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Sudan: Over 300 children killed or injured in war over six months

6, July 2026

Sudan: Over 300 children killed or injured in war over six months 0

More than 300 children have been killed or injured in Sudan during the past six months, with drone strikes responsible for most casualties, the UN children’s agency (UNICEF) says as fighting continues across several parts of the African country.

According to a statement released by UNICEF on Monday, around 60% of child casualties recorded during the period were caused by drone warfare. The agency said the conflict is currently concentrated in the Kordofan, Darfur, and Blue Nile States.

UNICEF said drone strikes and shelling have targeted civilian infrastructure, including schools, markets, fuel facilities, and water stations, placing more than 500,000 people at risk. It added that civilians have endured conditions resembling a siege for more than a year.

“Children are being caught in a relentless cycle of violence, displacement and deprivation,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF representative for Sudan.

The United Nations, meanwhile, called on all parties to the conflict “to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, allow and facilitate safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access, and take all possible measures to protect children from harm.”

Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023 between the Sudanese military and the so-called Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The UN has expressed alarm over the possibility of atrocities as the Sudanese military and the RSF militants battle for control of the strategic city of el-Obeid in North Kordofan.

UN rights council adopts Sudan measure

Also on Monday, the UN-backed Human Rights Council in Geneva approved, without a vote, a measure condemning escalating violence by the RSF and its allies in and around el-Obeid.

The measure also encourages increased support for countries hosting refugees from Sudan and condemns “all forms of external interference” in the conflict.

The war has killed at least 59,000 people, displaced about 13 million others and pushed many parts of Sudan into famine.

More than 30 million people across the country are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Source: Press TV

World Cup: Belgium blasts FIFA decision to clear US striker to play despite red card

6, July 2026

World Cup: Belgium blasts FIFA decision to clear US striker to play despite red card 0

Belgium’s football federation has expressed outrage over FIFA’s decision to permit United States striker Folarin Balogun to feature in Monday’s World Cup Round of 16 match against Belgium, despite the forward receiving a red card in the previous round.

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said Sunday it was “astonished” by the ruling, while Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia delivered a sharp criticism of football’s governing body.

“I didn’t know July 5 was actually April 1 at the World Cup. This is an April Fools’ joke,” Garcia said following FIFA’s announcement that Balogun’s automatic one-match suspension had been placed on hold for a one-year probationary period.

The decision clears the 25-year-old striker to play in Monday’s knockout-stage clash in Seattle.

The RBFA said FIFA based its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code but argued that Article 66.4 of the same code states that a red card automatically results in a suspension for the team’s next match.

It also cited Article 10.5 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, which says a player sent off by a direct or indirect red card is “automatically” suspended for the team’s subsequent match.

The RBFA noted that the automatic nature of the suspension had been reaffirmed in FIFA World Cup 2026 Circular No. 16, distributed to all participating associations on May 12, and reiterated during match coordination meetings and tournament workshops.

“In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options,” the federation said.

The New York Times reported that US President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday to seek a review of Balogun’s suspension, citing three people familiar with the conversation.

Trump welcomed FIFA’s decision on his Truth Social platform, writing, “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”

The White House has not confirmed that Trump contacted Infantino or claimed credit for the decision.

Politico later reported that US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was involved in behind-the-scenes conversations with FIFA to get Balogun’s red card ban suspended, citing two people familiar with the matter who were granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations. It noted that Lutnick has developed close ties with the leadership of soccer’s governing body.

The ruling marks the first time since 1962 that FIFA has allowed a player sent off at a World Cup to play in the next match.

Balogun was shown a red card in the 64th minute of the United States’ 2-0 Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1 for awkwardly stepping on the back of Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic’s leg while jockeying for a bouncing ball.

The American striker has scored three goals at the tournament as the US seeks its first World Cup quarterfinal appearance since 2002.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the red card Thursday, telling reporters that the team was “treated unfairly.”

“I wish there were an appeals process for it. But it’s probably too late now,” he said.

Source: Press TV

Iran: Leader’s coffin in Tehran’s Azadi Square for funeral procession

6, July 2026

Iran: Leader’s coffin in Tehran’s Azadi Square for funeral procession 0

Millions of mourners lined the streets of Tehran on Monday morning as the coffin of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, was carried in a historic funeral procession to Azadi Square.

Mourners poured onto the streets of the Iranian capital as the funeral procession for the martyred Leader got underway, in what officials have described as the largest public gathering in the country’s modern history.

