Category: World

Malawi has welcomed several international election observer missions ahead of its general elections due on 16 September 2025, in a move intended to enhance transparency and confidence in the electoral process. The European Union, Southern African Development Community, African Union in conjunction with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, among others, have deployed teams to monitor presidential, parliamentary and local government voting, campaigning, vote counting and results transmission.The European Union Election Observation Mission, launched in Lilongwe by Chief

Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki has approved the deployment of NATO forces on Polish territory as part of Operation Eastern Sentinel, authorising foreign allied units to bolster national defences.The approval came through a decree issued by the National Security Bureau, granting permission for allied troops from other NATO member states to be stationed in Poland. The decree is classified, and precise details—such as numbers, locations, or which units will be involved—have not been made public.This decision follows a drone incursion

Frontline medical residents in Nigeria launched a five-day warning strike on Friday, demanding unpaid allowances, salary arrears and better welfare. The strike, ordered by the National Association of Resident Doctors, is a response to what the doctors call government inaction on long-standing financial and professional concerns.NARD Secretary-General Dr. Oluwasola Odunbaku confirmed that work stopped at 8 a. m. across federal and state hospitals. The association insists the government must immediately pay the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, settle five months

Harare has been thrust into the spotlight over severe human rights violations linked to mining operations, as watchdog groups and local activists issue alarming reports of forced displacement, environmental destruction and labour abuse.The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition has accused mining firms and state actors of orchestrating “grave human rights violations” against residents in mining regions. These include evictions without proper compensation, widespread water and air pollution, physical abuse and breaches of workers’ rights. Women and girls are among the

Fitch Ratings has cut France’s long-term issuer default rating from AA- to A+, marking the lowest rating ever assigned to the country by a major agency. The outlook is stable, but the downgrade reflects mounting concerns over fiscal deficits, political instability, and France’s diminishing ability to rein in a swelling public debt.The agency flagged France’s deficit at about 5.8 per cent of GDP for 2024, far above the European Union’s 3 per cent ceiling, and said that without clear

The Trump administration has filed a motion in U. S. District Court, Maryland, to cancel the 2024 approval of the Maryland Offshore Wind Project established under the previous administration. It asserts that the authorisation underestimated impacts on search-and-rescue operations and commercial fisheries, and argues the permitting process was flawed under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.The planned wind farm, developed by US Wind, would include 114 turbines with a capacity of approximately 2.2 gigawatts, enough to power around 718,000

Wema Bank Plc has exceeded the Central Bank of Nigeria’s minimum capital requirement for commercial banks with national authorisation by raising its qualifying capital to ₦214.7 billion, following a ₦150 billion rights issue and a ₦50 billion special placement. The rights issue, which ran from 14 April to 21 May 2025, secured the necessary approvals from both the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Securities and Exchange Commission.The CBN had issued a recapitalisation directive earlier requiring commercial banks

Namibia is stepping up sulphuric acid production to support surging output in uranium, copper and manganese mining, as two major industry players commit to scaling local supply. Green Metals Refining will build a new plant in Walvis Bay, and Vedanta aims to restart its dormant sulphuric acid facility at the Skorpion zinc operations.London-based Green Metals Refining plans an investment of US$59 million for the first phase of a sulphuric acid plant in Walvis Bay. That plant is initially expected

South African bank FirstRand has reported a 10 percent increase in full-year net income, reaching 41.82 billion rand for the fiscal year ended 30 June, despite absorbing a 2.7 billion rand pre-tax provision tied to a UK motor finance claim.The provision stems from fallout over a UK Supreme Court ruling and proposed redress scheme by Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority, aimed at motorists who allege they were misled or overcharged through dealer-arranged commissions. FirstRand said the uncertainty around the scope

An Israeli airstrike in Doha targeting Hamas leaders and a large drone incursion by Russian forces into Poland have severely challenged the United States’ standing among allies and adversaries alike. These events have intensified debates over Washington’s influence and reliability in preserving international norms and regional security.The Doha attack struck a compound used by senior Hamas political figures, including some negotiating with Qatar over a proposed US-backed ceasefire in Gaza. While Hamas claims its top leadership survived, the victims included

A senior Tesla engineer has resigned, accusing Chief Executive Elon Musk of leading with what he describes as “seriously compromised” leadership. He claims the company’s mission and integrity are being undermined, citing concerns about dishonesty, manipulation of public discourse and support for climate change denial.Giorgio Balestrieri, who had spent eight years at Tesla and worked on the company’s European energy trading algorithms—specifically the Autobidder platform that manages real-time electricity storage and trading—announced he was leaving over what he called fundamental

