Author: Ewang Johnson
An audacious planIn May 1951, the Glasgow University students – Ian Hamilton, Kay Matheson, Gavin Vernon and Alan Stuart – confessed all in a BBC radio interview about just what had happened that night. It all began late on Christmas Eve, when the three men broke into the Abbey while Matheson waited outside in one of their two getaway cars. “The first thing we did was move away the barrier that keeps away the rest of the public from the stone,” recalled Vernon. They prised the stone from underneath the Coronation Chair and laid it on the floor. Ian Hamilton’s…
At the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, development partners urged a major scale-up in financing to accelerate delivery of the Great Green Wall’s 2030 targets—one of Africa’s most ambitious climate and land restoration efforts.Led by the African Union and supported by member states and global partners, the Great Green Wall aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land, sequester 250 million tonnes of carbon, and create 10 million jobs across 11 Sahelian countries, from Senegal to Djibouti. The initiative stands at the intersection of climate action, economic opportunity, and community resilience.“Support from countries and institutions…
The final meeting for the 17th Replenishment for the African Development Fund takes place in London on 15th and 16th December. For many African countries, the volume of funding that will be raised could well be a make or break issue, with ramifications not only on the continent but globally. On the 15th and 16th of December, officials from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and most – if not all – Africa’s traditional donors will meet to wind up a year of consultations and make pledges on the 17th Replenishment for the ADF. The African…
Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands announced they will boycott the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest after the organisers of the event declined to vote on the exclusion of Israel on Thursday. Ireland said it would be “unconscionable” to participate alongside Israel given the loss of life and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Source link
LAGOS, Nigeria, 11 December 2025-/African Media Agency (AMA)/-Under the distinguished patronage of the Office of the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and in partnership with the Presidential Committee on Economic & Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI), with the collaboration of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), the 2026 RegTech Africa Conference & Expo will convene global leaders in policy, finance, and technology from 20th to 22nd May 2026 at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja, Nigeria.Anchored on the theme, “BUILDING TRUST, INFRASTRUCTURE AND POLICY FOR A BORDERLESS ECONOMY,” the conference is positioned as a premier global platform for shaping the future of trusted digital financial systems,…
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado receives her Nobel Peace Prize, AI is named Person of the Year 2025 by Time magazine, and another massive protest in Bulgaria leads to the fall of the government. FRANCE 24 looks back at the week’s most striking images. Source link
Marriott International has made its debut in The Democratic Republic of the Congo with the openings of Protea Hotel by Marriott Kinshasa and Four Points by Sheraton Kinshasa. The launch of these two distinct hotels introduces globally recognised brands to Kinshasa, offering tailored experiences for business and leisure travellers in one of Africa’s most vibrant and strategically important capital cities. Set along the Congo River, Kinshasa is a dynamic hub for diplomacy, regional trade, and the arts. With a population of over 17 million, the city offers travellers a compelling mix of culture, commerce, and connectivity – from its lively music and…
French-Armenian guitarist Waxx has just released a new cover album “Etincelles 2”, which features collaborations with beloved French artists such as rapper MC Solaar and singer Jain, as well as up-and-coming musicians like Solann. He tells Marjorie Hache about this new record and his first book “Shuffle”, which explores the stories behind the songs. They also check out new music from Guns N’ Roses, Sampa The Great and Melody’s Echo Chamber. Source link
The seventh edition of the Art of Technology Lagos (AOT Lagos 7.0) brought together policymakers, founders, investors, researchers, government representatives, venture capitalists, startups and tech talent at the Landmark Event Centre for a day of strategic engagements on how emerging technologies can accelerate Lagos’ evolution as a leading technology hub in Africa.Held under the theme “Future Technologies & a Sustainable Lagos,” the conference reinforced AOT’s role as the city’s premier policy-innovation forum, spotlighting artificial intelligence, smart infrastructure, clean energy, digital governance and inclusive innovation.In his welcome address, Dr. Victor Gbenga Afolabi, Founder of Eko Innovation Centre and curator of Art…
Walt Disney and OpenAI agreed a three-year licensing deal on Thursday allowing users to generate short videos featuring Disney characters with artificial intelligence. It is the first time a major studio has permitted such broad generative-AI use of its protected characters, from Mickey Mouse to Marvel heroes and Star Wars icons. France24 correspondent Wassim Cornet reports the latest from Los Angeles. Source link