Latest news with #northAfrican
Irish Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish tourists brutally attacked in Italy by gang of north African youths
Two Irish tourists are recovering after they suffered brutal attacks while on holiday in Italy. One of the men suffered a broken jaw in the attacks in the Sicilian city of Palermo, cops have revealed. Officers believe the pair were targeted in separate attacks in the same area and within a short time of each other They said they were attacked by a gang of north African youths late last week, although details have only now emerged. The men suffered their separate ordeals in the Vucciria area, close to the city port. Cops rushed to the scene after witnesses raised the alarm and found one Irish victim disoriented on the ground. Four hours later, they found the second victim in an alleyway a few hundred yards away. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week He was incoherent and had sustained a broken jaw. Both men were treated in hospital for their injuries, before being discharged. It's understood they have now left the Italian island. There has been an upsurge in attacks on tourists in the area in recent weeks – with 10 being targeted. There have been no arrests, but Italian police are investigating. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Daily Maverick
7 days ago
- General
- Daily Maverick
Chicken and red fig tagine with almonds and raisins
Choose a main ingredient. Choose a pot. Decide what else would go with it. Check the cupboards. This is how recipes are formed. It's been a while since I used my tagine, the Moroccan cooking vessel with a conical lid that collects the fragrant vapours and drips them down again. In this sense, it has something in common with our humble potjie (three-legged cast-iron pot). But this recipe was conceived when I opened a packet in a cupboard and wondered what was in it. It was the dried red figs I'd bought in Calitzdorp, Klein Karoo, a few months ago. My mind went to the tagine on a dresser in the front dining room, then to chicken. A recipe was born. But this needed more. More fruit. And nuts. In the end, I bought a 100g packet of pitted raisins, and some whole almonds. These would be toasted and scattered on top when serving. But I was feeling adventurous, so I made my own harissa paste too. This is not necessarily Moroccan – more Tunisian, although it can generally be thought of as a north African condiment. It is made chiefly of red chillies and garlic, with seed spices such as cumin, coriander, fennel and sometimes caraway. A whole red pepper is the centrifuge of it, if you like, the background force that holds it all together, along with olive oil. Citrus, usually lemon, is sometimes added. I left out the citrus, because I knew that I was not going to be using all of it – I only needed two tablespoons, in fact. The rest is now in the fridge. It consists of: a red pepper, 20 red chillies, 20 garlic cloves, one red onion, ground cumin, fennel and coriander seeds, and olive oil. The reason I honed it down to these is because it means I can add it to all sorts of curries. Or to stews for a bit of a kick. Citrus would get in the way of that, altering a curry's flavour profile. It remains a traditional harissa paste however, because citrus and caraway aren't requisite ingredients in one. But that's not the whole story. I also made a simple mix of ground spices – cumin, fennel, ginger, cayenne pepper, paprika, turmeric, coriander, black pepper – to rub onto the chicken portions before frying them at the start of the cooking process. And a cinnamon stick went in too. To start with, I fried the chicken thighs in De Rustica Olive Estate's hand-harvested cold extracted medium extra virgin olive oil, which I keep near the stove and grab it at will when cooking. It comes in a one-litre cylindrical box with a tap, like a tall, round wine box. I see online that it retails for R310. Any 'evoo' today is an indulgence with a scary price, so I just use it sparingly. Sort of. Finally, I toasted raw almonds in a dry pan to enliven them, and scattered them on top before serving, with some chopped coriander leaves. Tony's chicken and dried red fig tagine with almonds and raisins (Serves 4) Ingredients For the harissa: 1 heaped Tbsp each of these seeds: coriander, fennel and cumin 1 medium red onion, chopped 1 large red pepper, diced 20 garlic cloves, crushed, husks removed 20 red chillies, whole 100 ml olive oil For the spice mix: ½ tsp each of ground cumin, fennel, ginger, cayenne pepper, paprika, turmeric, coriander, black pepper For the tagine: 8 chicken thighs, skin on All of the above spice mix 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 red onion, chopped 1 cinnamon stick 5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 2 cups chicken stock 2 Tbsp harissa paste 16 dried red figs, whole 100 g seeded raisins (not counting the 5 you munch before putting them in the pot) Salt to taste 2 cups couscous 50 g roasted whole almonds, toasted A small handful coriander leaves, finely chopped, for garnish Method Make your harissa paste: Trim the red pepper and red onion and chop up roughly. Trim the stems off the chillies. Crush the garlic with the flat end of a heavy knife and discard the husks. Leave the cloves whole. Add the seeds to a dry pan and toast over a moderate heat until they begin to smoke, then turn off the heat. Process them to a powder in a grinder or with mortar and pestle. Put everything in a food processor, pour in the olive oil and blend until as fine as it will ever be. There will be a little texture at the end. Mix your spices for the chicken: the ground cumin, fennel, ginger, cayenne pepper, paprika, turmeric, coriander and black pepper. For the tagine: Pat the chicken pieces dry. Rub the spice mix onto all sides of the chicken portions. Heat olive oil in the tagine base on a moderate heat and, when hot, add the chicken thighs. Brown well on all sides. Add the chopped red onion, cinnamon stick and garlic cloves. Stir 2 Tbsp harissa paste into the chicken stock and pour it in. Add (to the tagine) the dried red figs and raisins, salt to taste, bring to a boil, and reduce to a gentle simmer. Put the lid on, as always when cooking in a tagine. Leave it to cook gently for about half an hour, for the chicken portions to be cooked all the way through. Before serving, toast the almonds and set aside, then make the couscous. Measure 2 cups of couscous and add to a bowl. Pour in the same quantity of hot (not boiling) water. Stir and leave it for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Spoon the couscous onto plates, add the chicken, fruit and sauce from the tagine, scatter almonds over and sprinkle with coriander. DM Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the Year award, in 2021 and 2023.