A surge in cyberattacks targeting U. S. schools and colleges is being met with increasing resistance, but experts warn that serious vulnerabilities remain. Data from multiple cybersecurity firms and institutions show that ransomware incidents rose by 23% year-on-year for the first half of 2025 among educational organisations—around 130 confirmed or probable attacks—at an average ransom demand of approximately US$556,000.Check Point Research finds that from January to July this year, education institutions globally faced an average of 4,356 attacks per organisation

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison surged past Elon Musk to claim the title of world’s richest person for a brief window after Oracle’s stock skyrocketed following its earnings announcement. The wealth tracker Bloomberg valued Ellison at approximately $393 billion, exceeding Musk’s $384 billion, before Musk reclaimed the lead by market close.Oracle’s earnings blew past analysts’ expectations, driven by major AI-infrastructure contracts and a robust forecast for its cloud division. Shares in Oracle jumped over 40 per cent in early trading, lifting

The United States is confronting a rise in COVID-19 hospitalisations and emergency department visits, reflecting a discernible peak in national activity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on 5 September 2025 that COVID-19 activity “is peaking in many areas of the country with elevated emergency department visits and hospitalisations nationally.”Worryingly, wastewater surveillance indicates very high viral levels across multiple regions, especially in the West, South, and Southeast, even as overall respiratory illness activity remains low.  Recent weekly figures

Poland activated air defences and scrambled fighter jets after drones from Russia crossed into its airspace during overnight strikes on Ukraine, with the military confirming it used weapons to neutralise targets.The Operational Command said Polish airspace was “repeatedly violated by drone-type objects” and described an ongoing operation to identify and destroy them. Authorities placed ground-based systems and radar on maximum alert while Polish and allied aircraft patrolled affected corridors.Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said the incursions triggered active engagement,

Walmart will open its first branded stores in South Africa before the end of 2025, presenting a direct entry under its own name into the African retail market. This move situates it alongside established domestic chains such as Shoprite, Woolworths and Pick n Pay, and brings it into head-to-head competition with e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Takealot. com.This expansion marks a clear shift in Walmart’s strategy: while it has long operated through Massmart—its wholly owned local subsidiary managing outlets like

Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli offered his resignation on Tuesday following widespread demonstrations that saw the federal parliament building, Supreme Court and leaders’ residences torched, underlining the depth of public fury over corruption and the ban on social media.Protests erupted across Nepal amid anger at the shutdown of platforms such as Facebook, X, YouTube and others for failing to register with the government—a move widely perceived as targeting a viral “Nepo-kids” trend exposing elite privilege. At least 19 demonstrators lost their

Protesters breached Nepal’s federal parliament complex in Kathmandu and set parts of the building on fire on Tuesday, escalating a youth-led movement that has convulsed the country and prompted the prime minister’s resignation.Authorities confirmed fatalities and hundreds of injuries over two days of clashes that centred on the New Baneshwar area housing the legislature. The death toll rose to 19 after security forces used live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas as crowds pushed through barricades and overran sections

Ethiopia has officially inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, now Africa’s largest hydroelectric facility, signalling both a landmark in national development and renewed geopolitical strain along the Nile. The $5 billion project, capable of generating up to 5,150 MW, has launched with two turbines delivering about 750 MW, with full capacity yet to come online.The dam’s reservoir, now named Nigat Lake—meaning “Lake of Dawn”—floods an area larger than Greater London and ushers in enhanced flood control, irrigation potential, and hydropower

Alan Faena has unveiled his third namesake hotel in Manhattan, injecting bold theatricality and exuberance into the Chelsea skyline. Faena New York officially opened on 9 September 2025 at 500 West 18th Street, adjacent to the High Line. The lobby—described by the hotelier as “a cathedral”—features a vast mural by Diego Gravinese depicting a mythical Colossal Woman emerging from an ocean vortex, alongside a glowing gold-leaf spiral staircase, setting the tone for an exuberant stay that embraces both 1980s flair

DAKAR — Senegal now anticipates production from the Sangomar offshore oil field to reach 34.5 million barrels in 2025, up from an earlier projection of 30.53 million, the energy ministry announced. The upgraded outlook reflects stronger-than-expected performance through August, with more than 24 million barrels already produced. Senegal elevates Sangomar output forecast for 2025 marks a significant upward adjustment for the project’s full-year trajectory.Following the start of oil extraction in June 2024, Senegal secured its status as an oil-producing