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♦️ Breaking & exclusive stories, analysis, opinions 👉 About Africa in other languages: Amharic: @sputnik_ethiopia French: @sputnik_afrique 💬 Contact us https://t.me/Africa_Sputnik_bot
Partnership, Not Exploitation—Russia’s Vision for Africa’s Energy Future
Energy independence in Africa is crucial but requires time, investment, and cooperation. Andrey Kortunov of the Russian International Affairs Council says Russia is ready to help, sharing its know-how and technology to support sustainable development.
Unlike many Western companies focused on exporting raw resources, Russia aims to boost Africa’s domestic energy demand and infrastructure, he told Sputnik Africa. With extensive experience in national energy systems, Russia offers a model from which African nations can benefit.
🤍 Moreover, Russia seeks multilateral cooperation through platforms like BRICS to help fund and organize regional consortia for energy efficiency across Africa.
🇮🇷🇮🇱 Global Stakes in the Middle East Crisis: Kortunov warns that if Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices may soar—hurting the global economy despite short-term gains for exporters. He calls for de-escalation between Israel and Iran to ensure stable, fair energy distribution.
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2,000 Burkinabe Volunteers Trained to Defend Their Homeland & Contribute to Food Self-Sufficiency
2,000 young farmers, aged 18 to 40 and hailing from 80 communes, were honored on Monday in the town of Badnogo, according to local media.
📚 They underwent a three-month training course as part of the presidential initiative for agricultural production.
The program covered:
🟠cereal farming,
🟠tree cultivation,
🟠market gardening,
🟠fish farming,
🟠agricultural entrepreneurship,
🟠product processing,
🟠weapon handling.
👉 The program provides each trainee with one hectare on a 12.5-hectare site equipped with irrigation boreholes for year-round farming, Inoussa Ouédraogo, the initiative's technical coordinator, explained. After completing training, participants will receive seeds and fertilizers to help settle in these hectares.
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🚨 IRGC official: The ninth wave of Iranian retaliatory strikes with drones and missiles has begun and will continue until dawn, as quoted by Fars News.
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Tattered Cash Deepens Gaza’s Economic Woes: A Crisis of Liquidity
Amid Gaza’s dire economic and humanitarian situation, a liquidity crisis is worsening due to the constant circulation of cash, which is gradually becoming unusable. As a result, many vendors refuse to accept worn-out bills, further deteriorating conditions for locals.
Sputnik spoke with residents and an individual who, for a small fee, repairs damaged currency.
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RFI and France 24 Banned From Broadcasting in Togo for Three Months
The media outlets are accused of disseminating "inaccurate and biased statements" following protests that occurred in early June.
According to Togo’s High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication, "several recent broadcasts" have "undermined the stability of republican institutions and the country’s image."
The HAAC further states that this measure "follows repeated violations, previously noted and formally addressed, regarding impartiality, rigor, and fact-checking."
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A Total of 25 African Nations Face Potential US Travel Restrictions Under Expanded Ban
These countries include: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, DRC, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, S. Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
A State Department memo reviewed by The Washington Post cites concerns such as:
🟥Weak civil documentation systems;
🟥High visa overstay rates;
🟥Alleged fraud and poor cooperation with US authorities.
Affected governments have been given 60 days to meet new security and identification benchmarks. Failing to do so could lead to full or partial travel bans.
This potential move marks a renewed push by the Trump administration to tighten immigration controls, drawing criticism from rights groups and lawmakers who say the ban disproportionately targets African and Caribbean nations.
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Traore Committed to Human Training & Local Processing as Keys to Sustainable Development
During his visit to Manga on Sunday, the Burkinabe president emphasized the importance of self-confidence and courage.
His strategy focuses on five main areas:
🟠Local Processing: No more raw cotton exports! Traore aims to produce yarn, medical cotton, and other derivatives locally. He criticized the low purchase price for raw cotton, which is then sold for thousands of francs after processing.
🟠Vocational Training: He plans to create laboratories and technical rooms to train technicians, women, and young people in manufacturing agricultural equipment and industrial skills.
🟠Regional Industry: Each region will have its own industrial zone, leveraging its unique characteristics to reduce costs and boost local economies.
🟠Access to Isolation: By 2026, the Faso Mêbo initiative will ensure that each region has a road construction brigade, employing local workers.
🟠Access to Water: The government will build dams, drill over 1,000 meters deep, and rehabilitate water reservoirs to support agriculture.
