Drone Strike on a Mosque Kills 2 Children in Sudan’s Kordofan Region
A drone strike at a mosque killed two children and injured 13 others in Sudan’s central region of Kordofan early Wednesday, a local doctors group said, as the country’s civil war continues. The Sudan Doctors Network, which monitors the conflict, said the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which are fighting the army, carried out the strike in al-Rahad city in North Kordofan. A spokesperson from the doctors’ network, Mohamed Elsheikh, told The Associated Press that the children had been attending a lesson at dawn. … The Sudan Doctors Network called attacks on places of worship part of a “systematic pattern” that undermines the sanctity of religious sites. More than 15 mosques have been damaged, burned or bombed partially or completely and over 165 churches have been destroyed or closed throughout the war, according to figures reported last year. AP
India Pulls Out of Russian-backed Mali Lithium Project over Security Risks, Sources Say
Security risks are prompting India to pull out of a lithium project in Mali backed by Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, sources said, as New Delhi seeks to safeguard its investments in the politically unstable West African nation. … Last year Rosatom approached India’s government-backed Khanij Bidesh India Ltd and NLC India Ltd for lithium exploration in Mali, an emerging producer of the metal critical in making batteries for electric vehicles. “The project is on hold because we cannot be spending on something where there is a chance we will lose our investment,” one of the sources said. … The world’s fastest-growing major economy, India has sought a steady supply of lithium in anticipation of rising demand for the metal, key to cutting carbon emissions from the world’s third-largest emitter. Reuters
Kenya Confronts Russia over Illegal Military Recruitment
Kenya is seeking a labour agreement with Russia to stem illegal military recruitment of its citizens. Officials say formalising employment talks with Moscow could help protect Kenyans from exploitation, though critics warn such arrangements risk exposing more people to forced drafting into the Russian army. Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary, who is also the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, is scheduled to travel to Moscow for high-level talks aimed at verifying the status of Kenyans reportedly trapped in Russian hospitals, negotiating the release of those held in captivity in Ukraine, and exploring a bilateral labour agreement to guarantee legal and safe employment opportunities. His imminent visit follows incidents in which dozens of Kenyans were caught on the battlefield fighting for Russia, killed, or managed to escape after being lured into combat. Mudavadi says the Kenyan government is concerned about reports that several Kenyans are increasingly being recruited and deployed to the frontlines, while others injured in the war remain in distress in Russian hospitals. Nation Africa
Egypt’s Sisi Names New Defence Minister in Limited Reshuffle
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi swore in new ministers Wednesday in a limited cabinet reshuffle that included a last-minute switch of the defence minister. The cabinet, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly’s latest in his eight-year tenure, was approved the day before by parliament. But at the Wednesday morning swearing in ceremony, Sisi named a new defence minister, General Ashraf Salem Zaher, the former head of the Egyptian Military Academy. He succeeds General Abdelmeguid Saqr, and will lead a merged ministry for defence and military production — the latter previously its own entity governing Egypt’s sizable military economy. The shake-up mainly targeted economic and service portfolios, as the country seeks to chart a way out of years of crisis. Africanews with AFP
DR Congo Inks AI Deal with US Firm to Map Country’s Critical Minerals
DR Congo signed a deal with a US investment company that will deliver AI-driven geological research to improve mapping of the country’s minerals. Under the five-year agreement, signed at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town, Atlas Park will examine historical data on the country’s mineral deposits and carry out new geological surveys. The findings, which will be shared with DR Congo’s national geological service, will drive the company’s investment decisions. … “Nowhere in the world has more potential for exploration than the DRC,” Kai Han, Atlas Park’s CEO, told Semafor. “We want to make money by investing in exploration… and to do that effectively we need to create a better data environment.” … Copper and cobalt — of which the central African country has rich deposits — are in particularly high demand because of their use in AI technologies and clean energy. Semafor
Ghana Showcases Mining Strength and Reforms at Mining Indaba 2026
Ghana has reaffirmed its position as Africa’s leading gold producer and one of the continent’s most attractive mining destinations at the 2026 Mining Indaba, with government and industry leaders projecting a stable and investor-friendly environment under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration. Addressing participants at the global mining conference, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah, stressed Ghana’s stability and strong regulatory framework. … Ghana is currently Africa’s top gold producer and the sixth largest globally. Beyond gold, the country boasts significant deposits of bauxite, manganese, diamonds, iron ore, cobalt, nickel and other critical minerals. … Hon. Kofi-Buah highlighted strong institutional oversight, investor-friendly policies and incentives such as stability agreements, capital allowances and tax incentives. Joy News
