By Rédaction Africanews and AP As the United States continues to threaten military action against Iran, Iranians are anxiously awaiting a new round of talks set to take place in Geneva this week. They’re hoping the two countries can strike a deal over Iran’s nuclear programme and ward off the outbreak of war. “Everybody is worried, because the consequences of war with a country like America,” says Tehran resident Mohammadi, who didn’t give his first name. “We once fought Iraq for eight years, but it was a country at the same level with us, but going to war with America,…
Author: Montage Africa
By Rédaction Africanews and AP Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived in Addis Ababa on Wednesday at the start of a two-day visit to Ethiopia. He was welcomed by the country’s Foreign Minister and is expected to meet President Salassie and Prime Minister Abiy later in the day. The visit follows Israel’s controversial recognition of Somaliland late last year and appears to be part of a diplomatic push to expand Israeli influence in the Horn of Africa. During his own recent visit to Ethiopia, Turkey’s President Erdogan warned that the region should not become a “battlefield of foreign forces.”
By Rédaction Africanews with AFP Ethiopia on Tuesday revoked the licence of independent online outlet Addis Standard saying it harmed national interests, in the latest curb on press freedom. Africa’s second most populous nation s ranks 145th out of 180 in the press freedom index compiled by Reporters without Borders. According to a statement posted on Facebook by the Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA), whose director is appointed by the lower house of parliament, Addis Standard “has been repeatedly disseminating reports that violate media ethics, Ethiopian laws, and endanger the national interests of the country and its people”. It said Addis…
Ugandan police have arrested two women, both in their 20s, after neighbours reported seeing them kiss outside, an act criminalised under the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Act. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the police said the pair had been taken into custody on Wednesday 18 February in Arua, a city in north-western Uganda. Authorities said neighbours had photographed them before alerting police. The women remain in custody without access to legal representation, according to the AFP news agency. The country’s law imposes severe penalties, including life imprisonment, for same-sex relations and the death sentence for what are described as “aggravated” cases.…
By AP The violence that followed the killing of a cartel leader in Mexico is fueling fears that the bloodshed could hurt tourism ahead of the FIFA World Cup later this year. Guadalajara is slated to be one of Mexico’s host cities for the competition. It was one of many places in Mexico that was marked by violence over the past few days. Jalisco, in western Mexico, was already facing scrutiny. The state has been plagued by some of the starkest examples of cartel violence in recent years, including the discovery of a cartel killing site at a ranch last…
By Rédaction Africanews with AFP Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on a rare visit to Ukraine on Wednesday urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to release two Ghanaian prisoners of war who were captured fighting for Russia. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has drawn in mercenaries and foreign fighters on both sides of the conflict, including from several African countries. Ukraine said Wednesday that more than 1,780 citizens from 36 African countries – including Ghana – had been identified among Russia’s ranks, and that some of them had been captured. “We are quite optimistic that this visit will be very…
A court has heard recordings of a former Nigerian oil minister allegedly confronting two oil tycoons from whom she is accused of accepting bribes, after their relationships had broken down. Prosecutors allege that Diezani Alison-Madueke was provided with “a life of luxury” in the UK, which they say was paid for by those who sought lucrative oil contracts from the Nigerian government. In one conversation recorded on her phone, Alison-Madueke, 65, could be heard saying: “I will be happy to escort all of you to jail along with myself.” She denies five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP Zimbabwe has abruptly pulled out of talks with the United States over a new health aid deal meant to replace a program dismantled under President Donald Trump. The agreement would have provided $367 million over five years, supporting 1.2 million Zimbabweans receiving HIV treatment. Officials say the negotiations were halted because the terms threatened national autonomy, with concerns that the pact could shift control of disease response and grant Washington broad access to health data. The US has been pursuing similar agreements across Africa under its “America First” strategy, partly to counter China’s influence on…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP In the rugged hills of Somaliland, officials say vast treasure lies beneath the earth. The breakaway territory in northern Somalia claims it holds abundant critical minerals and potentially billions of barrels of oil, resources that could transform its economic future. “We have gemstone minerals and industrial minerals,” said Mohammad Ali Adam, an expert at Somaliland’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals. “We also have highly sought-after minerals like lithium, cobalt, carbide, and titanium. We expect this will improve the lives of our people.” Authorities say Israel’s recognition of Somaliland in December could be a game changer,…
Strategic leadership appointment underscores BCG’s long-term investment in Africa and commitment to developing top local talent Boston Consulting Group (BCG) today announced the appointment of Mandisa Mazibuko as Managing Director and Partner (MDP) for South Africa. Her appointment reinforces BCG’s sustained commitment to strengthening its leadership presence on the continent and expanding the firm’s impact across Africa’s most critical growth markets. Mandisa Mazibuko Mandisa Mazibuko brings almost two decades of experience in strategy advisory, transformation leadership, and marketing & sales excellence across African markets gained by working extensively with clients in consumer industries, banking, and telecom. “Mandisa’s appointment strengthens our leadership team at a crucial time…