Headline News

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

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

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

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

9, June 2026

Child Benefit: Biya regime audit families after 55% jump in declared children ⁰

Cameroon has launched a nationwide audit of family benefit payments to public sector employees after a sharp increase in the number of children declared in the government payroll system raised concerns about possible fraud.

The operation, known as AALFA, officially began on June 3, 2026, when the steering committee overseeing the audit held its first meeting in Yaoundé under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Louis Paul Motaze.

The government’s objective is to verify the legitimacy of children registered for family benefits, identify irregularities, and recover any funds paid improperly. The Finance Ministry says the initiative forms part of a broader effort to control public payroll spending.

The review follows a surge in the number of children declared by state employees. According to figures presented by the ministry, the total rose from 594,728 in June 2024 to more than 923,000 in March 2026, an increase of about 55% in less than two years. Officials considered the growth unusual enough to warrant a nationwide audit.

The increase came after family allowances were raised in February 2024 to CFA4,500 per dependent child each month. While the measure was designed to strengthen social support for public employees, it also increased the financial importance of maintaining accurate records.

According to Motaze, the audit is not intended to challenge the rights of public employees who legitimately qualify for family benefits. Instead, he said, the goal is to remove fraudulently declared children from the payroll system and recover improperly paid benefits.

The review will focus on the authenticity of birth certificates, the validity of supporting documents, and the consistency of information submitted by beneficiaries. Authorities hope to identify duplicate records, irregular declarations, and cases where children were registered without reliable documentation.

The initiative follows a series of government efforts to clean up public payroll records. The physical headcount of public employees conducted in 2018 is cited by the Finance Ministry as one of the measures that generated significant annual savings. Additional audits have also targeted pension payments, beneficiaries, and other categories of public spending.

With AALFA, the government is turning its attention to family-related payroll expenses. Although less visible than salaries or pensions, these benefits can place a substantial burden on public finances when beneficiary records are not regularly verified.

The committee responsible for the operation was established in July 2024 and includes representatives from agencies overseeing public finances, the civil service, defense, national security, territorial administration, and civil registration. The multi-agency structure is intended to allow cross-checking of databases, strengthen oversight, and reduce opportunities for document fraud.

The audit will run for 24 months and begin with the collection and verification of birth certificates for children declared by active public employees. Participating agencies are expected to work closely together to ensure reliable results and prevent similar irregularities from recurring.

Beyond its technical aspects, the operation highlights a broader challenge for the government: balancing fiscal discipline with social protection. Authorities say the objective is to reduce losses linked to fraud without depriving eligible beneficiaries of their rights.

As pressure on public finances continues, the credibility of the audit will depend not only on the quality of the checks but also on the transparency of the process. The government will need to show that the initiative leads to lasting improvements in payroll management rather than a one-time review.

Source; Business in Cameroon

9, June 2026

BEAC halts key refinancing facility for productive investments across CEMAC ⁰

The Bank of Central African States (BEAC) has suspended new refinancing operations under a key facility designed to support productive investment across the six-member Central African Economic and Monetary Community (Cemac), according to sources familiar with the matter.

The decision was reportedly made after heated discussions during a meeting of the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in Yaoundé on April 2.

The suspension affects medium-term credit refinancing for investment projects, a mechanism that allows commercial banks to obtain funding from the central bank after extending loans to businesses undertaking qualifying projects. According to a BEAC source, the measure is temporary and is intended to give the institution time to modernize the facility.

“This is a provisional suspension that will allow us to update the operating framework of a mechanism that has been in place for decades. For now, we are no longer accepting new refinancing requests from commercial banks, but we continue to process applications submitted before the suspension took effect,” the source said.

The move follows comments made by BEAC Governor Yvon Sana Bangui during a September 2025 press conference, when he announced plans to reform the facility, formerly known as Window B. At the time, he said the review was intended to adapt the mechanism to current economic realities.

A Tool Designed to Support Investment

The Cemac money market operates through two main channels. The first is the interbank market, where commercial banks lend to one another using liquidity held at the central bank. The second consists of BEAC interventions through two refinancing facilities known as Window A and Window B.

“Window A is the traditional monetary policy channel through which liquidity is injected into or withdrawn from the banking system. Window B is dedicated to refinancing medium-term loans granted for productive investment,” Bangui previously explained.

