Author: Abdihakim Kalale

Despite the controversy, 42 countries and international institutions have confirmed participation at the high-level talks taking place November 22–23 at Johannesburg’s Nasrec Expo Centre. U.S. President Trump has refused to attend and claimed — without evidence — that South Africa mistreats its white minority. Washington’s absence comes even as the U.S. is expected to assume the rotating G20 presidency from South Africa at the end of the month. Pretoria says it will proceed with a symbolic handover even if the chair remains empty. Diplomatic friction ahead of the summit President Cyril Ramaphosa said the U.S. had reached out privately to…

In a late-night post on Truth Social, Trump claimed — without providing evidence — that “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great state” and alleged that “billions of dollars are missing.” He also described Minnesota as a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity,” referencing unverified media claims circulated by some Republican lawmakers suggesting that the Alshabab militant group in Somalia had benefited from fraud schemes in the state. Trump said his order terminates TPS protections for Somali nationals in Minnesota “effective immediately.” State reaction and political fallout Minnesota Governor Tim Walz criticized the move, saying on X that…

The General Coordination for Displaced Persons and Refugees said that two-thirds of Sudan’s population now requires urgent humanitarian assistance — whether in displacement camps or within host communities in rural areas, villages, and nomadic regions. According to the group, Tawila camp has received more than 1 million people since the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted on April 15, 2023. Recent fighting in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, triggered a massive influx of “hundreds of thousands” of newly displaced people who arrived in the camp in desperate condition, facing hunger, injuries, and…

Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Friday for a state visit, receiving an official welcome ceremony in Kinshasa just days after the DRC signed a peace agreement in Doha with the M23 rebel movement. According to Qatar News Agency, the emir landed at N’Djili International Airport, where he was welcomed by Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi. Sheikh Tamim traveled to Kinshasa from Rwanda, a country that Congolese authorities have long accused of supporting the M23 movement. Kigali denies these accusations. On Thursday, the emir held talks in Kigali with Rwandan…

Fighters aligned with Daesh-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) have killed 89 civilians during a series of coordinated attacks across eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Lubero territory, the United Nations peacekeeping mission MONUSCO said on Friday. According to MONUSCO’s statement, the attacks took place in several parts of North Kivu province between November 13 and November 19, leaving at least 20 women and an unspecified number of children among the dead. One of the deadliest incidents occurred in Byambwe, where ADF fighters targeted a Catholic Church–run health centre, killing 17 people, including women seeking maternity services. Four patient wards were set…

Local officials confirmed that the raid took place at St. Mary’s School but did not immediately release the number of students taken. Security forces were deployed shortly after the attack and began searching surrounding forests, a common area used by armed groups to hold captives. Local media reported that more than 50 students may have been abducted, though authorities have not verified the figure. The incident comes during heightened international scrutiny of Nigeria’s security situation, following recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump threatening potential military action if Nigerian authorities fail to protect Christian communities. Abuja has dismissed claims of…

China’s embassy in the Central African Republic has issued a strong safety advisory urging its nationals to avoid gold-mining activities in the country, citing escalating threats and exploitation concerns. In a statement released Thursday, the embassy said Chinese citizens engaged in gold mining over recent years have faced a range of serious dangers — from financial losses and legal disputes to violent attacks and life-threatening health risks. According to the advisory, some Chinese workers have had their identification or travel documents confiscated by local operators, leaving them trapped in abusive conditions described by the embassy as equivalent to becoming “slaves…

China, Zambia and Tanzania have finalized a $1.4 billion agreement to overhaul the Tanzania–Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) line, a five-decade-old transport corridor linking the Copperbelt to the Indian Ocean. The 1,860-kilometer railway, originally constructed by China in the 1970s, has long served as a key route for Zambia’s copper exports and fuel imports through Tanzania. The new upgrade plan was signed in Lusaka on Thursday during a visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Premier Li, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and Tanzanian Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi jointly attended the groundbreaking ceremony, marking the beginning of the revitalization phase. Li described TAZARA…

