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Gunmen abducted more than 150 worshippers during coordinated attacks on three churches in northwest Nigeria, a state lawmaker said on Monday. The attacks took place on Sunday in Kurmin Wali, a community in Kaduna state’s Kajuru area, while services were underway at an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), a Cherubim and Seraphim church, and a Catholic church, according to Usman Danlami Stingo, who represents the area in the state parliament. “As of yesterday, 177 people were missing, and 11 have returned, leaving 168 still unaccounted for,” Stingo said. Kaduna state police have yet to comment, and no group has claimed responsibility. Attacks of this kind are common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, particularly in the northern region, where armed gangs and extremist groups frequently target remote communities with limited security. 13 children killed as school bus collides with truck in South Africa Similar church attacks have previously sparked claims of persecution of Christians by U.S. officials, including former President Donald Trump. The U.S. carried out military strikes in Sokoto on December 25, reportedly targeting Islamic State operatives. The Nigerian government has rejected the term “Christian genocide” to describe the ongoing security crisis.

At least 13 schoolchildren were killed on Monday after a truck crashed into a school minibus in South Africa’s Gauteng province, police and emergency officials said. Initial reports indicated that 11 children died at the scene, while two others later succumbed to their injuries at hospital. The privately operated minibus was carrying pupils to several primary and secondary schools in the southwest of Johannesburg when the crash occurred at around 7:00 am. According to witnesses, the minibus was attempting to overtake stationary vehicles when it collided head-on with the truck. Police said an investigation has been launched into the incident and the truck driver will be questioned. Read More: South Africa declares national disaster after deadly floods and severe weather Gauteng Emergency Services said five injured passengers were taken to Sebokeng Hospital, while two others were transported to Kopanong Hospital for further treatment. The minibus driver was also injured and among those admitted to hospital. President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, saying national and provincial authorities would provide affected families and schools with psychosocial support. “Our children are the nation’s most precious assets, and we must do everything possible - from obeying road rules to ensuring the quality and safety of school transport services - to protect learners,” Ramaphosa said. Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube said many school transport accidents are linked to driver negligence and urged the Department of Transport to ensure vehicles used to carry schoolchildren meet roadworthiness standards.

South Africa on Sunday declared a national disaster following torrential rains and flooding that have killed at least 30 people in the country’s northern regions and caused widespread damage to homes, roads, and bridges. The declaration, made by the head of the National Disaster Management Centre, enables the national government to coordinate relief and response efforts. The hardest-hit areas are the northern provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, though at least three other provinces have also been affected, the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said. Heavy rains have persisted across South Africa and neighboring Mozambique and Zimbabwe for weeks, resulting in severe flooding. Since late last year, more than 100 people have died across the three countries due to the extreme weather. Uganda’s Museveni wins seventh presidential term with 71.65% of vote In northern South Africa, the floods forced the closure of Kruger National Park and the evacuation of hundreds of tourists and staff from inundated camps. The Limpopo provincial premier estimated damages in the province at around $240 million, with numerous homes and buildings washed away. South Africa has faced repeated flooding in recent years, including more than 100 deaths in the Eastern Cape last year and over 400 fatalities in KwaZulu-Natal in 2022.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has secured a seventh term in office, winning 71.65% of the vote, according to official results released Saturday. Museveni defeated his youthful challenger, musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine, who campaigned for change after four decades of Museveni’s rule. Bobi Wine, whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, received 24.72% of the votes. Wine is expected to reject the official outcome, denouncing the election as unfair and alleging an internet blackout, heavy military presence, and the abduction of his polling agents. On Friday, he dismissed provisional results as “fake.” The election was also marred by technical issues with biometric voter identification machines, which failed in several urban areas, including opposition strongholds like the capital Kampala. Voting had to proceed using manual voter registers, a move critics say could fuel legal challenges against the official results. Delays plague voting in Uganda's presidential election Museveni, 81, has maintained power over the years by amending the constitution to remove term and age limits, and by sidelining or jailing potential rivals. Observers say the opposition was fragmented, giving Museveni a decisive advantage, while he retained strong control over his party and the armed forces. Security forces were heavily deployed during the campaign. Wine said he faced constant surveillance and harassment, including the use of tear gas against his supporters, and often campaigned wearing a flak jacket and helmet for protection. Reports emerged on Friday that Wine had been detained by the military, but police clarified on Saturday that he was not under arrest, though access to his residence was “controlled” to prevent potential unrest. At least 46 killed in multi-vehicle crash in western Uganda Uganda has not seen a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence six decades ago. Veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, remains in prison on treason charges filed in February 2025. This election highlights the enduring dominance of Museveni, whose long tenure continues to raise concerns about democratic governance and political freedom in Uganda.

