Monthly Archives: May 2026

20, May 2026

Putin, Xi jointly denounce recent US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran ⁰

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have jointly condemned the recent US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran, calling for dialogue as the only way to end the destabilizing conflict.

In a joint statement released on Wednesday, Putin, who is on a state visit to China, and Xi stressed that both countries agreed that the US and Israeli military attacks on Iran violate international law and the basic principles of international relations, and seriously undermine stability in West Asia region.

The two leaders emphasized the necessity for the conflicting sides to return to dialogue and negotiations as quickly as possible, with the aim of preventing the expansion of the conflict.

Putin and Xi also called on the international community to adopt an objective and neutral stance, to help de-escalate tensions in the West Asia region, and to jointly uphold the fundamental principles of international relations.

The United States, in close collaboration with Israel, waged an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on February 28, killing more than 3,300 people and devastating civilian infrastructure.

Iranian armed forces responded with daily missile and drone operations targeting locations in Israeli-occupied territories and US military bases and facilities across the Persian Gulf region.

Forty days into the war, a two-week Pakistan-brokered ceasefire took effect on April 8, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement due to Washington’s excessive demands. US President Donald Trump later extended the truce unilaterally and indefinitely.

Iran has closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which carries a fifth of the world’s oil and gas, to ships belonging to the US and its allies that participated in or supported the aggression, triggering a significant spike in oil prices, as the US imposed a naval blockade on Iranian vessels and ports.

Tehran says the illegal US blockade on Iran’s ports should be lifted before the next stage of talks for ending the war begins, as Trump constantly threatens to resume strikes on Iran if his excessive demands are not met.

Separately on Wednesday, the Chinese president called for a lasting peace in the region and warned about the possible resumption of war.

“A comprehensive ceasefire is imperative, restarting war is even more unacceptable, and adhering to negotiations is particularly important,” Xi stressed.

Source: Press TV

20, May 2026

Cameroon public debt up 6%, remains below regional threshold ⁰

Cameroon’s public debt stood at 15,416 billion CFA francs ($27.3 billion) as of March 31, up 6% year-on-year, according to data published on Friday by the Caisse autonome d’amortissement (CAA), the country’s public debt management agency.

Despite the increase, the debt burden remained manageable at 44.3% of gross domestic product. The ratio aligns with the targets set out in the Medium-Term Debt Strategy (SDMT) 2025-2027, which caps public debt at 50% of GDP, below the regional threshold of 70%.

The CAA said the ratio reflected “prudent” debt management. According to the agency, the increase in public debt mainly reflected financing needs linked to infrastructure projects and other state investments. Central government accounted for 93.6% of the total debt stock, up from 93.3% as of Sept. 30, 2025.

Cameroon continues to face significant financing needs. The 2026 budget was set at 8,816.4 billion CFA francs, up 14% from the previous fiscal year.

To meet those needs, the government is expected to continue borrowing, particularly on external markets, which are projected to provide more than 67% of financing in 2026. Financing requirements for 2026-2028 are estimated at 7,689 billion CFA francs, including 3,197 billion in 2026 alone, equivalent to roughly 8.8% of GDP.

The government is also considering a Eurobond issuance to finance major infrastructure projects. Despite the borrowing outlook, authorities said public debt should remain sustainable, although the risk of debt distress remains high. Against that backdrop, the International Monetary Fund projects economic growth of 3.3% in 2026, supported by higher public investment.

Source: ecofinagency

19, May 2026

Arsenal wins Premier League title after Man City stumbles at Bournemouth ⁰

After 22 years and three straight runner-up finishes, the wait is over: Arsenal has won the Premier League.

The Gunners were crowned 2025-26 champions on Tuesday, May 19 after Bournemouth drew Manchester City 1-1.

City needed to win to stay alive but instead, Eli Junior Kroupi scored for the Cherries in the 38th minute. Erling Haaland pulled a goal back for the visitors deep into stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough.

That result, combined with Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Burnley on Monday, meant the Gunners have an unassailable four-point lead heading into the final game of the season on Sunday.

The last time Arsenal won the league was the 2003-04 season, when Arsene Wenger led the vaunted “Invincibles” side to an undefeated season.

Arsenal is the first team other than Man City or Liverpool to win the title since Chelsea in 2016-17, breaking a run of six titles in eight seasons for City.

The title also breaks a run of three straight runners-up finishes under Mikel Arteta, who has done an excellent job as head coach since taking over in 2019 but only had one major trophy – the 2019-20 FA Cup — to show for his efforts.

