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♦️ Breaking & exclusive stories, analysis, opinions 👉 About Africa in other languages: Amharic: @sputnik_ethiopia French: @sputnik_afrique 💬 Contact us https://t.me/Africa_Sputnik_bot
Major World Events by Morning of July 16
🟠Botswana's President Duma Boko unveiled the Botswana Economic Transformation Program, calling for bold ideas to boost the country's growth and spur national development;
🟠Senegal began recalculating its GDP using an updated base year, which could lead to improved debt metrics, the country's finance ministry said in response to a credit rating downgrade by S&P;
🟠Growth in the 15-member ECOWAS region is likely to slow to 5.0% in 2025, down from 5.1% last year, the bloc's regional development bank said;
🟠Cyril Ramaphosa appointed SA's Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe as acting police minister, after Minister Mchunu's suspension over corruption allegations;
🟠The SCO Summit will be held in the Tianjin city from August 31 to September 1, Chinese FM said;
🟠The Kremlin urges all parties to put pressure on Ukraine to continue negotiations with Russia;
🟠Putin and Trump are not planning to hold a phone conversation in the near future, the Kremlin said.
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ICC Has Become Court Used as 'Rottweiler' Against Global South Countries, P.L.O. Lumumba Says
The ICC, being a "handmaiden" of the West, issues arrest warrants "like confetti" against countries with an anti-Western stance, renowned Kenyan lawyer Prof. Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba stated to Sputnik Africa.
At the same time, countries such as Israel are treated with "velvet gloves," the professor lamented.
🌍 What should African countries do to combat the ICC's double standards?
📹Watch the video to learn Lumumba's position on the issue!
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South Africa Pushes for G20 Consensus Amid US Absence
South Africa, current president of the G20, remains optimistic about securing a unified communique from finance ministers and central banks governors for the first time under its leadership.
Despite tensions—particularly with the United States, which has skipped key meetings—National Treasury Director-General Duncan Pieterse praised the “collaborative spirit” shown in last week’s virtual talks and expressed confidence in reaching consensus on most issues.
This week's summit in Durban is the fourth meeting held under South Africa's leadership, overshadowed by Donald Trump's return to office and the reemergence of US protectionist trade policies. Earlier meetings did not result in consensus, particularly regarding climate financing.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent again declined to attend. Still, the Deputy Governor of the South African Reserve Bank Rashaad Cassim noted US officials are present and downplayed the absence: “We do not take that as a snub.”
Pieterse emphasized the stakes: “The multilateral system is being tested... our collective ability to respond will shape the pace of our recovery.”
#viral | Boom! Lightning Strikes Near Moscow's 540-Meter TV & Radio Tower
The tower — Europe's tallest building — was hit by a powerful bolt during Tuesday's fierce thunderstorm, which brought heavy downpours to the city.
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Clinical Research is Key for Better Healthcare in Africa, Nigerian Professor Says
Clinical pharmacy research can help create "more effective, sustainable, and patient-centered healthcare policies," said Dr. Hadiza Usman Ma'aji, Clinical Pharmacy lecturer and researcher at the Ahmadu Bello University.
Such policies could improve access to safe medicines and health outcomes across the continent, she told Sputnik Africa.
💊 By studying drug use, bioequivalence, and antibiotic resistance, researchers can:
🟠ensure cost-effective and evidence-based drug selection;
🟠guide policies on combatting antimicrobial resistance;
🟠update essential medicine lists;
🟠improve drug safety.
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📹 Video of soldiers with Russian flag in liberated Petrovka in DPR published by Defense Ministry
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Gulf Nations, US Designate Three Key Daesh Facilitators in Africa to Cut Off Terrorism Funding, Treasury Says
The Terrorist Financing Targeting Center — a multilateral body including the US, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE — made the decisions aiming to disrupt Daesh* activities worldwide, the Treasury noted.
Here are the designated supporters of terrorist activities:
▪️Zayd Gangat – South Africa-based terrorist trainer and facilitator;
▪️Hamidah Nabagala – DRC-based middleman for the group’s cash flows in Central Africa;
▪️Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf – leader of the Daesh branch in Somalia.
*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist organization outlawed in Russia and many other states
AI-generated image
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⚡️🇷🇺🇨🇳 SERGEY LAVROV DELIVERS PUTIN’S GREETINGS & BEST WISHES TO XI JINPING
Russia’s FM held a bilateral meeting with Xi in China today.
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Senegal, Namibia & Other African Countries Can Potentially Join OPEC, Secretary General Says
OPEC is in talks with many countries regarding membership in the organization, Haitham Al Ghais said, adding that he has already held meetings with representatives from Senegal and Namibia among others.
"We are always open to new OPEC members, provided they meet the organization's criteria and adhere to its statutes. These clearly state that a prospective member must share OPEC's objectives and be a significant net exporter of oil," he told reporters on the sidelines of the 9th OPEC International Seminar.
Trump, Ukraine & the Dollar: War or Business Deal?
