Category: LATEST NEWS

The French football league suspended Nice defender Youcef Atal for seven matches on Wednesday after he shared an antisemitic message on social media.

Nice had already suspended Atal last week until further notice and said that he apologized for his actions. After the matter was reviewed by the French soccer federation’s ethics committee, the French league’s disciplinary commission suspended Atal.

Atal’s suspension comes after the Nice public prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation targeting Atal on charges “of defending terrorism” for sharing the message online. The prosecutor’s office said Atal is also being investigated for “public incitement to hatred or violence because of a particular religion.”

The 27-year-old Atal, who also plays for Algeria’s national team, apologized after reportedly reposting and then deleting a video in which a Palestinian preacher made an antisemitic statement.

Writing on Instagram, Atal said he understood that his post was shocking to some people and said he condemns all forms of violence, “no matter where in the world.”

The UN mission pushed out of Mali has been forced by the actions of the ruling junta to rush its departure and sabotage the equipment left behind, before risking the lives of its peacekeepers on the road for lack of flight permits.

The Minusma was pushed out after the junta in power since 2020 called for its withdrawal in June, proclaiming the “failure” of the mission and denouncing its alleged “instrumentalisation” of the human rights issue.

Here is an overview of this large-scale and risky operation, which brings to an end ten years of efforts to try to stabilise a country plagued by jihadism and a deep multidimensional crisis.

Tensions on all sides as The Minusma, whose strength has hovered around 15,000 soldiers and police officers and whose more than 180 members have been killed in hostile acts, is supposed to have left by 31 December.

The various armed actors fighting for control of the territory in the north are seeking to take advantage of the evacuation of the Minusma camps. The army is rushing to take them back. The predominantly Tuareg separatist groups who oppose the army have resumed hostilities against it. The al-Qaida-affiliated Groupe de soutien à l’islam et aux musulmans (GSIM) has stepped up its attacks.

The Minusma is therefore withdrawing in the midst of a military escalation, made more dangerous by what are perceived to be restrictions imposed by the authorities on its ability to manoeuvre.

– Contingents attacked – After leaving five camps since August, the Minusma completed its “accelerated withdrawal” from Tessalit on Sunday. It did so, it said, in an “extremely tense and deteriorating environment, endangering the lives of its personnel”, with shots being fired at one of its cargo aircraft and at its positions in the preceding days.

Part of the contingent, mainly Chadian, left by plane. But the rest took the road to Gao. Over 500 kilometres of desert, under constant threat from armed groups.

It was the same story with the withdrawal from Aguelhok the following day, due to a lack of flight authorisation.

According to the Minusma, these convoys were attacked with explosive devices, resulting in injuries. The GSIM claimed responsibility. A truck driver was seriously wounded and two others slightly injured on Thursday when gunmen opened fire on a logistics convoy from Ansongo, another camp to be evacuated, the mission reported.

– Abandoned equipment -Minusma said it had been forced to destroy or decommission equipment such as vehicles, ammunition and generators, in accordance with UN rules, because it was unable to take them with it. “Such losses could have been avoided” if 200 trucks had not been blocked in Gao since 24 September by restrictions on movement imposed by the authorities, she said.

Tanker trucks intended to supply the convoys are also stuck in Gao.

“Customs explained that the quantity of fuel was not justified”, said an official from the mission. A Malian policeman based in Gao argues that the authorities are afraid “to see the Minusma delivering fuel to the jihadists”.

– Exacerbated mistrust – Such an allegation, based on no evidence, reflects the mistrust between Minusma and the junta.

A confidential memo consulted by our source and intended for the UN Security Council by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations lists the obstacles to be overcome by the Minusma: withholding of flight or travel permits, but also an embargo on imports for its attention or the impossibility of patrolling around its own camps to monitor them. The Minusma has drawn up a plan B for withdrawal, including measures as a last resort.

Malian government spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga accused the former French ally, whom the junta has also pushed out, of sparing “no effort to make the Minusma flee”.

By speeding up its movement, the Minusma is upsetting the plans of the army, which refuses to give the separatists a free hand.

“The junta has taken the decision to kick out the Minusma, but they are having the withdrawal timetable imposed on them”, says Jonathan Guiffard, associate expert at the Institut Montaigne.

– And now Kidal – Tensions are likely to increase with the departure of Kidal, the stronghold of the Tuareg rebellion and a major sovereignty issue.

The departure was initially planned for the second half of November. It could happen more quickly, with a Minusma official speaking of a matter of a few days.

An official of the mission said that non-essential personnel had begun to leave.

“We are not going to stand idly by and put our troops in danger”, said a Chadian officer.

Given the sensitivity of the subject, several interlocutors remain anonymous.

Six people were injured when a drone crashed early Friday into the Egyptian town of Taba, which borders Israel, a country at war with Palestinian Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian army reported.

“An unidentified drone crashed on the outskirts of a building adjacent to Taba hospital on Friday, causing six minor injuries,” its spokesman said on Facebook.

Previously, AlQahera News television, which is close to Egyptian intelligence, had reported “a rocket” fired by an unidentified party “as part of the current escalation in Gaza”.

