Day: July 19, 2026

FootballUEFA Champions League Lyon awaits crucial announcement on Champions League third qualifying round opponent Paulo Fonseca during Lyon’s pre-season preparation Olympique Lyonnais will learn this Monday at noon who they will face in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. The potential opponents include Union Saint-Gilloise, Sparta Prague, NEC Nijmegen, or the winner of Sturm Graz-Hearts. After suffering a surprise defeat to Slavia Prague (0-2) in their opening pre-season fixture in Herzogenaurach, Germany, Lyon will discover their Champions League opponent this Monday at midday. The third qualifying round…

Key challenges of Gabon’s president’s France visit unveiled The upcoming meeting between Gabon’s President Brice Oligui Nguema and his French counterpart in Paris centers on reviewing progress from the agreements signed in Libreville in November 2025 during Emmanuel Macron’s state visit, according to high-level diplomatic sources. For months, Libreville has been pushing for local processing of manganese, its key mineral resource extracted by Comilog—a subsidiary of the French group Eramet. Authorities have set a firm deadline: by January 2029, all exported manganese must undergo initial processing within Gabon. While Paris…

Ndélé, Central African Republic – A significant surge in recruitment efforts has been reported in Ndélé, where foreign personnel linked to a controversial security group have reportedly enrolled 1,000 young individuals in recent weeks. The development has raised concerns among local communities and observers monitoring the evolving security landscape in the region. Witnesses in Ndélé describe a coordinated campaign aimed at attracting young men, with promises of financial incentives and training opportunities. The recruitment drives, which have intensified over the past month, have drawn attention due to the involvement of…

Central African Republic: Wagner group expands recruitment drive in ndélé In a sweeping move that has raised concerns across the region, the Russian mercenary outfit Wagner Group has launched a large-scale recruitment campaign in Ndélé, targeting a thousand young men from local communities. The operation, unfolding in the heart of the Central African Republic, underscores the group’s growing influence in the nation’s volatile security landscape. Targeting youth amid ongoing instability The recruitment drive, confirmed by local sources, is taking place in and around Ndélé, a key town in the northern…

Unprecedented enlistment campaign raises concerns in Ndélé In a sweeping operation that has sent ripples through the region, 1,000 young men have been recruited in Ndélé, Central African Republic, by operatives linked to the Russian Wagner Group. The move, unfolding over recent weeks, marks one of the largest recruitment drives in the area since the deployment of foreign security forces began. Local residents report that teams of recruiters visited neighborhoods, schools, and public gathering spots, offering financial incentives and promises of training to those who sign up. The initiative has…

Chadian opposition leader calls for clemency for imprisoned activists In a bold move aimed at strengthening democratic principles, Ordjei Abderahim Chaha, President of the Rassemblement pour la Justice et l’Égalité au Tchad (RAJET), has urged President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno to show leniency toward detained leaders from the former GCAP coalition and the Transformateurs party. In a strongly worded open letter, the political figure emphasized that keeping these opposition figures behind bars « casts a bitter shadow over Chadian democracy » and undermines public trust in the justice system. He…