The procession, which drew millions of mourners from across the country, also carried the flag-draped coffins of several members of late Ayatollah Khamenei’s family, who were all martyred alongside the Leader on the first day of the recent US-Israeli war of aggression on February 28.

Dressed in black and beating their chests in mourning, large crowds packed the streets in Tehran as the funeral convoy made its way through the capital. Mourners chanted slogans calling for revenge for the Leader’s blood and resistance against adversaries, while waving Iranian flags and carrying his portraits.

Organizers expect the procession to last 10 to 12 hours, winding along a 10-kilometer route through Damavand Street, Imam Hossein Square, Enqelab Street, Enqelab Square, Azadi Street, Azadi Square, and Shahid Lashgari Highway, located near the Mehrabad airport.

Source: Presstv

France: Will Le Pen be barred from the French presidency?

5, July 2026

France: Will Le Pen be barred from the French presidency? 0

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s political fate will be decided on Tuesday when a Paris appeals court rules on whether she is eligible to run in the 2027 presidential elections, a verdict with major implications for France’s future. Le Pen is appealing her 2025 conviction for embezzling European Parliament funds to pay employees in her party.

The long-awaited verdict holds major implications for France’s political future. After months of waiting, the Paris Court of Appeal is due to rule on Tuesday on whether France’s far-right figurehead, Marine Le Pen, is eligible to run in the country’s 2027 presidential elections.

Le Pen, the long-time face of the National Rally (RN) party, is appealing a 2025 case in which she was convicted of embezzling European Parliament funds to pay her party’s employees. The conviction led to her being barred from running for public office for five years.

An acquittal is considered unlikely. But Le Pen might also see her penalty reduced, which could allow her to run for office. Or she could face a renewed conviction in line with the prosecution’s demands – effectively quashing any hopes of running for the presidency.

Le Pen has already run for president three times, but her popularity has risen significantly since her last attempt in 2022. As the clear front-runner in the polls for both the first and second rounds of the upcoming elections, she is well aware that her political fate lies with the July 7 decision.

“If the prosecution’s demands are upheld, I will be prevented from running,” she told French channel TF1-LCI on February 3.

In a separate interview with RTL in November 2025, when the appeal was scheduled for September, Le Pen also expressed her commitment to the broader far-right vision of the RN, even at the cost of her candidacy.

“I am not going to let things drag on, because I am committed to seeing our ideas come to power. If I am barred from running, but the Court of Cassation (the highest court in the French judicial system) rules in my favour three or four months later, it will be too late to run a proper presidential campaign,” she said.

Many legal experts believe Le Pen’s guilt was proven during the appeals trial. The judges are likely to follow the prosecution’s recommendations: a four-year prison sentence – with one year to be served in custody (eligible for electronic monitoring), a €100,000 fine and a five-year ban on holding public office. The verdict will not be immediately enforced.

Source: France 24

Football: Argentina survive Cape Verde scare to reach World Cup last 16

4, July 2026

Football: Argentina survive Cape Verde scare to reach World Cup last 16 0

Messi’s sublime control and finish for his seventh goal at this tournament in four games put the defending champions in command, but the Blue Sharks doggedly refused to go away.

Deroy Duarte’s strike on the hour mark forced Argentina to expand more energy than they would have wanted in the sapping Miami heat.

Lisandro Martinez briefly restored Argentina’s lead early in extra time before Sidny Lopes Cabral’s stunning shot rocketed into the top corner.

Another Argentina corner finally got the job done when Cristian Romero rose highest to head Messi’s corner, the ball going in off a deflection from Diney Borges for an own goal.

La Albiceleste will face Egypt on Tuesday in Atlanta, but there were concerns for Lionel Scaloni on his 100th match in charge despite what appears a favourable draw.

Scaloni said it “would have been madness” to lose to the underdogs.

“A very tough match; you always have to take the positives—this team (Argentina) never gives up,” he said.

“We have to congratulate the opponent. When people say there are no easy opponents, they proved today that they are a great team,” he added.

“We finished very tired… they gave it their all.”

Cape Verde had served warning of what they were capable of by holding European champions Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia to draws in Group H to reach the knockout stages in their first World Cup appearance.

The Blue Sharks coach Bubista said the meeting with the world champions would be “the game of our lives” and it showed in a spirited display that had Argentina sweating.

On his return to the city where he plays his club football for Inter Miami, Messi’s every move was greeted like a god by the nearly 65,000 crowd, mainly in Argentina shirts.

