's three stories you should know.

Jun 22, 2023

Morocco

Another day, more desperate people drowning in the ocean. More than 30 people are believed dead after a boat sank between Morocco and Spain’s Canary Islands, according to two aid groups. Although more people try to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean, the Atlantic route is particularly deadly. At least 543 people died or went missing on that journey in 2022, according to the UN's International Organisation for Migration. Experts, though, say the true number is much higher because data is hard to obtain and many boats go missing without ever being detected.

China

China’s President Xi Jinping has ordered an investigation into an explosion at a barbecue restaurant that killed 31 people and wounded seven others. Nine people have already been arrested, including the restaurant’s owners, state media reported. Officials have blamed the disaster on a leak of cooking gas. Xi also said a safety campaign needed to be launched given how common gas and chemical explosions are in the country despite years of official attempts to improve safety standards.

South Africa

An interesting read in Al Jazeera today on the recent “peace mission” undertaken by four African leaders to Ukraine and Russia. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who led the effort, has been criticised by some at home for embarking on what his opponents call a vanity trip and an attempt to distract from domestic politics. Several African nations have adopted a neutral stance on the war, refusing to be drawn into taking sides. This piece explores the geopolitics behind that.