LEADING South African opposition politician Julius Malema, 45, has been sentenced to five years after being found guilty of the illegal possession of a gun and firing it in public. But Magistrate Twanet Olivier allowed the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters and MP to appeal against the sentencing, meaning that he was not immediately taken to prison. Earlier, standing in court in a dark suit and red tie, Malema showed little emotion as Olivier read out the sentence even though his political future was at stake. Last year, he was convicted of five offences, including the unlawful possession of…
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SOUTH African police say have they arrested “wanted fugitive” French-born Beninese activist Kemi Seba while he was allegedly attempting to flee to Europe through Zimbabwe. Seba, whose real name is Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, is wanted in Benin on charges of “inciting rebellion” after supporting last year’s foiled coup there. He was arrested on Monday alongside his 18-year-old son in a sting operation at a shopping centre in Pretoria. A “facilitator” who had allegedly been paid to help them illegally cross to Zimbabwe was also detained. Seba, 45, is known for opposing French influence in Africa, backing West Africa’s…
BAYERN Munich produced a dramatic late surge to eliminate Real Madrid, while Arsenal endured a tense night to edge past Sporting CP as both sides secured places in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. In Madrid, Bayern Munich claimed a thrilling 4-3 victory on the night and a 6-4 aggregate triumph over Real Madrid, with late goals from Luis Díaz and Michael Olise sealing passage to the last four, where they will face holders Paris Saint-Germain. The contest burst into life almost immediately as Arda Güler capitalised on a loose pass from Manuel Neuer to put Madrid ahead inside the opening…
THE United States is sending more than 10,000 additional troops to the Middle East before the end of April as Washington tries to increase pressure on Iran, US officials have told The Washington Post. The newspaper, quoting current and former US officials speaking on condition of anonymity, reported on Tuesday that the US was sending about 6,000 troops on board the USS George HW Bush carrier and the ships escorting it to the region. Approximately 4,200 other troops from the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and its embarked Marine Corps task force, the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are expected to arrive…
A STUDENT has shot at least nine people dead, including fellow pupils, and wounded at least 13 at a middle school in south-central Turkiye, the interior minister says. Wednesday’s attack in the province of Kahramanmaras was carried out by a student in the eighth grade, Governor Mukerrem Unluer told reporters. The attacker was also dead. “We regret to report nine deaths … and 13 wounded. Six of them are currently in intensive care, three of whom are in critical condition,” Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said. Unluer said the student who carried out the shooting is believed to have used guns…
A CHINESE national has been sentenced to a year in prison for attempting to smuggle thousands of live queen garden ants out of Kenya. The court in Nairobi on Wednesday also fined Zhang Kequn 1m Kenyan shillings (£5,713; $7,737). Judge Irene Gichobi described Zhang as not “entirely honest” and lacking in remorse. Last month, he was charged with illegally dealing in wildlife species after being arrested at Nairobi’s main airport while attempting to travel to China with more than 2,000 ants in his luggage. Kenyan authorities have warned of a growing demand for the ants in Europe and Asia, where…
SOUTH Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Roelf Meyer, who served in the last government of the apartheid era, as his new ambassador to the US, his office has said. The country has not had a top envoy in the US since Ebrahim Rasool was expelled last year after he accused President Donald Trump of trying to “project white victimhood as a dog whistle”. This worsened already strained relations between the nations, which took a downward spiral after Trump’s return to office last year. Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed Meyer’s nomination, telling the BBC it would be “immediate”. “I can…
THE Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has warned that airlines across the country may suspend operations from April 20, 2026, over what it describes as an “astronomical and unsustainable” rise in the price of Jet A1 fuel. In a letter dated April 14, 2026, and addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Mr Clement Isong, AON said the cost of aviation fuel has surged from ₦900 per litre as of February 28 to ₦3,300 per litre, an increase of over 300 per cent within weeks. According to the body, the spike is “artificial”…
A NEW trial over the death of football legend Diego Maradona began Tuesday in Argentina, 10 months after a scandal involving a judge caused the first trial to collapse. Maradona, considered one of the world’s greatest players, died in November 2020 at the age of 60 while recovering from surgery for a brain clot. His seven-strong medical team is accused of gross negligence causing his death over the conditions of his home convalescence. He died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema — a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs — two weeks after going under the knife and…
PAKISTANI Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says he will visit Saudi Arabia and Turkiye this week as his bid to moderate a second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran appears to gather momentum. President Asif Ali Zardari said in a statement released on Tuesday that Sharif had briefed him on his drive to discuss the issue with his fellow mediators and to secure further negotiations, which comes during a two-week ceasefire that has halted US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Zardari urged the prime minister and other officials to remain engaged with the US, Iran and other…
