The Taliban government in Afghanistan has imposed a nationwide shutdown of telecommunications, weeks after it began severing fibre-optic internet connections. The country is currently experiencing a “total internet blackout”, internet watchdog Netblocks reports. International news agencies say they have lost contact with offices in the capital Kabul. Mobile internet and satellite TV have also been…
US President Donald Trump’s administration supports a one-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, the trade initiative with sub-Saharan Africa that expires on Tuesday, according to a White House official. Since coming to office in January, the administration had not publicly stated a position on the act, known as Agoa, a law first…
When Africa gathered in Addis Ababa from September 8 to 10, 2025, for the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS-2), the message was loud and clear: the continent wants climate investment, not climate aid. This second gathering of African leaders, experts, financiers, and activists was not just another diplomatic ritual. It was a defining moment in…
Across Nigeria, many privately-owned healthcare facilities face funding bottleneck. Pharmacies watch their shelves empty as they struggle to restock essential drugs. Laboratories, unable to afford new equipment needed for diagnoses, and clinics are forced to turn patients away, as they face financial constraints that limit the services they can provide. For banks, credit unions, and…
Hurricane Humberto is likely to bring dangerous surf to most of the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda this week, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said, adding that tropical storm conditions are possible in Bermuda on Tuesday. The swells will likely cause “life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” the center warned. Humberto rapidly strengthened over the…
Foreign affairs ministers in BRICS have urged inclusive global AI governance. International relations ministers in the BRICS bloc have called for inclusive, globally representative governance of artificial intelligence (AI), under the United Nations. This, they say, is to foster meaningful participation from developing countries. The foreign affairs ministers held their annual meeting on the sidelines…
Nigeria’s chances of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been handed a major boost after FIFA sanctioned South Africa for fielding an ineligible player during a qualifier. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced on Monday that South Africa’s Bafana Bafana forfeited their March 21 clash against Lesotho for using midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who was not…
After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, US President Donald Trump said the leaders were “close” to achieving peace in the Middle East. “At the very least, at a minimum very, very close,” Trump said during a joint news conference at the White House. He outlined his new 20-point plan to end…
The South African Revenue Service (Sars) and the Office of the Tax Ombud (OTO) have dismissed a report that as many as 16 000 eFiling profiles have been hijacked, with taxpayers losing refunds to cybercriminals. The Sowetan reported on Friday that cybercriminals were increasingly breaching Sars’s systems, raising questions about the security of taxpayer data. But…
Waterfront city skyline of Sydney city downtown at night with bright illumination of modern architectural landmarks in Sydney, Australia. Prasit Photo | Moment | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Tuesday with focus on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s interest rate decision later in the day. The RBA is expected to hold its cash rate…