Witnesses confirmed to our source that the projectile had hit a hospital annex in this Red Sea town on the northeastern tip of Sinai, where there is a border crossing with Israel.

Images broadcast by the local media and social networks showed a damaged building and several vehicles blown up in the vicinity.

The Sinai desert peninsula is bordered to the northwest by the Gaza Strip and shares its eastern border with Israel.

Egypt, the historic mediator between Palestinians and Israelis, which holds Gaza’s only gateway to the world that is not in Israeli hands, has been on the front line since 7 October.

On that day, Hamas carried out an unprecedented surprise attack on Israeli soil that has since claimed more than 1,400 lives. In retaliation, Israel is now relentlessly bombing the Gaza Strip, killing around 7,000 people according to the local authorities.

Hamas, which is in power in Gaza, like other Palestinian armed groups, regularly fires barrages of rockets into Israeli territory. It also has small homemade drones.

On Sunday, the Israeli army announced that it had “mistakenly” fired one of its tanks at an Egyptian position on the outskirts of the Gaza Strip. Egypt reported the incident and apologised to the Israeli army, which reported “minor injuries” among its ranks. Egypt organised a “Peace Summit” on Sunday.

It is constantly calling for de-escalation between Israel and Hamas. On Wednesday, President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi reviewed his troops in Suez, at the entrance to Sinai, calling for “reason” and “patience”, while urging his men to “always be ready”.

World leaders gathered in Beijing last week to mark the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Launched in 2013, BRI activity has surpassed a trillion dollars, according to some estimates.

At the forum, President Xi Jinping said China was making available over $100 billion more to fund infrastructure.

Before the forum, speculation was rife that the BRI was losing steam. But as experts note, Beijing is simply remaking the Belt and Road.

Our guest this week Oyintarelado Moses, the Database Manager, Global China Initiative at the Boston University Global Development Policy Center.

Chinese investors thrive in Zambia

Chinese investment in Zambia has grown in recent years to include interests in mining, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Aided by President Hichilema’s pro-business attitude, economic ties between Zambia and China appear to be growing stronger.

African fintechs boom despite weak growth

African fintechs are projected to grow thirteenfold to US$65 billion in 2030, according to a recent report, the fastest of any region in the world.

Serge Koffi reports from Africa Microfinance week in Lome.

Nigeria’s Supreme Court on Thursday rejected appeals by two opposition candidates challenging the election of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in February’s presidential election, ending the eight-month dispute.

After examination, a panel of seven judges of the Court “dismissed” the appeal of candidate Atiku Abubakar (who came second) and that of Peter Obi (who came third).

The Supreme Court also upheld the judgment of an appeals court in Abuja that on September 6 upheld the election of Bola Ahmed Tinubu “as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Justice Justice John Inyang Okoro said in announcing the decision on Abubakar’s appeal.

The rulings put an end to an eight-month electoral dispute following the disputed election on 25 February.

In the past, Nigeria’s elections have often been marred by allegations of fraud and challenged in court. But the country’s highest court has never reviewed the results of a presidential election since the end of military rule and the return to democracy in 1999.

A former governor of Lagos and candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, Bola Tinubu won February’s presidential election with 37 percent of the vote, beating People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar (29 percent) and Labour Party (LP) candidate Peter Obi (25 percent), one of the closest polls in the country’s modern history.

Nearly 25 million Nigerians cast ballots in the election, which was largely peaceful, but was marred by delays in the vote count and major failures in the electronic transfer of results, leading voters and the opposition to denounce “massive fraud”.

After the election, the Election Commission acknowledged that there were “problems” in the voting process, but said it had been free and fair.

Tinubu took office in May and has been rapidly implementing reforms that his government says will support the growth of Africa’s largest economy and attract more foreign investment.

This is at a time when the government is also facing immense security challenges, including a jihadist insurgency in the northeast, criminal groups carrying out mass kidnappings in the northwest and centre, and separatist agitation in the southeast.

South Africa prepares for its Rugby World Cup final against arch-rivals, New Zealand on Saturday, the Springboks face a significant distraction.

Hooker, Bongi Mbonambi, is facing a World Rugby investigation into allegations that he directed a racial slur against England flank Tom Curry during their tight semi-finals game.

Springbok management has issued a statement saying they were aware of the allegations and were taking them seriously.

As the investigation continues, Mbonambi’s teammates have praised his character.

“Bongi’s a great guy. I’ve known him since we played together at the Stormers. I think nine years ago,” said lock Jean Kleyn.

“He’s a fantastic guy. He’s a good individual. But to be honest, I’m not really even going to comment on that. All I’ll say is he’s a fantastic bloke.”

Mbonambi is the only recognised hooker in the Bok squad.

As World Rugby reviews the allegations, the Boks are continue preparations for the final, with scrum coach, Daan Human, commenting that the All Blacks are good in all departments.

“But to be fairly honest, coming scrum time I can assure you they’re much better. They’re well prepared. They have got a great pack of forwards, and obviously, they will use it to their advantage,” he said.

While sanctions are rarely imposed on players for words spoken on the pitch, if World Rugby finds grounds to take disciplinary action, Mbonambi could be suspended.

South Africa is bidding to become only the second side in Rugby World Cup history to successfully defend the title, previously achieved by New Zealand in 2015 .