News

25, March 2026

Saudi Arabia signs $75m development deal with Cameroon ⁰

The Saudi Fund for Development’s CEO Sultan Al-Marshad has signed a development agreement in Cameroon with the country’s Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development Alamine Ousmane Mey.

The agreement will finance the restoration of the Sorawel–Dourbey Road Project with a concessional loan of $75 million. It was signed in the presence of the Saudi Ambassador to Cameroon Ibrahim Al-Ghamdi, the Saudi fund said in a post on X on Tuesday.

The post added: “The project aims to reduce isolation and strengthen domestic and cross-border connectivity by upgrading road infrastructure and facilitating trade between Cameroon, Chad, and Nigeria.”

It includes the construction of a dual carriageway extending over 77 km to enhance road safety and transport efficiency.

Source: Arab News

24, March 2026

Israeli Knesset session suspended as Iran launches massive missile barrage ⁰

Iranian missile strikes triggered widespread panic across occupied territories early Tuesday, forcing the suspension of a Knesset session as sirens sounded in hundreds of locations and a massive barrage targeted central areas, causing extensive damage in Tel Aviv and Beersheba.

A session of the Israeli parliament was abruptly suspended after the regime’s Home Front Command issued a warning, sending lawmakers rushing to shelters.

According to Israeli media reports, the latest Iranian missile barrage toward central Israel appears to have been the largest since the war began on February 28.

Haaretz reported that on the 25th day of the conflict, “unrelenting bombardment from Iran toward Israel continues”.

In Tel Aviv, a direct hit on a building caused significant destruction.

Seven additional locations were struck by shrapnel from Iranian missiles, with extensive damage reported.

A major road connecting Tel Aviv to the north was closed due to the strike.

The Tel Aviv Police Commander stated that extensive damage occurred at the sites where Iranian missile shrapnel fell in the city.

Israeli media also reported “massive explosions” in the Beersheba area and the western Negev, as well as in Arad.

An Iranian missile was reported to have landed in Beersheba, prompting search and rescue forces to be dispatched to damaged sites in the south.

In a separate incident, an Israeli reserve soldier was found dead in Bat Yam after allegedly shooting himself inside a shelter, according to Israeli media reports.

Iranian forces have so far launched around 80 waves of missiles and drones against Israeli targets in retaliation for the US-Israeli aggression against Iran that began on February 28.

Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that any further attacks on Iranian infrastructure would result in expanded retaliation, including the potential full closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian mighty retaliatory operations comes despite US and Israeli claims of destroying Iran’s military capabilities.

Source: Press TV

22, March 2026

Senegal’s President to visit Spain, migration among key issues ⁰

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye will begin a three-day official visit to Spain on Tuesday, March 24, at the invitation of King Felipe VI. Details of the visit have not been made public, but at the last high-level meeting between Senegal and Spain, talks focused on agriculture, vocational and technical training, industrialization, digitalization and security.

Cooperation is expected to prioritize combating irregular migration, a key issue for both countries. Migratory flows from Senegal to Europe have increased in recent years. In 2023, nearly 12,833 migrants arrived in Spain, of whom 9,319 were identified as Senegalese nationals, according to official data.

The visit comes amid an intensification of diplomatic relations between Dakar and Madrid, highlighted by visits to Senegal by Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno in December 2023 and again in June 2024.

According to the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain provides development assistance to Senegal worth 27 million euros annually, focused on priority sectors such as agriculture, food access, health, and drinking water and sanitation.

Source: ecofin agency

22, March 2026

Iran will obliterate energy infrastructure in region if its power plants attacked ⁰

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says the Islamic Republic will “irreversibly” destroy vital energy and fuel infrastructure across the region if the United States attacks power plants inside Iran.

Qalibaf issued the stark warning in a post on his X account on Sunday in response to the latest threat by US President Donald Trump, who said Saturday night that the United States will “hit and obliterate” Iran’s “various power plants, starting with the biggest one first!” if the country does not “fully open, without threat”, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 hours from this exact point in time.”

