Ugandan government introduces new road safety measures following rise in accidents

The renovated building will be used for cultural events with community involvement, marking a new era of heritage preservation.

A price war between Uber, Bolt, and local rivals has pushed Kenyan taxi drivers to the brink.

The UN is sounding the alarm on a deepening child malnutrition crisis in the Middle East, with one in three children affected.

On Sunday, Dodoma Regional Police Commander Theopista Mallya was quoted in a Tanzanian newspaper as saying the woman in the video “appeared to be engaged in sex work”

Bondholders have rejected the government’s proposed debt haircut, setting the stage for tense negotiations.

The African diaspora, scattered across the globe, remains steadfastly connected to the continen

The UN has called for an end to violence against aid personnel as the country faces a perfect storm of crises, including food insecurity, displacement, and economic collapse.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is working to reintegrate Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger into the regional bloc. According to the Nigerian News Agency (NAN), the ECOWAS Parliamentary Joint Committee Meeting was held in Abidjan, the former capital of Côte d’Ivoire. Benjamin Kalu, Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives and chair of the meeting, stated that the departure of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS would exacerbate security issues in the region. Kalu noted that ECOWAS Parliament is using diplomacy to resolve the issues with these three countries, saying, “We will keep the doors open for them to return to this family. We need them.” He also mentioned that committee members from the ECOWAS Parliament will soon visit Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger’s Departure Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS in February, forming the Sahel States Alliance (AES) and held their first summit in Niamey, Niger, on July 6. At the summit, a joint declaration was signed to establish the “Confederation of Sahel States” consisting of the three countries, and Malian President Assimi Goita was elected as the rotating president of AES for one year.

 The Algerian president has announced that his country is ready to build three hospitals in the Gaza Strip if the land border crossing between Egypt and the enclave is reopened. Abdelmadjid Tebboune made his statement on Sunday while campaigning for the presidential election scheduled for Sept. 7, according to an Anadolu reporter. In his presidential bid, Tebboune faces two other candidates: Abdelaali Hassani Cherif, the leader of the Movement for a Society of Peace (the largest Islamist party), and Youcef Aouchiche, the first secretary of the Socialist Forces Front (a leftist and the oldest opposition party). “In case the border between Egypt and Gaza is opened, we will build three hospitals within 20 days,” Tebboune said, referring to field hospitals that the Algerian military is capable of constructing. Previously, Tebboune had enquired about the military’s capacity to build such hospitals and the feasibility of sending them to Gaza under suitable conditions during the opening of the Algeria International Fair in June. Addressing his supporters, Tebboune also expressed readiness to send hundreds of doctors to Gaza and assist in rebuilding what has been destroyed. He condemned the current situation in Gaza as “not a war, but massacres perpetrated by the Zionist occupation,” asserting that the resolution of the Palestinian issue through the “extermination of Palestinians” is unacceptable. Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack last year by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas. The Israeli onslaught has since killed nearly 40,100 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 92,500, according to local health authorities. More than 10 months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine. Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

Kenya will soon present a revised eco-levy tax in Parliament. Treasury Secretary John Mbadi announced that “about 49 measures” are under consideration as part of the tax amendment bill. The new eco-levy aims to address pollution and waste management at both the office and household levels, but will exclude sanitary towels—a change from the initial proposal. Companies will still face scrutiny, including a 10 percent levy on locally manufactured plastics, despite opposition from Coca-Cola. Mbadi defended the tax, emphasizing that environmental harm should be compensated. The government is also extending the tax amnesty period by six months. This revision follows the cancellation of Kenya’s Finance Bill 2024 in June due to protests, which led President William Ruto to explore alternative revenue sources. Opposition leaders are now urging the Judiciary to resist any attempt to reintroduce the rejected bill.

In Nigeria’s Benue State, a ransom has been demanded for 20 medical students kidnapped on April 15. Adeniran Adebanjo, spokesperson for the Student Union Government (SUG) at Jos University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, revealed that the armed kidnappers have reached out to the families of the abducted students. The kidnappers are demanding 50 million Naira (around 30 thousand USD) for the students’ release. The students were abducted in the Otukpo area of Benue State. Benue State Police spokesperson Catherine Anene confirmed that efforts are underway to rescue the kidnapped students. The armed assailants targeted a bus carrying medical students traveling from Benue State to Enugu State on April 15, resulting in the kidnapping. Despite the death penalty for kidnapping in Nigeria, ransom abductions remain common. Armed groups frequently target northern villages, schools, and travelers to demand ransoms.

 Seven people went missing after a yacht sank on Monday due to a storm 20 kilometers east of Palermo in southern Italy, while 15 others were rescued, according to media reports. The incident took place around 5 a.m. local time (0300GMT) when the 56-meters-long (184 feet) boat sank due to heavy rains and stormy weather off the coast of Porticello, 20 kilometers (over 12.4 miles) east of Palermo, media outlets reported. Coastguards and the fire department have rescued 15 people, and a search for the remaining seven is underway, the Italian fire department said in a statement. The British-flagged boat sank to a depth of 49 meters (nearly 161 feet), and a helicopter is also assisting with the operations, it said. The people on the yacht were from the UK, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, France, Ireland, US and Canada. A one-year-old child was among those rescued and taken to a children’s hospital in Palermo for medical care.

Cholera outbreak in Sudan claims 22 lives as conflict and floods worsen conditions.

Dagalo highlighted that the ongoing conflict in Sudan was largely triggered by the Islamic Movement and its leaders within the armed forces

The new rule requires all cargo entering or leaving the country to be tagged with a special seal provided by the government, impacting businesses in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

98 Yemenis killed, 600 injured in floods this year, according to UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The war has caused a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with half of Sudan’s 50 million people now facing food insecurity

The driver lost control of the vehicle before ramming into the crowded market, causing widespread panic and devastation.

Four years since the military takeover ousted Mali’s president, economic hardships are deepening, and recurring power outages are crippling businesses, residents report. The August 2020 coup in the conflict-ridden West African country was fueled by widespread frustration with corrupt leaders backed by former colonial ruler France, a growing jihadist insurgency, and economic woes. However, for many, the anticipated improvements remain elusive. “The handling of the electricity situation is concerning. Many Malians are incurring significant losses,” Oumar Diarra, a furniture maker, told media. “The government needs to take action because our suffering is immense.” Mali’s 2020 coup sparked a wave of similar takeovers across the Sahel, including in neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, all of whom are battling jihadist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Following a second coup in 2021, Mali’s military leaders delayed their promised elections, postponing them indefinitely for technical reasons. Silversmith Allasana Ag Agaly expressed concern over the far-reaching effects of the power cuts: “When the head of the family returns home after a day without work, it impacts everyone—children, women, and daily life.” The World Bank forecasts Mali’s economic growth to slow to 3.1% this year, down from 3.5% in 2023, with extreme poverty rates rising. Around 90% of Mali’s population now lives in poverty. In addition to ousting French and U.N. troops that had been combating Islamist militants for a decade, Mali’s leaders, like their counterparts in Niger and Burkina Faso, have sought military aid from Russia instead. While many residents endure hardship, some remain optimistic, viewing it as the cost of reclaiming independence from France. “Political independence is meaningless without economic independence,” said Bamako resident Alkady Haidara. “Malians must be patient. Difficult times are part of the journey to a brighter future.”

Mansa Musa was a king whose wealth remains unmatched in history

The RSF delegation expressed deep gratitude for ongoing regional and international efforts aimed at restoring peace in Sudan

The Sahel faces significant challenges but also holds great potential

The unions circulated their statement to journalists on Friday, raising concerns about the junta’s treatment of legal professionals