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SOUTH Africa’s police chief has been formally charged with failing in his duties to provide proper oversight in his role following a health contract that has become the subject of a criminal investigation. General Fannie Masemola, 62, was summoned to court over his alleged part in the awarding of a controversial $21m (£15.5m) tender, which has since been cancelled. He has been charged with violating part of South Africa’s Public Finance Management Act, which governs how public finances are managed. The case comes amidst a national inquiry examining allegedly widespread corruption involving police officers and politicians. Masemola told journalists after…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has removed Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, in a major cabinet reshuffle that also affected the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. News Point Nigeria reports that also affected in the reshuffle is Umar Dangiwa, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development. The changes were announced in a memo issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, who confirmed sweeping adjustments to key economic ministries. According to the memo, Edun has been directed to hand over to Mr Taiwo Oyedele, who is now to assume…

CELTIC manager Martin O’Neill has praised Kelechi Iheanacho following the striker’s decisive performance in the club’s Scottish Cup semi-final victory over St Mirren on Sunday. Coming off the bench, Iheanacho made a telling impact by scoring twice in extra time to power Celtic F.C. to a resounding 6-2 win over the Buddies. His first goal came via a near-post header from a cross delivered by James Forrest, before he followed it up with a superb left-footed strike from inside the box. Reacting after the match, O’Neill acknowledged the Nigeria international’s influence on the game and his overall contribution to the…

IRAN has signalled that it has no plans to send negotiators to Islamabad for a new round of talks with the United States, threatening Pakistan’s plans for multiday negotiations between the warring nations less than 48 hours before a fragile ceasefire is set to expire. Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday Washington had “violated the ceasefire from the beginning of its implementation”, citing the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz since April 13, and the overnight capture of an Iranian container ship by the US military as breaches of the truce as well…

MORE than $71bn will be needed over the next 10 years for recovery and reconstruction in Gaza after Israel’s genocidal war on the territory, a new report says. In their final Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA), released on Monday, the European Union and United Nations asserted that the conflict has had a “catastrophic impact on human development” and left the enclave desperately in need of huge sums of money in the immediate future. The report found that $26.3bn will be required in the first 18 months of Gaza’s reconstruction to restore essential services, rebuild critical infrastructure and support…

MORE than 200 civilians held captive in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo by an armed group linked to the Islamic State have been rescued in an army operation, the military in neighbouring Uganda has said. Ugandan soldiers, working with their Congolese counterparts, targeted a camp controlled by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militant group that has its origins in Uganda. Children were among those freed, the youngest being a 14-year-old girl, according to a Ugandan statement. The ADF was originally formed in Uganda in the 1990s by people disgruntled with the government’s treatment of Muslims. But…

US authorities have arrested an Iranian woman for trafficking arms to Sudan on behalf of her country, prosecutors have said. Shamim Mafi, 44, who has an American green card, was arrested at Los Angeles airport on Saturday and is accused of “brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan”, First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said on X. The alleged sales were to Sudan’s defence ministry, including a €60m ($70m; £52m) drone contract, court documents show. She is accused of breaching US sanctions against Iran, which prohibit…

MOROCCO on Saturday released three Senegalese fans from jail after they completed a three-month prison sentence for participating in the violence that broke out during the Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat, an AFP journalist saw. The trio left Al Arjat 2 prison, northeast of Rabat, in a police vehicle to go to a police station before being released. Upon leaving the police station, the three smiling Senegalese fans were greeted by members of the Senegalese embassy. One said to AFP, “dima Maroc, dima Maghrib” (“long live Morocco”). Senegalese defence lawyer Patrick Kabou thanked “diplomatic and consular representation for…

HARRY Kane scored his 32nd goal of the campaign as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Stuttgart 4-2 and claim a record-extending 35th Bundesliga title. After nearest challengers Borussia Dortmund fell to defeat at Hoffenheim on Saturday, Bayern needed only a draw to win a 13th title in 14 seasons. But, as has been the case all season, they turned on the style and came from behind to beat Champions League-chasing Stuttgart 4-2. Victory keeps Bayern’s hopes of winning the Treble alive, with semi-finals against Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup and Paris St-Germain in the Champions League to…

THE United States has proposed plans to rebuild Rafah, a city in southern Gaza that was flattened by two years of Israeli bombardment. It has been touted as the centrepiece of a US-Israeli vision for a post-war Gaza, but satellite images suggest the project has stalled before even breaking ground. An Al Jazeera Digital Investigations Unit examination of Planet Labs and Sentinel Hub satellite imagery revealed that Israeli military fortifications are expanding at a relentless pace across Gaza, particularly in Rafah. Analysis of imagery from February 25 to March 15 confirmed that while rubble removal has essentially ceased in Beit…