“Immediately after our country’s power plants and infrastructure are hit, vital infrastructure and energy and fuel infrastructure across the region will be considered legitimate targets [for Iran] and will be destroyed in an irreversible manner,” Qalibaf said.

The top Iranian parliamentarian added that oil prices will also continue to rise for a long period of time.

Earlier on Sunday, spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari warned of retaliation if Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure are attacked in the US-Israeli aggression.

“If Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is attacked by the enemy, all energy infrastructure, as well as information technology (IT) and water desalination facilities, belonging to the US and the regime in the region will be targeted pursuant to previous warnings,” he said.

Since February 28, when the US and Israel launched their unprovoked aggression, Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas tankers affiliated with the aggressor regimes and those cooperating with them.

The disruption of tanker traffic in the waterway, lying between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, has triggered a major surge in energy prices.

In a desperate attempt to control the market, Trump said that the US Navy will escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. He even offered political risk insurance for tankers transiting there.

The US president also sought to form a coalition to secure the strait, asking NATO countries to contribute naval and air assets. However, most of Washington’s allies have declined to commit forces.

Handala hacktivists vow to release all maps of electricity, water infrastructure in region

Following Trump’s threat to target Iranian power plants, the pro-resistance hacktivist group Handala warned that it would release all the maps of electricity and water infrastructure across the region soon.

“We will release all the maps of the regime’s and the region’s electricity and water infrastructure in the coming hours. All of them have been registered in the target bank, and we are waiting for your foolish move,” it said on X.

Source: Press TV

21, March 2026

Iran says 55 enemy targets go up in smoke as it unleashes 70th wave of Op. True Promise 4 ⁰

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has announced the execution of the 70th wave of its underway retaliatory Operation True Promise 4, saying the latest phase targeted more than 55 locations occupied by the US and the Israeli regime across the region.

In a statement on Saturday, the IRGC described the opening moments of the latest phase as marked by “loud explosions, bursts of fire, and columns of smoke” throughout the targeted areas.

It said the timing of the strikes, on the eve of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, reflects “a different dawn of a new regional order for Muslims.”

According to the statement, five US military installations were targeted during the operation, namely al-Kharj in Saudi Arabia, al-Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates, Ali al-Salem in Kuwait, Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, and the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

The Corps said the strikes were carried out using Qiam and Emad missile systems alongside attack drones, describing this stage of the reprisal as part of a broader strategy of “gradual attrition.”

Surprising enemy in occupied territories

The statement added that operations by the IRGC’s Aerospace Force concentrated on strategic zones in the occupied port of Haifa and the city of Tel Aviv. Among the locations mentioned were Hadera, Kiryat Ono, Savion, and Ben Ami.

It said Khorramshahr-4 and multi-warhead Qadr missile systems were deployed, resulting in impacts “beyond the enemy’s estimates,” and contributing to worsening conditions in the occupied territories.

Warning of intensified response

The Corps reiterated its stance on retaliatory escalation, stating, “It is necessary at this stage of the war to once again remind that the IRGC, in its offensive strategy, will target the origin of any aggression against the Islamic Republic’s territory and national sovereignty with strikes beyond previous ones.”

The statement concluded by emphasizing that Iran’s Armed Forces, including the Corps, have prepared for this stage of the confrontation.

Operation True Promise 4 was launched shortly after the latest round of unlawful attacks by Tel Aviv and Washington against the Islamic Republic late last month.

Source: Presstv

20, March 2026

Iran debuts multi-warhead ‘Nasrallah’ missile to strike Israel’s oil refineries ⁰

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has launched the 65th wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4 targeting Israel’s oil refineries, debuting multi-warhead “Nasrallah” ballistic missile.

