Africa

Meteorite NWA16788, with 24,7kg the largest Martian rock ever found on Earth, discovered in the Agadez Region in 2023, was auctioned in New York for $4,3m; Niger’s government has launched an investigation into eventual illicit trafficking

Full membership of Gabon within the Commonwealth has been restored: it had been partially suspended in 2023 out of violation of the democratic principles of the Charter; progress towards fulfilling obligations remains in the agenda of upcoming meetings

Intelligence has spotted hideouts used by criminals in Abuja; in the interest of public safety, Federal Capital Territory Administration has started targeted cleanups with the demolition of a section of Jazz and Blues Entertainment at Panorama Park

Forsa entrepreneurship program, launched in 2022 with a budget above MAD 1.25 billion ($138.300 million) to support business creation through interest-free loans, faces implementation challenges and structural problems, beneficiaries lament

The topic of transparency in executives' compensation in the public sector is gaining attention of media and public after a question posed in parliament at the end of July on Bank of Mauritius top management didn't receive an open and clear answer

A surge in brutal attacks on civilians by armed groups, allegedly including the M23 militia and Rwanda Defence Force, in North Kivu; the UN said it received accounts of at least 319 civilians killed, most while attending to their agriculture tasks

A proclamation permitting euthanasia has now been defined with a draft outlining guidelines for the withdrawal of life support, or passive euthanasia; it defines euthanasia as “the deliberate intervention" to end a life "to relieve intractable suffering"

$19,93 million grant funding for the Resilience Building – Vulnerable Youth and Women Support Project, designed to improve basic social services for underserved communities in The Gambia and prevent drivers of conflict, has been approved by the AFDB

A subsidized sale of foodstuffs in the 9th district of N’Djamena has been launched to support vulnerable communities; the National Food Security Office initiative involves the distribution of over 120 tonnes of staple food products

President has appointed by decree a new prime minister months ahead of key November election: Rui Duarte de Barros, who served as prime minister since December 2023, was replaced by Braima Camara, a former coordinator of the Madem G15 opposition party

To revive the Botswana Railways passenger train services an Expression of Interest process has been launched, for which three private sector partners have been shortlisted; a concept paper is being developed to select operational model this financial year

Defense and environment ministers are among eight people killed yesterday as a military helicopter crashed in in the Adansi Akrofuom area of the Ashanti region, Al Jazeera reported; it had disappeared from radar earlier in the day

Three Nigerian students have become champions at the 2025 TeenEagle Global Round competition in London; Nafisa Aminu is overall best in English Language, Rukayya Fema best in debate, and Hadiza Kalli clinched the outstanding talent award and a gold medal