Pope Leo XIV has celebrated Mass in Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé, as he continues his 11-day tour across Africa.

A controversial “Sovereignty Protection Bill” under review in Uganda’s Parliament is raising alarm among critics who say it could have far-reaching and potentially severe consequences for ordinary citizens.

Excitement is building in Angola as crowds prepare to welcome Pope Leo XIV to the capital, Luanda, during his 11-day tour across four African nations.

The United Nations Security Council was briefed Friday on the worsening humanitarian conditions in South Sudan less than a week after opposition forces retook the strategic town of Akobo from government troops.

During a speech celebrating the 80th year anniversary of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Antonio Guterres warned that international law was falling apart before the world’s eyes.

A World Athletics panel has refused 11 athlete transfer requests to Turkey, over what it referred to as a ‘coordinated recruitment strategy’ from the country’s government.

Restrictions on several social media platforms that were noticed earlier in the week have now been lifted. Among the platforms were TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.

A ceasefire in Lebanon has brought a pause in fighting after weeks of war. Residents are returning to damaged homes as questions remain over how long the truce will hold.

In Europe, stocks surged in response to the news, with major indexes in France and Germany rising more than 2%. However, Asian markets, which closed before the announcement, ended the day lower.

US President Donald Trump thanked Tehran but said the naval blockade on Iran would stay in place until a peace deal is signed.

After being deported from the U.S., around 15 people touched down in Kinshasa early Friday, under agreement between the Congolese government and the Trump administration.

Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, 29, admitted in a Johannesburg court to illegally being in the country and pointing a firearm—but denied shooting and seriously injuring his gardener during an altercation in the upscale Hyde Park suburb.

The Iran war and resulting global energy shock are driving some countries in Africa and Asia to ramp up nuclear power generation.

At Mass in Doula he also told young people to reject every form of abuse or violence, and to always show hospitality and care for one another.

A group of three masked robbers held 25 people hostage during a bank heist in Naples on Thursday 16 April 2026 before escaping through a tunnel connected to the city’s sewer network, authorities said.

How do you guarantee a good turn out at a funeral? In Kenya, some families are hiring professional mourners to give their loved ones the ultimate send-off.

Germany is hosting the Affordable Art Fair Berlin from 16 to 19 April 2026. The event brings together dozens of galleries and focuses on artworks priced under €500, aiming to broaden access to contemporary art.

Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze is under investigation over allegations of fraud and breach of trust linked to a 2008 cultural festival for which he was one of the organisers.

Some 80 per cent of the country’s inhabitants are Catholic, but Leo is the first church leader to visit since Pope Jean-Paul II almost half a century ago.

Immigrants in Spain hoping to apply for the government’s amnesty are facing long lines as they race to gather their paperwork.

Netherlands opened its Keukenhof garden in Lisse for the 2026 spring season, welcoming visitors to an eight-week display featuring around seven million flowers.

Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s decomposed remains were found last September in an abandoned vehicle registered to him.

Cameroon saw thousands of faithful gather on Wednesday 16 April at Bamenda’s airfield, where Pope Leo XIV celebrated an open‑air Mass and called for a “decisive change of course” towards peace.

After years of criticism and lawsuits, Meta is ending a major contract with the Kenyan outsourcing company Sama. The move will see more than 1,100 people lose their jobs, Sama said in a statement.

Sub-Saharan African economies have demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of repeated global shocks, according to Abebe Aemro Selassie, Director of the African Department at the IMF.

US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, a truce that could boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel after weeks of devastating war.

South African opposition party leader Julius Malema was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday after he was convicted of breaking firearm laws by firing a rifle at a political rally in 2018.

Territorial Administration Minister Emile Zerbo said the latest dissolutions are part of efforts to enforce that law. He urged affected groups to comply with the regulations, warning that “any offender faces the penalties provided for under current regulations.”

Iran on Wednesday dismissed reports of an agreement with the United States to extend the temporary ceasefire between the two countries, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stressing that negotiations remain unresolved.

Worshippers presented offerings to the spirits of the sea off the coast of Pointe-Denis on Sunday.

The consequences are already being felt through rising energy costs, with Birol warning of “two big problems”: soaring prices and dwindling availability of key petroleum products.

Pope Leo XIV condemned an “endless cycle of destabilisation and death” as he visited Cameroon’s English-speaking northwest on Thursday.

Julius Malema was convicted in October last year unlawful possession of an assault rifle and firing it in the air at a 2018 rally.

Bodo is a one-man performance that draws on Ngano, a traditional Shona storytelling method, blending it with modern visual and audio elements to create an immersive experience. Through this fusion of tradition and contemporary theatre, Guzha seeks not only to entertain but to provoke reflection

After a strong 2025, African economies are facing a new threat: the war in the Middle East. The IMF now expects regional growth to slow to 4.3% this year. What’s different this time is that planners have tool kits to better absorb the shock

Gabon authorities have arrested main opposition leader and vocal government critic Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, his political party said Thursday.

It said the humanitarian and security situations in the Great Lakes region has worsened to a “worrisome level”, despite intensified diplomatic initiatives.

Back in Sudan, only 63% of health facilities remain operational, according to the World Health Organization, as disease outbreaks such as cholera spread rapidly. Attacks on healthcare workers and infrastructure have further crippled the system.

On April 2, Haiti’s government announced a 37% increase in the cost of diesel and a 29% increase in the cost of gasoline. With higher oil prices came a hike in the prices of essential food products

Russian strikes hit Kyiv’s Podilsky district, injuring dozens and damaging homes, as part of a wider wave of deadly attacks across Ukraine.