Libya Grants Foreign Oil Companies Exploration Licences
Libya granted several foreign companies new oil exploration and production licences for the first time in 17 years on Wednesday, after more than a decade of political instability. The hydrocarbon-rich country is seeking to draw major global energy companies back, while boosting daily oil production by 850,000 barrels over the next 25 years. The winners of the latest bidding round included US oil giant Chevron and Nigeria’s Aiteo. Consortiums of Spain’s Repsol with British Petroleum, Repsol with Hungary’s MOLGroup, and Eni North Africa with QatarEnergy, were also granted licences. … Libya currently produces around 1.5 million barrels a day, sitting on Africa’s largest oil reserves at an estimated 48.4 billion barrels. Africanews with AFP
Zimbabwe Opposition Says Constitutional ‘Coup’ Under Way
Leading Zimbabwe opposition figures accused the government Wednesday of a constitutional “coup” after the cabinet approved amendments that would allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to extend his term in office. Sweeping changes to the constitution accepted by the cabinet Tuesday include extending the presidential term to seven years and follow a decision by the ruling Zanu-PF that Mnangagwa should stay in office for at least two years after his term ends in 2028. Other provisions scrap general presidential elections, giving parliament the power to choose the president, and would allow Mnangagwa to appoint 10 more senators. The amendments are to be presented to parliament, which is weighted in favour of the Zanu-PF, but the opposition insists they also need to be put to a national referendum. AFP
Cameroon President Biya Delays Elections Once Again
Cameroon’s President Paul Biya announced on Tuesday evening a “slight readjustment” of the timing of legislative and municipal elections that were expected at the start of February. … He also promised to form a new government, having announced its dissolution in his annual speech on New Year’s Eve. … Biya, the world’s oldest head of state, has been in power since 1982 and was re-elected in October to an eighth term, leading to protests that were violently suppressed. Africanews with AFP
Nigeria Celebrates Iran, Commits to Stronger Bilateral Relations
The Nigerian government says it is committed to further strengthening bilateral relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. In a statement on Wednesday to congratulate the Middle Eastern country on its Islamic Revolution anniversary, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Nigeria plans to sustain diplomatic engagement and mutually beneficial cooperation. … Nigeria and many African countries maintain friendly relations with Iran. … The ministry said both countries have “enjoyed longstanding diplomatic relations spanning over five decades, founded on mutual respect, shared interests and constructive engagement.” it noted. Premium Times
A Student’s Death in Senegal Protest Reveals Anger over Leaders’ Broken Promises
A student’s death during protests this week at Senegal ’s top public university reflects growing frustration among the country’s youth, who accuse the government that they helped to put in office of leaving sweeping promises unfulfilled. Authorities closed the campus of Cheikh Anta Diop University in the capital, Dakar, on Tuesday, a day after the death of Abdoulaye Ba, a second-year medical student, in the unrest over unpaid financial aid. A video posted on social media Monday night showed flames and smoke coming from a four-story student housing building as students tried to flee, with some jumping from windows. … Ba died in a nearby hospital from severe head injuries, according to Cheikh Atab Sagne, president of the Student Association of the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry. He said Ba did not participate in the protests but was severely beaten by police in his room. … Students often go months without receiving government stipends to support their education averaging about 40,000 CFA francs ($73) per month, which are the only source of income for many of them. The latest protests at Cheikh Anta Diop University, one of the largest in West Africa with around 80,000 students, began in early December over unpaid stipends. Student anger increased when university authorities closed campus cafeterias after students refused to pay for meals. AP
South Africa: Ramaphosa Launches Nelson Mandela Rules Academy at Prison
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday marked 36 years since Nelson Mandela’s release from prison by launching a new training academy at the Drakenstein Correctional Facility, where the former president was once held. The Nelson Mandela Rules Training Academy is the first facility in Africa dedicated exclusively to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, widely known as the Nelson Mandela Rules. The guidelines promote dignity, fairness and humane treatment for people deprived of their liberty. … Ramaphosa described the academy as a knowledge hub not only for South Africa but for the wider Southern African region and the global correctional community. … The academy will focus on education, skills development and rehabilitation programmes designed to prepare inmates for reintegration into society, while also supporting those serving long sentences to pursue personal growth and self-improvement in line with Mandela’s enduring values. Africanews with AP