In a statement on Thursday, the IRGC said that the fresh wave of retaliatory strikes targeted Ashdod and Haifa oil refineries, which are among the Israeli regime’s biggest refineries, using Nasrallah ballistic missile system for the first time.

Nasrallah is the upgraded and the guided version of Qadr missiles used in previous strikes against US military assets in the region and targets in the Israeli-occupied territories.

The 65th wave employed a variety of other domestically manufactured long-range precision missiles, the statement said.

The IRGC has so far employed a variety of powerful weaponry in the latest strikes, including multi-warhead Qadr missiles, Kheibar Shekan missiles, Emad missiles, and Haj Qassem missiles.

According the statement, the new retaliatory wave of strikes also employed medium-range missiles of Qiyam and Zolfaghar for hitting US military assets in Al Kharj Air Base in Saudi Arabia, which is the main logistics and refueling center for F-16 and F-35 fighter jets as well as AWACS surveillance aircraft.

Furthermore, the same missile targeted Fujairah Sheikh Isa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which serves as the headquarters and the data center control and the communication center of the US military in the region.

The US terrorist army forces at al-Zafra base in the UAE, which played a supporting and intelligence role in the attack on Iran, was also targeted by medium-range missiles of Qiyam and Zolfaghar and long-range ballistic missile of Kheibar Shekan, which carries multiple warheads.

Operation True Promise 4, a sequel to the IRGC’s previous instances of successful reprisal against adversaries, began late last month momentarily following the launch of Washington’s and Tel Aviv’s latest bout of unlawful aggression targeting the Islamic Republic.

The IRGC has pledged to sustain the reprisal until the enemies’ “complete defeat.”

Sources from Hebrew media reported strong and consecutive explosions heard in northern Israeli occupied territories, including Haifa, Kiryat, Carmel, and the Golan Heights. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu held his press briefing in a reinforced underground bunker.

The missile strike by Iran resulted in significant damage to aircraft and infrastructure at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.

The spokesperson for the Central Command of the Iranian Armed Forces, in a statement, emphasized that all US and Israeli assets would be targeted as part of Iran’s retaliatory actions, taking full responsibility for the attack.

“As previously stated, we will target all American and Zionist regime infrastructure, and we officially accept responsibility for this operation,” the spokesperson added.

As a result of the damage inflicted on its aviation sector, Israel’s airline industry has faced unprecedented disruption.

The Ben Gurion airport’s management announced a 50% reduction in international flight capacities, and several airlines, including El Al, were forced to cancel flights, with El Al halting all flights scheduled between March 21 and March 27.

According to Israel’s Channel 12 News, the Israir carrier also suspended all scheduled flights until March 31 and stopped selling tickets for the foreseeable future, citing new restrictions imposed by the so-called ministry of transport.

The airline also mentioned limited capacity on remaining flights, though it would attempt to accommodate some passengers.

The strike comes just days after a bombing campaign that targeted fuel depots in Iran.

In Israeli occupied territories, the attack has sparked widespread panic, with reports of long queues at airports, ticket offices, and even border crossings as settlers attempt to flee the occupied lands.

Concerns about further missile attacks have led to fears of being trapped in the event of additional strikes, especially after the announcement of the 50% flight capacity reduction.

Source: Press TV

20, March 2026

Smarter Water Use Could Feed 10 Billion and Create Nearly 250 Million Jobs ⁰

Rebalancing water use across the global food system is key to meeting future food demand sustainably and could generate 245 million long-term jobs, largely in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new World Bank Group report launched today.

The report – Nourish and Flourish: Water Solutions to Feed 10 Billion People on a Livable Planet – notes that current agricultural water management practices, marked by overuse in some countries and underuse in others, can only sustainably support food production for less than half the global population. By 2050, 10 billion people will need to be fed. Addressing both the overuse that depletes water in stressed regions and the underuse that leaves available water and productive capacity untapped in water-abundant regions will be essential to meet that demand sustainably.

