By Rédaction Africanews Nigeria will cut import duties on a range of goods from July 1, in a move aimed at easing living costs and supporting businesses. Key tariff reductions The presidency said duties will be lowered on rice, sugar, palm oil, passenger vehicles and construction materials. Under the new rates, tariffs on passenger vehicles will drop to 40 percent, bulk rice to 47.5 percent, and raw sugar cane to between 55 and 57.5 percent. Palm oil duties will fall to 28.75 percent. Electric vehicles, mass-transit buses and manufacturing machinery will be fully exempt. Push to curb inflation The measures…
Author: Montage Africa
By Rédaction Africanews After two days in Algeria and then four in Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV will continue his African tour with a stop in Angola from April 18 to 20. “During this visit, he is expected to highlight social issues, including the fight against corruption and inequality. ‘It is important for us that the pope feels comfortable, warmly welcomed by the whole world, by our Angola, and that he brings us the joy that comes from 24 years of peace and 51 years of independence,” explained Father Correia Hilario, an Angolan priest. He added, “This joy is complemented by…
World champion Peres Jepchirchir has withdrawn from this month’s London Marathon. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion was diagnosed with an unspecified stress fracture after finishing second in the Valencia marathon in December. That delayed the start of her training for London and the 32-year-old Kenyan has now told race organisers she must withdraw. Jepchirchir won the 2024 London Marathon in a women’s only world-record time of two hours 16 minutes and 16 seconds. “I was only able to resume training in late January,” she said in a statement. “I know that to be competitive at the London Marathon you have…
By Dominic Wabwireh with other agencies Iran has submitted a formal document to the International Maritime Organization’s Legal Committee, detailing what it calls severe maritime and civilian losses caused by US and Israeli military attacks. In the filing seen Monday, Iran alleged that 39 merchant vessels have been attacked and sunk, 110 traditional fishing boats destroyed, and 20 sailors killed. It also claimed multiple acts of sabotage against maritime infrastructure, including the sinking of search-and-rescue vessels and damage to medical ships. Thousands of civilians dead Beyond maritime losses, Iran said the attacks have killed over 3,000 civilians, including 277 students.…
Kenya has sharply raised the cost of petroleum, with diesel prices rising by a record margin despite a fuel tax cut, as the conflict in Iran pushes up global oil prices. In its latest review, the energy regulator raised the cost of diesel by 40 Kenya shillings to 206 ($1.6; £1.2) a litre, while petrol rose by 28 shillings to a similar level. It said this reflected higher global oil and shipping costs, even as the government cut value added tax to 13% from 16%. The new prices will last until 14 May when the next review is due. Fuel…
By Dominic Wabwireh with other agencies Nearly 700 civilians have been killed in drone strikes in Sudan since January, the United Nations said, underscoring the escalating toll of a civil war now entering its fourth year. According to UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher, most of the deaths occurred in the first three months of 2026, with near-daily drone attacks reported across conflict zones. The strikes have particularly affected regions such as Kordofan and Darfur, where fighting remains intense. The UN children’s agency has warned that drones account for a large share of child casualties, with attacks hitting homes, markets and…
By Serge Patrick MANKOU On the third anniversary of the war in Sudan, Africanews spoke to Roula Merhej, a journalist specialising in geopolitics and international affairs. Analysts watching the war in Sudan say the conflict extends far beyond the military sphere alone. Rather, it’s part of a process of state collapse, where civilians are no longer protected and economic factors have become a driving force. Roula Merhej: “Unfortunately, there is a complete lack of state oversight and, indeed, of protection for civilians and the population, as we are seeing from the absolutely alarming figures released by Human Rights Watch and others.…
By Rédaction Africanews A US influencer has died while on holiday in Zanzibar, as police continue investigations and withhold her partner’s passport. Authorities say Ashly Robinson, 31, known online as Ashlee Jenae, was found unconscious in a villa and later died in hospital. Her partner, Joe McCann, 45, is speaking to police as a witness. No arrests have been made. Police await medical report Zanzibar police say they are waiting for an official medical examination to determine the cause of death. Earlier, officers suggested she may have attempted to take her own life, but this has not been confirmed. The…
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Roelf Meyer, who served in the last government of the apartheid era, as his new ambassador to the US, his office has said. The country has not had a top envoy in the US since Ebrahim Rasool was expelled last year after he accused President Donald Trump of trying to “project white victimhood as a dog whistle”. This worsened already strained relations between the nations, which took a downward spiral after Trump’s return to office last year. Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed Meyer’s appointment to the BBC, saying it would be “immediate”. “I…
By Dominic Wabwireh with AP Hundreds of factory workers protested Tuesday in Haiti’s capital, demanding a higher minimum wage as the conflict in Iran deepens and drives up oil prices across the globe. It was the second straight day that employees at the state-owned Metropolitan Industrial Park in Port-au-Prince gathered to shout: “When we are hungry, we don’t mess around!” Factory workers currently earn 685 Haitian gourdes – just over five dollars – per day. A gallon of gasoline now costs 850 gourdes, or nearly six dollars and fifty cents. Workers say they have not received a raise since 2023.…