Author: Tunde

Madagascar on Saturday marks one year since military leader Michael Randrianirina assumed power after weeks of protests led by young activists that resulted in the ousting of President Andry Rajoelina. Over the past year, ties with Russia have strengthened, especially through military cooperation and arms deliveries, as researchers note Moscow’s interest in securing a strategic port in the Indian Ocean. However, many of the political reforms demanded by demonstrators remain unaddressed. Randrianirina was sworn in on 17 October 2025, following protests that demanded access to water and electricity, as well as greater justice and transparency. Russia moved quickly to establish…

De Nederlandse drugscrimineel Jos Leijdekkers, beter bekend als Bolle Jos, heeft volgens onderzoek van The Guardian Sierra Leone veranderd in een narcostaat. De krant beschrijft hoe Leijdekkers zijn invloed heeft uitgebreid door honderden militairen, politiemensen en andere functionarissen om te kopen. De vrees groeit dat ook andere landen in West-Afrika steeds verder verstrikt raken in de internationale cocaïnehandel. Afrika-correspondent Sophie van Leeuwen ondervond de invloed van Bolle Jos zelf toen ze tijdens haar zoektocht naar de voortvluchtige drugscrimineel werd opgepakt in Sierra Leone. Volgens haar werken veiligheidsdiensten en politici mee aan zijn bescherming. Leijdekkers zou naar verluidt 150 miljoen dollar…

The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Secretariat is seeking qualified bidders for consultancy services to review a draft Baseline Assessment. This assessment aims to streamline the management of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), and Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) within the SACU Common Customs Area. Interested parties can find the detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) document online at www.sacu.int. Proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format to [email protected], with Technical and Financial Proposals as separate attachments. The deadline for submissions is 4 PM (Namibian time) on Friday, 30 October 2026. The SACU Secretariat reserves the right…

Russian air strikes caused significant fires in Ukraine’s Odesa and Zaporizhzhia regions on Friday, 16 October, engulfing industrial sites in flames. In Odesa, firefighters fought a blaze at a household goods factory, with hoses being dragged towards the burning building, where products lay scattered on the ground. Meanwhile, in Zaporizhzhia, emergency services deployed an elevated platform to tackle a fire covering 500 square metres at a private business. Footage from Ukraine’s emergency services shows firefighters directing water jets into the flames at both locations. These attacks coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attending discussions with European leaders. Video footage captured…

Former Congolese President Joseph Kabila is making headlines as he forms a new alliance with the M23 rebel group. This development is forcing political leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to navigate an increasingly complex landscape. In Ethiopia, the United States has urged restraint amid warnings from a human rights group about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Tigray, which is severely affecting civilians. As the art fair season approaches, we explore the growing international recognition of contemporary African art. Source link

US President Donald Trump announced on 9 October that he had struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import significant quantities of Russian diesel into the United States. Trump stated that Russia would immediately supply over 300,000 tons of diesel fuel, followed by an additional 500,000 tons in November and another 1,000,000 tons soon after. He added that, depending on the condition of their refineries, Russia could deliver up to 3,000,000 tons of diesel fuel thereafter. This announcement was made on his platform, Truth Social. The following day, the pro-Russian account Russian Market claimed on X that diesel…

Goodwill (Tanzania) Ceramic Co Ltd is set to expand its operations by adding two new production lines, which are expected to create 1,000 direct jobs and boost daily output to 180,000 square metres of tiles and over 200,000 porcelain pieces. The company broke ground on Tile Line 3 and Daily-Use Porcelain Phase II on Wednesday, with both projects aimed to start full production by June 2027. This expansion will raise Goodwill’s total investment in Tanzania to $200 million (£167 million), highlighting the firm’s growing ambitions and confidence in the local investment climate. Managing Director Mr Xiaoming Xie described the projects…

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has cautioned the residents of Alberta that the United States aims to weaken Canada for its own gain. Speaking at a pro-Canada rally in Calgary, Carney’s comments come ahead of a vote to decide if the province will initiate a process towards separation from Canada. “The world has become more dangerous and divided. Some outside our borders are working to break us so they can own us,” he stated, without directly naming the US or its President, Donald Trump. This warning coincides with ongoing tensions marked by a trade dispute between Canada and the US,…

A man has been sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of his friend in Kogi State, Nigeria. Abdulmutalib Abduljabar was found guilty of culpable homicide at the Kogi State High Court in Okene on Tuesday. Justice A.S. Hussein ruled that the evidence provided by the prosecution convincingly demonstrated that Abduljabar had intentionally stabbed his friend, Momohjimoh Abduljafar, to death at GKAS Hotel. The judge declared that the crime warranted the maximum penalty under Section 221 of the Kogi State Penal Code, 2019 (as amended). Source link

Iraq’s parliament has formed Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s government after approving vacant cabinet positions and three deputy prime ministers, including one under US sanctions. On Thursday, lawmakers green-lighted 11 portfolios, appointing Nayef al-Shammari as defence minister and Yasir al-Maliki as interior minister. Other key posts include a minister for planning, culture, and higher education. However, a vote on the migration and displacement minister was postponed due to disagreements among parties. The three deputy prime ministers include Laith al-Khazali, a leader of the Iran-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq movement, whose group was designated a terrorist organisation by the US in 2020. The…