Category: News

football: nantes to play behind closed doors following toulouse match incidents The French Football League’s disciplinary board has ruled on the pitch invasion that cut short the final Liga 1 clash between FC Nantes and Toulouse, imposing a one-game stadium closure for the Canaries next term. The disciplinary committee of France’s top football division has delivered its verdict on the chaotic finale at Stade de la Beaujoire. With FC Nantes already relegated to Ligue 2, ultras stormed the pitch within minutes of kick-off after learning their team’s fate had been…

On the heels of the 36th anniversary of student activist Dabo Boukary’s assassination under former president Blaise Compaoré, Burkina Faso’s military-led government has moved against the country’s largest student federation. The Union générale des étudiants burkinabè (Ugeb) accused the regime of capitaine Ibrahim Traoré of failing to deliver on its security promises, despite the junta’s takeover in a 2022 coup. In the days following the Ugeb’s public statement, unidentified individuals in plain clothes conducted what the association described as heavy-handed and illegal arrests of several members, including the union’s president.…

Nantes handed empty-stadium ban after pitch invasion against Toulouse Football Disciplinary sanctions The Ligue de Football Professionnel disciplinary committee imposed a one-match closed-door sanction on FC Nantes following crowd disturbances during the final Ligue 1 fixture against Toulouse. FC Nantes has narrowly avoided point deductions as it prepares for its Ligue 2 campaign. The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) disciplinary committee confirmed a full match played behind closed doors at the Beaujoire stadium. Additionally, the Loire stand will remain shuttered for two further home games. The committee also ratified the…

The OGC Nice faces a critical moment as the French Football Federation (FFF) upholds its decision to play the Ligue 1 playoff return against AS Saint-Étienne behind closed doors. This sanction follows unrest during the team’s recent match against FC Metz on May 17, which has now escalated into a severe penalty for the club. The FFF’s Superior Appeals Committee has not only confirmed the initial closure sanction but has also intensified it. The Nice-based club will now play two full matches without spectators, with a third match under partial…

The arrest of imam Mohamed Kindo in Burkina Faso has ignited fierce debate over a controversial government bill aimed at regulating religious practices in the country. The incident follows similar cases in recent weeks, including the detention of imam Mahmoud Barro in Bobo Dioulasso and the mysterious death of cyber-activist Mahamadi Baguian during police custody in Ouagadougou. Controversial legislation fuels unrest The proposed law, adopted by the Council of Ministers on March 19, seeks to restrict religious freedom by banning worship practices in public spaces such as government offices, hospitals,…

What we know about the arrest of Sunni imam Mohamed Ishaq Kindo A dramatic arrest has sent shockwaves through Burkina Faso. Influential Sunni imam and preacher Mohamed Ishaq Kindo was detained in Ouagadougou on Tuesday, May 26, by masked security forces and taken to an undisclosed location. The move came just two days after Kindo publicly criticized a new religious freedoms bill adopted on March 19, according to associates and Muslim organizations close to him. The Federation of Islamic Associations of Burkina Faso (FAIB) issued a statement within hours of…

Burkina Faso: what we know about the arrest of influential imam Mohamad Ishaq Kindo Photo credit, YouTube screenshot Arrested just days before Eid al-Adha, influential Sunni imam Mohamad Ishaq Kindo has become the latest religious figure to face state action in Burkina Faso. The prominent cleric was taken into custody on May 26 in Ouagadougou by masked security personnel—police and military—after delivering sharp criticism of the new religious freedoms law adopted on March 19. According to a statement released by the Federation of Islamic Associations of Burkina Faso (FAIB), Kindo,…

A recent decree from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) has plunged three communities in Burkina Faso’s Sourou province into a profound humanitarian emergency. With a stark forty-eight-hour ultimatum to vacate their homes, the residents of Sia, Konga, and Kwarémenguel faced an immediate threat of retribution, leading to a mass exodus towards perceived safer areas. This latest wave of forced displacement, occurring just before the significant Tabaski celebration, tragically underscores the escalating and alarming deterioration of security across the Boucle du Mouhoun region and throughout the…

Mali: former minister Hamma Ag Mahmoud joins Imam Dicko’s coalition Journalist Hamma Ag Mahmoud served as Mali’s Minister of Labor and Civil Service from 1986 to 1988 under the military regime of General Moussa Traoré. Later, he held prefect positions across key Malian regions including Sikasso, Koulikoro, Ségou, Gao, and Tombouctou. During the 2012 rebellion, he joined the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), contributing to the 2015 peace agreement with the Malian government. ‘Political class has failed’ Based in Mauritania since 2011, Hamma Ag Mahmoud has now…

Édouard Dahome appointed Minister of Energy, Water and Mines in Benin The Republic of Benin has just taken a historic step in its political evolution, marked by a name that resonates deeply in Guadeloupe: Édouard Dahome. Born in Basse-Terre, this engineer from the prestigious French École Polytechnique and former EDF executive has been named to head Benin’s Ministry of Energy, Water and Mines within the new government led by President Romuald Wadagni, successor to Patrice Talon. A bridge between Africa and the Caribbean Dahome’s appointment goes far beyond a simple…

Compelling visual evidence has emerged, indicating the deployment of cluster munitions within Mali. This development raises serious questions regarding conflict practices in the region. By Aïcha Abdou — Senior correspondent