Monthly Archives: June 2026

Iran strikes 18 US military targets in two missile waves

11, June 2026

Iran strikes 18 US military targets in two missile waves 0

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Army have announced a series of coordinated retaliatory military operations targeting US military installations across the region, including assets in Bahrain.

The statements, issued in early Thursday, described the operations as a response to American aggression targeting various regions in southern Iran.

Two-wave operation targets 18 US military assets

The IRGC said its Aerospace Force and Navy conducted a retaliatory operation in two separate waves in reprisal for attacks on the Corps’ coastal outposts and service units, law enforcement posts, and the Bandar Abbas airport area.

“Eighteen key targets belonging to the criminal US military” were struck and destroyed at the Ali al-Salem and Ahmad al-Jaber airbases in Kuwait, as well as the Sheikh Isa airbase in Bahrain.

Drone strikes against US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain

Separately, the Army’s Public Relations Office reported a drone operation targeting the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

“In response to a ceasefire violation and attacks on parts of southern Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army used various explosive-laden drones to strike the US Fifth Fleet,” the office noted.

It added that communication antennas and radar systems associated with the fleet’s Patriot air defense system were targeted in the counterstrikes.

The Army said its forces remained fully prepared for further confrontation and would continue operations until the “punishment of the aggressor” was completed.

Meanwhile, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran’s highest operational command unit, also issued a statement, attributing the halt brought about to the latest round of the aggression to “powerful and decisive response” by the armed forces.

Also on Thursday, US President Donald Trump said US bombing in Iran would stop shortly, claiming that senior Iranian officials had called to ask him to halt the latest attack.

The IRGC, however, categorically rejected the claim, calling it “a cover to escape war.”

Source: Presstv

World Cup: Iran says Washington should take Mexico as a model of hospitality and avoid politicizing sports

10, June 2026

World Cup: Iran says Washington should take Mexico as a model of hospitality and avoid politicizing sports 0

Iran has criticized the United States for the way it has treated World Cup teams upon entry to the country while recommending that Washington take co-host Mexico as a model of hospitality and avoid politicizing sports.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said in a Wednesday post on his X account that the US is using its hosting of the World Cup as an opportunity to settle political scores.

“Soccer is a platform for healthy competition and for bringing nations closer together, not an excuse to open a Pandora’s box of old grudges and unleash deeply rooted complexes,” said Baghaei in the post.

“The World Cup is conceived as a global celebration of soccer, not as an opportunity to humiliate and discriminate against other nations.”

The spokesman said World Cup co-host Mexico had instead extended a warm welcome to footballers, including the Iranian national team that arrived in the country earlier this week.

He said Mexico’s way of treating the guest teams “serves as a powerful reminder of a simple truth: excellent hospitality is defined by human conduct and the ability to make guests feel genuinely welcomed and valued.”

Baghaei pointed to “troubling reports” about the inappropriate and disrespectful treatment of players, referees, and guests at entry points to the US, saying those reports would undermine huge efforts by the US to portray itself as a successful host of the World Cup.

“The true credibility of a host country is not measured solely by sports facilities or political grandiosity, but by the quality of treatment given to those who arrive in its country out of love for soccer,” he said.

In a move widely criticized in the world of politics and sport, the US government has refused to grant visas to some members of the Iranian football delegation seeking to attend the World Cup games.

US President Donald Trump also posted during the US-Israeli aggression on Iran in March, threatening that the presence of Iranian footballers in the US for World Cup games could pose risks to them.

Iran has repeatedly slammed Washington for its politicized way of treating the World Cup, saying the US should respect the rights of players and staff to attend the games.

Source: Press TV

Africa sends record 10 teams into World Cup as 2026 tournament begins

10, June 2026

Africa sends record 10 teams into World Cup as 2026 tournament begins 0

Africa will make history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with 10 teams representing the continent, the largest African contingent ever seen at the tournament.

The competition kicks off on Thursday in North America, with South Africa facing co-hosts Mexico in the opening match, and for the first time Africa will have double-digit representation on football’s biggest stage.

Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia will carry the continent’s hopes at the expanded 48-team tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

It is a landmark moment for African football, coming four years after Morocco became the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final at Qatar 2022.

The increase in representation gives the continent a wider opportunity to build on that breakthrough and to challenge deeper into the competition than ever before.

Africa’s World Cup story began in 1934, when Egypt became the first team from the continent to appear at the finals.

For decades, African representation remained limited.

Morocco became the continent’s next participant in 1970, before DR Congo, then competing as Zaire, appeared in 1974.

