Niger’s main airport in the capital Niamey was targeted in an attack claimed on Friday by the Islamic State (IS) group, a rare development in a country where jihadist violence is usually contained to the west and southeast.The ruling junta said Thursday’s attack had been repelled by its soldiers with the help of “Russian partners” …
What we know about Niger airport attackFri, 30 Jan 2026 19:40:08 GMT Read More »
Nigeria’s Afrobeat king Fela Kuti will this weekend be posthumously recognised by the Grammys with a Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to receive the distinction.After a lifetime of clashes with successive powers in Nigeria, the recognition comes nearly three decades after Fela’s death and long after his influence reshaped global music.He is …
A convoy of several dozen tankers was set on fire in Mali in a deadly assault that local officials blamed on jihadists, the latest escalation in a fuel blockade that had calmed in recent weeks.The attack took place Thursday on a road leading from the Senegalese border to the major city of Kayes in western …
South Africa ordered Israel’s top diplomat to leave the country within 72 hours on Friday, citing a “series of violations” and prompting the Israeli government to expel Pretoria’s own diplomatic representative.Ties between the nations are already strained by South Africa’s case before the United Nations top court in 2023 to argue that Israel’s war on …
South Africa and Israel expel envoys in deepening feudFri, 30 Jan 2026 16:04:44 GMT Read More »
The United Nations warned Friday of severe overcrowding in temporary accommodation shelters hosting an estimated 100,000 people displaced by flooding in Mozambique, and appealed for more international support.The southern African country’s latest bout of flooding has claimed nearly 140 lives since October 1, according to the National Disasters Management Institute, while nearly 400,000 people have …
UN appeals for more support for flood-hit MozambicansFri, 30 Jan 2026 14:21:50 GMT Read More »
Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron have agreed to renew relations between the two countries that were strained after Chad abruptly broke off military cooperation.The two leaders met in Paris late Thursday and agreed plans for a “revitalised partnership” with a focus on economic ties, the Elysee said.The largely …
Will the next global hits from Nigeria have a French accent? Perhaps. Nine French rap, pop and urban music composers recently joined forces with Afrobeats artists to produce 60 tracks for international audiences.In under a week, French, English, Nigerian Pidgin and Creole blended in musical melodies for future hits at the premises of renowned Nigerian …
French-Nigerian artists team up to craft future hitsFri, 30 Jan 2026 09:33:33 GMT Read More »
In 1984, Lamine Gueye carved out a piece of Olympic history in Sarajevo by becoming the first Black African to compete in the Winter Games.More than four decades later, he strapped on his skis and returned to the same slopes for a new documentary about the Senegalese sportsman and his legacy.A few weeks before the …
Anthony Joshua on Thursday broke weeks of public silence and spoke on camera for the first time since a car crash which killed two of the former world heavyweight champion’s close friends.In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Joshua held back tears at one point as he reflected on the loss of backroom team …
The head of Niger’s military junta on Thursday accused France, Benin and Ivory Coast of being behind an assault on a military base at Niamey’s international airport, and thanked soldiers and “Russian partners” for repelling the attack.Suspected jihadists launched an attack shortly after midnight, with local residents reporting shooting and explosions until calm was restored …