Torrential rains and widespread flooding have claimed more than 100 lives across South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, with authorities warning of more severe weather in southern Africa. In South Africa, at least 19 people have died in the northern Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces after heavy rains last month triggered severe floods. Helicopters evacuated tourists and staff from flooded camps in Kruger National Park, which remains closed due to submerged roads and bridges, the national parks agency said. Mozambique’s Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction reported 103 deaths during an unusually intense rainy season since late last year. Causes included lightning strikes, drowning, infrastructure collapse, and cholera. Central and southern regions have been hardest hit, with more than 200,000 people affected and thousands of homes damaged, the World Food Program said. Zimbabwe has recorded 70 deaths and destruction of over 1,000 homes due to heavy rains since early January, while roads, schools, and bridges have collapsed, the country’s disaster management agency reported. Floods have also affected Madagascar, Malawi, and Zambia. In Madagascar, 11 people have died in floods since late November. The U.S. Famine Early Warning System noted that flooding is ongoing or expected in at least seven southern African countries, possibly linked to the La Niña phenomenon. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited flood-hit areas in Limpopo on Thursday, reporting that one district had received roughly 400 millimeters of rain in under a week. “There are 36 houses that have just been wiped away … everything is gone — roofs, walls, fences,” he said. The South African Weather Service issued a red-level 10 alert for parts of the country Friday, warning of life-threatening floods and infrastructure damage. Helicopters have rescued residents trapped on rooftops or in trees, including border and police officers stranded at a flooded South Africa-Zimbabwe checkpoint. Kruger National Park, covering around 22,000 square kilometers across Limpopo and Mpumalanga, has evacuated roughly 600 tourists and staff to higher ground. No deaths or injuries have been reported there, authorities said. Southern Africa has faced extreme weather in recent years, including cyclones and severe droughts, intensifying food insecurity. In Mozambique, over 70,000 hectares of crops, including rice and corn, have been submerged, affecting thousands of small-scale farmers, the World Food Program said.

Zambia has decided not to extend its current International Monetary Fund (IMF)-supported Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program for one year, and will instead pursue a new full program, senior officials said Thursday. Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane told a press briefing that after careful review and consultations, the government chose to conclude the sixth and final review of the current arrangement and negotiate a successor program. He emphasized that the decision does not signal disengagement from the IMF or a reduction in reform efforts, but reflects the completion of the ongoing program and the transition to a new, comprehensive plan. The successor program will continue addressing Zambia’s debt restructuring obligations while considering evolving economic priorities, including growth targets and medium-term development needs. Since entering the IMF-supported ECF in 2022, Zambia has successfully completed all reviews and consistently met quantitative performance criteria and structural benchmarks. A staff-level agreement on the sixth review was reached last month. Originally scheduled to end in November 2025, the program will now formally conclude by the end of January 2026. The brief extension was purely technical, designed to allow sufficient time for evaluating program performance as of October 2025.

A passenger boat capsized in northern Nigeria’s Yobe state, leaving at least 25 people dead while 14 others remained missing, emergency services said Sunday. The boat was carrying residents who had gone to the local market as well as some who were involved in fishing or farming when it capsized along the Yobe River in Yobe state’s Garbi town on Saturday night, the Yobe emergency management agency said. Out of the 52 passengers on board the boat, 13 were rescued and are receiving medical assistance, the agency said in a statement. “Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with security agencies, emergency responders, and local community volunteers working tirelessly to locate the missing passengers and recover bodies,” the agency added. The disaster response agency said the boat overturned mid-journey without offering additional details. Boat accidents kill hundreds annually across Nigeria, especially in remote areas where water transportation is common due to its convenience for business owners and the absence of good roads. At least 30 passengers were killed when their boat capsized in September, while 25 others died in similar circumstances in July. Past accidents have been often caused by overloaded and poorly maintained vessels, many of them operating without carrying life jackets. Yobe Gov. Mai Mala Buni offered condolences to families affected in Saturday's accident and directed that all necessary medical and logistical support be provided immediately to victims receiving treatment, according to a government update.

