28, April 2025

Dozens of African migrants killed in US strike on Yemen ⁰

At least 68 African migrants have been killed in a US air strike on a detention centre in Houthi-controlled north-western Yemen, the armed group’s TV channel says.

Al Masirah reported that another 47 migrants were injured, most of them critically, when the centre in Saada province was bombed. It posted graphic footage showing multiple bodies covered in the rubble of a destroyed building.

There was no immediate comment from the US military.

But it came hours after US Central Command announced that its forces had hit more than 800 targets since President Donald Trump ordered an intensification of the air campaign against the Houthis on 15 March.

It said the strikes had “killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders”, including senior officials overseeing missile and drone programmes.

Houthi-run authorities have said the strikes have killed dozens of civilians, but they have reported few casualties among the group’s members.

The migrant detention centre in Saada was reportedly holding 115 Africans when it was hit on Sunday night.

Despite the humanitarian crisis in Yemen caused by 11 years of conflict, migrants continue to arrive in the country by boat from the Horn of Africa, most of them intending to cross into neighbouring Saudi Arabia to find work.

Instead, they face exploitation, detention, violence, and dangerous journeys through active conflict zones, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

In 2024 alone, it says, almost 60,900 migrants arrived in the country, often with no means to survive.

Earlier this month, the Houthi-run government said a series of US air strikes on the Ras Isa oil terminal on the Red Sea coast killed at least 74 people and wounded 171 others. It said the terminal was a civilian facility and that the strikes constituted a “war crime”.

Centcom said the attack destroyed the ability of Ras Isa to accept fuel and that it would “begin to impact Houthi ability to not only conduct operations, but also to generate millions of dollars in revenue for their terror activities”.

Source: BBC

28, April 2025

Manyu Division: A new path is possible ⁰

Manyu’s underdevelopment has been a major issue and generations of Manyu citizens both at home and abroad have been seeking, albeit individually, to come up with possible solutions.

Manyu needs a facelift. It is long overdue. Its major towns and villages need development projects which will give the Division’s economy the wings it needs to fly into modernity and prosperity.

Though there is a wave of construction in the Division, there is no order in the way construction is taking place in many of the Division’s towns and villages. Town planning is still a foreign concept in Manyu and the Division’s residents are not doing much when it comes to playing by the book. Chaotic construction is playing out in Manyu, robbing the Division of its beauty.

Discipline, a key ingredient in development, is conspicuously absent in the way the people of Manyu do their things. They have embraced development but they have rejected discipline. No initiative succeeds without discipline.

Another issue ruining the Division is the people’s penchant for disagreement. Disagreement, though as old as time, has become the hallmark of the people of Manyu. Most people from this Division seem to have mercurial temperaments and the least disagreement always turns into a civil war, making it hard for any collaborative efforts to succeed. The people of Manyu seem to hold that division is strength while unity is a weakness and this unfortunate thinking is hurting the Division in a big and bad way.

Could this despicable behavior be attributed to the Division’s liberal culture, or is it because of the lack of strong political and cultural leadership? Why is it that the people of Manyu are yet to understand that there is power in numbers?

Can this solo mentality be ascribed to Western education or is it genetic for the people of Manyu Division to be only united when there are drinks and food?

Despite this gloomy picture, there is still some hope on the horizon. It is still possible for the people of Manyu Division to engineer new ways which will enable them to walk away from their solo mentality and the underdevelopment which has been stalking them like a stubborn shadow.

The new generation is different. Young men and women of Manyu descent have understood that things could be done differently. They want to work together. They want to change the Manyu narrative. They want to demonstrate that they have embraced new ways; ways which could give the Division’s economy a shot in the arm. They have seen their peers around the world making giant strides towards economic progress and financial independence. They no longer want to be mere sorry spectators of life and events in their own country. But the need sound and informed leadership which they see as the missing link.

They say the need strong, smart and determined leadership from their economic and political leaders; leaders who are conversant with global financial, economic and development trends. Leaders who can confidently shine the light for them to follow. In their view, this is the missing link which they are currently looking for and from every indication; they are looking for a small needle in a huge haystack.

In their quest for modern and purposeful leadership, young men and women of Manyu descent are looking to the Diaspora for a significant change in their Division.

They hold that with the Diaspora, the Division will be able to walk a new path. In their view, members of the Diaspora do not only have the transformative ideas which are capable of triggering economic and political prosperity, they also have massive financial resources which can create jobs for the Division’s cash strapped youths.

