83 feared dead as boat drifts for 27 days on Atlantic

At least 83 people, including a baby, are feared dead after a migrant boat carrying more than 100 people spent 27 days adrift in the Atlantic Ocean before being located off Spain’s Canary Islands.

Spanish Maritime Rescue teams found the vessel about 65 nautical miles southwest of Arguineguín, a coastal town on Gran Canaria.

Forty-four survivors and five dead bodies were found aboard the vessel, which is believed to have departed The Gambia in West Africa in early August.

Human rights activist and founder of the Spanish charity Caminando Fronteras, Helena Maleno Garzón, said 83 people had died during the perilous voyage.

However, Spanish Maritime Rescue said it could not independently verify how many people were originally on board.

The rescuers said the 44 survivors were men from sub-Saharan Africa.

Five bodies discovered on the boat could not be recovered because of difficult sea conditions.

“Once the rescue was complete, adverse weather conditions in the area — featuring 20-knot winds and 2.5m waves — made it impossible to recover the five bodies found on board the vessel,” Maritime Rescue said.

Three of the survivors were airlifted to hospital in critical condition, while the others were taken by sea to Gran Canaria, where they arrived in the early hours of Thursday.

The tragedy has renewed concerns over the dangers faced by migrants attempting to reach Spain through the Atlantic route from West Africa.

Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo condemned the latest deaths, saying the region could not accept the loss of lives as normal.

“It is intolerable that lives continue to be lost. The Canaries cannot get used to or accept as normal the fact that the Atlantic continues to be a death trap,” Clavijo said in a post on X.

The Atlantic migration route from West Africa to the Canary Islands is considered one of the world’s most dangerous migration crossings.

Thousands of migrants attempt the journey each year in search of safety and better economic opportunities in Europe, despite the risks posed by rough seas, strong currents, inadequate vessels and the enormous distance involved.

Many of the boats used for the crossing are poorly equipped for long journeys, leaving passengers vulnerable to dehydration, starvation, exposure and drowning when vessels lose their way or suffer mechanical problems.

Ruto orders foreign traders out of Kenya’s small businesses

Kenyan President William Ruto has ordered foreign nationals operating small-scale businesses in the country to shut down their operations, saying the move is necessary to protect local traders and hawkers.

Ruto, who made the declaration at the State House in Nairobi on Wednesday, said his administration would also fast-track legislation restricting foreigners from engaging in certain categories of small-scale trade.

“From next week, all foreign traders doing those small businesses should close them,” the President said while addressing representatives of small-scale traders.

He, however, stressed that Kenya remained open to foreign investment, arguing that foreign investors should establish businesses capable of creating jobs and expanding production rather than competing with Kenyans in petty trading.

Ruto specifically cited Chinese nationals, questioning why foreigners would travel to Kenya to operate hawking businesses and small shops.

“It cannot be that a person comes from China or elsewhere to be a hawker or open a small shop,” he said.

The President said his administration had worked to improve Kenya’s economy and investor confidence, insisting that such efforts were not intended to attract foreigners into businesses traditionally operated by Kenyans.

The exact number of foreign nationals engaged in small-scale trading in Kenya, and the number who could be affected by the proposed crackdown, remains unclear.

The announcement comes amid growing concerns over the increasing presence of migrants from other African countries in Kenya’s informal economy.

Kenya hosts about 857,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, according to government figures, with nearly 14 per cent living in urban areas.

Although Kenyan law allows refugees to work and operate businesses, they are required to obtain the necessary documentation, including special permits for employment or business activities.

Migrants from neighbouring countries are also prominent in sectors such as barbering, salons, construction, motorcycle transport, street vending and the sale of clothes, food and household goods.

Many migrants have moved to Kenya because of conflict or economic hardship in their home countries, while others benefit from the relatively free movement of people within the eight-member East African Community.

The growing competition has occasionally triggered tensions between foreign migrants and Kenyan traders, particularly over access to jobs and business opportunities.

In July, a confrontation between a Kenyan man and a Burundian trader in Nairobi sparked widespread criticism after the Kenyan accused the trader of taking opportunities meant for locals.

The incident prompted regional conflict-prevention expert Fred Ngoga to call for the protection of Burundian nationals in Kenya.

Kenya’s Foreign Ministry subsequently sought to reassure Burundians and other East Africans living in the country.

Ruto’s latest directive is expected to generate debate, particularly given Kenya’s position as a major regional economic hub and its role in promoting East African integration.

The move also comes amid growing concerns about xenophobia and anti-migrant sentiment in parts of Africa, including South Africa, where protests against undocumented migrants have intensified.

Jamaica Set to Host 20th Caribbean Week of Agriculture

More than 70 technical sessions, exhibitions, networking opportunities and a major trade show have been scheduled for the 20th Caribbean Week of Agriculture, which will take place in Jamaica from September 27 to October 2, 2026.

The event, regarded as the Caribbean’s premier agricultural gathering, will be held in Trelawny under the theme, “The New F.A.C.E of Caribbean Food Systems.” The programme will run at the Ocean Coral Springs Resort, with activities beginning with field trips on September 27.

The opening ceremony will take place later that day at the resort, with the event expected to bring together farmers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, innovators, young people, development partners and other agricultural stakeholders from across the Caribbean.

The technical programme will focus on transforming regional food systems and accelerating the implementation of CARICOM’s Vision 25 by 2025 + 5 food security strategy.

Key areas of discussion will include nutrition-smart food solutions, food as medicine, root and tuber production, fisheries and aquaculture, biogas and organic fertiliser, hydroponic fodder systems, agricultural financing and mobilisation of private capital.

Other sessions will examine resilient ruminant production, women-led agribusinesses, food security and cultural identity, as well as ways of improving the competitiveness of Caribbean agriculture.

Technology will also feature prominently at the gathering, with discussions planned on digital agriculture, digital extension services, digital trade, artificial intelligence, citizen science, climate resilience and climate-smart technologies.

Youth participation will be another major component, with sessions focusing on youth e-agriculture, agricultural land access and the role of young people in shaping the future of Caribbean agriculture.

Several ministerial forums are also scheduled, including a special meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development on Agriculture.

The event is being organised by the CARICOM Secretariat, the Government of Jamaica, regional institutions and other partners.

The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism, CARICOM Private Sector Organisation, Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organisation, World Food Programme and University of the West Indies are among the supporting organisations.

The 20th edition is expected to provide a platform for regional stakeholders to strengthen collaboration, share agricultural innovations and develop practical responses to food security and climate-related challenges.