Traore believes that Burkina's future lies in self-confidence and breaking free from colonial patterns.
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❗️ Some 50 Israeli air force fighter jets attacked Iranian nuclear facilities in Tehran overnight, IDF says
Israel attacked more than 720 military targets in Iran in three days, the Jewish state's defense force stated.
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📹 Air defenses are also active in Iranian cities of Tabriz, Maragheh, Mahabad, Isfahan and Khorramabad.
Air defense systems can be heard working intensely in at least seven Iran's provinces, Tasnim reports.
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Zimbabwe's Delegation to Russia's SPIEF Forum Will Include Almost the Entire Cabinet of Ministers
🇿🇼 The delegation, led by Foreign Minister Amon Murwira, will take part in the events of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), the Russian embassy in Harare told media.
Harare aims to build a strong alliance with Russia, focusing on cooperation in mining, agriculture, energy, education, and defense, the embassy noted.
Key details on SPIEF 2025
⦁ Date: June 18 to 21
⦁ Theme: "Shared Values: the Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World;"
⦁ Attendance: Confirmed representatives from over 137 countries and territories.
ℹ️ SPIEF is one of the biggest and most important business events in the world. It serves as a platform for addressing evolving global challenges and shaping solutions to adapt the global economy to new realities.
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Trump is Complicit in Act of War Against Iran, US Journalist Carlson Says
The president hopes Israel's attacks against Tehran will help the ongoing nuclear talks with Iran, Tucker Carlson suggested in his morning newsletter.
The possibility of holding the next round of US-Iran talks is currently "up in the air," he noted.
"While the American military may not have physically perpetrated the assault, years of funding and sending weapons to Israel, which Donald Trump just bragged about on Truth Social, undeniably place the US at the center of last night’s events," the newsletter read.
🚨Tel-Aviv in the aftermath of Iranian missile strike.
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Israeli Strikes on Iran Risk Unleashing an Apocalyptic Regional War, Expert Says
The Middle East, already shaken by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is facing an "almost inevitable escalation," political scientist Abdelhak Najib told Sputnik Africa.
"This is a double-edged game because Iran could enter into direct war with Israel. And Iran is definitely not an easy opponent to eliminate. […] It could also inflict severe damage upon Israel and the entire region," he noted.
"The White House was informed, the Pentagon knew, the intelligence services knew. […] They [Israel] simply wanted to inform their traditional ally. Now, would the US have wanted to prevent these attacks? Frankly, I don't think so," the scientist explained.
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Major World Events by Morning of June 17
🟠Iran struck the headquarters of the Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service, in Herzliya, Iranian media reported;
🟠A major gold deposit was discovered in Côte d'Ivoire;
🟠Sergey Shoigu, the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, arrived in Pyongyang for the third time this year as part of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Russia and North Korea;
🟠The Israeli military announced the elimination of Ali Shadmani, the new commander of Khattam al-Anbiya's central headquarters;
🟠The Guinean president is traveling to Côte d'Ivoire on Tuesday to discuss unity and pan-Africanism;
🟠Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, Mauritania, Algeria, Libya, Chad, Djibouti, the Comoros, and Gambia are among the Arabic-speaking countries that have called for the creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East;
🟠The Ukrainian military used HIMARS to strike the center of Donetsk, where civilians were present;
🟠The main outcome of the G7 meeting was the recognition of the multi-billion dollar damage caused by anti-Russian sanctions against Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.
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🚨📹 Sputnik correspondent films Iranian air defense repelling an attack on Tehran
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🚨 Tasnim News shows footage of Iranian missiles flying over the West Bank toward Israel.
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Ethiopia Urged to Prioritize Digital Content and Power Distribution to Unlock DPI Benefits
At the 20th "About Ethiopia" panel organized by the Ethiopian Press Agency, key sector leaders emphasized that Ethiopia must shift from building infrastructure to optimizing its use—particularly in the digital and energy sectors.
Key Takeaways:
🟠Digital Infrastructure: From Access to Impact
🟠Telecom Reach: 92M people connected; 52M internet users; 99% geographic coverage.
🟠Advanced Networks: Over 700 cities have 4G, and 25 cities have 5G.
🟠Call to Action: Ethiotelecom CEO Frehiwot Tamiru emphasized that digital infrastructure is underutilized without local content to drive productivity and economic value.