However, despite this optimistic view, it must be pointed out that it will take time for things to actually take shape. The Manyu mindset must change if real transformative change has to be a reality. For the Diaspora to play its investment role effectively, the people of Manyu must start seeing investments by the Diaspora not as opportunities for them to embezzle but opportunities for them rebuild their Division and to regain their confidence.

They must start seeing members of the Diaspora as investment partners and not cows that they must milk to death. A new path is possible but it must be preceded by a new and constructive mindset.

By Dr. Joachim Arrey

26, April 2025

Who will be the next pope? Key candidates in an unpredictable process ⁰

Who will be the next pope? The decision could have a profound impact on the Catholic Church and the world’s 1.4 billion baptised Roman Catholics.

It also promises to be a highly unpredictable and open process for a host of reasons.

The College of Cardinals will meet in conclave in the Sistine Chapel to debate and then vote for their preferred candidates until a single name prevails.

With 80% of the cardinals appointed by Pope Francis himself, they are not only electing a pope for the first time, but will offer a broad global perspective.

For the first time in history, fewer than half of those given a vote will be European.

And although the college may be dominated by his appointments, they were not exclusively “progressive” or “traditionalist”.

For those reasons, it is harder than ever to predict who will be elected the next pope.

Could the cardinals elect an African or an Asian pope, or might they favour one of the old hands of the Vatican administration?

Here are some of the names being mentioned as Francis’s potential successor.

Pietro Parolin

Nationality: Italian

Age: 70

Softly spoken Italian Cardinal Parolin was the Vatican’s secretary of state under Pope Francis – making him the pope’s chief adviser. The secretary of state also heads the Roman Curia, the Church’s central administration.

Having acted effectively as deputy pope, he could be considered a frontrunner.

He is viewed by some as more likely to prioritise diplomacy and a global outlook than the purity of Catholic dogma. His critics consider that a problem, while his supporters see a strength.

But he has been critical of the legalisation of same-sex marriage around the world, calling a landmark 2015 vote in favourin the Republic of Ireland “a defeat for humanity”.

The bookmakers may back him but Cardinal Parolin will be well aware of an old Italian saying that stresses the uncertainty of the pope-picking process: “He who enters a conclave as a pope, leaves it as a cardinal.”

Some 213 of the previous 266 popes have been Italian and even though there has not been an Italian pope in 40 years, the pivot of the upper echelons of the Church away from Italy and Europe may mean there may not be another for now.

Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle

Getty Images Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle wears a red cap on his head as he looks away from camera in a head and shoulders portrait, while he attends a Mass with newly appointed cardinals presided by Pope Francis at St. Peter's Basilica on 8 December

Nationality: Filipino

Age: 67

Could the next pope come from Asia?

Cardinal Tagle has decades of pastoral experience – meaning he has been an active Church leader among the people as opposed to a diplomat for the Vatican or cloistered expert on Church law.

The Church is massively influential in the Philippines, where about 80% of the population is Catholic. The country currently has a record five members of the College of Cardinals – which could make for a significant lobbying faction if they all back Cardinal Tagle.

He is considered a moderate within the Catholic definition, and has been dubbed the “Asian Francis” because of a dedication to social issues and sympathy for migrants that he shared with the late pope.

He has opposed abortion rights, calling them “a form of murder” – a position in line with the Church’s broader stance that life begins at conception. He has also spoken against euthanasia.

But in 2015 when he was Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Tagle called for the Church to reassess its “severe” stance towards gay people, divorcees and single mothers, saying past harshness had done lasting harm and left people feeling “branded”, and that each individual deserved compassion and respect.

The cardinal was considered a candidate to be pope as far back as the 2013 conclave in which Francis was elected.

Asked a decade ago how he viewed suggestions he could be next, he replied: “I treat it like a joke! It’s funny.”

Fridolin Ambongo Besungu

AFP Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo wears a green robe as he holds a smoking urn up above ornate gold wine cups and a cross on a table next to a book inside the Notre Dame du Congo Cathedral in Kinshasa on 9 February.

Nationality: Congolese

Age: 65

It’s very possible the next pope could be from Africa, where the Catholic Church continues to add millions of members. Cardinal Ambongo is a leading candidate, hailing from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

He has been Archbishop of Kinshasa for seven years, and was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis.