THE Pentagon says no ships “made it past” the United States military blockade in the Strait of Hormuz in its first 24 hours and six merchant ships followed orders to turn around. The statement on Tuesday from the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) was the first update since US President Donald Trump announced the blockade of the waterway after US-Iran talks over the weekend in Pakistan failed to yield an agreement on ending the war the US and Israel launched on February 28. CENTCOM said the blockade applies only to vessels “entering and exiting Iranian ports” and other vessels remain…
BENIN presidential election favourite Romuald Wadagni swept to victory in the country’s polls, securing 94 percent of votes, according to provisional results. The electoral commission published the preliminary tally overnight from Monday to Tuesday, though it has not yet issued final official results. But Wadagni’s ability to conjure economic growth in the face of jihadist attacks gave him a clear lead, even if the eight million-strong electorate showed scant enthusiasm for either candidate, notably in the West African nation’s cities. Wadagni’s opponent earlier conceded defeat even as votes were still being counted. Opposition candidate Paul Hounkpe offered congratulations to finance…
ANGLOPHONE separatists in Cameroon have announced a period of “safe travel passage” and halted fighting ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the conflict‑hit region this week. Leaders of several armed and secessionist groups said the three‑day measure was in recognition of the “profound spiritual importance” of the papal visit, which starts on Wednesday, and the need to safeguard civilian life. In a statement from Unity Alliance – which brings the groups together – they said they would facilitate the movement of those celebrating the visit. The government is yet to comment. A near-decade of violence in the English-speaking regions…
LAMINE Yamal, the teenage star of FC Barcelona, has reportedly urged the club’s hierarchy to prioritise the signing of Victor Osimhen ahead of next season. According to Fichajes, the young winger considers the Galatasaray forward as the “missing piece” in Barcelona’s attacking setup, one capable of leading the line while complementing the team’s creative wide players. Yamal is said to believe that Osimhen’s presence would help reduce defensive pressure on the team and create more space in attacking areas, thereby improving the overall effectiveness of Barcelona’s forward play. The Catalan giants are understood to be exploring a potential move for…
NOAH Okafor fired Leeds to a long-awaited 2-1 win over 10-man Manchester United at Old Trafford as the Premier League strugglers boosted their bid to avoid relegation on Monday. Okafor punished United’s sloppy defending with a brace in the first-half before Lisandro Martinez was sent off after pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair after the interval. Casemiro got one back for United, but Leeds held on for their first win against United since a shock 2010 FA Cup success when they were in the third tier. The Yorkshire club were able to celebrate their first top-flight win against United since 2002 and…
IRAN has suggested that the United States blockade on Iranian ports will only hurt the international economy after President Donald Trump ordered a naval siege against the country. “Can an illegal ‘war of choice’ be won through a ‘revenge of choice’ against the global economy?!” Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei posted on X on Monday. “Is it ever worthwhile to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face?!” Trump warned Iranian military ships against approaching the blockade zone. “Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated – 158 ships. What we have not…
UNITED Nations experts have reiterated calls for an end to Israeli attacks on displaced Palestinians in Gaza as well as forced displacement measures in the occupied West Bank. In a statement issued on Monday by the UN Human Rights Council (OHCHR), the experts detailed several incidents in March in which Israeli air strikes set tents of displaced Palestinians in Gaza on fire, killing many. “This cycle of displacement, terror, and targeted attacks serves an ultimate purpose: to make life unbearable for Palestinians and permanently force them from their land,” the panel said. “The vast majority of Gaza’s population has already…
GHANAIAN footballer Dominic Frimpong has died after suspected armed robbers opened fire at the bus carrying his team Berekum Chelsea back from a match. “Masked men wielding guns and assault rifles” ambushed the bus and “blocked the road” as the team returned home on Sunday, according to the club. Police say Frimpong sustained gunshot wounds and died while receiving treatment. A manhunt for the suspects is under way. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) expressed its “profound shock and deep sorrow”, describing the 20-year-old as a “promising young talent whose dedication and passion for the game embodied the spirit of our…
POPE Leo XIV wants to “turn the world’s attention to Africa”, according to a senior Vatican official, as he embarks on a significant tour of the continent addressing themes of peace, migration and dialogue between religions. The 11-day trip, which starts on Monday, is Pope Leo’s second major foreign visit since being elected to the papacy in May last year, and is a reflection of Africa’s increasing importance to Catholicism. More than a fifth of the world’s Catholics are in Africa, some 288 million people, according to figures from 2024. It is one of the fastest-growing regions for the Church.…
SUPER Eagles’ Akor Adams delivered a decisive moment for Sevilla as the Nigerian striker scored the opening goal in a 2-1 LaLiga victory over Atlético Madrid at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, a result that strengthened the hosts’ survival hopes and ended a run of three straight league defeats, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. News Point Nigeria Sport reports that Adams was the only Nigerian in the starting line-up, with Atlético’s Ademola Lookman beginning on the bench as Diego Simeone rotated heavily ahead of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg against Barcelona. Chidera Ejuke was an unused substitute for Sevilla. The…