It introduces a new framework for agricultural water management that links water availability with food production and trade. By categorizing countries based on water stress and their food import or export status, the framework helps identify where expanding rainfed agriculture can increase food production, where irrigation investments can unlock jobs and growth, where water use must be rebalanced to protect ecosystems and future productivity, and where trade offers a more sustainable path than local production.

“The way we manage water for food will have profound implications for jobs, livelihoods, and economic growth. By making smarter choices about where crops are grown, how water is allocated, and how trade supports food security, we can strengthen resilience, expand opportunity, and safeguard the resources which we all rely on,” said Paschal Donohoe, Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer of the World Bank Group.

Realizing these outcomes will require stronger private sector participation and financing alongside public investment, supported by effective policies, institutions, and regulations to boost food production, create jobs, and support sustainable growth. Public funding alone cannot deliver the sustained services, innovation, and scale needed to expand irrigation, improve performance, and maintain results. Farmers, who are the primary users of irrigation and its main investors, are already willing to co-invest when access to finance, quality equipment, markets, and digital tools reduces the risks and transaction costs they face.

“When investments in infrastructure and natural resources, business-enabling policies, and private capital mobilization come together, the impact can be greater than the sum of its parts,” said Guangzhe Chen, Vice President for Planet at the World Bank Group. “By linking global evidence with country realities, this framework can help policymakers navigate trade-offs and adapt food production to today’s water and climate realities—delivering food, jobs, and resilience together.”

Expanding irrigation where water is available, alongside modernizing existing systems, is estimated to require an additional $24–70 billion per year through 2050. Governments already spend roughly $490 billion annually on agricultural support, most of it on subsidies. Redirecting a portion of current spending—combined with regulatory reform, use of blended finance, and public-private partnerships—will crowd in private capital, including co-investment by farmers themselves, and support financially sustainable water and food security.

The World Bank Group works alongside countries, companies, partners and people to translate these insights into action by combining policy reform, public investment, and private capital to strengthen food systems, create jobs, and protect natural resources. It has committed to doubling annual agribusiness financing to $9 billion by 2030 and mobilizing an additional $5 billion per year under the AgriConnect initiative to help smallholders move from subsistence to surplus. Through the Water for Food and Water for the Planet pillars of its Water Strategy Implementation Plan, the World Bank Group addresses the twin challenge of water and food security by strengthening food production systems and improving farmer livelihoods.

Reported by the World Bank Group

19, March 2026

Ambazonia Crisis: latest on Sisiku Ayuk Tabe’s arrest, trial and conviction ⁰

FRENCH CAMEROUN SUPREME COURT ORDERS RETRIAL IN LANDMARK CASE OF NERA 10, NULLIFIES APPEAL COURT PROCEEDINGS

Yaoundé, Cameroon – 19-03-2026

We wish to inform the public and the international community that following today’s proceedings at the Supreme Court in Yaoundé, our leaders, SisikuAyuktabe and his team have been returned to prison after a significant and dramatic development in their case.

We wish to officially inform the public of the following outcomes:

In its ruling, the Supreme Court annulled the judgment and entire proceedings of the Appeal Court.
The Court further ordered that the matter be sent back to the Appeal Court for a fresh hearing before a newly constituted panel of judges.

This decision marks an important, though modest, step forward in the pursuit of justice. By nullifying the earlier proceedings, the Supreme Court has effectively recognized that the prior Appeal Court trial was fundamentally flawed and constituted a miscarriage of justice.

This also marks a significant turning point in the legal journey of the Nera 10. While it does not yet bring final closure, it reopens the path toward a fair hearing and reinforces the continued pursuit of justice.

While our leaders remain in detention in good spirits, they take solace in this development as a sign that truth and justice are gradually prevailing. They are resolute, encouraged, and unwavering in their commitment to see justice fully served.

We call on all people, people of goodwill, supporters, and the International Community to remain attentive, engaged, and supportive as this case returns to the Court of Appeal. The struggle for justice, fairness, and the respect of fundamental rights continues.