He is a cultural conservative, opposing blessings for same-sex marriage, stating that “unions of persons of the same sex are considered contradictory to cultural norms and intrinsically evil”.

Though Christianity is the majority religion in the DRC, Christians there have faced death and persecution at the hands of jihadist group Islamic State and associated rebels. Against that backdrop, Cardinal Ambongo is viewed as a fierce advocate for the Church.

But in a 2020 interview, he spoke in favour of religious plurality, saying: “Let Protestants be Protestants and Muslims be Muslims. We are going to work with them. But everyone has to keep their own identity.”

Such comments could lead some cardinals to wonder if he fully embraces their sense of mission – in which Catholics hope to spread the Church’s word throughout the world.

Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson

Reuters A mid-crop of Cardinal Peter Turkson looking solemnly ahead while wearing traditional religious robes along with others outside St. Peter's Basilica in April 2019.

Nationality: Ghanaian

Age: 76

If chosen by his peers, the influential Cardinal Turkson would likewise have the distinction of being the first African pope for 1,500 years.

Like Cardinal Ambongo, he has claimed not to want the job. “I’m not sure whether anyone does aspire to become a pope,” he told the BBC in 2013.

Asked if Africa had a good case to provide the next pope based on the Church’s growth on the continent, he said he felt the pope shouldn’t be chosen based on statistics, because “those types of considerations tend to muddy the waters”.

He was the first Ghanaian to be made a cardinal, back in 2003 under Pope John Paul II.

Like Cardinal Tagle, Cardinal Turkson was considered a potential pope a decade later, when Francis was chosen. In fact, bookmakers made him the favourite ahead of voting.

A guitarist who once played in a funk band, Cardinal Turkson is known for his energetic presence.

Like many cardinals from Africa, he leans conservative. However, he has opposed the criminalisation of gay relationships in African countries including his native Ghana.

In a BBC interview in 2023, while Ghana’s parliament was discussing a bill imposing harsh penalties on LGBTQ+ people, Turkson said he felt homosexuality should not be treated as an offence.

In 2012, he was accused of making fear-mongering predictions over the spread of Islam in Europe at a Vatican conference of bishops, for which he later apologised.

Peter Erdo

Nationality: Hungarian

Age: 72

A cardinal since the age of 51, Peter Erdo is highly regarded in the Church in Europe, having twice led the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences from 2006 to 2016.

He is well known among African cardinals and he has worked on Catholic relations with the Orthodox Church.

The archbishop of Budapest and primate of Hungary grew up in a Catholic family under communism, and he is considered a potential compromise candidate.

Erdo played a prominent role in Pope Francis’s two visits to Hungary in 2021 and 2023, and he was part of the conclaves that elected Francis and his predecessor Pope Benedict.

His conservative views on the family have found favour with some parts of the Church and he has navigated the “illiberal democracy” of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. During Europe’s migrant crisis in 2015, he said the Church would not take in migrants as it was tantamount to human trafficking.

Angelo Scola

Nationality: Italian

Age: 83

Only cardinals under 80 can vote in the conclave, but Angelo Scola could still be elected.

The former Archbishop of Milan was a frontrunner in 2013 when Francis was chosen, but he is thought to have fallen victim to the adage of entering the conclave as Pope and leaving as cardinal.

His name has resurfaced ahead of the conclave, because of a book he is publishing this week on old age. The book features a preface written by Pope Francis shortly before he was admitted to hospital in which he said “death is not the end of everything, but the beginning of something”.

Francis’s words show genuine affection for Scola, but the college of cardinals might not see his focus on old age as ideal for a new pope.

Reinhard Marx

Nationality: German

Age: 71

Germany’s top Catholic cleric is also very much a Vatican insider too.

The Archbishop of Munich and Freising was chosen as an adviser when Francis became pope in 2013. For 10 years he advised the Pope on Church reform and still oversees financial reform of the Vatican.

He has advocated a more accommodating approach towards homosexuals or transgender people in Catholic teaching.

But in 2021 he offered to resign over serious mistakes in tackling child sexual abuse in Germany’s Catholic Church. That resignation was rejected by Francis.

Two years ago he left the Council of Cardinals, the Pope’s most important advisory body, in what was seen in Germany as a setback for his career in the Church.

Marc Ouellet

Nationality: Canadian

Age: 80

Cardinal Ouellet has twice before been seen as a potential candidate for Pope, in 2005 and 2013.