The Journal
14-07-2025
- The Journal
Behind the scenes: Ships delivering drugs to Ireland are making drop-offs in other countries first
CARGO SHIPS DELIVERING large amounts of cocaine and other drugs to Ireland are suspected of making deliveries off the coast of Spain and Africa before coming to Irish shores, The Journal has learned. The ships, which are colloquially called motherships, meet smaller vessels off the coast and transfer the drugs in a process known as 'coopering'. Sources have said that there is growing evidence that the drug ship, the MV Matthew , the site of Ireland's biggest ever drug seizure, may have made a drop-off at the Canary Islands before moving on towards Ireland in September 2023. It is believed that a shipment of drugs last week may have performed a similar delivery off the coast of Spain, having travelled from South America before coming up towards Ireland. The transport of the huge quantities of drugs – there was an estimated €157 million worth of cocaine on board the MV Matthew – involves, for the most part, legitimate ships that are bringing goods or raw materials to Europe. Security sources have told The Journal that they are seeing a massive spike in intelligence analysis identifying corrupt crew members who are facilitating the trade. Sources said not all of the crew on the ships transporting large amounts of drugs, who are generally low-paid workers, are aware of the illegal cargo, but that there are some sailors on these ships arriving into Ireland that have done deals with drug cartels. Sources said some of the ships have tacit approval from captains and shipping companies for drug cartel operatives to travel on the voyage across the Atlantic. A pattern has been spotted where these people are listed as having unusual and extremely specific jobs such as air conditioning specialists – they are also listed aboard as ill-defined as cleaners. On the MV Matthew, a man called Cumali Ozgen was listed as a cook and cleaner for the ship, but was in reality a major player in the cartel that organised the transport of the drugs. Rather than staying with other low-level employees on the ship during the voyage, he was in a plush pilot cabin next to the bridge to monitoring proceedings. Ozgen was born in Turkey but had moved to the Netherlands, where it is suspected that he had connections to an Iranian/Dutch and north African gang. He got the biggest sentence last week out of the eight men who got jail terms for their role on the MV Matthew, receiving 20 years. The MV Matthew mothership in Cork Harbour. Niall O'Connor / The Journal Niall O'Connor / The Journal / The Journal Outlier The MV Matthew was an outlier: sources have said that the vast majority of shipments coming into Ireland with large-scale quantities of drugs are onboard ships that are also carrying legitimate cargo. The Matthew was bought solely to carry the drugs to Ireland. In one incident in which drugs were allegedly found onboard a ship arriving at a location on the west coast of Ireland last year, the drugs were found by Customs officers and gardaí in a room inside the crew quarters after a missed drop-off. Advertisement Maritime intelligence experts and gardaí monitoring the activities of the suspected ships have spotted a number of patterns. One of those is that they are able to identify the moment when smugglers 'spoof' their GPS location data, by assessing ship tracking data. This 'spoofing' is where a technological solution is used to mask the real location of the ship and to display another location. It was notably used by the crew of the MV Matthew when it was loading the drugs onto the ship at Venezuela in 2023. It is understood that it did something similar off the coast of Spain. Ireland and Spain are not the only targets with African countries such as Senegal and Cape Verde also being used as delivery points. The drugs then go either by another ship or are taken by land to cross into Europe. Sources have said Irish involvement in a European naval mission to the area was considered but it did not materialise. The US coastguard and European navies have been off the African coast monitoring the movements of suspected drug ships. Instead the European Union is donating €12m to the Cape Verde military. Spain's national police and other agencies claimed in June that they had dismantled a criminal network involved in trafficking drugs from South America to the Canary Islands. The stunning coast at Cruzinha da Garca, Santo Antao, Cape Verde. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Finding the ships Intelligence officials here and in agencies such as MAOC-N in Portugal have used a number of methods to identify ships that are suspicious. This includes the traditional intelligence gathered from human sources, known as HUMINT, not just here in Ireland but also abroad. Analysts are also used to examine changes in ownership and the movements of ships. They also marry open source intelligence with criminal activity assessments gathered from European and US-based agencies to identify ships coming from South America to Europe that may be carrying drugs. Analysts also try to establish which ships are owned by legitimate companies and those that are owned by shell or front companies that are in effect fake entities set up by organised crime gangs. These shipping fronts can have multiple different entities controlling them, and analysts have to check back through other companies to find the actual owners. In some cases, sources said, there are distinct connections between the renaming of a vessel and companies that have been sanctioned. These companies or individual ships have been identified as being involved with the so-called Shadow Fleet. The Shadow Fleet is about 500 ships worldwide involved in smuggling of oil and gas from Russia. The Journal has confirmed that the Irish Naval Service is monitoring these ships travelling up the west coast of Ireland on a regular basis. Sources have said that while the ships involved in the smuggling are not specifically classified as Shadow Fleet, they are mimicking the methods used by the Russian smugglers to ferry drugs. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Fleet-footed' Foden impresses at Club World Cup
