Month: January 2025

Gabon will hold a presidential election on April 12, the council of ministers said. The military currently rules the West African country following a coup in August 2023.

“Under this decree, the electoral college is convened on Saturday, April 12, 2025,” a government statement, issued late Wednesday after a ministerial cabinet meeting, said.

The announcement comes after the adoption last Sunday by Gabon’s parliament of a new electoral code, which sets out the rules and conditions for organizing elections in the country.

The legislation, which requires approval by the Constitutional Court, is controversial as it authorizes military personnel to be candidates in all political elections in the country, which was not possible in the past.

It could allow Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, who led the 2023 coup that overthrew former president Ali Bongo Ondimba, to run for his first presidential term.

Gabon’s constitution, which was adopted by referendum in November, sets the presidential term at 7 years, renewable once.

Egypt’s President said on Wednesday that his country would “push with all its strength” to ensure a ceasefire in Gaza is fully implemented.

During his speech, Abdel Fattah el-Sissi emphasised Egypt’s role in the mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas would continue and that the country would dedicate all its power to ensure that the ceasefire holds.

“Egypt is striving with all its power and sincere efforts to reject violence and strive for peace. The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip is a living witness to these tireless efforts and continuous endeavours that Egypt is making alongside its partners in this regard. We will push with all our strength to implement this agreement in full in an effort to stop the bloodshed of our Palestinian brothers and restore services to the Strip so that it becomes viable and prevent any attempts of displacement due to these difficult circumstances, because this is a matter (displacement) that Egypt categorically rejects in order to preserve the existence of the Palestinian cause itself,” Sissi announced.

The truce, is supposed to see 33 held hostages released in return for hundreds of Palestinians.

Civilians have been fleeing the Nzulo camp for displaced people outside Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as fighting between M23 rebels and the Congolese army approaches the provincial capital.

The camp is filled with internally displaced people who have already fled at least once in the decades-long conflict that has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.

But amid an uptick in fighting between the Congolese army and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, they believe it is no longer safe to stay.

David Kasereka fled on a motorbike on Wednesday with a young child, barely stopping to explain that he was leaving because they noticed the rebels had taken the nearby Ngwiro hill.

“We are fleeing, but we don’t know where we are going because everywhere, the bombs are following us. They are already close to here, and we expect to receive a lot of bullets. That is why we decided to leave the camp,” he said.

Nadège Bauma, like many others in Nzulo, was first displaced due to intense fighting in Sake.

On Wednesday, this mother of six gathered what she could of her belongings and piled them into a minibus so that she and her family could flee again.

“We just learned that the M23 have arrived in Ngwiro, and we decided to leave the area because bullets and bombs are falling. We are afraid,” she said.

Congolese authorities said Tuesday that M23 has seized the town of Minova, a key supply route for Goma just 40 kilometres away.

They have also reportedly captured several mining towns in the region.

The United Nations on Monday said more than  237,000 people have been forced from their homes in the mineral-rich region since the start of the year.

Rights group Amnesty International earlier this week called on the warring parties to stop using explosive weapons in densely populated areas.

The M23, or the March 23 Movement, is a militant group composed of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army just over a decade ago.

Rwanda denies accusation by the DRC and the United Nations that it supports the group with troops and weapons.

M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo since 1998 when the conflict began.

More than 7 million people have been displaced.

Numerous diplomatic initiatives by neighbouring countries and others to resolve the conflicts have failed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday congratulated Donald Trump on taking office and welcomed his intention to open a dialogue with Moscow.

Speaking during a video call with members of Russia’s Security Council just before Trump’s inauguration, Putin said that “we hear the statements from Trump and members of his team about their desire to restore direct contacts with Russia, which were halted through no fault of ours by the outgoing administration.”

“We also hear his statements about the need to do everything to prevent World War III,” Putin said in televised comments. “We certainly welcome such an approach and congratulate the U.S. president-elect on taking office.”

He emphasised that a dialogue between Russia and the U.S. should be based on “equal basis and mutual respect, taking into account the important role our countries play on some key issues on the global agenda, including the strengthening of global stability and security.”

Putin noted Moscow is open for dialogue with the Trump administration on the conflict in Ukraine.

“As for the settlement of the situation, I would like to underline that its goal should not be a short truce, not some kind of respite for regrouping forces and rearmament with the aim of subsequently continuing the conflict, but a long-term peace based on respect for the legitimate interests of all people, all nations living in this region.”

