Global Affairs
France intercepts Russian-linked oil tanker in Mediterranean
French President Emmanuel Macron said the ship had been "subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag."
Global Affairs
Global Affairs
Zelensky says land issue blocks peace as Ukraine prepares UAE talks
Zelensky also revealed that he and Trump had agreed on potential US security guarantees for Ukraine in case of a deal, which would require approval from both the US Congress and Ukraine’s parliament. He stressed that, while the UK- and France-led "Coalition of the Willing" would monitor the agreement, US involvement remained critical.
Global Affairs
Guinea-Bissau military announces December polls amid regional scrutiny
The move comes after weeks of pressure from Ecowas, the West African regional body, which has urged the junta to speed up the return to civilian rule. Since the November coup that ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, the military’s proposed one-year transition period was rejected by the bloc, which suspended Guinea-Bissau from its decision-making bodies and threatened further sanctions.
Global Affairs
New Gaza vision includes housing, industry, and security zones
Visuals shared at the event depicted sprawling skyscrapers along the coast, new residential zones in Rafah, and a phased approach to developing industrial, agricultural, and recreational areas for Gaza’s 2.1 million residents.
Global Affairs
"My home is still under siege," Bobi Wine says as NUP deputies go missing
The allegations come amid heightened political tensions in Uganda, where opposition figures have repeatedly accused security agencies of arbitrary arrests, abductions and intimidation, particularly during periods of increased political mobilisation.
News
Chadema accuses Airtel of blocking fundraising number
Chadema says Airtel Tanzania blocked a phone number used for its anniversary fundraising, demanding the Airtel Money account be reopened and warning the move undermines democratic and consumer rights.
Business
Zenith Bank to Paramount Bank after approval
Kenya’s competition regulator has approved Zenith Bank’s acquisition of Paramount Bank, allowing the Nigerian lender to enter the market while requiring all 78 employees be retained for at least 12 months.
Business
Kariuki Ngari to retire as StanChart Kenya CEO
Standard Chartered will retire Kenya CEO Kariuki Ngari in April 2026 and appoint Birju Sanghrajka as his successor, while separating Africa-wide leadership from country operations to sharpen execution.
Global Affairs
Trump unveils ‘Board of Peace’ to institutionalize conflict resolution
Trump said the board brings together “the top leaders in the world” at a time when global stability, in his view, has markedly improved under his second administration.
Global Affairs
Landslide devastates New Zealand campsite, leaving children missing
A landslide at Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park on New Zealand’s North Island has left severe destruction and children missing, amid deadly storms, flooding and power outages across multiple regions.
News
Putin confirms Trump invite to US ‘Peace Council’
Vladimir Putin says Russia received a personal invitation from Donald Trump to join a US-backed ‘Peace Council’ and proposes Sh129 billion from frozen Russian assets to support Gaza relief efforts.
Global Affairs
Somalia approves IGAD Treaty, strengthening regional ties
With this approval, Somalia joins Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Kenya as the fifth member state to ratify the treaty.
Global Affairs
Seven nations join Trump’s board of peace, Russia’s role still unclear
The Board of Peace was initially understood to focus on resolving the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and guiding reconstruction efforts. But the group's charter, a leaked copy shows, does not explicitly reference Gaza, and some analysts suggest it may be designed to function independently of the United Nations.
Global Affairs
US moves Islamic State prisoners to Iraq amid Syrian Government takeover
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that 150 IS fighters from Hassakeh province had already been relocated to a secure site in Iraq. The operation is part of efforts to ensure a safe and orderly transfer of prisoners amid the shifting power dynamics in the region.
Technology
OpenAI and Gates Foundation launch Sh6.45bn AI health programme for Africa
OpenAI and the Gates Foundation have launched a Sh6.45 billion Horizon 1000 initiative to deploy AI in primary healthcare, starting in Rwanda and targeting 1,000 clinics across Africa by 2028.