For years he ran the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, which chooses candidates for the episcopate around the world, so he has played a significant and formative role in vetting the future members of the Catholic hierarchy.

As another octogenarian, he will not be able to play a part in the conclave itself, which may hinder his chances.

Ouellet is viewed as a conservative with a modern outlook, who is strongly in favour of maintaining the principle of celibacy for priests.

He opposes the ordination of women priests, but he has called for a greater role for women in running the Catholic Church, saying that “Christ is male, the Church is feminine”.

Robert Prevost

Getty Images US cardinal Robert Francis Prevost attends the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Peter's Basilica on April 19, 2025

Nationality: American

Age: 69

Could the papacy go to an American for the first time?

Chicago-born Cardinal Prevost is certainly seen as having many of the necessary qualities for the role.

Two years ago Pope Francis chose Prevost to replace Marc Ouellet as prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, handing him the task of selecting the next generation of bishops.

He worked for many years as a missionary in Peru before being made an archbishop there.

Prevost is not just considered an American, but as someone who headed the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

He is seen a reformer, but at 69 might be viewed as too young for the papacy. His period as archbishop in Peru was also clouded by allegations of covering up sexual abuse claims, which were denied by his diocese.

Robert Sarah

Nationality: Guinean

Age: 79

Well-liked by conservatives in the Church, Cardinal Sarah is known for his adherence to doctrine and traditional liturgy and was often considered opposed to Pope Francis’s reformist leanings.

The son of a fruit-picker, Sarah became the youngest archbishop aged 34 when Pope John Paul II appointed him prelate in Conakry in Guinea.

He has had a long and impressive career, retiring in 2021 as head of the Vatican’s office that oversees the Catholic Church’s liturgical rites.

While not considered a favourite for the papacy, he could attract strong support from conservative cardinals.

Pierbattista Pizzaballa

Nationality: Italian

Age: 60

Ordained in Italy when he was 25, Pizzaballa moved to Jerusalem the following month and has lived there ever since.

Pope Francis made him Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem five years ago and later cardinal, and Pizzaballa has spoken of the city as “the heart of the life of this world”.

Fellow cardinals will have been impressed by his deep understanding of Israelis and Palestinians and the ongoing war in Gaza.

However, his relative young age and inexperience as a cardinal may count against him, as could his affinity to Francis among cardinals seeking a change in direction.

Michael Czerny

Nationality: Canadian

Age: 78

Cardinal Czerny was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis and is like him a Jesuit, a leading order of the Catholic Church known for its charitable and missionary work around the world.

Although he was born in the former Czechoslovakia, his family moved to Canada when he was two.

He has worked widely in Latin America and in Africa, where he founded the African Jesuit Aids Network and taught in Kenya.

Czerny is popular with progressives in the Church and was considered close to Pope Francis. He is currently head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Human Integral Development.

Although a strong candidate, it seems unlikely the cardinals would choose a second Jesuit pope in succession.

Source: BBC

26, April 2025

Pope Francis going home to rest! ⁰

Pope Francis’ funeral has taken place in the Vatican, and his coffin has arrived at the church in Rome where he’ll be buried –

Pope Francis “touched minds and hearts” and wanted to “build bridges, not walls”, said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who led the service

Dozens of leaders and dignitaries – including Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, and Prince William – joined an estimated 250,000 mourners, with 50,000 inside St Peter’s Square itself

Trump and Zelensky met inside St Peter’s Basilica before the funeral – the White House called the 15-minute talk “very productive” – and are due to meet again today

The Ukrainians also released a picture of Trump and Zelensky in conversation with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron

Source: BBC

25, April 2025

Rwanda and DR Congo set May 2 deadline for peace deal ⁰

Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday set a goal of reaching a draft peace agreement by May 2 and vowed to respect each other’s sovereignty following sweeping rebel gains.

The top diplomats of Rwanda, which has faced criticism for backing the M23 rebels, and DR Congo, which has seen major cities fall in its turbulent but mineral-rich east, signed a declaration in Washington in the presence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The foreign ministers “commit to coordinate through existing channels to generate an initial draft peace agreement for the Participants’ mutual review no later than May 2”, it said.

The two countries “mutually acknowledge each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and commit to a pathway to resolve their disputes by peaceful means grounded in diplomacy and negotiation rather than hostile force or rhetoric”, the declaration said.