A United Nations humanitarian team has visited Sudan’s el-Fasher city for the first time since it was seized by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in October, finding hundreds of civilians living in desperate conditions amid severe shortages of food, medicine and shelter. The hours-long visit, conducted on Friday, marked the UN’s first direct assessment of the city after months of isolation. UN officials said el-Fasher remains under RSF control and largely cut off from the outside world following a prolonged siege. “It was a tense mission,” said Denise Brown, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, describing the city as a “massive crime scene.” The exact death toll from the takeover remains unknown, though survivors who fled reported widespread killings, with satellite images suggesting mass graves and burned bodies. The UN team found civilians sheltering in abandoned buildings or makeshift structures made from plastic sheets and blankets, without access to clean water, toilets or basic services. Food was scarce and expensive, with the price of rice reportedly reaching up to $100 per kilogram. Medical services were described as nearly non-functional, with hospitals lacking supplies and staff. Aid groups said villages surrounding el-Fasher appeared largely deserted, while many injured people may still need evacuation. El-Fasher, once the last army stronghold in Darfur, fell amid Sudan’s ongoing war, which has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Guinea’s junta leader Gen Mamdi Doumbouya was declared the winner of the country’s presidential election held over the weekend, according to partial results released late Tuesday, marking the first vote since the 2021 military takeover. The General Directorate of Elections said Doumbouya secured 86.72 percent of the votes counted so far. Analysts had widely expected his victory, citing a weakened opposition ahead of Sunday’s poll. The election was seen as an effort to legitimize Doumbouya’s continued rule and conclude a transition process launched after he ousted President Alpha Condé four years ago. Critics say the junta leader has suppressed dissent and opposition, leaving him without serious challengers among the eight other candidates. More than 50 political parties were dissolved, while prominent opposition figures were either barred from contesting on technical grounds or were living in exile following the crackdown. Yéro Baldé, a former education minister under Condé, finished a distant second with 6.51 percent of the vote. Election officials said turnout stood at 80.95 percent among Guinea’s 6.7 million registered voters. After taking power, Doumbouya had pledged that he and other military officers would not contest elections. However, a referendum held in September paved the way for officers to run and extended the presidential term from five to seven years. Despite its rich mineral resources, Guinea remains deeply affected by poverty and food insecurity, with about half of its 15 million people facing hardship, according to the World Food Program. The junta has placed strong emphasis on the Simandou iron ore project, a major mining venture largely backed by Chinese investment. Production began last month after years of delays, with authorities hoping it will generate jobs and spur wider economic growth. Guinea is among several West African nations to experience coups or attempted coups since 2020, amid public frustration over insecurity, weak economies and disputed elections.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Turkey on Tuesday for high-level talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, days after Israel announced its recognition of Somaliland, the breakaway region of Somalia. Turkish officials said the discussions would focus on expanding bilateral cooperation, Somalia’s fight against terrorism, efforts to reinforce national unity and key regional developments. Turkey has emerged as one of Somalia’s strongest partners over the past decade, providing military training, backing major infrastructure projects and operating a military base in Mogadishu. Ankara has also sent a seismic research vessel, protected by naval ships, to explore Somalia’s offshore oil and gas potential. Israel’s decision last week to recognize Somaliland — the first country to do so — sparked sharp criticism from Turkey, Somalia and several other nations. Ankara described the move as unlawful and warned it could threaten stability in the Horn of Africa. The motivation behind Israel’s announcement remains unclear. Earlier this year, Turkey mediated talks between Somalia and Ethiopia following tensions over a deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland. In January 2024, Ethiopia signed an agreement with Somaliland to lease coastal land for a naval base in exchange for recognition, a move Somalia says violates its sovereignty. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia more than 30 years ago but remains largely unrecognized internationally.