conflict

Domestic Petrol Prices Rise Amid Global Supply Concerns Initial hopes for a reduction in domestic petrol prices sparked by the International Energy Agency (IEA) announcing that oil-producing nations would ramp up production now appear to be short-lived. Just as expectations rose, the Iranian government's alarming statement regarding the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical global supply route—sent international oil prices surging again. This unexpected turn of events followed assurances of price cuts from…

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has announced an investigation into the March 6 missile attack on a Ghanaian peacekeeping base in Lebanon. This move comes in response to a formal complaint lodged by the Ghanaian government, which is demanding a thorough inquiry into the strike that injured four soldiers amidst the escalating conflict involving Israel, Iran, and the United States. The wounded peacekeepers received immediate medical treatment at a facility within the base before being evacuated to the UN Mission's…

Rising Violence in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Puts Civilians at Risk The United Nations has raised the alarm over escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), particularly in Ituri Province, warning that civilians face growing dangers and widespread displacement. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric noted that humanitarian agencies are "deeply concerned by the impact of continued violence on civilians." Recent clashes between armed groups have resulted in the deaths of at least 21 people…

Leaders in Iran, Israel and the United States vowed to press on as the Middle East war neared the two-week mark, with missile exchanges, mounting civilian deaths and fears of a prolonged shock to global energy supplies pushing oil to $100 a barrel. Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued his first remarks — read by a television presenter — pledging to keep the Strait of Hormuz shut and urging neighboring countries to close U.S. bases or risk being targeted. “I assure everyone that we will not neglect avenging the…

Six years after Cyclone Idai tore through central Mozambique, the port city of Beira still carries the imprint of that storm in both brick and belief. Cyclone Idai in 2019 killed more than 500 people in Mozambique and left thousands more homeless; in the past decade alone, 10 cyclones have claimed more than a thousand lives across the country. For many residents, the memory of Idai is not only a ledger of loss but a constant lens through which the next weather warning is viewed. Reporting by Sean Christie for the Bhekisisa…

Human Rights Watch Calls for Protection of Civilians Amid Rising Violence in Burkina Faso Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a strong plea to all parties entangled in the conflict in Burkina Faso, urging them to adhere to international law, specifically the Geneva Conventions. These conventions prohibit summary executions, attacks on civilians, and sexual violence. This appeal comes on the heels of harrowing reports indicating that militants have killed at least 38 civilians, abducted nine women, and destroyed property in…

SHALANBOOD, Somalia — The sand moves like a tide here, swallowing lanes, schools and low-slung homes on the edge of the Indian Ocean. Among the dunes, hundreds of farming families who fled Lower Shabelle’s contested villages are piecing together life in makeshift shelters, rationing water by the cup as fighting and failed rains erase the certainty of the past. Families from Mushani, Garilow and Barire streamed into the outskirts of Shalanbood in November after government forces and African Union troops clashed with Al-Shabab…

Iran is shifting the battlefield to the global economy: oil routes and cloud giants in the crosshairs The United States holds a decisive edge in conventional firepower. Iran knows it cannot match that force head-to-head. Instead, it is probing the seams of a system that keeps the world running—energy flows and digital infrastructure—and betting that economic disruption will shape the outcome of this war as much as any clash on land, sea or air. In recent days, Iranian threats to target ships have played out despite stern…

The Liberian government has urged its citizens to remain calm as diplomatic discussions are underway to address the escalating tensions along the Liberia-Guinea border. This call for tranquility comes in the wake of a significant incident that has raised concerns about national sovereignty and regional stability. Reports indicate that Guinean soldiers recently crossed into Liberian territory in Lofa County, where they prominently removed the Liberian flag and replaced it with their own at the Sorlumba Port of Entry. This…

Djibouti’s Red Sea dilemma: How the Middle East war could reroute trade and test a strategic hub PARIS — Tuesday, March 10, 2026 — The war in the Middle East is no longer just a battlefield story. It is a shock rippling through global trade routes and energy markets, with outsized consequences for small, strategic economies. At the mouth of the Red Sea, Djibouti’s position at Bab el-Mandeb has long been an asset. In a protracted crisis, it could become a vulnerability. This is a classic exposure problem. Djibouti has built a…