Without naming the M23 rebels explicitly, the statement said that both countries acknowledged concerns of the other and would “refrain from providing state military support to non-state armed groups”.

The two sides also said they would establish a “joint security coordination mechanism to counter non-state armed groups”.

In a surprise announcement Wednesday, the DRC and M23 rebels said they had agreed to halt fighting in the east of the country while they work toward a permanent truce.

Thousands have been killed in a conflict that has raged along the border of the two countries since January.

UN experts, the United States and other Western governments say that Rwanda supports the M23. Rwanda denies providing military support to the M23.

A new US envoy for Africa – businessman Massad Boulos, who is the father-in-law of President Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany – visited both capitals this month and has called for Rwanda to halt support and withdraw “all Rwandan troops from DRC territory”.

Qatar, which has worked with Washington on a range of thorny diplomatic issues, spearheaded talks between Rwanda and the DRC.

The DRC has sought US support in part by offering to reach its own agreement with the United States on access to critical minerals found in the country that are vital for advanced technologies.

The joint declaration said the two sides expected “significant investments” facilitated by the US government and US private sector.

It said that the two countries would work with the United States on areas including mineral value chains and hydropower development.

Rwanda says its security in the eastern DRC is threatened by armed groups, notably the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, created by former Hutu leaders linked to the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda.

The M23 consists mostly of Tutsis.

Source: AFP

25, April 2025

Botswana president rebukes Biya, other African leaders clinging to power ⁰

Botswana President Duma Boko has condemned leaders who attempt to extend their presidential terms beyond the established limits, boldly stating that such leaders are failures. His remarks came during the ground-breaking ceremony of the Bonno Target 3 000 project in Gaborone on Wednesday, where he also launched a new initiative aimed at addressing the country’s housing needs.

The Bonno Target 3 000 project will begin with the construction of 3,000 housing units across selected urban and peri-urban areas, aimed at addressing the growing demand for affordable housing in the country. However, it was Boko’s strong stance on leadership tenure that dominated headlines after the ceremony.

Boko emphasised the importance of knowing when to step aside from power, stating unequivocally that any president who seeks to hold office for more than 10 years is fundamentally failing in their role.

“I will say to you today that any president of any country who wants to be president for more than 10 years, anybody who has that ambition, is instantly a failure,” Boko remarked. “You can’t want to do this job for more than 10 years. If you take the job seriously, you can’t do it for more than 10 years.”

Boko’s comments are a sharp critique of the numerous African leaders who have clung to power for decades, often facing widespread criticism for their inability to step down despite their extended tenures. He added that any attempt to extend a presidential term was a clear sign of failure and a lack of understanding of the job’s demands.

“And anybody who sticks with the presidency for more than 10 years, that’s a sure-fire indication that he has failed. He does not understand the job,” Boko said.

His remarks come amid growing concerns about the longevity of several African leaders. Presidents such as Paul Biya of Cameroon, who has led for over 50 years, Teodoro Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea with 45 years in power, and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled for nearly 40 years, continue to dominate the political landscape in their respective countries.

Source – newsday

24, April 2025

Man Utd strike agreement with Cameroon wonderkid ⁰

Manchester United have reportedly struck an agreement for Le Havre’s Enzo Kana-Biyik, who is set to become Ruben Amorim’s first summer signing.

According to French outlet L’Équipe, United are preparing to complete the signing of Kana-Biyik, a teenage striker who has impressed with Le Havre’s reserves. Known for his physical attributes, the 18-year-old forward has built a reputation for being strong in duels while also displaying surprising agility and quick movement for his stature. Despite not yet featuring for Le Havre’s senior side, his performances have consistently drawn the eyes of scouts, and United have acted decisively to beat out competition for his signature.

Kana-Biyik is no stranger to footballing pedigree. He hails from a family with deep roots in the sport – his father, André Kana-Biyik, represented Cameroon at the international level, while his brother, Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik, also earned caps for the national team.

With such a legacy behind him, expectations are already high, and Manchester United will be hoping he can follow in the footsteps of another famous alumnus from Le Havre – Paul Pogba. The World Cup winner made the leap from the same youth setup to United at the age of 16, and the club appears to be following a similar path with Kana-Biyik.

Kana-Biyik was not short of options, with both Monaco and Marseille also attempting to woo the young striker. He was even invited to visit OM’s prestigious Commanderie training centre as part of their recruitment pitch. However, it is believed that United’s long-term development plan, combined with Amorim’s personal interest in his progression, convinced the player and his representatives that England was the right destination.