🟠Energy Sector: Fixing the Grid Before Building More
🟠Current Status: No power shortage, but outdated distribution systems cause 15% energy loss.
🟠Access Gap: Only 60% of the population has electricity, with rural areas lagging behind.
🟠Regional Diplomacy: Ethiopia supplies electricity to Sudan, Kenya, and Djibouti—sometimes without payment—as part of a regional strategy.
🟠Urgency: Focus must shift to modernizing the grid and expanding access, not just building new dams.
Photos: EPA
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#viral | Traffic Lights Melt Under Scorching Sun in Northern Kazakhstan
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Second Group of SA National Defense Force Soldiers Returns from DRC Deployment
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❗️ Trump is extremely skeptical about the idea of drawing the US into the conflict between Israel and Iran, CNN reported
Washington's intervention, according to the channel, could lead to "an exhausting, endless war with no clear end goal."
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🚨🇮🇱 BREAKING: Iranian missiles reportedly hit Ben Gurion airport
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AfDB Chief Lauds Progress on Major Infrastructure Projects in Tanzania's Capital
👉On Saturday, during an inspection tour with President Samia Suluhu Hassan, African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina visited Msalato International Airport in Dodoma, which is funded by the AfDB.
🛬 Adesina called the airport a "flagship investment" that will enhance Tanzania's air connectivity, trade, tourism, and regional integration. Spanning 4,500 hectares, it will be Tanzania's second largest, handling up to 1.5 million passengers annually.
👉The AfDB head also inspected the 112.3-kilometer Dodoma City Outer Ring Road, constructed by Chinese firms. He described both projects as "transformational developments" that will enhance domestic and international connectivity through reliable infrastructure.
President Hassan thanked the AfDB for its support, emphasizing the projects' potential to drive significant economic growth, trade, and tourism in Tanzania.
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🇳🇬Nigeria Condemns Israel's Attack on Iran, Appeals for 'Utmost Restraint' of Both for Regional, Global Peace
As both sides continue their attacks on Saturday and report casualties and fatalities, Nigeria stated that Israel’s "preemptive strike" on Iran has led to an escalation of hostilities.
“Nigeria expresses its grave concern and calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and urges both parties to exercise utmost restraint in the interest of regional and global peace,” the foreign ministry said. "The continued cycle of retaliation not only endangers civilian lives but threatens to plunge the broader Middle East into further instability, with implications for international security and economic development.”
❗️ The Israeli army reported the elimination of nine key nuclear scientists and experts in Iran who were involved in the development of the nuclear program
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🇮🇷|🇺🇸 Iran says nuclear talks with US 'MEANINGLESS' after Israel attack
"The [US] acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless. You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time divide work by allowing the Zionist regime to target Iran's territory," Tasnim news quoted foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying.
🚨 The IDF has detected missile launches from Iranian territory, and air defense systems have been activated to intercept them.
Iranian missiles have been launched toward Israel, Iranian media says.
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Iran-Israel Conflict Has Not Only Military Effects, But Also Economic, Moroccan Political Scientist Says
The Israeli strikes on Iran could have "direct consequences" on rising gas and oil prices, Abdelhak Najib warned in an interview with Sputnik Africa.
"The Persian Gulf is one of the world's key routes for oil supply, and one of the most productive regions in terms of crude oil and natural gas," he pointed out.
What is known for now about Israel's strikes on Iran
▪️Soon after first reports of explosions in Iran this night, the Israeli military stated that it was attacking dozens of targets across the country. Strikes allegedly connected to the development of the nuclear program of Iran as well as of military facilities.
▪️Houses in a residential complex in Tehran, where high-ranking military officials reside, were destroyed.
▪️There were also explosions at the Iranian nuclear facility in Natanz.
▪️Iranian media confirmed the death of a IRGC commander and three nuclear physicists.
▪️In the morning, it was reported that the head of the Iranian General Staff was killed as a result of Israeli attacks.
▪️The Supreme Leader of Iran stated that he gives "freedom of action" to the country's armed forces to respond to Israel's strikes.
▪️In anticipation of Iran's response, Israel's Minister of Defense declared a state of emergency.
▪️After launching the operation against Iran, the Israeli army ordered the call-up of thousands of reservists.
▪️In response to Israel's strikes on Iran, Trump convened a meeting with his cabinet.
▪️The US claims it did not participate or provide assistance to Israel.