Author: kajarbi54

The Congress of South African Students (COSAS) has urged the Gauteng Department of Education to temporarily shut down schools across the province as a scholar transport strike continues to leave thousands of learners unable to attend classes. The strike stems from an ongoing dispute between learner transport operators and the provincial education department over outstanding payments, according to the Gauteng Small Bus Operators Council. Several operators affiliated with scholar transport services have halted operations, significantly disrupting learning activities. The transport shutdown comes amid growing public concern over learner safety following a fatal crash in Vanderbijlpark that claimed the lives of…

At least 21 people have been killed in a series of attacks carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities confirmed on Monday. The latest assault struck Friday in Lubero territory, North Kivu province, targeting the residential Bapakombe grouping. Boniface Kanyamulamba, head of the Bapakombe group, said the death toll had risen from an initial 14 after additional bodies were recovered on Sunday. The rebels reportedly set fire to multiple homes across three villages – Boti, Isigo, and Mambimbi – while several residents remain unaccounted for. Local media reports indicate the attacks have…

Insecurity has forced about 1,000 residents of Koro town in Ekiti Local Government Area, Kwara State, North-Central, Nigeria, to flee their homes following an incident involving suspected armed bandits last Sunday. Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, confirmed the incident to reporters, clarifying that Koro community was not directly targeted. He explained that forest guards and local vigilantes had received reports of suspected gunmen in the bush, reportedly accompanied by cattle, which led to an exchange of gunfire in which one person was killed. Residents recounted a chaotic scene as heavily armed assailants fired sporadically, causing mass panic. Many…

Five people were killed on Monday after a military medical helicopter crashed at Libya’s Al-Sarra base while returning from an evacuation mission, according to local media reports. The crash occurred approximately 300 kilometres (186 miles) from the southeastern city of Kufra. Those killed included two members of the military transport service and a hospital nurse from Kufra. The remaining victims were foreigners, identified as the pilot and his assistant, the report said. Local aviation outlet Aviation Today reported that the helicopter had been conducting a medical evacuation after a soldier sustained serious injuries in a traffic accident in a remote…

Eritrea has dismissed allegations from Ethiopia that its troops were operating inside Ethiopian territory, calling the claims “false and fabricated.” Tensions between the two Horn of Africa nations have been longstanding, but recent months have seen Addis Ababa accuse Eritrea of backing insurgent groups on Ethiopian soil – a charge Asmara firmly denies. On Saturday, Ethiopia called for the “withdrawal of Eritrean forces from Ethiopian territory.” In response, Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel said on Monday that the accusations were “astounding in tone and substance” and part of “a pattern of hostile campaigns against Eritrea” spanning more than two years.…

Egypt is set to transform its Red Sea coastline with a landmark $1 billion project featuring a marina, luxury hotels, and residential towers. Ahmed Shalaby, managing director of the project’s lead developer Tatweer Misr, said construction on the Monte Galala Towers and Marina project is expected to begin in the second half of the year and will run for approximately seven years. The 10-tower development, a partnership involving the Ministry of Housing and other state entities, including the Armed Forces’ Engineering Authority, is expected to cost about 50 billion Egyptian pounds ($1.07 billion), Shalaby said. According to government officials, the…

Burkina Faso’s Transitional Legislative Assembly (ALT) on Monday unanimously adopted a bill dissolving all political parties and political formations, marking a major shift in the country’s political landscape. The decision was approved after 69 members of the assembly voted in favour of the bill. The adoption repeals the 2001 law on the charter of political parties and formations, as well as the 2009 law governing the financing of political parties, electoral campaigns, and the status of the opposition. According to the Minister of Territorial Administration, Émile Zerbo, the measure reflects the government’s intention to rebuild the state and significantly reorganize…

The Dangote Refinery has rejected allegations that it imports petrol into Nigeria and threatened legal action against individuals it identified as being behind the claims. In a statement issued on Monday, the refinery described the claim as “false and deliberately misleading,” adding that it would reveal the identities of those responsible at the appropriate time. The refinery’s Chief Executive Officer, David Bird, clarified on February 4, that the facility imports blending components such as reformates and condensates, which require further processing before becoming market-ready petrol. He noted that reports had wrongly portrayed these imports as finished fuel, a point he…

The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) has clarified its role in the collection of customs scanning fees following an audit that highlighted discrepancies in exchange rate application. During an interface with the Finance and Public Accounts Committee of the Gambian legislature, GRA officials explained that they do not directly collect the scanning fees, but rather oversee the process. The interface brought together officials from the government, GRA, Accountant General’s Department amongst a host of top officials of the government. The clarification came after the Auditor General’s management letter on the government’s audited accounts noted variances caused by the use of weekly…

“Fintech creates opportunities for people across income levels, from low-income earners to high-income individuals” – Tidiani Togola, President and Founder of Civic Tech firm, Tuwindi. The Fintech industry has dominated the African market with major players transforming the industry and expanding Africa’s fintech dominace on the global stage. It has become more than just a fleeting trend but a revolution that is fundamental to restructuring and boosting the continent’s economic growth. From mobile money, a domain where Africa has been a global pioneer, to the burgeoning realms of embedded finance, blockchain, and neo-banking, fintech is solving deep-seated challenges related to…