Under the rules governing the facility, BEAC financing cannot exceed 60% of a project’s total cost.

Refinancing requests of up to CFA20 billion can be approved directly by the governor. Applications above that threshold require approval from the Monetary Policy Committee. National BEAC directors can approve requests of up to CFA4.5 billion per quarter, with a monthly ceiling of CFA1.5 billion.

For years, commercial banks across Cemac made extensive use of Window A while largely ignoring Window B. “In June 2025, we brought together all commercial banks in Bangui and presented the facility. The finding was striking: many banks were simply unaware that the instrument existed,” Bangui revealed following the September 2025 MPC meeting.

That changed after BEAC’s outreach campaign. Cameroonian banks, in particular, began using what the central bank now calls the Special Refinancing Facility. In 2025 alone, BEAC approved refinancing for CFA41.2 billion in loans linked to the Bipindi-Grand Zambi iron ore project in Cameroon and CFA31.3 billion in financing for telecommunications operator Camtel’s investment program.

CCA Bank was also authorized to raise CFA30 billion from the central bank to help finance a mining project in the Republic of Congo. Afriland First Bank sought refinancing support for a CFA20 billion palm oil processing plant project being developed by the Cotton Development Company (Sodecoton).

Given the growing interest from commercial banks, the suspension temporarily removes an important source of funding for both lenders and industrial projects. Until the revised framework is finalized, banks and businesses across Cemac will have one less tool available to finance investments considered critical to the region’s industrial development.

Source: Business in Cameroon

8, June 2026

Biya leaves for Europe as Yaoundé await new cabinet ⁰

President of the Republic of Cameroon, Paul Biya, has departed the country for a brief private stay in Europe, according to an official communiqué issued by the Presidency of the Republic.

The Head of State left Yaoundé on Sunday, June 7, accompanied by First Lady Chantal Biya. The presidential couple departed from the Nsimalen International Airport aboard a special flight. Authorities did not specify the destination or duration of the visit, stating only that it would be a “brief private stay” in Europe.

According to the communiqué, the President is accompanied by the Minister and Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency, Samuel Mvondo Ayolo; the Special Adviser at the Presidency, Joseph Fouda; and the Chief of State Protocol, Simon Pierre Bikele.

The trip marks President Biya’s first visit to Europe in more than eight months. His previous stay on the continent ended on October 1, 2025, when he returned to Cameroon shortly before the presidential election of October 12, 2025.

At the time, his return ended weeks of speculation over his prolonged absence from the country and enabled him to personally lead his re-election campaign. He subsequently cast his vote in Yaoundé and was declared the winner of the presidential election by the Constitutional Council on October 27, 2025, securing an eighth consecutive mandate with 53.66 per cent of the vote.

Since returning from Europe in October 2025, the 92-year-old President has maintained a busy schedule of official engagements. He presided over celebrations marking the National Day on May 20, received several foreign dignitaries, and took part in events linked to the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Cameroon.

The private visit to Europe comes after several months of sustained state activity and may provide the Head of State with an opportunity to rest and recuperate as he continues his current seven-year mandate, which has more than six years remaining.

The trip marks President Biya’s first visit to Europe in more than eight months. His previous stay on the continent ended on October 1, 2025

Government Reshuffle Still Awaited

The President’s departure also comes at a time when expectations remain high regarding the formation of a new government. During his end-of-year address, President Biya announced plans for significant changes within the executive branch.

Since then, the government successfully enacted constitutional reforms in April 2026 that reinstated the position of Vice President, a major institutional change that many expected would be followed by fresh appointments.

However, no appointments have yet been announced, and Cameroon continues to await a cabinet reshuffle. The country’s last major government reorganisation dates back to January 4, 2019. The prolonged wait has fueled speculation among political analysts and the public alike over the timing and scope of the anticipated changes.

As with previous private visits abroad, the President’s trip is likely to spur discussion regarding his health. Over the years, periods spent in Europe have often generated speculation on the physical condition of the veteran leader.

However, neither the Presidency nor official government sources have indicated any health concerns related to the current visit. In recent months, President Biya has continued to appear at major state functions and official ceremonies, including National Day celebrations and diplomatic engagements.

While questions surrounding the health of Africa’s oldest serving elected head of state frequently surface in public debate, no official statement accompanying the trip mentioned medical reasons for the visit.