Tunisia followed in 1978, before Algeria and Cameroon represented Africa at the 1982 tournament.

By 1986, Algeria and Morocco carried the continent’s hopes, while Cameroon and Egypt featured in 1990.

The 1994 World Cup saw Cameroon, Morocco and Nigeria represent Africa, before the continent had five teams for the first time in 1998: Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia.

That five-team representation continued in 2002, with Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia, before Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Tunisia qualified for the 2006 tournament.

Africa’s previous record came in 2010, when six teams appeared at the World Cup hosted by South Africa.

Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa were all present, with Ghana going on to reach the quarter-finals before losing to Uruguay on penalties.

In 2014, Africa was represented by Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria.

Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia qualified in 2018, while Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia carried African hopes in Qatar in 2022.

Morocco’s run to the semi-finals in Qatar changed the global perception of African teams at the World Cup.

The Atlas Lions defeated Belgium, Spain and Portugal on their way to the last four, giving African football its strongest statement yet at the tournament.

Now, with 10 teams involved, the continent has more chances to create another historic run.

Cape Verde’s qualification is one of the standout stories of the 2026 tournament, with the island nation set for its first World Cup appearance.

DR Congo also return to the global stage for the first time since 1974, adding another powerful storyline to Africa’s participation.

South Africa’s return is also significant. Bafana Bafana are back at the World Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010, and they will open the competition against Mexico in a fixture rich with history.

Ghana, Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire all bring World Cup experience, while Cape Verde and DR Congo add freshness and renewed energy to the African challenge.

For the continent, the 2026 World Cup is not only about numbers.

It is about whether African teams can turn record representation into record performance.

The expanded tournament offers more places, but it also brings greater expectations.

After years of near misses, dramatic exits and unforgettable moments, Africa arrives in North America with its strongest presence yet.

From Egypt’s first appearance in 1934 to 10 teams in 2026, the journey has been long, difficult and historic.

Now the continent has another opportunity to show that its place at the World Cup is not just growing in size, but also in ambition.

African participation at the FIFA World Cup

1934: Egypt

1970: Morocco

1974: DR Congo

1978: Tunisia

1982: Algeria, Cameroon

1986: Algeria, Morocco

1990: Cameroon, Egypt

1994: Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria

1998: Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia

2002: Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia

2006: Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Tunisia

2010: Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa

2014: Algeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria

2018: Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia

2022: Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia

2026: Algeria, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia

Culled from CAF

Southern Cameroons Crisis: 4 killed in bar shooting in Noni

10, June 2026

Southern Cameroons Crisis: 4 killed in bar shooting in Noni 0

At least four people were shot dead at a bar in Cameroon’s war-torn English-speaking Northwest Region overnight into Wednesday, according to witnesses and security sources.

The shooting occurred in the Noni locality when gunmen, believed to be Ambazonia Restoration Forces, arrived at the bar and opened fire.

“The Amba fighters opened fire, shooting everywhere, and in the process killed two women and two soldiers who were drinking in the bar. We have deployed additional troops to the area to track down these fighters,” a security source in the region said, adding that several others sustained serious injuries.

The Northwest and Southwest regions have been gripped by an armed separatist conflict since 2017, with separatist groups seeking to establish an independent state.

By Fon Lawrence with files fron Xinhuanet

Gov’t urges Amba fighters to allow health access as Mpox spreads 

10, June 2026

Gov’t urges Amba fighters to allow health access as Mpox spreads  0

Cameroonian government has issued an urgent plea to armed separatist groups in the country’s English-speaking regions, urging them to allow healthcare and humanitarian workers safe access to communities heavily affected by a growing Mpox outbreak.

The viral disease, historically known as monkeypox, was first confirmed in the conflict-hit Southwest region. It has since rapidly penetrated major economic hubs, including the coastal economic capital of Douala and Bafoussam, a vital commercial city in the West region.

Public anxiety has mounted significantly after authorities revealed that truck and bus drivers were among the first cluster of confirmed patients. Because these drivers form the backbone of the national supply chain, health officials fear the virus is actively moving along Cameroon’s primary transport networks.

Awa Fonka Augustine, the Governor of the West region, confirmed that three of the five drivers identified in Bafoussam have already been tracked, isolated, and placed under specialized care. Local authorities are also warning travelers and rural communities to exercise extreme caution when handling, purchasing, or consuming bushmeat, advising strict decontamination of transport vehicles with soap and water if wild game has been carried inside.

