By Rédaction Africanews The news agency Reuters said on Sunday that Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was recovering from severe and disfiguring wounds from the airstrike that killed his father, Ali Khamenei. Iran’s leader has not been seen in public since his appointment. Mojtaba Khamenei has been Iran’s Supreme Leader for one month and four days. Appointed to the country’s most powerful position in the wake of his father’s death in Israeli and US airstrikes, Khamenei has however not made any public appearances since, including on state television or audio recordings. While one likely reason for his absence is…
Author: Montage Africa
By Rédaction Africanews with AP A court in the Nigerian capital of Abuja on Friday convicted more than 300 terrorism suspects in a mass trial that spanned four days. The mass trial began Tuesday, with many suspects pleading guilty to charges brought against them by the Nigerian government. Many of them have since been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison after they appeared before a panel of 10 judges. “In total, we brought about 508 cases. Of these 508, we were able to secure 386 convictions,” Nigeria’s attorney general told journalists after the mass trial on Friday. “We…
By Dominic Wabwireh with other agencies At least 56 people were killed and 14 injured after a military airstrike hit a market in northeastern Nigeria, according to a UN report, with locals and rights groups warning that civilians were among those killed. The strike in Jilli village on April 11 targeted what the military described as a jihadist enclave linked to Boko Haram. However, witnesses and Amnesty International said traders and residents were caught in the blast. Casualty figures vary widely, with some local sources reporting over 100 dead. Survivors and response Health worker Ishaku Bulus said more than 20…
Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe says he would “encourage” an investigation into corruption at the organisation. Senegal’s government last month demanded such scrutiny after the national side was stripped of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title by a Confederation of African Football (Caf) appeals board, with the trophy awarded to final opponents Morocco. The West Africans are waiting on the outcome of an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas). Motsepe visited Senegal on Wednesday, meeting President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and leading officials from the country’s football federation. “I welcome any investigation [into corruption at Caf], whether it…
By Rédaction Africanews with AFP Benin’s president Patrice Talon said “the best is yet to come for Benin” before casting his vote in Sunday’s presidential election that will decide who will be his successor. Nearly eight million voters are eligible to cast ballots to choose a successor to Patrice Talon, who is stepping down after two five-year terms and has endorsed Romuald Wadagni, the current finance minister, as his successor. Turnout will be a crucial factor after a lacklustre campaign hit by voter apathy. “We must vote to ensure a high turnout,” said Yvan Glidja, a man in his 30s…
By Rédaction Africanews South Africa’s second-largest party, the Democratic Alliance, elected Cape Town’s mayor Sunday to lead it into the 2029 national polls, stepping up a drive to take votes away from the faltering ANC. The election of Geordin Hill-Lewis, 39, marks a reset for the centre-right DA that entered a multi-party coalition government in 2024 when the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority. “I stand before you as your newly elected leader with one promise — however long I have the privilege of serving in this job, I will be dedicated to the mission of building a stronger…
By Rédaction Africanews with AFP Despite a relative decline in international attention, the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) remains severe and largely ignored. 2.3 million people – 35 percent of the population – live in extreme vulnerability. The number of people in need is well beyond what humanitarian assistance alone can address. Conflicts particularly in the southeast and west, epidemics, and climate-related chocs continue to be the root causes of vulnerabilities that lead to humanitarian needs. Without renewed visibility, solidarity, and political engagement, this silent crisis risks deepening and fueling regional instability. Regional dynamics are exacerbating already…
The Nigerian Air Force says it has launched an investigation after dozens of civilians were reportedly killed in an airstrike on a market on Saturday. The strike happened at Jilli market, along the border between Borno and Yobe states, as military aircraft were hunting Islamist militants. Local residents and Amnesty International say more than 100 people lost their lives. Authorities have yet to confirm the death toll, but some hospitals in Yobe state say they are treating those injured. In a statement, the Nigerian Air Force said it had sent a team “to immediately proceed to the location on a…
By Dominic Wabwireh with AP Benin began counting ballots Sunday after a presidential election that could extend a decade of economic growth while testing the country’s democratic balance. Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni is the frontrunner to succeed outgoing president Patrice Talon, who is stepping down after two terms. Electoral commission chief Sacca Lafia said voting was calm overall, though civil society monitors reported about 100 incidents, including early openings and suspiciously full ballot boxes. Despite nearly eight million eligible voters, turnout appeared modest in several polling stations visited in Cotonou. A race without strong opposition Wadagni, backed by ruling parties,…
Ghanaian footballer Dominic Frimpong has died after suspected armed robbers opened fire at the bus carrying his team Berekum Chelsea back from a fixture. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) expressed its “profound shock and deep sorrow”, and shared its “heartfelt condolences” to the 20-year-old’s family, teammates and all who work for the team. “Dominic was a promising young talent whose dedication and passion for the game embodied the spirit of our league,” it added. According to Berekum Chelsea, the team bus was returning from a Ghana Premier League fixture on Sunday, when they came under attack by “masked men wielding…