Author: Tosin Onisuuru

Baltasar Engonga Ebang, former head of Equatorial Guinea’s National Investment Fund (ANIF), has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for a series of financial crimes, including embezzlement, illicit enrichment, and abuse of power. Engonga, who gained public notoriety in late 2024 after viral videos surfaced online showing him in compromising scenes with multiple women, is now at the center of one of the country’s most high-profile anti-corruption cases in years. Rapid Trial and Severe Charges The trial began on Monday, June 30, 2025, and concluded within three days. Prosecutors presented damning evidence linking Engonga to large-scale financial misconduct during…

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria has been named among the world’s most corrupt and criminally influential leaders in the 2024 edition of the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) “Persons of the Year” list. The annual ranking, curated by an international network of investigative journalists and anti-corruption advocates, aims to spotlight public officials whose actions have allegedly furthered corruption, impunity, and organized crime globally. This year’s process drew nominations and votes from citizens worldwide, with the OCCRP stating that the selection reflects “public interest and outrage at corruption.” Though Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was ultimately declared the OCCRP…

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A Ugandan military helicopter deployed under the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia crashed at Mogadishu’s international airport on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of five personnel, according to military spokesperson Felix Kulayigye. Three other occupants out of the eight on board survived the crash but suffered critical injuries and severe burns. The crash reportedly caused onboard munitions to explode, damaging nearby structures and injuring three civilians in the area. In a statement, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) confirmed that search and rescue operations were ongoing to recover the remaining crew and passengers. AUSSOM noted…

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Inkhosikati Nomcebo LaZuma, daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has allegedly fled the royal palace in eSwatini after spending only three months with her husband, King Mswati III. According to insiders, the young bride became emotionally distressed when the monarch, known for his polygamous lifestyle, shifted his attention to his other wives shortly after the wedding. Sources within the palace disclosed that Queen Nomcebo was initially given attention, as is customary for new wives in the Swazi royal household, but the affection reportedly faded quickly. This led to deep frustration, with the Queen said to have broken down…

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June 2025 has officially gone down as the hottest June ever recorded in Spain and Portugal, as a relentless and deadly heatwave sweeps across Europe, triggering wildfires, health emergencies, and mass evacuations. Spain’s national meteorological agency, Aemet, described the month as “exceptionally hot,” with temperatures surpassing those typically seen in July and August. In neighboring Portugal, the country’s weather service documented an extreme high of 46.6°C in the eastern town of Mora — a record-breaking temperature for the month of June. Across Europe, the heatwave’s effects have been devastating: Turkey has battled 263 wildfires in just three days, displacing over…

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The death toll from the tragic explosion and fire at Sigachi Industries’ chemical manufacturing plant in southern India has climbed to 39, officials confirmed on Tuesday. The incident, which occurred at the Telangana-based facility, has also left 34 people injured. In response, the pharmaceutical company has suspended all operations at the site for 90 days. The Telangana state government has formed a five-member investigative panel to determine the cause of the blast, which remains unknown at this time. GV Narayana Rao, head of the state’s fire and emergency services, said rescue efforts are ongoing. “We are still clearing the debris.…

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Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office amid an intensifying legal battle, marking a major setback for a government already grappling with political instability. The suspension follows a petition from 36 lawmakers who accused Paetongtarn of breaching ethical standards. At the center of the case is a leaked June 15 phone conversation between the Prime Minister and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. Intended to ease border tensions, the call instead sparked national outrage after it was made public, leading to sharp criticism and the withdrawal of a key political party from the ruling coalition. The fallout…

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Twangiza Mining SA, a gold mining company operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has accused the M23 rebel group, allegedly backed by Rwanda, of forcing its workers to labor without pay following the seizure of its mining site in South Kivu province. According to the company, M23 militants, who launched a rapid territorial expansion across North and South Kivu earlier this year, ordered Twangiza Mining to halt operations in May over alleged unpaid taxes. However, a new statement released by the company on Friday claims that its staff remain at the site under duress. Twangiza Mining, which identifies as…

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The African diaspora in the United Kingdom is mourning the heartbreaking loss of Irene Wanjiru Mbugua, a 48-year-old caregiver from Mataara, Gatundu North, Kenya, who was tragically killed while on duty on June 22, 2025. Ms. Mbugua, a devoted single mother of four, had moved to the UK two years ago in search of better opportunities. She worked tirelessly with a caregiving agency, known for her compassion, diligence, and unwavering dedication to her patients. Her tragic death occurred when a male patient she was caring for turned violent—an incident that has since prompted an active investigation by West Midlands Police.…

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A startling new map released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) reveals that in several sub-Saharan African countries, mosquito-borne diseases are responsible for more deaths each year than homicides and road traffic accidents combined. The map, colour-coded to visualize this deadly trend, highlights nations in red where diseases spread by mosquitoes—such as malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever—claim the most lives annually. Countries like Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Cameroon fall into this category, showing a significant public health crisis. According to WHO data, malaria alone killed an estimated 619,000 people in 2021, with over 90% of…

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