It could yet get even better for Arsenal, which is in the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30. The Gunners have never won the competition and have only reached the final once, losing to Barcelona in 2006.

Source: USA Today

19, May 2026

Football: Pep Guardiola set to leave Man City ⁰

Pep Guardiola is set to call time on his career at Manchester City this weekend, with former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca expected to be confirmed as his successor.

Rumours have been swirling for several months suggesting Guardiola is set to end his record-breaking reign as City manager, but the Spaniard and club officials were keen to keep the decision under wraps until their final game of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Yet news broke this evening that City are preparing to confirm the exit of their most successful manager of all time, even though he has one year left on his contract.

Guardiola confirmed that he was contemplating his exit from City before he signed a new deal in November 2024, but he was persuaded to stay on to lead a squad rebuild that has led to double trophy success in this season’s Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

Now it has been revealed that City chiefs were aware of Guardiola’s intention to step away at the end of this season for some time and have been making plans for a new era.

Maresca has long been viewed as a probable successor, with the coach who guided Chelsea to the FIFA Club World Cup last summer tipped to return to City, where he worked with the club’s junior sides before being promoted to assistant coach to Guardiola in 2022.

Guardiola is set to leave City with a legacy that will see him placed alongside the all-time great managers in the history of the English game, with City’s 1-0 win in last Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea bringing his haul of major trophies to 17 in his decade at the club.

Manchester City declined to comment on the fresh report, first revealed by the Daily Mail.

Source: Irish Independent

19, May 2026

Killing of 4 soldiers in Muyuka: Biya must recognize that peace cannot emerge from silence and denial ⁰

The killing of four Cameroon government army soldiers in Muyuka, a town some few miles away from Buea the chief city in the South West region is not just another tragic headline; it is the direct consequence of failed leadership and a regime that continues to prioritize military responses over genuine and meaningful dialogue.

For years, voices of reason—including His Grace Archbishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea have urged President Biya including prominent members of his Beti-Bulu tribal cabinet to sit down with the jailed Southern Cameroons leaders and pursue a negotiated settlement. Yet those appeals have largely fallen on deaf ears.

We of the Cameroon Concord News Group are of the opinion that every fresh attack, every ambush and every death whether civilian or military, underscores the bankruptcy of a Francophone teleguided strategy rooted almost exclusively in force.

Cameroon government troops are being sent into a war that cannot be won at gunpoint, while communities remain trapped between Ambazonia violence and government crackdowns. The aftermath is a malicious cycle where retaliation breeds more resentment and resentment is fueling more bloodshed.

Archbishop Andrew Nkea of the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province and other religious and civil society leaders have repeatedly said that genuine dialogue is not a sign of weakness but of political maturity. Their position reflects a simple reality that conflicts driven by historical grievances, marginalization, and mistrust do not disappear through military operations alone. Ignoring calls for talks only deepens the divide and prolong the suffering.

Yaoundé’s refusal to engage credible Southern Cameroons voices such as Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and his top aides also sends a very dangerous message that political grievances can be ignored indefinitely while security forces bear the human cost on the battlefield. The four soldiers who lost their lives in Muyuka are victims not only of Ambazonia bullets but also of political inertia at the highest levels in Yaoundé.

The so-called one and indivisible Cameroon now stands at a crossroads. Continuing down the current path only guarantees more funerals in both English and French Cameroun, more displaced families in Southern Cameroons and a nation further fractured. Biya and his men must recognize that peace cannot emerge from silence and denial. Genuine negotiations, however difficult, remain the only realistic path toward ending the Ambazonia crisis.

The crisis in Anglophone Cameroon has outlasted Cavaye Djibril, Amadou Ali, Marcel Niat, Chief VE Mukete, Jean Baptiste Bokam, General Mpay and Chief Tabetando!! It will definitely outlast Biya. Until leaders in Yaoundé accept this truth, the bloodshed will continue and more soldiers, civilians, and innocent lives will pay the price for a war that dialogue could have helped contain long ago.

To this I put my name

Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

18, May 2026

Ambazonia fighters kill two soldiers in Muyuka ⁰

At least two soldiers have reportedly lost their lives following a late-night attack on a military installation in Muyuka, Fako Division.

‎The incident is said to have occurred on Sunday, when armed assailants targeted the position in what appears to be a coordinated operation. Local sources indicate that the assault resulted in casualties among government forces, although official figures have yet to be confirmed by authorities.

