Security forces killed 3 terrorist attackers who stormed popular hotel after initial blast late Friday

Captain Ibrahim Traore opens ‘Burkindlim’ in capital Ouagadougou

Protesters in Somalia rallied Friday to condemn the assassination of Hamas’ Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh by Israel. Students, business people and religious clerics came out in Mogadishu to show solidarity with the Palestinian people who have been facing an Israeli onslaught in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank since an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, against Israel. Protesters were led by famous Somali religious scholar Sheikh Abdi Hayi who chanted against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “There is no God but Allah, Netanyahu is an enemy of Allah,” protesters chanted. The Somalia government strongly condemned Haniyeh’s assassination on Wednesday and said it was a violation of international law. Haniyeh, who was in the Iranian capital of Tehran to attend the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian, was killed by an airstrike that targeted the building where he was staying.  Hamas and Iran have blamed Israel for the attack but Tel Aviv has neither claimed nor denied responsibility. “Somalia fears an escalating pace of violence that could lead to more violations against civilians,” said the Somali Foreign Ministry, expressing “heartfelt condolences” to the Palestinian people. Mogadishu condemns political killings and violence “in all its forms, whatever its motives are,” it said in a statement. 

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Friday that Badr Abdelatty and his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, discussed the “dangerous” regional escalation following assassinations by Israel,  The ministers explored “avenues for enhancing cooperation between Egypt and Saudi Arabia across various domains,” in a telephone call. They also discussed “the alarming regional tensions resulting from Israel’s extremist policies and the pattern of assassinations,” it said in a statement, in reference to the assassination Wednesday of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’ political bureau in the Iranian capital of Tehran. Abdelatty emphasized the urgency of “halting the ongoing escalation and underscored the responsibility of major international powers, particularly the US, in curbing the escalation.” Bin Farhan expressed anticipation for “continued bilateral relations to bolster coordination on regional issues.” The Israeli military claimed Thursday to have “confirmed intelligence” regarding the killing of Mohammed Deif, the military wing leader of Hamas, al-Qassam Brigades. The airstrike occurred July 13 in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, despite prior denials by the Palestinian resistance group. Israel’s confirmation followed Hamas and Iran’s declaration Wednesday regarding the assassination of Haniyeh.  An Israeli airstrike targeted Haniyeh’s residence in Tehran, following his participation in the inauguration ceremony of President Masoud Pezeshkian. While Israel maintains silence on Haniyeh’s assassination, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indirectly alluded to Tel Aviv’s responsibility for the operation. Additionally, the Israeli army explicitly claimed responsibility for the assassination of Fouad Shukr, Hezbollah’s top military commander, in an airstrike Tuesday on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Escalating tensions between the two sides have persisted since early October, stemming from the Israeli onslaught against Gaza. -Sudan crisis The two top diplomats also addressed efforts by Cairo and Riyadh to resolve the Sudanese crisis to maintain Sudan’s unity and sovereignty by working together to achieve a cease-fire and facilitate humanitarian aid delivery. Since April 2023, the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group have been engaged in fighting that has resulted in 18,800 deaths and 10 million displaced individuals, according to the UN.

The Zambian Drug Enforcement Commission has successfully disrupted a counterfeit currency operation, arresting five suspects and recovering a substantial amount of fake US dollars.

Two Russian nationals have been abducted in Niger by the GSIM terrorist group. The kidnapping comes amid increasing violence in the West African country.

The UN is urging immediate action to address the deepening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where famine has struck North Darfur.

The RSF calls for immediate international intervention to save millions from starvation.

We will seek military support if our personnel overpowered by protestors, says police chief

‘I am particularly concerned about the resurgence of M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo,’ Burundi’s president says in Zambian parliament

Anti-government protests in Nigeria have turned deadly, with at least 17 fatalities reported.

The Nairobi City County’s plan requires cat owners to register their pets, pay an annual fee of 200 Kenyan shillings (about $1.50), and provide proof of rabies vaccination

The new requirement for a document certifying candidates have no criminal record has delayed their ability to register

Built by Turkish firm at cost of $3.1 billion, 541-kilometer railway runs from Dar es Salaam and Morogoro to capital Dodoma

Police in Nigeria have been placed on high alert and may seek military assistance following violent protests in several cities that resulted in at least three deaths, the Inspector General of Police announced. Major cities, including the capital Abuja and Kano in the north, experienced clashes between police and demonstrators, along with looting on Thursday. Despite the early calm on Friday, further protests were anticipated. Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun stated late Thursday that the police were fully mobilized and prepared to respond swiftly to any additional threats to public safety and order. “In light of the current situation, the Nigeria Police Force has placed all units on red alert,” Egbetokun said. “The police are equipped to respond appropriately to the unfolding situation and will seek assistance from other security agencies, including the military, if necessary.” The protests, inspired by youth-led movements in Kenya, have been organized under the banner “#EndBadGovernanceInNigeria” and are set to continue for 10 days. Protesters are reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, which have led to rampant inflation, a weakened currency, and increasing hardship for ordinary Nigerians. President Tinubu acknowledged the pain caused by the reforms but emphasized that they are essential for putting Nigeria’s economy on a path to sustainable growth. Kano, one of Nigeria’s most populous and predominantly Muslim states, imposed a 24-hour curfew after protesters looted a shop and a government complex. Additionally, three other states have implemented curfews in certain areas.

