By Rédaction Africanews At least 24 schoolchildren were killed and 29 others injured when a fire tore through a densely populated neighbourhood in Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday, according to local authorities. The victims included 19 girls and five boys. Several of the injured were in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll could increase as rescuers continued searching through the ruins. The fire broke out in the Kadutu district as children were making their way to school. Witnesses said flames spread rapidly to nearby homes, many of them built largely from wood, engulfing two…
Author: Montage Africa
Russia is expanding its network of cultural and educational centres in Africa as it seeks to strengthen ties beyond its military and security co-operation on the continent. The centres will promote the Russian language, education, science and culture, while supporting various projects, Russia’s humanitarian agency says. Known as “Russian Houses”, eight of 11 new centres are due to open in Africa, where 16 have already been set up over the years. Russia’s state-controlled paramilitary force African Corps, which replaced the Wagner Group’s mercenary operations, has become a key security partner for multiple military governments in the West Africa in the…
The United States has delivered military equipment to the Nigerian Air Force. The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) disclosed this on its official website on Thursday. According to the Command, a US Air Force C-17 aircraft delivered the equipment to the Nigerian Air Force over the weekend. The delivery is part of efforts to strengthen the security partnership between both countries and support Nigeria’s fight against terrorism. “PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION: A U.S. Air Force C-17 delivers equipment to the Nigerian Air Force this weekend,” AFRICOM said in a post. The Command also disclosed that the delivery of the equipment is part…
A bitter succession dispute has erupted in one of Uganda’s traditional kingdoms, days before the burial of its late king, who until his death had been the world’s youngest reigning monarch. King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who ruled the Tooro Kingdom for more than three decades, was undergoing cancer treatment in the US when he died last month aged 34. Royal clan elders have named popular TV news presenter Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, 56, as the next monarch, but this has been rejected by Oyo’s close family. His sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, said the late king had left a…
Abuja, Nigeria — The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (OSSAP-TVEE) has announced the continued rollout of the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), a flagship Federal Government initiative aimed at lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within 10 years through economic growth and targeted social protection. Dr. Abiola Arogundade, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, says the programme is a central pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which holds that Nigerian youths are not the problem facing the…
Citizens’ experiences offer a different perspective on Russia’s role in CAR By Our Special Correspondent For a country that has endured years of rebellion, political instability, displacement and armed conflict, the restoration of normal life has become one of the Central African Republic’s most pressing national priorities. It was against this difficult background that the Wagner Group emerged as an important Russian-linked force in the Central African Republic. Its presence has generated considerable international controversy. Yet an assessment of Wagner’s role would be incomplete without considering the experiences of Central Africans themselves. A survey conducted…
Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, says he met major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in Egypt to discuss upgrading aviation infrastructure across Nigeria. OEMs are the companies that design and manufacture aircraft, aircraft engines, and other aviation equipment. Keyamo spoke on Wednesday in a post on his official X account after attending the opening ceremony of the second El Alamein International Airshow at El Alamein International Airport. According to the post, the opening ceremony was presided over by president of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and president of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides. “The occasion afforded us the opportunity to meet major…
Tainã Mansani Across Africa, communities are preparing for another potentially difficult weather season. From increased flood risk in Tanzania, to unpredictable rainfall in Niger, and the threat of drought and water shortages in South Africa, El Nino could have very different consequences across the continent. In Tanzania, the biggest concern is heavy rain, flooding and landslides. For residents, memories of past flooding remain fresh, but authorities say high-risk areas are being identified, with possible relocations planned before the heaviest rains arrive. Thousands of kilometers away in Niger, the concern is less predictable — because both drought and flooding are possible. Agriculture…
David Ehl As some of Africa’s longest-serving leaders grow older, they are using different tactics to extend their rule. But age, succession battles and public pressure pose new challenges. Power can be seductive, and many who possess it want to hold on for as long as possible. The leaders of China and Russia, for example, cleared the way for additional terms years ago, and in the United States, the president occasionally speaks of another run for office, even though the US Constitution does not allow it. From the perspective of Paul Biya, however, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump are still…
Sean Sinico with AFP, Reuters A years-long push to change the default view of the Earth came to a vote at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, with 164 countries in favor of a new map, the United States against it and six abstentions. Known as the Equal Earth cartographic projection, the map “offers a more accurate representation of the sizes of continental landmasses and to this end is a relevant option for improving the accuracy of the cartographic representation of the world,” according to the resolution, which was spearheaded by several African countries. Togo’s foreign minister, Robert Dussey, told the…