THE youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former leader Robert Mugabe is to deported from South Africa immediately, a court in Johannesburg has ordered. Bellarmine Mugabe pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm and illegally being in the country earlier this month after he was arrested following the shooting of a 23-year-old man at his home. The 28-year-old has also been ordered to pay a fine of $36,000 (£26,700). His co-accused, and cousin, Tobias Matonhodze – who pleaded guilty to attempted murder, illegal immigration, possession of ammunition and defeating the ends of justice – was sentenced to three years in prison. Both…
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A FORMER French serviceman has been detained in Madagascar for allegedly taking part in a plot to destabilise the island, authorities say. Prosecutor Nomenarinera Mihamintsoa Ramanantsoa said the French national had been charged with multiple offences including criminal conspiracy and plotting to sabotage infrastructure such as power lines and thermal plants. Speaking in a video statement on Tuesday evening, he said other accomplices – including a Malagasy army officer – had also been charged for the alleged plot, set to be carried out on 18 April. Madagascar’s foreign ministry has also expelled a French diplomat for alleged involvement in destabilising…
KHVICHA Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele scored twice each as Paris Saint-Germain beat Bayern Munich 5-4 in an epic first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday, an extraordinary encounter becoming the highest-scoring match ever at this stage of the competition. The first half alone was crazy, with Harry Kane giving Bayern the lead from a penalty only for Kvaratskhelia to equalise before Joao Neves headed the hosts in front at an enthralled Parc des Princes. Michael Olise made it 2-2, but a Dembele penalty in first-half stoppage time had the reigning champions back ahead at the interval. Kvaratskhelia, surely…
LEBANON’s prime minister has accused Israel of perpetrating a “heinous crime” in the targeting and killing of civil defence emergency workers, three of whom were among five people killed in a double Israeli strike in southern Lebanon. Two successive Israeli strikes on a building in the town of Majdal Zoun on Tuesday killed five people, including three rescue workers who went to help those injured in the initial Israeli attack on the targeted building, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health said. “Targeting elements of the Civil Defence in Majdal Zoun, and their killing while carrying out their humanitarian duty, constitutes a new…
THE United Arab Emirates has announced its decision to quit OPEC and OPEC+ to focus on “national interests”, dealing a heavy blow to the oil-exporting groups at a time when the US-Israel war on Iran has caused a historic energy shock and rattled the global economy. The move, which will take effect on Friday, reflects “the UAE’s long-term strategic and economic vision and evolving energy profile”, a statement carried by state media said on Tuesday. “During our time in the organisation, we made significant contributions and even greater sacrifices for the benefit of all,” it added. “However, the time has…
MALI’s military leader Assimi Goita has met the Russian ambassador to the East African country, according to his office. Goita’s office published photos of the meeting on Tuesday in what was his first public appearance since rebel attacks over the weekend that killed one of his ministers. The news release came after Russia said earlier in the day that it was seeking stability in the West African country. , in which it has won significant influence since Goita’s military government took power in a coup in 2021. West Africa’s al-Qaeda affiliate and the Tuareg separatist group on Saturday hit Mali’s…
KENYAN President William Ruto says his remarks on the brand of English spoken in Nigeria were misrepresented and taken out of context. Ruto had faced backlash after saying Nigerian English was inferior to that of his homeland. “Kenyans, you know our education is good, our English is good. We speak some of the best English in the world… that is true,” he had said. “If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don’t know what they are saying — you need a translator even when they’re speaking English.” However, speaking recently at the Kenyan mining investment conference — with Dele…
A COALITION of real estate developers in the Federal Capital Territory has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the National Assembly to investigate the Managing Director/CEO of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Oyetunde Ojo, over allegations of land grabbing, extortion, and official high-handedness. News Point Nigeria reports that the developers alleged that Ojo’s tenure at the FHA has so far led to financial losses and the stagnation of dozens of multi-billion-naira projects, which they attributed to alleged land grabbing and extortion practices that have also resulted in multiple ongoing court cases. In a statement signed by the…
MARYAM Abacha American University of Niger (MAAUN) Maradi matriculates no fewer than 430 students for the 2025/2026 academic session to pursue undergraduate studies across various fields of human endeavour, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s continued expansion and academic development. The university, established in 2013 as the first bilingual university in Sub-Saharan Africa, has continued to play a vital role in the training of both undergraduate and postgraduate students in the sciences and humanities. This effort is complemented by its commitment to promoting research and innovation within Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. Speaking during the matriculation ceremony held on Saturday,…
MANCHESTER United need just two more points to secure a Champions League return after first-half goals from Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko were enough for them to win an entertaining encounter with Brentford. Casemiro nodded home from an acute angle after Harry Maguire had guided a header to the far post after 11 minutes. Bruno Fernandes then claimed his 19th assist of the season, one short of equalling the Premier League record, when he teed up Sesko three minutes before the break. Michael Carrick’s side have four games left to complete the task set them by technical director Jason Wilcox in…
