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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
❗️Russian FM Lavrov and US Secretary of State Rubio are holding a meeting in Kuala Lumpur, a Sputnik correspondent reports
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Air Market Momentum Grows as West African States Embrace SAATM Vision & Nigeria’s Air Corridor Push
✈️📻📦 #GlobalSouthPole | “This can go on to foster trade and regional integration […] And above all, support and offer revenue generation for the government, but above all, an industry that is self-sustaining,” Angu’zu Raymond, aviation law researcher at the UN Space Generation Advisory Council, explained.
🌐 In this edition Raymond breaks down how Africa’s skies are no longer just air routes; they’re economic corridors. As the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) takes off and Nigeria launches its AfCFTA air export initiative, the continent is beginning to trade across borders, not just through them.
🛫 With faster routes for local producers, new cargo opportunities, and reduced dependence on Europe and the Gulf, this is Africa building capacity — in the air and on the ground.
❓Will liberalized skies finally anchor the goals of Agenda 2063, or are more reforms still needed to lift off?
🎙Join us for a grounded but forward-looking conversation on aviation, trade, and African economic transformation.
▶️ Click here to listen to the full conversation on Telegram’s built-in player.
🧬 In addition to our Telegram channel, you can enjoy our episodes on Sputnik Africa website
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Diplomacy 101: Know Their Official Language
Trump to the President of Liberia:
“Such good English. Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?”
Liberia: [blinks in official language]
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DRC, M23 Rebels Hold Second Round of Peace Talks in Qatar, Reports Say
During Qatari-mediated talks, the two delegations aim to reach a deal on a broader truce, a diplomat familiar with the talks told a French media outlet.
"This round of negotiations will be critical towards reaching an agreement," the diplomat said. Doha is working closely with the African Union, he added.
📹 Russian Armed Forces' UAV Destroys Ukraine's Self-Propelled Artillery System, UAV Operator Tells Sputnik
📍 Dnepropetrovsk Region
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📹 Heavy Israeli Airstrikes Target Eastern Gaza City, Palestinian Media Reports
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BRICS vs. Bretton Woods: Toward a Fairer Multipolar World?
The Bretton Woods institutions and dollar dominance make fair financial exchange impossible, former Nigerien Minister of Infrastructure Cherif Chako told Sputnik Africa.
🌎However, the final declaration of the BRICS Summit presents a "golden opportunity" to change the situation and "build a multipolar world in finance, trade, and development," according to the speaker.
🌍 And what about Africa?
Chako praised the idea of establishing the BRICS grain exchange, which could benefit both the association and the African continent:
"This initiative will strengthen cooperation aimed for the well-being of the people of the AES and other African countries," the ex-minister emphasized.
#viral | Two seal pups were released into Russia's Lake Ladoga after rehabilitation at the Baltic Seal Friends Foundation
🦭The seal pup Osik, found in the waters of the Neva River, became a real star and mystery of the center. This Ladoga seal pup had an unusually light color, which made him look like a Baltic seal.
However, his main distinguishing feature was his wild and independent character.
✅The Seal Puppy, however, earned a reputation as a modest person: she ate conscientiously, gained weight, grew, and did not cause any trouble for specialists.
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#viral | When Your Flight Comes With Complimentary Fresh Honey
🐝A swarm of bees surrounded the baggage door of an IndiGo flight headed to the Indian city of Jaipur, causing a delay of over an hour.
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Colombia, South Africa to Hold Urgent Conference on Gaza on July 15, President Petro Says
The two countries—as co-chairs of the Hague Group—will push for strong action in defense of international law regarding the conflict in the Gaza Strip, Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated.
"Our goal is simple: to introduce concrete legal, diplomatic, and economic measures capable of halting Israel's destruction," he noted.
Major World Events by Evening of July 8
⚫️Kenya’s anti-government protest death toll has risen to 31, highlighting escalating tensions in the region.
⚫️South Africa's Department of Forestry is set to plant one million trees nationwide on September 24, to commemorate Heritage Day—a public holiday celebrating cultural diversity.
⚫️Israel's military has, for the first time, reportedly confirmed that Iran targeted Israeli military sites in June.
⚫️The BRICS nations have rejected Trump’s warning of a 10% tariff for supporting the bloc, emphasizing their dedication to multilateralism and global economic reform.
⚫️Russia's Family, Love, and Fidelity Day, dedicated to traditional family values, was celebrated globally, reaching as far as Congo, Zambia, and Morocco.
⚫️Russia is awaiting Ukraine's proposal for a meeting to discuss settlement terms, Kremlin's spokesman said. More statements — here.