‎Shortly after the attack, a separatist faction identifying itself as the Fako Meme Unity Warriors circulated a video online, claiming responsibility. In the footage, fighters are seen displaying a cache of weapons they allege were taken during the raid, including several firearms and what appeared to be a rocket launcher.

‎The group also issued warnings to residents of Muyuka, urging them not to cooperate with state authorities, further heightening tension in the area.

‎The regime in Yaoundé has not issued a formal response regarding the incident.

Source: Lebledparle.com

18, May 2026

Iran submits new 14-point proposal to US via Pakistan to end war ⁰

Iran has reportedly submitted its latest proposal in 14 points through the Pakistani intermediary for talks with the United States aimed at ending the illegal US-Israeli war of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

A source close to the Iranian negotiating team told Tasnim news agency on Monday that Pakistan will `deliver Iran’s new proposal to Washington.

The source said the proposal is focused on the subject of the negotiations and confidence-building measures by the American side.

The Americans had recently sent a text in response to Iran’s previous proposal, which was also presented in 14 points, the source added.

“In line with the recent practice of exchanging messages, Iran has also once again submitted its text in 14 points through the Pakistani mediator after making amendments,” the source explained.

On April 10, Iran submitted its response to the American side’s proposed text to end the war, which was later dismissed by Donald Trump, the president of the US, who said it was “totally unacceptable.”

Tehran maintains that at the current stage, negotiations will only focus on ending the war in the region and that other issues, including the nuclear program, may be discussed later.

Meanwhile, a Pakistani source told Reuters on Monday that Islamabad has shared with the United States a revised proposal from Iran to end the war in the region.

The source warned that Tehran and Washington “don’t have much time” to narrow their differences.

The source gave no details of Iran’s revised proposal but noted that the sides “keep changing their goalposts.”

“We don’t have much time.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei also told reporters on Monday that despite the American side’s dismissal of the Islamic Republic’s previous peace proposal, Tehran received “a set of corrective points and considerations” from the Pakistani mediator.

“As announced yesterday, our points of view were presented to the American side in return. Therefore, the process continues through Pakistan,” he said.

On April 8, forty days into the US-Israel war, a Pakistan-brokered temporary ceasefire between Iran and the US took effect.

Negotiations ensued in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, but stopped short of an agreement amid Washington’s maximalist demands and insistence on unreasonable positions.

Since then, Iran has demanded that the US lift an illegal blockade it has imposed on Iranian vessels and ports for the diplomatic process to resume.

Tehran says as long as the blockade is still in place, it has no intention of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Source: Press TV

18, May 2026

PAMOL unveils CFA36bn recovery drive after output slump hits payroll ⁰

PAMOL Plantations Plc has unveiled a 10-year recovery programme valued at 36 billion CFA francs aimed at restoring production, modernising infrastructure and clearing salary arrears after ageing equipment and declining plantation yields disrupted operations across its estates in the South West Region.

The plan was presented by the company’s General Manager, Mbile Tapea Solomon, during a press briefing held on May 16, 2026, in Limbe, where management detailed the operational and financial pressures facing the state-linked agro-industrial corporation. The briefing followed growing concern over unpaid salaries affecting nearly 1,000 workers and declining production at one of Cameroon’s oldest palm oil producers.

Management stated that field workers have been paid through February 2026, while management staff, including the General Manager, have received salaries only up to January 2026. The company attributed the arrears to reduced production caused by deteriorating infrastructure and ageing plantations rather than administrative mismanagement.

According to figures presented by the company, PAMOL’s palm oil production rose steadily between 2021 and 2024 before reaching 3,692 metric tonnes in 2024. Output then dropped sharply in 2025 to 2,556 metric tonnes, representing a decline of more than 1,100 metric tonnes within a year. Management linked the fall to overaged palm trees, with between 65 and 70 per cent of plantations reportedly exceeding their productive lifespan. Some trees are said to be about 40 years old, making harvesting increasingly inefficient and costly.

The company also reported that deteriorating steam boilers at its two processing mills significantly weakened processing capacity and reduced revenue generation. PAMOL’s mills are not connected to the national electricity network and rely entirely on steam-powered systems commissioned in 1967. One boiler reportedly began failing in late 2024 due to worn internal tubes, while the second had already remained inactive for several years.