Moments of magic

The 39-year-old produced a moment of magic with a feather-like touch from Lisandro Martinez’s pass to set up a high finish past Vozinha to open the scoring.

In doing so Messi also extended his own record of scoring in eight consecutive World Cup games and opened up a two-goal cushion once more over France’s Kylian Mbappe in the battle to be the competition’s all-time top goalscorer.

Emi Martinez had been a spectator in the first half, but the Aston Villa goalkeeper was forced into a smart save by Duarte as Cape Verde started the second period with more attacking intent.

Martinez was powerless for the equaliser moments later when Duarte was picked out by Ryan Mendes and rifled a low shot into the far corner.

Cape Verde’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha became an internet sensation after his man-of-the-match showing against Spain last month.

His nearly 18 million Instagram followers will have enjoyed him winning a one-on-one battle with Messi when the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner seemed certain to restore Argentina’s lead.

Irish-born Pico Lopes was next to be a Cape Verdean hero with a crucial intervention to deny Enzo Fernandez a tap-in after more inspiration from Messi created an opening.

Lisandro Martinez’s rising drive after a corner fell the Manchester United defender’s way two minutes into extra-time looked to have swung the momentum decisively in Argentina’s favour once more.

But again Cape Verde refused to bow and levelled with one of the goals of the tournament when Lopes Cabral smashed into the top corner.

The full-back ran off into the stands to celebrate with his partner.

Elsewhere around the crowd, the boisterous atmosphere that had accompanied most of the evening gave way to nervous tension as penalties approached.

Scaloni could only wipe his furrowed brow with relief when Messi’s corner was turned in for an own goal by the unfortunate Borges.

Yet an exhausted Argentina still had to ride their luck from a Cape Verde onslaught in the final seconds.

Emi Martinez this time won the battle with Lopes Cabral by tipping over another sweet strike that was headed for the top corner.

“I’m taking away the contribution from everyone; we finished very tired… they gave it their all.”

Source: AFP

Questions emerge over Biya’s health as family members gather in Switzerland

4, July 2026

Questions emerge over Biya’s health as family members gather in Switzerland 0

Fresh concerns have resurfaced over the health of the Cameroonian dictator Paul Biya following reports that several close relatives, including family members rarely seen during his overseas stays have traveled to Switzerland, where the 93-year-old head of state has been staying.

The unusual presence of members of Biya’s inner family has fueled widespread speculation about his condition, especially as Cameroon continues to receive limited official information regarding his prolonged stay in Geneva.

The controversy intensified after a sister publication Jeune Afrique reported that President Biya had been admitted to a private clinic in Switzerland after reportedly feeling unwell during celebrations marking Cameroon’s National Day on May 20. The report quickly attracted regional and international attention.

However, the Cameroonian government has strongly rejected claims that the president is hospitalized. Government spokesman René Emmanuel Sadi stated that while President Biya is indeed in Geneva, he is “by no means admitted in any medical facility” and insisted that he remains capable of overseeing state affairs. Officials described reports of hospitalization as “malicious and unfounded speculation.”

Despite these assurances, Biya’s prolonged absence from public engagements, combined with reports of close relatives gathering in Switzerland, has intensified speculation over his health and the possibility of succession discussions behind closed doors. No official evidence has been presented confirming that the relatives’ presence is linked to a medical emergency.

President Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, has frequently spent extended periods in Switzerland during his presidency. His overseas stays have repeatedly sparked rumors about his health, particularly given his advanced age and the government’s traditionally limited disclosure regarding his medical condition.

Some political commentators say the latest developments are likely to increase public debate about leadership succession in Cameroon ahead of future political milestones. Nevertheless, until independent confirmation emerges, claims regarding any severe deterioration in the president’s health remain unverified.

As of now, the only confirmed facts are that President Biya is in Geneva, Switzerland, and that the Cameroonian government denies reports that he has been hospitalized. Assertions that the presence of family members signals a critical health crisis remain speculative and have not been independently confirmed.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Diocese of Nkongsamba announces release of Priest, 2 Franciscan Brothers

3, July 2026

Diocese of Nkongsamba announces release of Priest, 2 Franciscan Brothers 0

The Catholic Diocese of Nkongsamba has announced the safe release of a Priest and two members of the Fraternity of Franciscans of Emmanuel (FFE) who were reportedly abducted in the country’s North-West Region.