Source: ChannelAfrica

Biya regime cracks down on counterfeit money networks

10, June 2026

Biya regime cracks down on counterfeit money networks 0

Cameroon’s security forces have intensified efforts against counterfeit currency networks after separate operations in Douala and Yaoundé uncovered large quantities of fake money and equipment used to produce it. In Douala, the National Gendarmerie dismantled an alleged network specializing in the production and distribution of counterfeit coins. Acting on what authorities described as reliable intelligence, officers raided a workshop hidden inside a commercial store that served as a front for the operation.

According to reports from state broadcaster CRTV and several local media outlets, the suspects were involved in manufacturing fake CFA500 and CFA100 coins. Equipment used in the production process was discovered at the site, providing evidence of an organized counterfeiting operation. The case highlights a lesser-known form of financial crime that often receives less attention than counterfeit banknotes: the production of fake coins.

Investigators are now working to determine the size of the network, its distribution channels, and whether accomplices helped circulate the counterfeit currency through markets and informal trading networks. In a separate operation, officers from the Ahala Gendarmerie post in Yaoundé arrested a 21-year-old suspect on May 21 in connection with an alleged counterfeit currency trafficking scheme.

The suspect was apprehended in the Carrefour Banane area of Yaoundé II while carrying a large quantity of counterfeit banknotes that had been carefully packaged. According to the National Gendarmerie, the fake currency seized in the operation had an estimated face value of nearly CFA100 million. Authorities said the counterfeit notes included foreign currencies, notably U.S. dollars and Swiss francs, based on preliminary findings.

The suspect and the seized materials were transferred to a gendarmerie unit, where an investigation has been opened to identify possible accomplices and determine the full extent of the network.

The arrests come as security agencies maintain heightened vigilance over counterfeit currency circulation in Cameroon. Several major seizures have been reported in recent months, including operations in Douala and Maroua in the Far North Region.

According to security officials, some of the counterfeit banknotes recovered during these operations appear to imitate the Bank of Central African States’ “Type 2020” banknote series, which was introduced across the CEMAC region in December 2022. The discovery underscores the ability of counterfeiters to adapt despite enhanced security features incorporated into the new currency series.

Authorities say the growing number of cases points to increasingly organized criminal networks that combine local production, distribution channels, and potentially cross-border operations. Informal markets, small businesses, currency exchange activities, and cash-based transactions remain particularly vulnerable.

For security agencies, the challenge is twofold: dismantling production and distribution networks while also raising public awareness about counterfeit currency. In a country where cash remains the dominant payment method, officials warn that fake coins and banknotes pose a direct threat to merchants, households, and confidence in everyday commercial transactions.

Source: Sbbc

Kremlin says US mediation role in Russia-Ukraine negotiations on hold

9, June 2026

Kremlin says US mediation role in Russia-Ukraine negotiations on hold 0

US mediation efforts in the Russia-Ukraine war are currently on hold, although American negotiators continue to maintain contacts with both Moscow and Kiev, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

“The mediation process on Ukraine is currently on hold. That said, US negotiators are maintaining contacts,” Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.

According to the Kremlin spokesman, discussions between Russia and the United States remain ongoing through existing communication channels, alongside contacts involving the Ukrainian side.

Peskov also said there are currently no plans for a phone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Commenting on a potential visit to Moscow by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, Peskov said no date has yet been set.

His remarks came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described a conversation with Witkoff and Kushner as “positive,” praising what he called their willingness to work toward a settlement of the conflict in the coming weeks.

Peskov added that the Kremlin had not been informed of any contacts between the American representatives and the Ukrainian side.

Addressing the possibility of European involvement in mediation efforts, the Kremlin spokesman said Russia currently considers such a role “unacceptable.”

“First of all, starting mediation efforts by putting forward certain conditions to Russia is likely illogical and wrong,” Peskov said.

“But the main thing is that, as far as we can see, the Europeans are far more inclined to focus on continuing the war rather than on peace negotiations.”

Source: Presstv

Football: Bayern Munich eye €50m move for Yann Bisseck

9, June 2026

Football: Bayern Munich eye €50m move for Yann Bisseck 0

Germany-Cameroon centre-back Yann Bisseck of Inter is being linked with a summer move to Bayern Munich, with the Bundesliga champions reportedly monitoring the 25-year-old’s situation in Italy.

Data from Transfermarkt lists Bisseck’s current market value at €50.00m and puts the probability of a transfer to Bayern at 29%, underlining that the deal is far from complete but firmly on the radar of the German giants. His contractual situation at Inter is unclear, with no public expiry date recorded, fuelling speculation that the defender’s camp and the Serie A club could face key decisions in the coming months, including the possibility of running down his terms and testing free-agent options further down the line.