Rather than fast-tracking the teenager directly into the senior setup at Old Trafford, United have a measured approach in mind. The club, in coordination with INEOS – the ownership group behind both Manchester United and FC Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland – plans to send Kana-Biyik on loan to the Swiss side next season. Lausanne, playing in the Swiss top flight, provides a platform for Kana-Biyik to transition from youth football to senior competition without the immediate pressure that would come from Premier League demands.

Source: Goal.com

24, April 2025

Ambazonia Crisis: Pope Francis enduring call for peace, now a legacy ⁰

Since assuming leadership of the Roman Catholic Church three years before the 2016 outbreak of the security crisis in Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest regions, Pope Francis has consistently advocated for a return to peace in the troubled area.

Following a 2023 pastoral visit to the Vatican, Archbishop Andrew Nkea of Bamenda, President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, detailed to international press the Catholic Church’s ongoing efforts, under Pope Francis’s direction, to resolve the conflict.

Archbishop Nkea’s statements highlighted the Church’s leading role in seeking a resolution. The Church provides aid to displaced persons, distributing food, shelter, and other necessities through diocesan Caritas organizations, with support from benefactors.

Additionally, the Church has attempted to mediate between the government and separatist factions operating both within Cameroon and abroad. The Church has consistently opposed the use of child soldiers and has emphasized the importance of maintaining open schools, stressing that education is vital for children’s future and the nation’s development.

Beyond institutional actions, Pope Francis has frequently made public pronouncements on the conflict. In September 2019, he expressed solidarity with the Cameroonian people, calling for prayers for a national dialogue aimed at resolving the crisis. He emphasized the need for “peaceful, just, and lasting solutions.”

In October 2020, following a school shooting in Kumba that resulted in student fatalities, Pope Francis condemned the crime as a “cruel and senseless act.” He called for an end to violence and the protection of children’s rights to education and a secure future. In January 2021, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin visited Cameroon to reiterate Pope Francis’s commitment to peace and reconciliation. After meeting with President Paul Biya, Cardinal Parolin conveyed the Pope’s support for peace initiatives.

“I am here to show the attention and solidarity of the Holy Father Francis towards Cameroon, especially at this time when it is experiencing a socio-political conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions. We wish for peace to return to these regions,” Cardinal Parolin stated on the steps of the Unity Palace.

Pope Francis has consistently underscored the Catholic Church’s dedication to resolving the conflict. In 2022, during the national pilgrimage of Cameroonian bishops and faithful to the Marian shrine of Marianberg, he called for the restoration of “true and lasting peace” in Cameroon.

Like Moses, who did not see the Promised Land, Pope Francis departs without witnessing the peace he fervently prayed for in Cameroon.

Source: Sbbc

23, April 2025

Vatican: More than 20,000 gather as mourners file past Pope Francis’s open coffin ⁰

Pope Francis’s body has been moved from his residence in the Vatican to lie in state at St Peter’s Basilica

Mourners are now filing past the coffin.

The open coffin will stay in front of the Papal Altar during the three days of public mourning

Bells rang and people applauded as the procession made its way through St Peter’s Square

The Pope died on Monday morning – his funeral will take place on Saturday, attended by leaders from around the world.

As many as 20,000 pilgrims gathered at St Peter’s Square today to witness the procession of Pope Francis’s body, according to reports by Vatican media.

Many of those who witnessed the service in the square will likely also join the queue to see the Pope lying in state.

The transfer of the Pope’s coffin to St Peter’s Basilica began at 09:00 local time (08:00 BST) on Wednesday, following a prayer ceremony in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, where the Pope lived.

The procession was led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo. He is the person who runs the Vatican after the death or resignation of a pope.

Source: BBC

23, April 2025

Hajj 2025: Atanga Nji visits Ethiopian Airlines ⁰

Minister of Territorial Administration of Cameroon and President of the Cameroon Hajj Committee Paul Atanga Nji, along with his delegation visited Ethiopian Airlines’ state-of-the-art facilities.

During his visit, Paul Atanga Nji and his delegation held fruitful discussions with Ethiopian Airline Group CEO Mesfin Tasew and members of the Executive Management, according to Ethiopian Group.

During the occasion, Ethiopian Airlines reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to serving Hajj pilgrims from Cameroon, as well its regular flight services to Yaoundé and Douala.