For now, Cameroonians await further communication from the Presidency regarding the duration of the stay and the eventual return of the Head of State, whose absence coincides with growing anticipation over the future composition of the government and implementation of recent constitutional reforms.

Source: Panafricanvisions

8, June 2026

China’s President Xi visits North Korea ⁰

Chinese President Xi Jinping has visited North Korea amid growing global tensions to reinforce ties between the two neighboring countries.

China’s president arrived in Pyongyang, the capital, on Monday and met with North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un. Portraits of Xi and flags of both nations are lined along the streets across Pyongyang.

Xi’s two-day state visit to Pyongyang is his first trip to the North Korean capital in nearly seven years, as Beijing looks to reinforce the ties between the traditional allies.

It comes in the back of him hosting separate summits with the leaders of Russia and the United States.

Talks between Xi and Kim are expected to cover economic ties and international issues, as well as ways to coordinate among Pyongyang, Beijing, and Moscow.

China’s foreign ministry said the summit will see an exchange of views between the two leaders on bilateral and common issues.

This may include rising tensions in West Asia due to the recent US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran and its allies.

Source: Presstv

8, June 2026

Football: Union Berlin eye €20m move for Cameroon’s Arthur Avom ⁰

Cameroonian central midfielder Arthur Avom of FC Lorient is being linked with a summer move to Bundesliga side Union Berlin, with the 21-year-old reportedly a €20.00m target for the German club.

The Lorient midfielder, born in Yaoundé on 15 December 2004 and standing at 1.73m, has emerged as one of Ligue 1’s most-watched young central midfielders. Data from Transfermarkt lists his market value at €20.00m, a figure that is shaping early discussions around any potential deal.

Union Berlin’s interest comes amid speculation over Avom’s contractual situation at Lorient, with no expiry date publicly recorded. That has fuelled talk that the French club could be vulnerable to offers this summer, or risk edging closer to a scenario in which the player could eventually walk away as a free agent if no extension is agreed.

According to the latest rumour data, the probability of Avom joining Union Berlin currently stands at 21%, underlining that talks are at an exploratory stage rather than an advanced negotiation. Lorient, who compete in Ligue 1, have not publicly disclosed when the midfielder joined the club and there is no confirmation of any release clause.

Avom, a right-footed central midfielder who wears the number 62 shirt, has built his reputation as a modern engine-room player in France’s top flight. In his most recent outing for Lorient – a Ligue 1 fixture earlier this spring in which Lorient faced domestic opposition – he featured in central midfield as his side battled through a tight scoreline, further reinforcing his status as a regular in the matchday squad.

With Union Berlin seeking to refresh their midfield ahead of the new Bundesliga campaign, a move to Germany would represent a significant step in Avom’s career and could prove pivotal in defining his reputation and long-term potential if the transfer does materialise.

Source: Africa Soccer

8, June 2026

The Holy Father in Spain offers road map to future of hope ⁰

Pope Leo XIV on his second day in Spain invoked the country’s rich faith traditions and expressions of popular piety as a path, especially for young people, out of the polarized ideological divisions that grip much of global society.

He spoke of the path forward in remarks to those engaged in culture, art, the economy and sports, highlights also the need to form networks built on respect, dialogue, collaboration and selflessness.

Also on Sunday, 1.2 million people were present for his Mass and procession in Madrid’s Plaza de Cibeles, where the pope said Spain’s present and future task is “to ensure that the religiosity which has shaped and defined this country for centuries is not a museum of the past to be visited, but a school of faith from which to draw even today.”

It must be a school, he said, “that teaches us to kneel before God and before our neighbor, because no one can kneel before the Lord and despise their brother.”

He stressed the need to go beyond selfishness and to “be present in the realities and challenges of society, not shying away, but personally committing ourselves to the building of the common good.”

Pope Leo is currently on a seven-day tour of Spain, making stops in Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands.

Sunday’s Mass marked the Solemnity of Corpus Christi Mass and was followed by Eucharistic procession, which Leo led, walking over the traditional flower carpets intricately designed and delicately prepared for the occasion.

His visit comes as Spain, previously one of the world’s greatest global evangelizers and home to some of the most famed mystic saints in the world, is experiencing a rapid growth in secularism and as Europe more broadly grapples with geopolitical instability.

Source: Crux