A devastating fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya, a ski resort in Turkey’s Bolu province, claimed 10 lives and left 32 others hospitalised early Tuesday. The blaze began around 3:30 a.m. in the hotel’s restaurant, spreading quickly due to its wooden chalet-style cladding. Panic ensued as guests tried to escape, with two victims tragically jumping from windows. Some used sheets and blankets to climb down from the 12-storey building. The hotel was near full capacity, hosting 234 guests during the busy school holiday period. Efforts to contain the flames were hindered by the hotel’s cliffside location. A massive emergency response, including 30 fire trucks and 28 ambulances, worked to manage the situation. Nearby hotels were evacuated as a precaution, with displaced guests relocated. Authorities have appointed six prosecutors to investigate the cause of the fire. Kartalkaya, located 300 kilometres east of Istanbul, is a popular winter destination in the Koroglu mountains.

The United Hearts Movement (MCU), the ruling party of Central African President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, has entered into a cooperation agreement with United Russia, the political party of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The agreement, signed remotely on Monday, symbolizes the growing partnership between Bangui and Moscow.

President Touadéra had just returned from a three-day official visit to Russia when the announcement was made.

From Moscow, Andrei Klimov, a senior member of United Russia and a Russian senator under Western sanctions for his support of the Ukraine invasion, represented the Russian side.

In Bangui, Simplice Mathieu Sarandji, a longtime ally of President Touadéra, served as the Central African representative. Sarandji, who is also the president of the National Assembly and the MCU’s executive secretary, signed the document with a ceremonial scarf featuring the president’s image draped over his shoulders.

Russian officials, including Ambassador Alexandre Bikantov, Consul Vladislav Ilin, and Dimitri Sityi, director of the Russian House in Bangui, witnessed the signing. Sityi is a key figure in Wagner Group’s local operations, overseeing economic and informational activities.

The Russian Embassy described the agreement as a step toward “new horizons” in cooperation which aims to deepen ties between the two parties through joint projects and legislative exchanges.

The timing of the agreement is significant. It follows President Touadéra’s Moscow visit and coincides with the early mobilization of his political supporters ahead of the presidential election scheduled for the end of the year.

Meanwhile, critics of the government have raised concerns about the implications of the deal. Opposition leader Crépin Mboli-Goumba expressed alarm, stating, “The MCU wants to mimic United Russia—sprawling, oppressive, blending with state institutions and the judiciary, and silencing any dissent.”

This partnership highlights the increasingly close relationship between the Central African Republic and Russia, raising questions about its impact on the country’s political landscape and sovereignty.

Donald Trump was sworn in as America’s 47th president on Monday, after surviving impeachments, criminal indictments and two assassination attempts.

He got to work quickly after the ceremony, after announcing his plans to sign a slew of executive orders

Addressing supporters, he pledged to change the country for the better.

“The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world,” Trump said.

Among the orders he has pledged to sign are implementing a mass deportation programme, ending birthright citizenship, ramping up oil drilling in the country, and hiking tariffs for Canada, Mexico and China.

Due to cold weather, Trump’s ceremony was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda, the first time that has happened in four decades.

Shouts, flags and jubilant crowds.

This is how 90 Palestinian prisoners were greeted in the West Bank city of Beitunia after being released from an Israeli prison early on Monday.

There were fireworks and whistles, and shouts of “God is great.”

The release is part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas following 15 months of war.

Having started at 11:15 a.m. local time, it is the first step toward ultimately ending the conflict, although the truce is still fragile.

Although the release took place after 1am, huge crowds thronged the buses after departing from the prison.

Relatives hugged the released and celebrated their return.

Over the next six weeks, it is expected that Israel will release another 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and Palestinians detained in Gaza, in exchange for the return of 33 Israeli hostages held captive in the Gaza strip.

On Sunday afternoon, Hamas released the first three Israeli hostages.

The three hostages are Romi Gonen, 24, kidnapped from the Nova music festival, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

According to footage from the Israeli military, the three women were handed over to the Red Cross and greeted by military personnel, before being taken for medical assessment.

Around 100 hostages remain in Gaza.

It is believed that 60 are still alive.

The Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel killed some 1,200 people and left some 250 others captive.

Israel responded with an offensive that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials.

With Donald Trump having taken office for his second term as President of the United States on Monday, the Uk’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he “looks forward” to working with Donald Trump over the next four years

Lammy said: “We have a special relationship with the United States. It doesn’t matter who’s in the White House or number ten. And we look forward to working with Donald Trump over the next four years.”

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated Trump ahead of the inauguration and equally underlined the “special relationship” between the US and the UK in his statement.

His party, the Labour party, previously had some tensions with the previous Trump administration, and several challenges lie ahead, notably in the form of Trump’s threat of imposing trade tariffs.

Lammy suggested that Starmer could visit Trump in Washington within weeks.