Manchester City stepped into a new era at the revamped Fifa Club World Cup - but it was one of their old boys who stole the show in Philadelphia. Academy star Phil Foden struggled for form and fitness last season, but scored the opener and assisted Jeremy Doku in City's Group G opener. Advertisement "A new season, fresh me," he told Channel 5 afterwards. "Looking forward to the season now. "[The tournament is] very important, not just for me, but all the players. It is important to get your sharpness now in this big competition. "Playing for a club like City, there are expectations to perform in every game. I've been used to that pressure. Last season was a bit rough for all of us, but it is about going again this season." Foden was fleet-footed on the ball, occupying pockets of spaces outside the box and looking to dictate the tempo as a lot of City's play against the north African side went through him. Advertisement At the end of last season, Foden revealed he had been carrying an ankle injury. He also felt it may be better for him to miss out on the competition in the United States in order to fully recover. However, his opener - the competition's fastest goal so far - had the hallmarks of a player who had regained his confidence, taking a touch and caressing a fine finish into the far corner. "Happy with the performance and happy with the three points," added Foden. "I stayed alive, and the ball fell to me. I put it away nicely, so I am happy." Read the full article here [BBC] Foden looks refreshed and rejuvenated, finding freedom in 'Philly' and stepping up in the first game of the post-Kevin de Bruyne era. Advertisement Questions will be asked about how City replace the legendary Belgian midfielder, who has signed for Napoli on a free transfer, but Guardiola may have the perfect answer in Foden. In total, he had 54 touches of the ball against Wydad Casablanca before being substituted on the hour mark for Rodri - and became the first Englishman to score in multiple editions of the Club World Cup.
Daily Record
12-06-2025
- Daily Record
Ryanair warns passengers after hundreds miss flights amid airport chaos
The budget airline has issued a stark warning to passengers as Portugal experiences airport chaos with more than 270 passengers missing their flights in the last two weeks Ryanair has issued a stern warning to holidaymakers following travel turmoil at several Portuguese airports, leaving hundreds stranded at departure gates. The budget airline reported that over the past fortnight, more than 270 passengers have missed their flights due to lengthy queues and severe understaffing at border control. The most significant delays are being experienced at Faro, Lisbon and Porto airports, with wait times reportedly extending up to an astonishing two and a half hours. In a statement released on Monday, Ryanair condemned the situation as "completely unacceptable", urging Portugal's new government to address the staffing crisis. "In just the past two weeks, over 270 passengers missed their flights at these airports due to excessive delays caused by understaffed border controls," the airline stated. The problem began to intensify around 26 May, with the airline cautioning that families, including those travelling with young children, were getting caught in the chaos. The issue is particularly severe during morning peak hours, when passenger numbers surge and border posts are overwhelmed, reports the Mirror. Ryanair blamed airport operator ANA for failing to adequately prepare for the annual summer travel influx. The statement continued, "The new government should take urgent measures to ensure that border control at Portuguese airport is duly equipped with resources. " It also emphasised the urgency for proactive measures to avert further turmoil as the busy season approaches, "especially during the morning rush hour, in order to avoid unnecessary delays and more people unfairly missing their flights". Neal McMahon, Operations Director at Ryanair, termed the current circumstances as "unsustainable," cautioning of an escalation in problems as passenger numbers soar in the summer. Portugal's Minister of Infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, recently attempted to quell rising anxieties by assuring that issues with border controls would be "resolved within two weeks". The PSP police force has committed to introducing 500 additional officers to fortify airport security and manage border checks in Lisbon, Porto, Madeira, and the Azores starting from July. An initiative for immediate reinforcements at Faro Airport, where the situation has been especially severe, is already in motion. Travellers planning trips to or via Portugal are urged to allot extra time for airport arrival to avoid potentially missing their flights. This development unfolds as travel agencies have observed a significant number of UK holiday-goers opting for north African destinations over customary European retreats. The lure seems to be the region's abundance of competitively priced high-quality accommodation compared to costlier options in traditional holiday spots like Spain, France, and Italy. North African nations including Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia are witnessing a surge in visitors from the UK. According to aviation analysts Cirium, an estimated 19,847 flights are expected to operate from UK airports to these countries this year, more than double the 8,653 flights recorded in 2019. In contrast, the number of flights to Spain and Portugal is predicted to rise by just 10 per cent and 9 per cent respectively over the same period.