A growing focus on developing smart cities in Africa is emerging, aiming to enhance living standards

In Nigeria, some states have imposed curfews in response to protests against the removal of fuel subsidies, which has led to rising living costs. The protests, which began yesterday, have escalated into violence in certain areas, prompting curfews in Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Niger, and Yobe states. Kano Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf stated, “After careful consideration, we decided to impose a curfew to prevent the looting and destruction of businesses and the killing of innocent citizens.” Curfews have also been enforced in Gombe, Jigawa, Niger, and Yobe states due to looting and clashes between protesters and security forces. Civil society organizations plan a 10-day nationwide protest starting August 1, in response to the fuel subsidy removal. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu removed fuel subsidies on May 29, 2023, leading to a significant increase in fuel prices. The cost of fuel surged from 185 naira ($0.24) per liter to 620 naira ($0.82).

A court in Kenya on Thursday ordered the extradition of a man accused of murdering his girlfriend in the United States. Kevin Kang’ethe will go on trial in Massachusetts on first degree murder charges for the death of nurse Margaret Mbitu in November 2023. Her body was found with multiple stabs wounds in his SUV in a garage at Boston’s Logan Airport, two days after her family reported her missing. Police say he had boarded a flight from Logan to Kenya the day before Mbitu’s body was discovered. He was tracked down in Kenya three months after the murder and arrested, but escaped in a mini-van just one week into his detention. Kenyan police launched a manhunt and investigation, eventually tracking him down to a relative’s home in Nairobi where he was re-arrested. They also arrested four police officers, two of the suspect’s relatives, and a lawyer who they accused of assisting in the prison break. Prosecutors in Nairobi testified that when Kang’ethe was arrested, he was found in possession of items belonging to Mbitu, including her driver’s license, Bank of America debit card, and a visa card.

Algeria’s flag carrier Air Algerie said Thursday that it suspended its flights to and from Lebanon until further notice. The airline urged all customers to contact the company’s call centers for more information and updates. The national carrier did not provide a specific reason for the decision. However, it follows similar moves by other airlines, including Kuwait Airways, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines. The suspension comes amid rising tensions and the potential for a broader conflict between Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah group on one side and Israel on the other. It follows the assassination of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr by Israel on Tuesday and accusations by the Palestinian group Hamas and Iran that Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, in the Iranian capital Tehran on Wednesday. Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, the only airport in Lebanon, has previously been targeted during the country’s civil war from 1975 to 1989 and in past conflicts with Israel, most recently in the July 2006 war. Hamas and Iran have vowed to retaliate for Haniyeh’s assassination, while Hezbollah has pledged to respond to Shukr’s killing.  Meanwhile, international efforts are underway to de-escalate the situation and prevent the conflict from spreading further in the region. Fears have grown of a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah amid a months-long exchange of cross-border fire. The escalation comes against the backdrop of an Israeli onslaught on Gaza which has killed nearly 39,500 people since last October following an attack by Hamas.

 Zambia and Burundi signed six bilateral agreements Thursday to boost cooperation in various fields, including agriculture and security. The agreements were signed at State House in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital, after the country’s President Hakainde Hichilema and Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye held official talks. The agreements are in the areas of enhancing commercial cooperation, social welfare and child development systems and agriculture and agriculture research. The two countries will also collaborate in the education sphere under an agreement between the University of Zambia and the University of Burundi, the extradition of fugitives and criminals under a security agreement, and in fisheries and livestock. In a preliminary session of the two leaders’ talks, Hichilema and Ndayishimiye reflected on the ties between their countries, calling for the exploration of more trade and investment opportunities with a spillover effect to the rest of the subregion. Hichilema said he wanted to see better utilization of the Tanganyika Corridor, a link between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Great Lakes region, to enhance trade and connectivity. Hichilema, who also chairs the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Authority, a role he will hand over to Ndayishimiye in Bujumbura this October, also called for enhanced peace, security and stability as a harbinger for development and economic transformation. Ndayishimiye called for increased cooperation between the two countries targeting agriculture and mining, as both countries are rich in natural resources which can be mutually utilized to improve livelihoods. Ndayishimiye is in the southern African nation on a three-day visit at Hichilema’s invitation. He will address the Zambian National Assembly on Friday and grace the country’s 96th Agriculture and Commercial Show on Saturday.

The government has warned of a crackdown on dissent as the country prepares to host a regional summit.

Tuareg rebels in Mali claim to have inflicted heavy losses on Russian Wagner mercenaries and Malian soldiers during recent clashes.

President Faure Gnassingbe maintains Victoire Tomegah-Dogbe as Prime Minister in Togo’s new government setup.

The rejection has heightened tensions in the eastern region of the country.