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Benin has handed out another 1,422 chance equality cards to people living with disabilities, taking the number of documents produced under the scheme past the 6,100 mark. Social affairs and microfinance minister Véronique Tognifodé formally presented the new batch, which was produced by the National Agency for the Identification of Persons (ANIP) and passed to her ministry for progressive distribution across the national territory. A card grounded in disability law Created under the law on the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities in Benin, the chance equality card is far more than an administrative identity document. It operates as a legal and social instrument built to secure priority and preferential access to a set of essential services. What card holde...

Eleven people were shot dead and three others left with serious injuries when an armed commando opened fire on a private gathering in the KwaMakhutha township, roughly thirty kilometres south of Durban, during the night of Tuesday 22 into Wednesday 23 September 2026. Among the dead is a pregnant woman. The attack ranks among the deadliest single episodes of armed violence recorded in KwaZulu-Natal this year and has once again turned a spotlight on the grip organised crime holds over South Africa's urban fringes. How the assault unfolded in the Ziko section Shortly before 11 pm, three armed men burst into a home in the Ziko area of KwaMakhutha, where about fifteen people had gathered for a private celebration. Without warning, the intruders fired at close range into the group, leaving thos...

Burkina Faso's transitional government took charge of 25,000 tonnes of wheat handed over by the Russian Federation on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at a ceremony that once again placed official rhetoric and everyday reality side by side. Captain Ibrahim Traoré has told audiences repeatedly that the country is on the brink of feeding itself through agro-pastoral offensives and “recovered sovereignty” — yet grain from abroad keeps arriving in bulk. What the September 23 handover shows Reconciling the image of a nation about to nourish its own population with the steady flow of thousands of tonnes of foreign cereals is no small contradiction. It reveals the staging of national policy: by insisting that Burkina Faso no longer needs anyone to guarantee its food security, the authorities try t...

Boussouma, a village 77 kilometres north-east of Ouagadougou, has been emptied of its people by armed groups. Once a trading crossroads and a symbol of community cohesion, the locality is now the stage of a forced rural exodus, with families fleeing the steady advance and gradual entrenchment of terrorist fighters. Where: 77 km north-east of the capital, Ouagadougou What triggered the exodus: the dismantling of customary and administrative structures Legal factor: enforcement of the law on the status of customary chiefdom Result: the near-total displacement of the population What happened in Boussouma, 77 km from Ouagadougou The collapse of the village is the direct consequence of the recent reorganisation of the administrative and traditional framework imposed by the authorities. By ...

The uranium agreement covering the Madaouela deposit was signed on 23 September 2026 and presented by Niger's transitional authorities as a decisive victory for mining sovereignty. Reduced to its essentials, the convention with Atomic Eagle grants the state a 40% stake, a direct payment of 10 million dollars and a pledge to create 1,000 jobs. Behind those three figures, the practical feasibility of the project and the concrete benefits it is meant to deliver remain largely undocumented.A partner with no proven record in industrial uranium miningThe choice of Atomic Eagle raises an immediate technical question. The company has never built or operated a uranium mine at industrial scale. Its only notable venture, located in Zambia, is still frozen at the preparatory study stage.Niamey was in ...

The Cameroonian customs authority has collected 1.8 billion FCFA (approximately $2.7 million) in duties and taxes from imported phones, tablets, and digital devices between April and early September 2026. This follows the implementation of a new digital collection mechanism, which has dramatically increased state revenue from this sector. Before the reform, customs revenue from phone imports barely reached 100 million FCFA per month. The new system, designed to combat fraud and enhance transparency, has transformed this into a significant revenue stream for the state. Market reactions: import prices surge and consumer concerns rise Local traders in Yaoundé’s Kennedy Avenue market, a hub for imported phones, report significant price increases. Seydou, a second-hand phone i...

The Women's Champions League 2026/27 curtain-raiser saw Barcelona deliver a masterclass, crushing Paris FC 5-2 in a display that underlined the gulf between Europe’s elite and the French domestic contenders. Despite taking an early lead through new recruits Mariam Toloba and Evelyne Viens, Paris FC’s hopes of a shock result evaporated within 40 minutes as Barcelona’s relentless attacking prowess exposed defensive frailties. A second-half goal from Clara Mateo provided a consolation, but the damage was done long before the whistle. Icon Sport Paris FC stun Barcelona with early opener Contrary to expectations, Paris FC started brightly, capitalizing on a rare defensive error by Barcelona. Mariam Toloba’s incisive pass found Evelyne Viens, who shrugged off two challenges before ...

EconomyGabon-EU fisheries deal: Libreville pushes for tangible economic gains in new talksBy Editor-in-Chief September 23, 2026Libreville, September 23, 2026 — Gabon and the European Union are set to restart negotiations that go far beyond mere access terms for European vessels to Gabonese waters. After the collapse of the previous partnership, Gabon is determined to reshape the economic, industrial, and operational framework governing its fisheries resources. On September 18, the Gabonese government officially greenlit negotiations for a new Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) and its accompanying protocol. These talks follow Gabon’s denunciation of the prior deal on June 4, 2025, and the expiration of its protocol on June 28, 2026. Without a valid framework, European vess...

Chad authorities investigate adult orchestration behind minor soldiers video The judicial authorities in N'Djamena have launched an investigation following the circulation of a video showing five minors in military uniforms making hostile remarks about state institutions. The case centers on whether adults manipulated these minors to act against national interests. Judicial proceedings initiated for five minors in military uniforms The five minors, apprehended by judicial police in the presence of their families, were questioned under juvenile justice procedures. Authorities reiterated that the investigation remains active while ensuring full legal protections for the minors. Court officials emphasized that while minors require special protection, legal responsibility may still ...

Cameroon: Boko Haram gunshot wounds 20-year-old Christian in Far North attack A 20-year-old Christian from Cameroon's Far North region remains hospitalized after being shot by Boko Haram militants who targeted him for his refusal to renounce his faith. The January attack in a remote village left Oumar with a bullet wound to his leg that doctors could not fully remove, leaving him in chronic pain. His testimony highlights the escalating persecution of Christians in Cameroon's northern border regions where extremist groups operate with impunity. During the assault, militants stormed the village and executed over a dozen people, including the neighbor of Oumar who was a father of seven children. When asked to abandon his Christian beliefs, Oumar refused and was im...

Senegal has achieved a landmark financial milestone by successfully launching its inaugural bond issuance on the Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM), listing four sovereign bonds totaling 305 billion FCFA. Orchestrated by the Senegalese Treasury, this strategic move integrates a portion of the country’s sovereign debt into the West African bourse’s bond segment, headquartered in Abidjan. Bond debut reshapes Senegal's debt management strategy The simultaneous introduction of four bond lines is no coincidence. It enhances visibility for the Senegalese Treasury among institutional investors in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), while offering bondholders an exit route through the secondary market. Historically, Dakar’s sovereign funding relied heavily on public bond auctions vi...

Benin unleashes strict traffic crackdown: over 100 riders fined in two days Since Sunday, September 20, 2026, Benin's law enforcement has launched a sweeping campaign targeting motorists and motorcyclists violating traffic regulations. Within the first 48 hours alone, authorities reported sanctioning more than 100 two-wheeler riders and a dozen car drivers across key locations nationwide. Routine compliance checks intensify across major urban hubs The enforcement surge gained momentum on Tuesday, September 22, particularly in Cotonou's economic heart. In just one hour around Fidjrossè, authorities intercepted over 40 motorcyclists, while multiple drivers were pulled over along the Marina Boulevard. Traffic patrols are maintaining heightened scrutiny on red-light violations and helme...