The Republican became the 47th president of the US on Monday, overcoming impeachments, criminal indictments and a pair of assassination attempts.

The price of bitcoin surged to over $109,000 early Monday, just hours ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, as a pumped-up cryptocurrency industry bets he’ll take action soon after returning to the White House.

Once a sceptic who said a few years ago that Bitcoin “ seems like a scam,” Trump has embraced digital currencies with a convert’s zeal. He’s launched a new cryptocurrency venture and vowed on the campaign trail to take steps early in his presidency to make the U.S. into the “crypto capital” of the world.

His promises included creating a U.S. crypto stockpile, enacting industry-friendly regulation and event appointing a crypto “czar” for his administration.

“You’re going to be very happy with me,” Trump told crypto-enthusiasts at a Bitcoin conference last summer.

Bitcoin is the world’s most popular cryptocurrency and was created in 2009 as a kind of electronic cash uncontrolled by banks or governments. It and newer forms of cryptocurrencies have moved from the financial fringes to the mainstream in wild fits and starts.

The highly volatile nature of cryptocurrencies as well as their use by criminals, scammers and rogue nations, has attracted plenty of critics, who say the digital currencies have limited utility and often are just Ponzi schemes.

But crypto has so far defied naysayers and survived multiple prolonged price drops in its short lifespan. Wealthy players in the crypto industry, which felt unfairly targeted by the Biden administration, spent heavily to help Trump win November’s election. Bitcoin has surged in price since Trump’s victory, topping $100,000 for the first time last month before briefly sliding down to about $90,000. On Friday, it rose about 5%. It jumped more than $9,000 early Monday, according to CoinDesk.

Two years ago, bitcoin was trading at about $20,000.

Trump’s picks for key cabinet and regulatory positions are stocked with crypto supporters, including his choice to lead the Treasury and Commerce departments and the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Key industry players held a first-ever “Crypto Ball” on Friday to celebrate the first “crypto president.” The event was sold out, with tickets costing several thousand dollars.

Here’s a look at some detailed actions Trump might take in the early days of his administration:

CRYPTO COUNCIL

As a candidate, Trump promised that he would create a special advisory council to provide guidance on creating “clear” and “straightforward” regulations on crypto within the first 100 days of his presidency.

Details about the council and its membership are still unclear, but after winning November’s election, Trump named tech executive and venture capitalist David Sacks to be the administration’s crypto “czar.” Trump also announced in late December that former North Carolina congressional candidate Bo Hines will be the executive director of the “Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets.”

At last year’s Bitcoin conference, Trump told crypto supporters that new regulations “will be written by people who love your industry, not hate your industry.” Trump’s pick to lead the SEC, Paul Atkins, has been a strong advocate for cryptocurrencies.

Crypto investors and companies chafed as what they said was a hostile Biden administration that went overboard in unfair enforcement actions and accounting policies that have stifled innovation in the industry — particularly at the hands of outgoing SEC Chairman Gary Gensler.

“As far as general expectations from the Trump Administration, I think one of the best things to bet on is a tone change at the SEC,” said Peter Van Valkenburgh, the executive director of the advocacy group Coin Center.

Gensler, who is set to leave as Trump takes office, said in a recent interview with Bloomberg that he’s proud of his office’s actions to police the crypto industry, which he said is “rife with bad actors.”

STRATEGIC BITCOIN RESERVE

Trump also promised that as president he’ll ensure the U.S. government stockpiles bitcoin, much like it already does with gold. At the Bitcoin conference earlier this summer, Trump said it the U.S. government would keep, rather than auction off, the billions of dollars in Bitcoin it has seized through law enforcement actions.

Crypto advocates have posted a draft executive order online that would establish a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” as a “permanent national asset” to be administered by the Treasury Department through its Exchange Stabilization Fund. The draft order calls for the Treasury Department to eventually hold at least $21 billion in bitcoin.

Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming has proposed legislation mandating the U.S. government stockpile bitcoin, which advocates said would help diversify government holdings and hedge against financial risks. Critics say Bitcoin’s volatility makes it a poor choice as a reserve asset.

Creating such a stockpile would also be a “giant step in the direction of Bitcoin becoming normalized, becoming legitimatized in the eyes of people who don’t yet see it as legitimate,” said Zack Shapiro, an attorney who is head of policy at the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

ROSS ULBRICHT

At the Bitcoin conference earlier this year, Trump received loud cheers when he reiterated a promise to commute the life sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the convicted founder of the drug-selling website Silk Road that used crypto for payments.

Ulbricht’s case has energized some crypto advocates and Libertarian activists, who believe government investigators overreached in building their case against Silk Road.