🕊The longer the weapons flow, the slimmer the chances of reaching peace between Russia and Ukraine, Alex Manyasi, Policy Engagement Manager at APHRC, Kenya, told Sputnik Africa.
“What that does, it also reduces the appetite for Ukraine to actually negotiate... and therefore... escalate the conflict much more.”
“His approach is very transactional and business-oriented,” he noted. “I don't think it's more about looking at ending the war or supporting Ukraine but more of the US than earning more dollars in the process of expanding the dollar globally.”
“So the US should not expect to see that their sanctions will not have consequences back home, they definitely will... They might want to […] get money from Ukraine. But I don't think that this is a conflict that Donald Trump is willing to push so that then it starts hurting the US economy,”
Trump Calls Putin a 'Tough Guy', Despite the 'Nice" Talk
"He's a tough guy. That's been proven over the years. He fooled a lot of people. He fooled Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden… he didn't fool me," Trump said at a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
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🇦🇲☦️ Pashinyan playing with fire: Armenia’s Church has survived persecution for 1700 years, will outlast him
💬 “Samvel Karapetyan’s arrest is just one link in the chain of authoritarian actions by Nikol Pashinyan aimed at neutralizing or discrediting all individuals and organizations with resources, influence and authority, both in Armenia and the diaspora,” Maj. Gen. Artur Vanetsyan, former head of Armenia’s National Security Service, told Sputnik, commenting on the ongoing Karapetyan saga.
AES 'Has More to Gain Than to Lose by Leaving WAEMU,' Nigerien Political Analyst Says
As the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU or UEMOA) is controlled by France, it is the right moment for the AES to create a common currency, leave the WAEMU, and turn toward BRICS, Issoufou Boubacar Kado Magagi told Sputnik Africa.
On July 11, the delegations of the three AES countries left the room in protest during a session of the WAEMU Council of Ministers in Togo.
✅ What benefits could AES countries gain from withdrawing from WAEMU?
🟠Deeper ties with BRICS: the AES could benefit from economic cooperation with the BRICS, which promote local currencies and challenge the dominance of the dollar and euro, according to Magagi.
"These countries are strategic partners for the Confederation of Sahel States."
"When you create a currency, the more you sell, the more you prosper."
Deliveries of US Weapons to Ukraine Have Not Stopped & Are Continuing — This is a Fact, Kremlin Says
"Much has been said about high prices and so on. Now it seems that these supplies will be paid for by Europe. Some will be paid for, some will not," kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted.
🎤Trump to announce new arms deliveries to Ukraine
Trump will announce a new plan for arms deliveries to Zelensky's regime, which may include offensive weapons, per Axios.
🔍The plan will likely include long-range missiles, the article said.
➡️Trump previously said that the United States would send additional Patriot missile systems to Ukraine. According to Trump, the United States will send Ukraine "various pieces" of military equipment, which will be paid for in full.
➡️Russia has repeatedly stated that arms supplies to Ukraine hinder the settlement of the conflict and directly involve NATO countries in it.
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Ethiopia Arrests 82 Suspected Daesh-Affiliated Terrorists, Intelligence Service Says
The arrested suspects are believed to have been trained in Somalia by a regional Daesh* affiliate operating in Puntland, which deployed them across Ethiopia, a state broadcaster reported, citing a statement by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS).
The arrests, made following an in-depth intelligence investigation, were conducted jointly by the NISS, the Ethiopian Federal Police, and regional security forces, the broadcaster noted.
The suspects reportedly maintained direct contact with Daesh and provided logistical, financial, and operational support. The group allegedly used religious institutions to conceal its activities, spread extremist ideology, recruit vulnerable individuals, and incite violence and division.
Intelligence and tracking operations are ongoing to locate and arrest any remaining members of the network, the NISS said.
*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist organization outlawed in Russia and many other states
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📊 Half of US citizens dissatisfied with amount of released information on Epstein case - poll
Only 3 percent of the respondents are satisfied with the released information, 29 percent said that it does not matter while 17 percent more said they had not enough heard about the matter. The level of dissatisfaction is higher among the Democrats (56%) than the Republicans (40%), a poll conducted by SSRS Polling for the CNN showed.
The poll was held on July 10-13 among 1,057 adults, the margin of error stands at about 3.5 percentage points.
The FBI and the US Department of Justice previously released a joint statement claiming that Epstein had not blackmailed influential people and had no "client list." At the same time, in an interview with Fox News in February, in response to a question about the list, US Attorney General Pam Bondi said that it was on her desk and waiting to be reviewed. This Tuesday, Bondi said that she had meant not a client list, but documents on the case.
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Goodbye to Holidays in France?
PM François Bayrou has an original idea to reduce the deficit in 2026: say goodbye to Easter Monday and May 8th, Victory and Europe Day.
We can already imagine Easter eggs on strike and Europe sulking!