Born in Köln on 29 November 2000 and standing at 1.96m, Bisseck is a right-footed centre-back who represents both Germany and Cameroon at nationality level. He wears the No 31 shirt for Inter and has developed a reputation in Serie A for his physical presence and aerial dominance, attributes that align with Bayern’s recent focus on reinforcing their defensive line.

The defender’s recent displays for Inter have helped push his valuation into the top bracket. In his latest outing before this rumour cycle intensified – a Serie A fixture earlier this month in which Inter faced domestic opposition (match details not specified in the data) – Bisseck completed the full 90 minutes, anchoring the back line as Simone Inzaghi’s side maintained their strong defensive record.

Having already experienced top-flight football in Italy with Inter after earlier spells in Germany, a move to Bayern would represent a return to his country of birth and a significant step in his career. If the transfer materialises, it could define Bisseck’s status at the elite level, shaping both his long-term reputation in European football and his potential pathway towards becoming one of the continent’s leading centre-backs.

Source: Africa Soccer

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Suspected Ambazonia fighters kill two students in Bambui

9, June 2026

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Suspected Ambazonia fighters kill two students in Bambui 0

Gunmen suspected to be Ambazonia Restoration fighters shot and killed two students Monday in Bambui, a locality some few kilometers away from Bamenda the chief city in the North West region.

Cameroon Concord News gathered that the students were riding a commercial motorcycle when the gunmen opened fire.

The victims were university students residing in Bambui.

Police reports indicate that attacks on students and teachers have become frequent in Bambui.

Cameroon’s English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions have been experiencing an armed separatist conflict since 2017, with separatists seeking to create a new nation known as the Federal Republic of Ambazonia.

By Fon Lawrence

Biya is already in Hell as Yaoundé unravels

9, June 2026

Biya is already in Hell as Yaoundé unravels 0

His Eminence Cardinal Tumi stated that Hell is the place of eternal punishment for the wicked after death. No one in Cameroon would have put it better than Tumi.

However, there is a kind of Hell that requires no flames, no demons and no final judgment standing in front of Angels and Arch Angels. It is the hell of watching a system decay while still sitting on the throne as head of state. By this measure, President Paul Biya is already in Hell.

For decades, Biya has projected the image of permanence. Leaders and governments changed everywhere!  Strongmen and women rose and fell and crises erupted and subsided. Yet Biya remained. Political power after all, can create the illusion that time itself has stopped. But time never stops. It accumulates.

Today, the greatest pain for any “long standing” dictator is not necessarily losing power. It is witnessing the consequences of power exercised for so long that institutions become brittle, public confidence erodes and a capital city begins to mirror a nation’s frustrations.

When Cameroonians complain about failing services, economic hardship, decaying infrastructure or political stagnation, they are not merely criticizing the 42-year old Biya administration. They are delivering a verdict on years of bad governance. In this sense, the real punishment is not exile to the InterContinental Hotel in Geneva. It is ownership.

As frustrations mount in Yaoundé, the nation’s capital, every pothole from Obili to Bastos and from Soa to Ngoa-ekele, every SOCADEL-Eneo blackout and every expression of public disappointment becomes part of a legacy that can no longer be separated from the big man at the top. Paul Biya commands the army, the National Gendarmerie, the Secret Service and the Police Force. Biya issues presidential decrees and occupy official residences with his Beti-Bulu so-called political elites but none of these things will shield him from history’s judgment.

The tragedy of prolonged rule is that it often begins with promises and ends with maintenance of the status quo. The energy that once justified authority gives way to inertia. The future becomes something to manage rather than something to build.

If Hell according to Cardinal Tumi’s prescription is the realization that the world you shaped is slipping beyond your control, then it is possible to imagine Biya experiencing it already. Not as a literal destination, but as a political condition.

Biya is now a leader surrounded by the symbols of authority yet confronted by the visible deterioration of public trust. Biya is now a president who still possesses power but increasingly struggles to command enthusiasm.

The streets of the capital city Yaoundé tell their own stories. They reveal whether Cameroonians feel hopeful or trapped, whether the Biya government inspires confidence or resignation. No CPDM speech can fully silence this verdict.

The ultimate irony is that leaders like Biya who remain the longest often have the least ability to escape responsibility. Successes may be shared among many, but failures become concentrated at the top. History remembers who was in charge.

And so the image of a “Biya already in Hell” is not one of fire and brimstone. It is the image of a man forced to watch the consequences of an era unfold around him, unable to separate himself from them, while the city at the heart of his rule reflects a growing sense that things are falling apart. That may be the harshest judgment politics can deliver.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

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