Global Affairs
2025 among three warmest years on record amid rising ocean heat, says WMO
The World Meteorological Organization confirms 2025 as one of the three warmest years on record, with record ocean heat and 2015–2025 the warmest 11-year period, underscoring the ongoing climate crisis.
Global Affairs
Ethiopian Airlines adds nine Boeing 787-9s to expand global network
The announcement follows a previous commitment to acquire 11 Boeing 737 MAX jets, bringing Ethiopian Airlines’ total fuel-efficient Boeing order book to 20 aircraft, reinforcing the carrier’s position as Africa’s leading airline.
Global Affairs
Nigerian homicide unit probes death of rising singer Destiny Boy
After his death, social media circulated videos that appeared to show his body being transported to a mortuary, sparking speculation about what caused his passing. Family members clarified that he had suffered from a persistent illness that triggered seizures.
Global Affairs
MSF warns of rising malnutrition and disease across Somalia
Health facilities in Baidoa and Mudug are overwhelmed with cases of measles, diphtheria, and acute watery diarrhoea among displaced people and host communities seeking medical care.
Global Affairs
At least four dead as severe flooding hits Tunisia
At least four people were killed as torrential rains triggered severe flooding across Tunisia, cutting off neighbourhoods, closing schools and disrupting transport, with authorities warning the death toll could rise.
Global Affairs
Malawi hikes fuel prices by over 40% as regulator drops fixed pricing
Under the new adjustment, diesel prices have climbed by 41.3 percent while petrol has risen by 41.9 percent. Since October, when Mutharika took office, fuel costs have increased sharply, with petrol up by 95 percent and diesel by 80 percent.
Global Affairs
Uganda lawyers condemn alleged siege on Bobi Wine’s home
The law body said the deployment limited access to food and other basic necessities, creating conditions that interfere with personal freedom and livelihood.
Global Affairs
Colombian court gives Mancuso 40-year sentence for conflict crimes
The court determined that under Mancuso’s leadership, AUC fighters committed over 100 crimes in La Guajira province from 2002 to 2006. These acts included murders, disappearances and gender-based violence, often directed at indigenous communities.
Global Affairs
Burkina Faso ex-leader returned from Togo amid murder plot claims
Damiba, who took power through a coup in 2022 but was overthrown eight months later by Ibrahim Traoré, was handed over on Saturday, the Togolese justice ministry confirmed.
Global Affairs
Train driver dies, 37 injured as storm hits Barcelona commuter line
Authorities said the Rodalies train derailed on Tuesday evening when it struck a retaining wall that had collapsed onto the tracks between Gelida and Sant Sadurní. The impact caused extensive damage to the train, claiming the life of the driver and injuring numerous passengers on board.
Global Affairs
Bobi Wine rejects court challenge, calls for lawful protests after Uganda vote
Museveni, 81, was declared the winner with 72 percent of the vote, while Wine received 25 percent. The president accused opposition forces of plotting to overturn the results through violent means, labeling them as terrorists.
Global Affairs
Ugandan opposition leader Besigye transferred to private clinic amid health crisis
Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has been moved from Luzira Prison to a private clinic amid reports of critical, deteriorating health, as allies accuse authorities of medical neglect and rights violations.
Global Affairs
Uganda army chief gives Bobi Wine 48-hour ultimatum to surrender
The statement marked one of the most explicit threats yet directed at Bobi Wine, the leader of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), and a long-time critic of the Ugandan government.
Global Affairs
Over 200 migrants freed from hidden underground cells in Kufra
Kufra, situated roughly 1,700 kilometres southeast of Tripoli, has long been a key transit point for migrants crossing the Sahara en route to Libya’s northern coast and the Mediterranean.
Global Affairs
Gold and silver soar as US-Europe trade tensions rise
Gold touched $4,689.39 an ounce, while silver climbed to $94.08 an ounce, marking record levels for both metals. The spike followed Trump’s warning that he would impose tariffs on several European nations opposing his plan to take over Greenland.