EIGHT children have been killed in a shooting spree in the southern US state of Louisiana, in what police said appears to have been an incident of domestic violence. The gunman, who was not immediately identified, was fatally shot by police after a car chase early Sunday, officials said. “This is a rather extensive crime scene spanning between two residences,” Shreveport Police Corporal Chris Bordelon told a press conference, adding that a third residence was also part of the scene being combed by investigators. The victims ranged in age from one to 14, Bordelon said. “Some of the children inside…

THE government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and rival M23 rebels have agreed to ease aid deliveries and release prisoners, as mediators push to resolve a years-long conflict that has persisted despite multiple peace deals. The two sides announced the measures in a joint statement shared by the US Department of State on Saturday, following five days of talks in Switzerland. “The parties agreed to refrain from any action that would undermine the principled delivery of humanitarian assistance within the territories impacted by the conflict,” said the statement. Both sides also pledged not to target civilians and…

BURKINA Faso’s military government has ordered the dissolution of more than 100 associations and civil society groups, which rights groups are calling an “attack” on basic rights. It is the latest crackdown in the West African country, months after the government issued a decree dissolving all political parties. The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Mobility announced on Wednesday the dissolution of 118 NGOs and associations “in accordance with current legal provisions” and a ban on their activities. All are based in Burkina Faso, with many involved in the defence of human rights. Since taking power in a 2022 coup, the…

MANCHESTER United took a giant step towards ending a two-year exile from the Champions League as Matheus Cunha scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Chelsea on Saturday. United’s victory opens up a 10-point gap between the Red Devils in third place and sixth-placed Chelsea, with only 15 points left to play for this season. The top five in the Premier League will qualify for the Champions League next season. But a fourth consecutive league defeat leaves Chelsea’s chances of being back among Europe’s elite next season in tatters and piles pressure on Liam Rosenior just over three…

IRAN’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC) says the Strait of Hormuz is closed and that any ship that attempts to pass through the waterway will be targeted, a dramatic reversal less than 24 hours after the critical shipping lane was reopened. In a statement carried by Iran’s Student News Agency, the IRGC navy said on Saturday the strait will be closed until the United States lifts its naval blockade on Iranian vessels and ports. It said the blockade was a violation of the ongoing ceasefire agreement in the US-Israel war on Iran. “We warn that no vessel of any…

LAW enforcement officials in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago have launched an investigation after 56 bodies, mostly of children, were found abandoned at a cemetery. On Saturday, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) announced the discovery in a statement. The bodies of 50 infants were recovered, as well as those of four adult males and two females. At least one of the adult women and one adult male showed signs of having undergone a post-mortem examination. All the adults had identification tags, similar to what is often used at morgues. “Preliminary indications suggest that this may be…

THE UN’s humanitarian chief has warned that South Sudan is at a dangerous crossroads as it faces the risk of famine. Tom Fletcher, the under-secretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs and emergency relief coordinator, called on the Security Council on Friday to “prevent South Sudan from sliding toward full-scale famine and collapse”. He warned that “hunger across South Sudan is tightening its grip”, with emergency levels of food insecurity expected for some across all 10 states during the lean season, which lasts until the end of July. After spending a week in the country, he said that he feared his next briefing…

IN a country where criticising the authorities has often landed people in trouble, the latest song from Ethiopia’s biggest musician – which appears to condemn the government – is attracting attention. Teddy Afro’s track Das Tal, meaning “put up the tent” in English, has been viewed more than seven million times on YouTube since its release on Thursday. Referencing a traditional mourning tent, Teddy Afro – whose real name is Tewodros Kassahun – sings that he is grieving a country he says has been lost. The build-up to the song’s release had already drawn controversy after a preview event for…

LAGOS Govt State Government has appealed to private organisations such as banks, filling stations, eateries, and others to make their restrooms available for public use, as part of its efforts to eliminate open defecation and improve public sanitation across Lagos State. News Point Nigeria reports that the Environment and Water Resources Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab disclosed this in a post on X on Saturday. “We currently have 1,710 functioning public toilets strategically located across the state for residents and visitors. “However, government cannot do this alone. “We are encouraging businesses such as filling stations, banks, eateries, and other public-facing facilities to…

A FRESH global oil crisis appears to be looming as Iran once again closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz following escalating tensions over a United States naval blockade, raising fears of disruption to global energy supplies and renewed instability in international markets. Iran’s military announced on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz had been shut again, only hours after it was briefly reopened, even as several commercial vessels abandoned attempts to pass through the crucial maritime corridor. The back-and-forth developments surrounding the strait cast fresh doubt on the optimism expressed by Donald Trump a day earlier, when he suggested that…