Africa

The Red Sea, Assab, and the possibility of a reimagined Horn of Africa - opinion

Ethiopia’s push for Red Sea access reflects economic necessity, not a call for war.

Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki and Ethiopia's Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed at inauguration ceremony of reopening Eritrean embassy in Addis Ababa, 2018
West African Soldiers from Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Niger attend the closing ceremony of the U.S. sponsored Flintlock exercises at the site of the new French-backed international counter-terrorism academy in Jacqueville, Ivory Coast

Mer Group signs deal with West African country

Members of civil society groups and human rights organisations hold placards as they take part in a march calling for stronger government action against illegal immigration in Pretoria, South Africa, April 28, 2026.

South Africa’s anti-foreigner violence spreads as Nigerians seek way out

 An aerial view of the ‘Mellah,’ a quarter of the city to which Jews were once confined in Marrakesh.

Morocco's parliament receives petition to grant citizenship to all descendants of Moroccan Jews


Libya says 17 migrants perish at sea, nine missing feared dead

Libya is a transit route for migrants, many from sub-Saharan Africa, fleeing to Europe in the hopes of escaping conflict and poverty.

Migrants aboard an overcrowded boat react as they are approached by the crew of the migrant search and rescue ship Sea-Watch 5, operated by the German NGO Sea-Watch, during a rescue operation in the Search and Rescue (SAR) zone in the central Mediterranean, off Libya, August 11, 2025.

Islamic State-linked insurgents leave Mali town as army tries to reassert control

The attacks risked triggering a scramble for territory across Mali's vast desert north, raising the prospect of significant gains by armed groups.

A Malian soldier stands in position with his weapon during an attack on Mali's main military base Kati outside the capital Bamako, Mali April 25, 2026

Mali's defense minister reported dead in major al-Qaeda-linked assault

Two explosions and sustained gunfire were heard shortly before 6 a.m. on Saturday near Mali's main military base, and shots were still ringing out in the area more than four hours later.

Colonel Sadio Camara, Minister of Defense and Veterans of Mali, is seen at the meeting of Ministers of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), Ouagadougou, February 15, 2024.

Gunmen stage simultaneous attacks in and outside Mali capital, army says

Gunfire could also be heard early on Saturday near a military camp close to Bamako's airport that houses Russian mercenary forces, a resident said.

A Malian soldier stands in position with his weapon during an attack on Mali's main military base Kati outside the capital Bamako, Mali April 25, 2026

Pope Leo to begin 10-day Africa tour on mission to spotlight continent's needs

The Pope will visit Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea on a tour that will cover 11 cities and towns, spanning nearly 18,000 km (11,185 miles) across 18 flights.

Pope Leo XIV gestures as he leaves after Palm Sunday Mass in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, March 29, 2026.

Ashes of Pompeii: New study confirms ancient city's role within Rome’s global trade route

Remnants of a “grape-derived product” was also found within one of the burners, the study noted, consistent with literary and artistic depictions of wine being used for ritual purpose in Rome.

Incense burner found in Pompeii, containing residue of local plants and imported resin, April 7, 2026.

India expands Africa push with rice aid, long-term mineral ambitions

In recent weeks, New Delhi has shipped rice to Burkina Faso, Malawi, and Mozambique while policy thinkers in India are urging a stronger push into Africa’s critical minerals sector.

ILLUSTRATIVE: A WORKER carries sacks of rice inside a warehouse at a wholesale market in Navi Mumbai, India, January 13, 2026.

Libya's Haftar acquires combat drones despite UN embargo

The embargo has been in place since 2011, when a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. High-tech weaponry is nevertheless flowing into the country

 A Bayraktar Akinci unmanned combat drone is pictured at SAHA EXPO Defence & Aerospace Exhibition in Istanbul, Turkey, October 27, 2022.

Who does Israel belong to? Why Bennett’s model matters now - opinion

From public policy to bomb shelters, Israel faces a test of unity, fairness, and responsibility that will shape its future as a nation.

FORMER PRIME MINISTER Naftali Bennett addresses the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem on Tuesday.

Somali national army takes control of part of Baidoa, largest city in South West state

A shopkeeper in Baidoa, Hussein Abdullahi, said there were federal troops in his part of the city and they were in control there.

FILE PHOTO: A general view shows activity at a street in the southern city of Baidoa, Somalia November 3, 2018.