South Africa: BMA gears up for bumper festive season

PRETORIA, Dec 8 (NNN-SANEWS) — Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato says South Africa is facing one of its busiest travel periods in recent years, with traveller movements increasing sharply and enforcement operations yielding thousands of interceptions. Briefing the media on festive season law enforcement plans for 2025/26,…

Uganda battles malaria deaths amid low vaccination rate

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja holds a baby at the launch of the malaria vaccination exercisePrime Minister Robinah Nabbanja holds a baby at the launch of the malaria vaccination exercise KAMPALA, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Uganda’s ambitious malaria eradication efforts are facing setbacks as a low turnout for the newly introduced…

France: Water leak in the Louvre damages hundreds of “Egyptology journals” works, museum says

The Louvre; Egyptian books in Paris PARIS, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A water leak in late November damaged several hundred works in the Louvre’s Egyptian department, the Paris museum said on Sunday, weeks after a brazen jewel theft raised concerns over its infrastructure. “Between 300 and 400 works” were affected by the…

UK police arrest man after Heathrow Airport car park ‘pepper spray’ incident leaves 21 injured

LONDON, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — United Kingdom armed police arrested a man for suspected assault after 21 people needed medical treatment following an incident involving “a form of pepper spray” at a Heathrow Airport car park. London’s Metropolitan Police said the incident at Terminal 3’s multi-storey car park was sparked…

Nigerian government secures release of 100 kidnapped schoolchildren

ABUJA, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigeria’s government has secured the release of 100 schoolchildren who were abducted last month in Niger state in one of the country’s worst mass kidnappings to date, local broadcaster Channels Television reported. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has said 303 children and 12 school staff were…

Benin presidency says still in control despite coup attempt

COTONOU, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Military personnel in Benin announced that they had ousted President Patrice Talon, although his entourage said he was safe and the army was regaining control. Talon, a 67-year-old former businessman dubbed the “cotton king of Cotonou”, is due to hand over power in April next…

UN experts accuse Rwandan army of ‘summary executions’ in DR Congo

KINSHASA, Dec 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Rwanda’s army and the M23 armed group it supports have carried out executions and forced mass displacements of people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, UN experts said in a report. The report — an evaluation written up every six months by experts mandated by…

Tanzania dominates World Travel Awards 2025

BAHRAIN, Dec 7 (NNN-DAILYNEWS) — TANZANIA has retained the country’s global position as ‘The World’s leading Safari Destination,’ during the World Travel Awards 2025 Grand Finals. Tanzania was crowned with the coveted title in the global travel industry at the 32nd instalment of the World Travel Awards (WTA 2025) whose grand finals’…

Rwanda signs $228m agreement with US under Washington’s new aid model

WASHINGTON, Dec 7 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — The United States and Rwanda have signed a $228 million agreement aimed at strengthening Rwanda’s health sector while promoting long-term financial self-reliance. The deal was announced late on Friday, hours after Rwandan leader Paul Kagame and the DRC’s Felix Tshisekedi reaffirmed their commitment to a…

Chilean Army Captain dies in paragliding accident

SANTIAGO, Dec 7 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — An active-duty Chilean Army captain died on Friday after crashing his paraglider on a hillside south of Iquique, in the area known as Palo Buque. The location is frequently used for paragliding training. Chilean regulations treat paragliding as a form of non-conventional flight, requiring adherence…