Top World News
‘Watching us is like watching a cousin’: the online creators reshaping Africa’s news ecosphere
May 9, 2026 - World 
Africa is leading a change in news consumption habits – and transforming the lives of current affairs enthusiastsLast year Amahle-Imvelo Jaxa posted a TikTok video about South African peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She explained an argument that had erupted between the South African and Rwandan presidents, then listed roles different South African groups would play in a war with Rwanda: the Sotho strategists, the Xhosa negotiators, the Afrikaner muscle. The video went viral and she racked up 100,000 followers in three days.This breakout video enabled Jaxa to pivot from being a marketing and restaurant entrepreneur to a “professional yapper and current affairs enthusiast”, part of a group of content creators explaining the news to young South Africans who, like many of their global peers, are eschewing traditional news in favour of social media. Continue reading...
Bahamas election-day alcohol ban hits cruise passengers hard
May 9, 2026 - World 
Cruise passengers bound for the Bahamas next week are voicing frustration over a government-ordered alcohol ban that will take effect on election day -- and reaches private islands operated by major cruise lines that fall within Bahamian jurisdiction.
Guardian reporter and colleagues detained and beaten by Somali police
May 9, 2026 - World 
Mohamed Bulbul arrested in Mogadishu after covering case of woman allegedly being tortured in prisonA journalist who covered the case of a woman who said she was being tortured in prison was detained and beaten with pistols by Somali authorities, along with two others, for his reporting for the Guardian.Mohamed Bulbul was arrested with the journalists Abdihafid Nor Barre and Abdishakur Mohamed Mohamud on Friday evening while in a restaurant in the centre of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. They said they were assaulted by members of Somalia’s US-trained counter-terrorism police unit and taken to be questioned by police. All three were released in the early hours of Saturday morning. Continue reading...
Israeli drone strikes near Beirut kill 4 and southern airstrikes kill at least 13
May 9, 2026 - World 
Three Israeli drone strikes on vehicles just south of Beirut on Saturday killed four people while a series of airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 13, including a man and his 12-year-old daughter, state media and the Health Ministry said.
Fuel shortages and high prices push adoption of EVs in Africa, led by Ethiopia
May 9, 2026 - World 
Use of electric vehicles in Africa is surging, led by Ethiopia, as soaring prices and fuel shortages compel countries to opt for cleaner and cheaper transport