Management stated that the breakdowns affected the company’s ability to process harvested fruit bunches, reducing cash flow and limiting its capacity to meet salary obligations. PAMOL estimated that losses linked to unprocessed fruit range between 700 million FCFA and 800 million FCFA for each metric tonne that cannot be processed. Emergency repair works are currently underway to maintain limited production using the remaining operational boiler.

As part of its short-term stabilisation measures, the company announced plans to install a decanter at the Lobe mill to improve extraction efficiency and increase oil output before the broader rehabilitation programme is implemented.

The strategic plan submitted to the government includes the construction of a new 30-tonne-per-hour oil mill at Lobe, refurbishment of the Ndian mill, replanting of ageing estates, rehabilitation of estate roads and bridges, and construction of staff housing, health facilities and recreational infrastructure. The programme also includes provisions for settling salary arrears and supporting workers affected by the downturn.

The project is expected to increase annual palm oil production from approximately 6,000 metric tonnes to 36,000 metric tonnes while creating about 2,000 jobs.

PAMOL currently operates around 11,000 hectares of plantations, mainly in Ndian Division. The company, which once employed nearly 3,000 workers, now has fewer than 1,000 employees following years of reduced activity linked partly to the security crisis in the North West and South West Regions. Estate yields have also fallen sharply from previous levels of between 15 and 18 tonnes of fresh fruit bunches per hectare to less than two tonnes per hectare.

Source: Business in Cameroon

17, May 2026

MMA: The Predator Francis Ngannow returns with a destructive knockout victory ⁰

Francis Ngannou made a statement return to mixed martial arts with a destructive knockout victory over Philipe Lins, needing less than one round to settle the contest.

‎Fighting at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, near Los Angeles, the Cameroonian wasted no time reminding the world of his power. After nearly two years away from MMA competition, Ngannou came out aggressively, immediately putting pressure on his Brazilian opponent.

‎The decisive moment came late in the opening round. With just about a minute remaining, Ngannou unleashed a crushing left hand that sent Lins crashing to the canvas. The referee stepped in without hesitation, bringing the bout to an emphatic end.

‎It was a dominant display from the former heavyweight champion, who showed no signs of ring rust. From the opening seconds, Ngannou dictated the pace, refusing to allow Lins any opportunity to settle into the fight.

‎The victory not only marks a successful comeback but also reinforces Ngannou’s reputation as one of the most dangerous knockout artists in heavyweight MMA. His return had been highly anticipated, and he delivered in emphatic fashion.

‎The bout was part of a major fight card broadcast globally on Netflix, adding further spotlight to an already high-profile return for “The Predator.”

Culled from Lebledparle.com

16, May 2026

The Holy Father to visit France in September ⁰

Pope Leo XIV will travel to France for an official state visit from September 25 to 28, the Vatican announced on Saturday, the first such trip by a pontiff in 18 years.

The first pope from the United States, elected in May 2025, will notably travel to Paris for a visit to the headquarters of UNESCO, the United Nations culture agency, the Vatican said in a statement.

The visit will come after a trip to Spain in June, demonstrating the pope’s interest in engaging with historically Catholic but increasingly secular European countries that had been largely overlooked by his predecessor, Francis.

It will be the first papal state visit to France since Benedict XVI went in September 2008.

While Francis visited France three times as pope – to Strasbourg, Marseille and the island of Corsica – those trips were not official visits by the Holy See.

The president of the French Bishops’ Conference (CEF), Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, had extended an invitation to Leo to visit France, one repeated by President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to the pontiff at the Vatican in April.

“We are delighted that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has confirmed his visit to France. This visit next September will be an honour for our country, a source of joy for Catholics and a great moment of hope for everyone,” Macron posted on X.

‘Missionary zeal’

A French speaker, Leo had expressed on various occasions “the great esteem in which he holds our country and her spiritual history,” Aveline said earlier in May.

“It’s a great joy, but also a great responsibility,” the cardinal said on Saturday after the visit was confirmed.

“In the discussions I have had with the pope since his election, I quickly realised how keen he was on such a visit … He is particularly interested in the life of the Church in France, its missionary zeal and also the challenges it faces,” Aveline added.

It comes at a time when the Church has had to grapple with various splits on social, political, ethical and theological issues, with Leo seeking to mediate with both the progressive and traditionalist factions within Catholicism.

Besides the capital, the pontiff will also travel to Lourdes, a site of pilgrimage for Christians worldwide.

The southwestern French town’s important Catholic shrine welcomed Jean-Paul II in 1983 and in 2004, as well as Benedict in 2008. Each time, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered to see the pope, according to the sanctuary.

Source: AFP