By Dominic Wabwireh President Donald Trump on Monday urged allied nations to join U.S. efforts to secure the strategic Strait of Hormuz, calling it a “test of loyalty”—but key partners including Britain, Germany, Japan and Australia swiftly distanced themselves from any military role. Speaking at the White House, Trump complained that some countries he has “protected for forty years” are unwilling to “get involved in something very minor.” He said enthusiasm matters: “The degree of enthusiasm is important to me.” But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ruled out any NATO mission, proposing instead a “collective plan” with partners. Germany’s government…
Author: Montage Africa
By Kwabena Adu Gyamfi Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has pledged to step up security operations following a wave of deadly attacks in the northeastern city of Maiduguri. In a message posted on his official X page on Tuesday, Tinubu expressed condolences to victims and their families, saying: “I mourn those who lost their lives, sympathise with the injured and stand in solidarity with the people of Borno.” He said the government would intensify efforts to dismantle armed groups across the country and praised troops for repelling coordinated assaults on military positions in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. The president added that additional military equipment…
By Agencies Bodies washing ashore, unanswered phone calls and abandoned camps — a growing number of migrants attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing are disappearing without a trace, in what experts describe as “invisible shipwrecks.” According to the International Organization for Migration, the first weeks of 2026 have been the deadliest on record, with hundreds confirmed missing — and many more feared lost. But the true scale of the tragedy remains unclear, as access to information from authorities continues to shrink. Julia Black, Missing Migrants Project, IOM: “The first two months of this year are the deadliest, January and February, we’ve…
By Rédaction Africanews Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has travelled to the United Kingdom for a state visit, marking the first such trip by a Nigerian leader in almost 40 years. Tinubu left Abuja on Tuesday alongside First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for the visit, which includes a royal reception hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle. The trip also features talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, where both sides are expected to deepen cooperation on trade, investment, defence and cultural ties. Officials say several agreements will be signed during the visit, including a major financing package worth £746 million to support upgrades…
By Rédaction Africanews and AFP A former government minister and senior figure in the African National Congress (ANC) will face bribery charges, South African state prosecutors said on Tuesday. Zizi Kodwa was arrested in 2024 while serving as Minister for Sports and Arts. He was accused of taking $85,000 in bribes in connection with contracts to upgrade and maintain software systems in Johannesburg. But local prosecutors withdrew the charges months later, saying the prospects of a successful prosecution were slim. National authorities briefly revived the case in January before setting it aside once again. Now state prosecutors have decided to…
By Rédaction Africanews and AP Israel says it has killed two of Iran’s most senior figures in overnight strikes, marking a major escalation in the conflict.Defense Minister Israel Katz claims top security official Ali Larijani and Basij militia chief Gholam Reza Soleimani were both “eliminated.” But so far, Iranian state media has not confirmed the deaths. In fact, Iranian outlets released a handwritten condolence letter from Larijani on Tuesday, raising questions about what really happened. Larijani is a heavyweight in Iranian politics, a former parliamentary speaker and close adviser on nuclear strategy. Soleimani, meanwhile, led the Basij militia, long accused…
According to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, internally displaced persons (IDPs) are “persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalised violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognised state border.” Nigeria has experienced a surge in IDPs in recent years, with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimating the number to be 3.7…
A senior Zambian government official has said that some political parties were asking prospective female candidates for sexual favours in exchange for selection ahead of August’s general election. “I am going to appeal to all female aspiring candidates to ensure that they record all these cases,” Mainga Kabika, the civil service head of the gender office in the presidency, said on Monday. She did not name the political parties involved. Zambia has a big gender imbalance in national politics with around 15% of MPs being women. Their under-representation at leadership level reflects “deep-rooted cultural and structural barriers”, a statement from…
By Rédaction Africanews with AP United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres on Friday appealed for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, saying the war has caused immense suffering for the Lebanese people. “Absolutely dramatic situation,” Guterres said, calling for an end to the fighting. “We must stop this war. We must have an immediate ceasefire.” “My strong appeal to both parties, to Hezbollah and to Israel, is for a ceasefire to stop the war and pave the way to find a solution,” he said. Lebanon had been dragged into a conflict its people did not want, stressing the need for a political solution that…
As explosions echoed over Tehran and the United States vowed to intensify strikes against Iran, hundreds gathered in Cape Town- South Africa on Friday for an annual Quds Day rally, waving Iranian flags and voicing solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Quds Day, observed on the last Friday of Ramadan, drew demonstrators to the streets of Cape Town. Khaled Sayed, Leader of the Opposition in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature, told the crowd: “The only crime the people of Iran have committed is to stand with Palestine. Their crime in the eyes of Western powers is solidarity—a similar crime we are…