The nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or have been announced, with several of football’s biggest stars recognised for their performances during the 2025/26 season. The first batch of nominations was released by the award organisers on Tuesday, September 8, as the prestigious individual prize celebrates its 70th anniversary. Reigning winner Ousmane Dembélé features among the nominees after another impressive campaign with Paris Saint-Germain. Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, Inter Miami star Lionel Messi, and Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane are also on the list. The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in London, United…
Author: Montage Africa
Nigerians planning to apply for routine United States visas in Abuja will now have to make their way to Lagos as the US Embassy has stopped processing such applications in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The change took effect on August 1, 2026, according to the latest visa advisory issued by the US authorities. It was reported that under the new arrangement, routine visa applications in Nigeria are now being handled only by the US Consulate General in Lagos. However, applicants who had already booked appointments at the US Embassy in Abuja before the change will not lose their appointments.…
By Rédaction Africanews and AFP Fourteen accused people-smugglers will stand trial in France on Tuesday, in connection with the deadliest recorded small-boat accident in the English Channel. Twenty-seven people, most of them Iraqi Kurds, were confirmed dead after their inflatable dinghy sank in November 2021. Four other passengers are still unaccounted for. Only two people were rescued. According to testimony from the two survivors, their flimsy boat began to deflate and take on water after several hours at sea. Passengers fell overboard and drowned one after another, despite making around a dozen desperate calls for help to French and British…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has claimed more than 3,000 lives, according to latest figures from the World Health Organization (WHO). To support the fight against Ebola, WHO is coordinating and funding the expansion of the Lita treatment centre in Ituri province. The extension will add 42 beds, improve health and hygiene facilities, and increase treatment capacity. The deadliest ever Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people, according to the latest official toll released on Wednesday. The epidemic, which…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP The Arab League has gathered in Cairo against a backdrop of rising regional tensions, with maritime security in the Gulf and Israeli military operations in Lebanon among the key concerns. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed the importance of keeping shipping routes open, saying maritime corridors should not be used as tools of pressure or escalation. “We emphasise the necessity of freedom of navigation,” Abdelatty said, while rejecting the use of maritime routes to increase pressure or tensions. The Arab League has also condemned Israeli strikes in Lebanon. At least 12 people, including women and…
By AFP Hundreds of Burundians living in Kenya flocked to their embassy in Nairobi on Monday seeking travel documents to leave the country, days after President William Ruto ordered the closure of small businesses run by foreigners. Kenya has long attracted migrants from across the East African Community (EAC), whose members enjoy freedom of movement within the regional bloc. Last week, Ruto gave foreign-owned small businesses until Monday to shut down, saying the country “has not built investor confidence for hawkers”. The move sparked fear among many foreigners, particularly Burundians who make a living through street vending in Nairobi, prompting…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP African travellers heading to Europe could face stricter biometric checks and potentially longer queues at 29 border crossings. Europe’s Entry/Exit System, or EES, is now operating without the temporary flexibility that allowed some biometric procedures to be suspended during periods of severe congestion. Those measures expired on September 6. The system applies to eligible non-EU travellers, including African tourists, business travellers, students and people visiting family. Travellers may be required to provide passport details, facial images and fingerprints. First-time EES users could face additional processing at a kiosk or with a border officer. And previous…
By Agencies Jamaica is taking its long-running campaign for reparations for slavery into the legal arena, petitioning King Charles III to consider questions over Britain’s responsibility for the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The petition seeks a referral to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the highest court for former British colonies that retain ties to the British legal system. Jamaica is asking the committee to consider whether the forced transportation and enslavement of Africans was illegal, whether it constituted crimes against humanity, and whether Britain has an obligation to provide a remedy to Jamaicans. Olivia Grange, Culture Minister of Jamaica:…
By Rédaction Africanews Yemen’s Houthis claimed on Tuesday a wave of attacks on oil facilities and utilities in Saudi Arabia’s south. In a prerecorded video statement, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the rebels’ military spokesman, said they fired dozens of ballistic missiles and drones at oil and economic facilities, as well as an air base in southern Saudi Arabia. He said they attacked Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries, a major industrial and logistics hub on Saudi Arabia’s southwestern Red Sea coast. The rebels also attacked Aramco facilities in Najran and Abha, as well as King Khalid Air Base in…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP The United Nations is calling for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, as drone attacks and the destruction of healthcare facilities deepen an already devastating humanitarian crisis. More than six million people have been displaced inside Sudan, while another 4.5 million have fled the country. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk says civilians in several regions face an imminent risk of further attacks, calling for an end to foreign involvement and a return to civilian rule. UN investigators say both the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces are increasingly using long-range drones, extending attacks far…