⚫️The EU plans to cover Ukraine’s $19 billion budget deficit in 2026, media reported.
⚫️The Dutch port of Rotterdam is preparing for a potential conflict with Russia, with management reserving spots for military cargo ships, according to the Financial Times.
⚫️The World Council of Churches has condemned the increasing pressure on the Armenian Apostolic Church.
⚫️The US is reportedly experiencing a severe shortage of Patriot missiles, with only 25% of the interceptor missiles needed for all Pentagon plans.
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A Red Line for Gaza: Supporting the Palestinian Cause in Paris
"I am here today to denounce the genocide happening in Gaza. Children, innocents, and civilians are being killed. Humanitarian aid is being blocked. Children are starving. They no longer have access to clean water," a participant told Sputnik Africa.
South Sudan’s President Sacks Defense Chief
President Salva Kiir appointed Gen. Dau Aturjong Nyuol as the new head of the army instead of Gen. Paul Nang Majok.
No reason was provided for Gen. Nang’s removal. The announcement, made on state broadcaster SSBC, takes immediate effect.
"There has been a tradition that when you are appointed, or reassigned there are no reasons [given] for getting appointed and there are no reasons given for getting relieved. It is normal," reportedly said army spokesperson Lul Ruai Koang.
BRICS Sends the ‘Right Message’ That It’s Time for Cooperation and Concrete Action: Ambassador of Ethiopia to Brazil
Key highlights from Leulseged Tadese’s interview with Sputnik Africa:
🔴Leaders reaffirmed commitment to reinvigorated multilateralism: “BRICS is about solutions; BRICS is about enhanced partnership to address common challenges.”
🔴Strong call to reform global systems
➔ UN Security Council must be reformed with “Africa [getting] at least two permanent seats.”
➔ Current financial architecture “doesn’t reflect the legitimate economic aspirations of developing countries.”
🔴Pledge for climate action and digital inclusion
➔ Combat climate change
➔ Close digital gaps to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda
🔴Push for inclusive AI governance that considers developing countries’ interests
🔴Health security prioritized: “Nobody is safe until everybody is safe.”
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#viral | Watch Mesmerizing Ball Lightning Amidst Ferocious Storm in Canada
A widely circulated video has captured what is believed to be ball lightning. Media reported that at the time of recording, a storm warning had been issued in the Rich Valley area due to a possible tornado, and a powerful thunderstorm was raging over the region.
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Sahel Criminal & Human Rights Court is Established
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have officially announced the creation of a Bamako-based court with jurisdiction over serious crimes, local media reported.
These include:
🟠war crimes,
🟠crimes against humanity,
🟠terrorism,
🟠human rights violations.
👉 A maximum-security prison will also be established in the Malian capital.
👉A shared judicial database and a digital platform will be created to streamline information exchange.
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EU Ministers Kicked Out of Eastern Libya Over 'Sovereignty Breach'
🚫 A high-level EU delegation was denied entry into eastern Libya on Tuesday after arriving for talks with the Benghazi-based government, media reported.
The delegation – including EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner and ministers from Italy, Greece, and Malta – was declared persona non grata upon landing and told to leave immediately.
The eastern government, allied to military commander Khalifa Haftar, accused them of disregarding Libya’s sovereignty by meeting earlier with the rival UN-recognized western government in Tripoli without its permission.
ℹ️ Libya has been split between competing governments since 2014, and continues to be a major transit route for migrants attempting dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean.
AI-generated image
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IMF Policies Have Made Kenyans’ Lives a 'Living Hell'
“The implementation of austerity measures by the Kenyan government, as a result of the pressure coming from the International Monetary Fund, has made Kenyans' lives a living hell; Kenyans have not been used to that kind of lifestyle. Now, they are currently living it,” said James Mwangi Macharia, Founder of African Center For Corrective And Prevention Action and Party Leader of Party For Democratic Reforms.
“Currently we are under that colonialism of economy, where we are given money and then we are trapped. Once we are trapped, citizens want to breathe and in the process of trying to breathe, [...] they create civil disorder. So whatever is happening is a direct result of economic colonialism from the World Bank, from the IMF, and other organizations that are funding our government. So we are not free. We are not free because we are trapped in debts.”
'New Development Bank Should Replace IMF & World Bank,' Nigerian Professor Says
The Bretton Woods institutions "have done their worst" and must be "totally destroyed," Professor of Political Economy at the University of Abuja Abubakar Sadeeque Abba told Sputnik Africa.
"They are no longer relevant; they have been used as agents of exploitation and stealing of resources and destruction of economies of Third World countries," the speaker stated.