Further updates will be communicated as developments unfold.

Dabney Yerima

Vice President,

The Federal Republic of Ambazonia

19, March 2026

No tickets will be sold for Pope Leo XIV’s masses in Cameroon ⁰

A poster circulating widely on WhatsApp claims that access fees will be charged for masses to be celebrated by Pope Leo XIV during his apostolic visit to Cameroon. The poster, shared for several hours on the messaging platform, lists fees ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 CFA francs to attend celebrations in Yaoundé, Bamenda and Douala. The claim is false: the Apostolic Nunciature in Cameroon has formally denied that any tickets are being sold.

An image widely shared on WhatsApp claims to be an official poster for the apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV to Cameroon, scheduled for April 15-18, 2026. The image lists several categories of access to papal masses: “ticket” (10,000 CFA francs), “comfort” (30,000 CFA francs), “premium” (50,000 CFA francs) and “ultra VIP” (100,000 CFA francs), and includes a WhatsApp number for reservations.

Several elements suggest the poster is not authentic. It does not display the official logo of the Catholic Church in Cameroon, refers to a ticketing system that is unusual for papal masses, and uses a graphic style more typical of commercial promotional posters.

Official framework of the visit

On February 25, 2026, the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of Cameroon announced that Pope Leo XIV would undertake an apostolic visit to the country from April 15 to 18 at the invitation of President Paul Biya. The program includes stops in Yaoundé, Bamenda and Douala.

Local church authorities have also begun announcing the celebrations planned during the visit. The Archdiocese of Bamenda, for example, confirmed in a communiqué dated March 8 and published on March 13 that a mass will be celebrated at Bamenda Airport on April 16. The document does not mention any payment required to attend.

Official denial

Following the circulation of the poster, the Apostolic Nunciature in Cameroon issued a clarification stating that no tickets are being sold for the papal visit.

In its statement, the Nunciature confirmed that access to all liturgical celebrations presided over by Pope Leo XIV in Yaoundé, Bamenda and Douala will be entirely free. It added that no ticket sales or paid reservations have been authorized.

The Nunciature also warned against any private initiative seeking to charge for access to papal masses and called on the faithful to focus on the spiritual preparation for the visit.

The Archdioceses of Yaoundé and Douala also dismissed the poster on social media, stating that access to papal celebrations is free and that the message circulating online is a scam.

The poster claiming that access to Pope Leo XIV’s masses in Cameroon requires payment is misinformation. Church authorities confirm that attendance at the celebrations during the apostolic visit will be free.

Source: Sbbc

19, March 2026

President Putin condoles with Iran’s Leader over Dr. Larijani’s martyrdom ⁰

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a letter of condolence to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei over the martyrdom of Iran’s top security official during unprovoked American-Israeli aggression.

The Russian head of state submitted the message to the Leader on Wednesday, a day after official confirmation of the martyrdom of Dr. Ali Larijani, secretary of the Islamic Republic’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).

Putin also condoled with Dr. Larijani’s survivors and the Iranian nation, while noting his lifelong services and contributions across various fields.

He stressed how Dr. Larijani would consistently endeavor towards further enhancement of the countries’ bilateral ties and work towards additional promotion of their common goals.

The Russian president described his martyrdom as a “great loss” for both the Islamic Republic and the wider region, besides reiterating the need for further reinforcement of the nations’ relations.

The SNSC announced Dr. Larijani’s martyrdom in a statement on Tuesday, saying the attack targeting the official also led to the martyrdom of his son, Mortaza, the deputy for security at the Council’s Secretariat, and a number of their bodyguards.

Iranian authorities and regional personalities have reacted to Dr. Larijani’s martyrdom, asserting that the development would further reinvigorate the Islamic Republic’s and the regional Axis of Resistance’s resolve to more decisively confront adversaries.

Source: Press TV