Speaking to reporters in Goma on Thursday, Benjamin Mbonimpa, the group’s chief negotiator at the Doha talks, said the dialogue remains on track following the signing of a peace framework last week. According to Mbonimpa, upcoming discussions will center on humanitarian access, legal and security guarantees, and processes for the release of detainees. He cautioned, however, that ongoing confrontations involving local militias could undermine progress made so far. DR Congo government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya has reiterated that Kinshasa will not compromise on territorial integrity during the Doha negotiations. He said the government remains committed to ending the conflict while preserving…

Sudan’s Industry Minister Mahasen Ali Yaqoub says nearly 1,900 factories in Khartoum State have been damaged or destroyed during months of fighting with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Speaking at a press briefing in Port Sudan on Thursday, Yaqoub said a government assessment conducted after the Sudanese army regained control of the capital revealed widespread destruction across the industrial sector. According to the minister, 1,877 factories were affected, including 553 completely destroyed and 1,267 damaged to varying degrees. She said many RSF attacks focused on infrastructure such as electricity systems and machinery, making it difficult for factories to reopen.…

At least ten Nigerien soldiers were killed when fighters linked to al Qaeda’s Sahel affiliate, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), launched an attack in western Niger, according to multiple security sources. The assault took place on Wednesday near the village of Garbougna in the Tillaberi region, an area bordering Mali and Burkina Faso that has become one of the most volatile fronts in the Sahel. The tri-border zone has long served as a stronghold for armed groups aligned with al Qaeda and Daesh. Security sources provided varying casualty figures, with one source reporting as many as twenty soldiers killed, while…

Judge James Omotosho stated that prosecutors had established that Kanu’s directives to IPOB members directly contributed to attacks on security forces and civilians, linked to his ongoing campaign for an independent Biafra state in the Igbo-majority areas. The case echoes tensions dating back to 1967, when an attempt to secede as the Republic of Biafra sparked a civil war that lasted three years and resulted in more than one million deaths. IPOB, founded in 2012, has long sought self-determination for the southeast of Nigeria, but its activities have been declared illegal by the government, citing security concerns and violent incidents.…

Twelve pieces — including crowns, shields, traditional artworks and other culturally significant items — were formally handed over on Wednesday to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies at Addis Ababa University. The collection had been preserved by the family of Franz Weiss, Germany’s envoy to Ethiopia in the 1920s, and his wife Hedwig. Their son, represented at the ceremony by Professor Ramon Wyss, presented the items to Ethiopian officials, saying the gesture was meant to “share their beauty with the public and honour the history connected to my father’s birth in Ethiopia.” Germany’s current envoy to Ethiopia, Ferdinand von Weyhe, said…

“We’ve already started working on that,” Trump said at a Saudi investment conference in Washington, one day after meeting the kingdom’s de facto ruler at the White House. Trump told attendees that his team began acting “half an hour” after the crown prince raised the issue during their Tuesday meeting. In a later social media post, Trump said the United States would coordinate with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and other Middle Eastern partners to “end atrocities in the region and stabilize Sudan.” The conflict in Sudan erupted in 2023 amid a fierce power struggle between the Sudanese…

The vessel, which was heading to the capital Kinshasa from the port of Bena Dibele — a journey of more than 800 kilometers (497 miles) — sank late Monday after being caught in strong whirlwinds, according to UN radio. Local administrator François Ahoka said the boat was carrying roughly 120 passengers.“About 50 people have been rescued so far, and search efforts continue for those missing,” he said, noting that rescue teams are struggling with difficult conditions. Ahoka urged families to remain in contact with local authorities to help identify survivors and bodies recovered from the river. Boat accidents are common…

In Somalia, the Defense Ministry said the Somali National Army (SNA) killed three al-Shabaab militants and rescued 30 hostages during an operation near Buula Madiina, on the outskirts of Afgoye in the Lower Shabelle region.The civilians — including two women — had been held in an “illegal detention site and a makeshift so-called court” used by the al-Qaeda-linked group to intimidate local residents, according to the ministry. Troops also destroyed the facility as part of ongoing nationwide operations aimed at dismantling al-Shabaab networks. Afgoye, 30 kilometers southwest of Mogadishu, is a key agricultural hub that militants have long sought to…