"[NDB] will go a long way to create a world where we live together, we move together, and we prosper together. […] The bank will come in with practicable measures and workable solutions for Africa to key in and develop their own economies," he stressed.
Tanzania's New Era of Development: President Set to Unveil Groundbreaking 2050 Vision
Samia Suluhu Hassan prepares to launch the Tanzania Development Vision 2050 (TDV), themed "The Tanzania We Want," next Thursday, Minister of State for Planning and Investment Kitila Mkumbo announced.
"This will be the second time the country writes a non-partisan national development endeavor, the first was the 2000-2025 under the late former President Benjamin Mkapa," the official told reporters. The TDV 2050 builds on the successes and lessons of its predecessor, he added.
Iran’s Nuclear Program Impossible to End by Military Means – IAEA Chief
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi described Iran as a large country with a significant economy, industrial potential, and technical capabilities, which cannot be negated by military means;
▪️ He emphasized that the nuclear issue cannot be resolved through force; only a comprehensive agreement with a strict verification system can address it;
In June, a UN atomic agency report accused Iran of not reporting various nuclear-related activities prior to an Israeli attack.
▪️ But Grossi noted the absence of credible evidence that Iran possesses nuclear weapons, despite data hinting at bomb-making capability;
▪️ The IAEA believes Iran has not taken steps necessary to build a nuclear weapon.
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#viral | Moscow Zoo Pandas Head Indoors as City Heats Up!
🌡Due to the extreme heat of over +30°C, which is unusual for Moscow, pandas will spend more time inside their cooled enclosures — sometimes even by force — to avoid heatstroke, the zoo's director general said.
💧The enclosures are kept at a panda-friendly temperature and equipped with misting and ventilation systems.
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❗️❗️❗️‘If Somebody Wants to Re-Progress You, Don't Agree:’ Ghana’s Labor Minister
“We need to stand as a people, work as a people, [and] reach a destination so our people cannot be dying trying to reach Europe. It’s unacceptable. We must be happy here,” Minister Rashid Pelpuo told Sputnik Africa on the sidelines of the 3rd Africa Job Creation Forum in Addis Ababa.
❗️Diplomatic means of resolving the Ukrainian conflict have been "exhausted," German Chancellor Merz claims
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#viral | Inventive Vietnamese Farmer Uses Drone to Rescue Kids Trapped Mid-River
👏In a daring rescue operation, a farmer pulled two children to safety with an agricultural drone — while a third was rescued by boat.
The video is going viral on social media.
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BRICS: The Future Trump Can’t Ignore
“There is no doubt that BRICS is the future, and it is more reflected when President Donald Trump is saying that BRICS countries will have a 10% tariff,” Samir Bhattacharya, an associate fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, India, told Sputnik Africa.
Why the African Union Fired Back at Fitch's Blunder
📻🌍 #AfricanCurrents | "COVID tells us a story of how if you're not linked to the global supply chain or production chain, you can be left out in the cold. African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiative is one that will mitigate the likelihood of being left out in the cold. And so Afreximbank is at the juncture in its existence when it will be required and called upon and expected to fund a lot of infrastructure, protocols, and systems that will then enable the fruition of the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area," Kalu Ojah, Wits Professor Emeritus of Financial Economics, University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Sciences, South Africa, noted.
In an era of African self-reliance, Western-based agencies like Fitch are still applying models—often at odds with local realities. Don't miss this insightful episode!
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#viral | Mudslide in Tibet Close to Border With Nepal Results in 17 People Missing, Reports Say
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‘About Time for Africa to Create Its Own System Like ICC,’ Expert Says
📻⚖️🌍 #PanAfricanFrequency | "Less and less individuals and institutions are having the faith to see that the ICC is strong enough to prosecute, and therefore they're no longer going to the ICC as a point of call to say, 'Please intervene in this matter.' It's a risk to the ICC, because then it means that we see a scenario where in the future the ICC will have no work to do," Alex Manyasi, a Policy Engagement Manager at the African Population and Health Research Center in Kenya, highlighted.
🎙You can't afford to miss this thought-provoking episode!
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US Embassy Requires Social Media Checks for Nigerian Student Visa Seekers
Nigerians applying for F, M, and J student and exchange visas to the US must now set their social media profiles to "public," announced the US embassy.
The policy was first announced in June and is effective immediately. It is part of stricter US visa screening for national security, according to the State Department.
➡️ Nigerian authorities have yet to comment on the development.
In 2023-2024, over 20,000 Nigerian students were admitted to US colleges and universities, according to the US mission in the West African country. Thus, Nigeria ranked 7th for international students in the US.
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