In the letter that the Diocesan Chancellor, Abbé Luc Roger Dodo issued on Wednesday, July 1, the Diocese gives thanks to God for the release of Fr. John Bosco Bihkong and Brothers Sylvester Sewong and Marie Rodrigue, who were kidnapped during the night of Saturday, June 27.

“Thank you to everyone for your prayers and expressions of support, which have borne fruit,” Fr. Dodo says in the letter quoting the psalmist, “Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.”

In a Tuesday, June 30 statement, the Vicar General of the Cameroonian Episcopal See announced the kidnapping of the three.

According to Mons. Joseph Tchinda Dountio, Fr. Bihkong had traveled to his native village of Melim, near Ndop in the North-West Region of Cameroon, to celebrate his first Mass on Friday, June 26.

He was accompanied by Br. Sylvester Sewong, Guardian of the FFE convent in Kékem, and Br. Marie Rodrigue Sop, who is preparing for a perpetual profession. The three were abducted the following night.

No details were provided regarding the identity of the kidnappers, their motives, or whether contact had been established with the abductors.

Cameroon’s North-West Region is one of the two English-speaking regions that have experienced years of insecurity linked to the country’s Anglophone crisis.

Clergy, women and men Religious, and other civilians have periodically been targeted in abductions as violence has persisted in the region.

Source: aciAfrica

Issa Tchiroma dismisses reports of planned U.S. travel from The Gambia as Fake News

3, July 2026

Issa Tchiroma dismisses reports of planned U.S. travel from The Gambia as Fake News 0

The man widely believed to have won the 2025 presidential elections in Cameroon Issa Tchiroma Bakary has dismissed as “fake news” reports circulating on social media claiming that he was preparing to travel to the United States from The Gambia.

The reports alleged that Tchiroma had departed or was set to depart Banjul for the U.S. However, Gambian authorities have publicly rejected the claim, describing it as false and confirming that no such departure had taken place.

The denial comes amid continued speculation surrounding Tchiroma’s movements since he sought refuge in The Gambia following the disputed 2025 presidential election in Cameroon. He has remained active politically from exile, issuing statements and pursuing legal action against the Cameroonian government while residing in Banjul.

The false reports quickly spread across media houses in Cameroon and social media platforms, prompting officials to issue a clarification aimed at countering misinformation. Authorities reiterated that Tchiroma remains in The Gambia and that claims of his travel to the United States are entirely unfounded.

The episode highlights the growing challenge posed by online misinformation surrounding high-profile political figures, particularly those living in exile, where unverified claims can rapidly gain traction before being officially debunked.

By Rita Akana in Yaounde

Iran: Khamenei laid in state in Tehran as dignitaries pay tribute ahead of funeral

3, July 2026

Iran: Khamenei laid in state in Tehran as dignitaries pay tribute ahead of funeral 0

The body of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was lying in state in Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex Friday as foreign dignitaries, multi-faith religious leaders and senior officials paid tribute to Iran’s slain leader. Funeral ceremonies and processions will be held for a week across the country. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.

In photos: Mourners pay respects to slain leader Khamenei at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla

Senior Iranian political and military officials, multi-faith religious leaders and mourners paid their respects to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as they filed past the caskets of the slain supreme leader and members of his family killed in airstrikes at the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran in Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex Friday.

In photos: Mourners pay respects to slain leader Khamenei at Tehran's Grand Mosalla

Foreign religious leaders and other mourners walk past the coffins of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his slain family members during a viewing ceremony at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, July 3, 2026.

In photos: Mourners pay respects to slain leader Khamenei at Tehran's Grand Mosalla

The casket of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s granddaughter, Zahra Mohammadi Golpayegani, is displayed alongside the caskets of family members killed in the first Israeli strikes at the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

In photos: Mourners pay respects to slain leader Khamenei at Tehran's Grand Mosalla

IRGC members pay their respects on the esplanade of the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, July 3, 2026.

New IRGC chief Gen. Vahidi makes first public appearance since war

Iran’s new IRGC chief emerged from hiding to pay his respects to the slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Tehran prepares Friday for the dayslong funeral ceremonies.

Photos published online by Iranian state media showed Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi attending a meeting about the funeral of Khamenei, 86, then sitting alongside his casket as the country held a smaller service for him Thursday night near the supreme leader’s former home in downtown Tehran. 

Vahidi has become a major player in formulating Iran’s tough stance in negotiating a possible permanent end to the war with the US, experts say. He is believed to be part of a small clique in direct contact with Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who remains in hiding after being reportedly wounded in the Febraury 28 Israeli strikes that killed his father, the elder Khamenei. 