A MAN accused of trying to open fire on a media gala attended by Donald Trump in Washington this weekend was charged in court Monday with trying to assassinate the Republican president. Cole Allen, 31, faces a sentence of up to life in prison if convicted of attempting to kill Trump during the White House Correspondents Association dinner at a hotel in the capital. Allen, who wore a blue jumpsuit, was also charged with two firearms crimes. He did not enter a plea at the hearing in a federal court and was detained, pending his next court appearance. Prosecutors told…
IRANIAN Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has discussed with regional interlocutors a proposal aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz but deferring talks with the US on Tehran’s nuclear programme for later, during a 72-hour diplomatic sprint across three countries seemingly aimed at securing a broader buy-in for the plan. Araghchi on Monday met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg, after visiting Islamabad twice in two days – the two trips sandwiching a meeting in Muscat, Oman. Sources close to these diplomatic efforts told Al Jazeera that senior intelligence officials from several countries were present at the Muscat talks.…
At LEAST 42 people have been killed and 10 injured in fighting between rival ethnic groups in eastern Chad in a conflict that began as a dispute over a water well, officials say. The conflict in Wadi Fira province, initially between two families, is said to have escalated into a cycle of reprisal attacks that spread over a wide area, with villages burned down. Chadian authorities said on Sunday that a delegation led by deputy Prime Minister Limane Mahamat had been sent to the area and the situation had been brought under control. Deadly communal clashes are common in the…
A SMALL passenger plane has crashed in South Sudan killing all on board, the country’s civil aviation authority (SSCAA) said. Officials have sent a team to the crash site for investigations but initial reports suggested the aircraft may have come down “due to adverse weather conditions, particularly low visibility”, the SSCAA added in a statement. The plane crashed about 20km (12 miles) south-west of the capital, Juba, on Monday morning. It took off from Yei at 09:15 local time ( 07:15 GMT) and air traffic control lost contact about 30 minutes into the flight to the capital. Among the 15…
ENZO Fernandez’s first-half header settled a scrappy FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United at Wembley as Chelsea made a winning start after Liam Rosenior’s sacking. Calum McFarlane was put in interim charge until the end of the season and will now lead Chelsea out against Manchester City on Saturday, 16 May. Leeds’ hopes of reaching a first FA Cup final since they lost to Sunderland in 1973 were dashed as they were left to regret missed chances that might have turned a tight game in their favour. Daniel Farke’s side had the game’s first big opportunity when Brenden Aaronson raced…
A SUSPECT has been taken into custody following a shooting incident at a high-profile media gala attended by US President Donald Trump in Washington, with authorities confirming he will face federal charges on Monday. Gunshots rang out on Saturday night during the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, shortly after the welcoming speech, according to AFP reporters and eyewitnesses. Security operatives responded immediately, as tactical teams with weapons drawn moved to the stage where Trump was seated alongside First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other cabinet members. The dignitaries were swiftly evacuated.…
ISRAEL has issued new forced evacuation notices for areas in southern Lebanon, ordering residents of seven towns that lie beyond its so-called “buffer zone” to leave, ramping up the conflict with Hezbollah despite a US-brokered ceasefire.ceasefire. An Israeli military spokesperson said in a statement on X on Sunday that the Lebanese armed group was violating the ceasefire and that Israel would act against it, telling residents to head north and west. The towns are north of the Litani River, in an area where Israeli troops have continued military operations despite the ceasefire. They lie outside of what Israel has declared…
MALI’s Defence Minister, General Sadio Camara. has been killed during coordinated attacks on military sites nationwide, sources told Al Jazeera. The news on Sunday came the day after his residence in the garrison town of Kati came under attack during simultaneous attacks by an al-Qaeda affiliate and Tuareg rebels. Camara was a central figure in the military government that seized power after back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021. “He was one of the most influential figures within the ruling military leadership and had been seen by some as a possible future leader of Mali,” said Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque, who…
JUST hours after the Zambian government said it had taken possession of ex-President Edgar Lungu’s body, a court in South Africa – where Lungu died – has ordered the body to be returned. It is the latest twist in a 10-month saga over what should happen to his remains following a long-standing feud between Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema. The government has long maintained that, as a former head of state, Lungu should be honoured in the country and buried alongside his predecessors in the special presidential burial ground in the capital, Lusaka. But Lungu’s family wanted a…
NICO Gonzalez’s stunning strike fired Manchester City into the FA Cup final as Pep Guardiola’s men produced a late fightback to beat Southampton 2-1 on Saturday. The Saints appeared heading towards a first FA Cup final since 2003 when Finn Azaz’s brilliant finish put the Championship side in front 11 minutes from time. However, City avoided the same fate that Arsenal suffered in the quarter-finals to remain on course for a domestic treble. Jeremy Doku’s deflected effort quickly levelled before Gonzalez rifled in from long range three minutes from time. The defeat ends Southampton’s 20-game unbeaten run that has propelled…