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Healing Nigeria: New Vision Combining Science & Tradition
Nigeria is already partnering with traditional healers to validate herbal medicines, ensure safety, and preserve African healing traditions, Dr. Hadiza Usman Ma'aji of the Ahmadu Bello University told Sputnik Africa.
According to the speaker, the new vision should also:
🟠focus on high-burden diseases: HIV, malaria, TB, hypertension, diabetes;
🟠ensure strong family and community involvement in treatment plans;
🟠use modern technology, like telepharmacy, AI, and SMS reminders;
🟠improve health literacy using local languages and visuals;
🟠train pharmacists in rural pharmacy practice.
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Namibia Eyes Tobacco & Alcohol Tax Reforms to Protect Public Health
🚬 Government stance: Minister of Health Esperance Luvindao emphasized the urgency of stronger deterrents during a policy workshop in Windhoek on Monday.
🚬 Public health burden: Tobacco and alcohol use contribute significantly to preventable illnesses, deaths, and strain on the health system.
🚬 WHO-aligned strategy: Namibia is committed to the WHO MPOWER policy for tobacco control and SAFER strategies to curb alcohol harm.
🚬 Policy updates underway:
🔘Reviewing and amending the Tobacco Product Control Act to include products like vapes and e-cigarettes.
🔘Revising national alcohol policies to address rising abuse.
🚨 Concerning statistics: Namibia’s per capita alcohol consumption (12L/year) is far above the regional (3.5L) and global (5.0L) averages.
🚬 Call to action: WHO urges Namibia to close policy gaps, strengthen enforcement, and invest in evidence-based measures.
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❗️Lavrov says discussed with Iranian FM a peaceful resolution of issues related to Tehran's nuclear program
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Over 45 People Killed in RSF Rebels Attack on Sudanese Village, NGO Says
"The number of victims from the massacre that took place in Wad Hamid village, carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last night in the Um Qureifa area of North Kordofan State, has risen to 46 people, including 5 women, while 37 others were injured," the Sudan Doctors Network said on X on Monday.
'The EU Turned Out to Be a Vassal State to the US' — And Will Pay to Prolong the Conflict 'Till the Last Ukrainian'
“The Ukrainians are bankrupt… the Europeans are going to pay for these armed supplies,” Abobakr Mohamed Abbakar Khussein, Assistant Professor at a Russian university, told Sputnik Africa.
“Trump would like to make Europeans supply Ukraine with weapons from their own stock…”
“This is considered to be a political bribe.”
“High unemployment rate, deindustrialization… a vessel state to the US.”
“Not a shift… just a way of playing that game.”
“Israel is a priority, not Ukraine or Europe in particular.”
“Continuing supplying arms would create internal popularity decline…”
📹 Russia's FSB Thwarts Bomb Plot: Ukrainian Agent Neutralized
A video of the Federal Security Service neutralizing a Kiev regime agent who attempted to hide a bomb under a Russian military vehicle in the Tyumen area has been made public.
The video shows the offender being killed after hurling a grenade at special troops while being apprehended.
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#viral | When Coziness Runs 'in the Paws' — Literally!
An adorable video of a kitty meticulously building a blanket bed is going viral on social media.
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#viral | Serpentine Stroll: Pet Python's Childlike Interest Goes Viral
An Indonesian man captured his pet python on a walk.
The video shows the reptile approaching children sitting on the tiles with interest. The footage of the creepy walk was widely shared on social media, causing debates over safety concerns among users.
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South African Police Minister Suspended Over Alleged Links to Organized Crime: What Is Known So Far
President Cyril Ramaphosa established a judicial commission for "an urgent and comprehensive investigation" into allegations against Minister Senzo Mchunu.
The president placed Mchunu on leave pending the inquiry, and appointed an interim police minister.
🔎 The commission will examine:
🟠Infiltration of criminal syndicates into law enforcement, intelligence, and judicial institutions;
🟠Suppression or manipulation of investigations, corruption, and intimidation of whistleblowers;
🟠The role of senior officials and possible complicity of government members.
🔙 Background to the case:
▪️In early July, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of:
⦁ concealing criminal activities;
⦁ involvement in corruption within law enforcement;
⦁ interfering in criminal investigations, including the disbanding of the 2018 Political Killings Task Team.
▪️The minister rejected the allegations, describing them as "wild claims" lacking "evidence or due processes."
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Senator Graham Threatens Countries Cooperating With Russia
"China, India, and Brazil, you're about to get hurt big time if you keep helping Putin," US Sen. Graham* said in an interview with CBS News.
Football Player Jeremy Doku Welcomed Like a Rock Star in Ghana
The star striker for Manchester City and the Belgian Red Devils arrived in Accra for a charity tour.
Born in Belgium to Ghanaian parents, the soccer prodigy set the tone as soon as he stepped off the plane, breaking into a few dance moves with local artists and getting swept up in the local excitement.
💸 And as if that weren't enough, he handed out cash left and right, turning Kotoka Airport into a spontaneous party.
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