Vahidi himself hasn’t been seen publicly since February 8, weeks before the Iran war began.

Video published by Iranian state media showed the mourning ceremony for Khamenei near the husseiniyah at his compound in Tehran. 

New IRGC chief Gen. Vahidi makes first public appearance since war

Supreme leader’s body arrives at Tehran religious complex for funeral: state media

The body of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes, arrived at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla religious complex ahead of his funeral, state media reported Friday.

“The body of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution has arrived at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla,” IRNA wrote on Telegram, using the complex’s official name.

Preparations for funeral of Iran’s supreme leader in full swing, 15-20 million expected

Preparations for the funeral of Iran’s slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei were in full swing on Friday, with authorities expecting millions and a coterie of foreign dignitaries to attend the official ceremony. Pakistan, a key mediator in talks between the United States and Iran on ending the Middle East war, said its Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would be at the funeral in Tehran on Saturday. China, Afghanistan and Iran’s neighbours in the Caucasus region said they would also be sending representatives.

Tehran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had called on Thursday for a massive turnout at the event as a way to avenge the supreme leader’s death in US-Israeli strikes on the first day of the war. “The nation’s call for vengeance must ring in the ears of the whole world,” said Ghalibaf, who is also Iran’s parliament speaker.

Khamenei’s funeral, initially delayed at the height of the war, will take place as Iran and the United States observe a fragile ceasefire after signing a preliminary deal to halt the conflict. Khamenei, a spiritual figure for many Shias, was killed at the age of 86 in strikes on his compound in the centre of the Iranian capital. He will lie in state for three days at the colossal Grand Mosalla, which has been draped in banners featuring images and quotes of Khamenei. The bodies of his slain relatives will also be presented.

The ceremonies are expected to draw between 15 and 20 million mourners, according to officials, which would make it the biggest state funeral in the country’s history.

Source: France 24

Inoni Ephraim: how yesterday’s indispensable Biya ally quickly became today’s discarded liability

2, July 2026

Inoni Ephraim: how yesterday’s indispensable Biya ally quickly became today’s discarded liability 0

The public humiliation endured by some of President Paul Biya’s most loyal collaborators, including former Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni, serves as a powerful reminder of a political reality that has defined the Biya era for decades: unwavering loyalty to the regime offers no guarantee of protection.

For years, Inoni was among the most trusted faces of the ruling CPDM crime syndicate. He occupied one of the highest offices in the land, faithfully implementing government policy and defending the Biya system. Yet when political winds shifted, he found himself prosecuted, imprisoned and stripped of the prestige that had accompanied his years of service. Whether Cameroonians believe the legal proceedings against Inoni were fully justified or politically motivated, the broader lesson remains difficult to ignore. In the Biya system, yesterday’s indispensable ally can quickly become today’s discarded liability.

Inoni is far from an isolated case. Several prominent ministers, senior civil servants, military officers and ruling party stalwarts have similarly fallen from grace after years of devoted service. Many who once stood at the very center of power eventually discovered that political survival depended less on loyalty than on the ever-changing calculations of the presidency and the balance of power within the regime.

This recurring pattern raises important questions about governance and institutional trust. Stable political systems are built on predictable institutions, transparent accountability and equal treatment before the law. When prosecutions or political downfalls appear selective or unpredictable, they inevitably fuel public perceptions that justice may be influenced by political considerations rather than applied consistently.

The message sent to those serving within the current administration is sobering. Absolute loyalty does not necessarily translate into lasting security. Years of dedicated service may not shield an official from disgrace should circumstances change. In such an environment, trust becomes fragile, and fear often replaces confidence.

For the Cameroonian public, these episodes also reinforce a broader concern about the concentration of power. Institutions that depend heavily on the decisions of a single political center rather than on strong, independent processes risk creating uncertainty for both officials and ordinary citizens alike.

The story of Chief Ephraim Inoni and other once-powerful figures is therefore more than the personal tragedy of fallen elites. It illustrates the precarious nature of political patronage in an entrenched system where proximity to power can be temporary and where loyalty, however steadfast may not be reciprocated.

Ultimately, the humiliation suffered by many of President Biya’s closest former associates stands as a cautionary tale. It suggests that in a system where political fortunes can change overnight, trust is not earned through years of faithful service but remains contingent on circumstances that few can control. That is a lesson not only for those within the corridors of power but for every observer seeking to understand the dynamics of Cameroon’s political landscape.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

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