Cameroon’s 93-year-old Biya returns home amid health questions
Cameroon’s 93-year-old President Paul Biya returned from a months-long absence abroad, sparking questions about his health as he resumes his duties.
Tag
Africa
All articles tagged with #africa
Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel hijacked off Somalia; Turkish weapons aboard, officials say
Pirates hijacked a Cameroon-flagged cargo ship off the Puntland coast of Somalia; authorities say the vessel was carrying weapons from Turkey.
CAR artisanal gold mine collapse claims over 100 lives
An artisanal goldmine near Zamboye, CAR, collapsed after a landslide, killing more than 100 people and trapping many others. Rescue teams are recovering bodies and searching for survivors, with victims believed to include CAR and Cameroon nationals; authorities are investigating the incident amid ongoing concerns about safety in artisanal mining.
Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Reaches Record-High Death Toll
Congolese authorities report the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has reached 4,945 cases with 2,325 deaths, making it the deadliest in the country’s history and the fastest-spreading outbreak yet; the World Health Organization warns it could surpass the 2014-16 West Africa outbreak in pace, though there are no approved vaccines or treatments yet. Response challenges include unpaid health worker strikes, rebel threats, difficult terrain, and misinformation, while UN aid is scaling up with additional funding and staff as 101 new cases and 33 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours and more than 1,000 people have recovered.
Liberia to Accept 1,200 US Deportees Under Migration Pact
Liberia has agreed to take in about 1,200 third-country deportees from the United States as part of the Trump-era migration policy.
Kariba ferry tragedy hits 93 dead, as rescue effort continues
A ferry capsized on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba after being overloaded, with the death toll rising to 93—making it the country’s deadliest transport disaster. About 168 people were aboard the vessel, far more than its 90-passenger capacity, and divers are continuing searches as authorities identify victims (83 identified, including 39 children). A state of disaster has been declared by President Mnangagwa, and DNA may be needed to help identify bodies drifting toward Zambia while the rescue operation persists; the ferry was a vital, cheap transport link for rural communities.
Cameroon's 93-year-old Biya remains abroad, sparking questions about leadership
Cameroon's 93-year-old President Paul Biya has been abroad since June 7 on a 'brief private stay in Europe,' his longest uninterrupted absence in years. Government officials say he is alive and not hospitalized, but his whereabouts and health have sparked questions about who runs the country in his absence. Biya has led Cameroon since 1982, and his extended stay abroad highlights concerns about aging leadership and governance in Africa amid ongoing domestic challenges.
Brace for 2027: a six-minute solar eclipse across Africa, Europe and the Middle East
NASA says the Aug. 2, 2027 total solar eclipse will deliver up to six minutes and 23 seconds of totality—the longest in decades and the longest until 2114—visible across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East; most of the U.S. won’t see it, with only a partial view possible in parts of Maine early on Aug. 2, 2027.
Mali pardons French national linked to coup plot against Goïta
Mali granted a presidential pardon to Yann Vezilier, a French national sentenced to 20 years for allegedly plotting a coup against President Assimi Goïta; the government said the clemency does not overturn the verdict and Vezilier will be removed from Mali, while France has not yet commented amid regional security tensions.
Dozens die as Zimbabwe ferry capsizes on Lake Kariba
At least 44 people died when a passenger ferry capsized on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba after rough weather; authorities say about 114 adults were registered on tickets, with around 120 people on board overall including children, and 77 have been rescued as search-and-rescue continues. President Mnangagwa has declared a state of disaster to mobilise resources.
Outpacing Containment: Congo Ebola Outbreak Tops 1,900 Deaths as WHO Warns Virus Is Ahead
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, has reached about 4,200 cases and more than 1,900 deaths. Genetic sequencing shows the outbreak began months earlier than officially declared, and the WHO says the virus is spreading faster than containment efforts can keep up, though it is not airborne. Ongoing challenges include conflict, healthcare access limits, misinformation, and displaced communities, all complicating response efforts.
60,000-Year-Old Ostrich Eggshell Engravings Reveal Early Human Geometric Thinking
A study of ostrich eggshell engravings from southern Africa finds that 60,000-year-old designs follow recurring geometric rules, suggesting early Homo sapiens had sophisticated visual-spatial planning and abstract thinking.
Africa’s Hidden Reproductive Health Crisis: Fibroids and Cysts Amid Care Barriers
CNN reports that ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids affect hundreds of millions worldwide, with Africa showing high prevalence and many women remaining undiagnosed due to cost, stigma, and limited ultrasound access. The piece follows Evelyn Okinyi Owala’s journey from painful periods to a lifestyle-driven improvement and surgery, Lupita Nyong’o’s fibroid experience, and Sierra Leonean doctors noting cultural barriers and the need for better education. While lifestyle changes can help address root factors, medical care remains essential, underscoring the urgency for improved diagnosis, treatment access, and research in Africa.
Kano's mass wedding: celebrations with strict vetting to weed out fraudsters
In Kano, Nigeria, about 1,500 couples wed in a government-sponsored mass wedding funded with roughly 1.5 billion naira to cover dowries, furniture and initial home needs; each couple receives 100,000 naira as dowry and 100,000 naira as startup capital, plus household goods, and must pass comprehensive medical checks overseen by the Hisbah Islamic police. The program, started in 2012 and drawing thousands of applicants (around 5,000 this year), aims to assist low-income couples, but some applicants attempt to game the system with fake partners or altered tests, leading to ongoing vetting; the ceremony culminates at the Emir's palace with a governor-hosted breakfast.
Territorial hippo in Botswana chases tour boat in dramatic waterway encounter
A viral video from Botswana shows a large male hippo charging a tour boat in a shallow waterway as it defends its territory; the captain sped up to escape, highlighting that hippos are highly dangerous despite being herbivores and kill hundreds of people in Africa each year.