United States Launches Renewed Attacks on Iran

Aggressive actions take place proving that Washington is not serious about a permanent settlement with Tehran while the Israeli Defense Forces continue their assaults on Southern Lebanon violating the ceasefire of two months earlier

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday June 10, 2026

Geostrategic Analysis

Although United States President Donald Trump has for more than two months claimed the administration was close to a long-term deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran, they have consistently violated the agreement made in April for a cessation of hostilities. 

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation state in Palestine has continued to bomb and violate the sovereignty of neighboring Lebanon leaving more than 3,600 dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced.

Obviously, both the U.S. and its Israeli surrogates only want to maintain the current situation in West Asia where the Pentagon and the IDF can act with impunity against the people of Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, etc., in their efforts to continue the domination over the land, waterways and resources of the region. U.S. military forces have bases in various states within the Persian Gulf along with Palestine and Jordan in order to secure their imperialist stranglehold over oil and natural gas production along with international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and other routes in the area.

The notions that Iran and its allies in the region represent a security threat to Washington and Tel Aviv are totally false. It was these two entities which initiated the war against Tehran on February 28. Aerial strikes on Iran resulted in the assassinations of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials within the Iranian government.

Almost immediately the Secretary of War and Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff stated that the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) forces had been rendered ineffective and eliminated. Yet, the IRGC backed up by 92 million Iranian people, effectively defended the state and its people amid constant bombings of strategic locations and residential neighborhoods.

Hezbollah, the Lebanese resistance movement, has fired missiles into the northern occupied territories of Palestine while engaging IDF forces in various towns and villages in the southern areas of the country. The U.S. and Israel have continued to misrepresent the ceasefire agreement saying it did not include the people and territory of Lebanon. They have suggested that the weak and western-backed government in Lebanon should disarm the resistance forces.

Nonetheless, the Lebanese administration is incapable of neutralizing the resistance since there are significant elements within the parliament which are members and supporters of Hezbollah. The resistance in Lebanon is part and parcel of a broader alliance of anti-imperialist forces operating in Iraq, Yemen and Palestine in conjunction with the Islamic Republic. This Axis of Resistance is the actual target of Washington and Tel Aviv.

During the elections of 2024, the Trump campaign decried imperialist wars in West Asia and the Russian Special Military Operation in Ukraine. Trump told the people in the U.S. that the situation in Ukraine would not have occurred if he had been in the White House in February 2022. However, the war did not begin in 2022. The overthrow of the Ukrainian government during February 2014 represented the beginning of the current round of military actions by Moscow which is seeking to prevent the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The overthrow of the Ukraine government took place during the second administration of former President Barack Obama. Yet, Trump began his first term in 2017 and the war in eastern Ukraine continued during the entire time period until he left office in early 2021.

Consequently, Trump, like other U.S. administrations, are warmongers. The ruling class cannot survive without the thousands of Pentagon bases with their hundreds of thousands of troops stationed around the world for the sole purpose of imperialist domination and intrigue.

U.S. and Israel Escalates Tensions in West Asia

The Iranian government did not collapse after a two-pronged campaign aimed at regime change. In January, counter-revolutionary elements sought to ignite riots throughout the country after the national currency was manipulated downward by the U.S. Treasury Department. 

With the failure of the purported uprising designed to reimpose the Pahlavi monarchy, the February 28 attacks were launched by Tel Aviv and Washington. During the course of the bombing operations against Iran, the Islamic Republic took full control of the Strait of Hormuz igniting a global energy crisis which has driven up the prices of fuel, fertilizer, food and other essential commodities for the world economic system. 

In the latest aggressive actions which escalated on June 9, Press TV reported that:

“Several locations in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan were hit by US projectiles late on Tuesday, the Islamic Republic's national broadcaster said, in yet another act of unprovoked and illegal military aggression. Reporting on Wednesday, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) said a location on Qeshm Island was one of the sites that came under the US attack. According to an informed source cited by the broadcaster, six explosions were heard in Qeshm, which the source said were caused by enemy projectiles. The broadcaster added that the projectiles had apparently been launched from a warplane. An IRIB correspondent further said that, based on the information available so far, the impact of one projectile in the province's littoral Sirik County has been confirmed. At least two water reservoirs in the Bomani district of the county were targeted by the enemy, and the drinking water supply to this district has been temporarily cut off. According to an IRIB correspondent in Jask, another one of Hormozgan's coastal counties, two locations in the county's city of Jask and Kuh-e Mobarak were also struck by such projectiles.” (https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2026/06/09/770159/United-States-attacks-Iran-bases-high-alert)

The U.S. cited the shooting down of a Pentagon Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz by the IRGC naval forces as the reason for the latest bombing operations. Nevertheless, the U.S. has no mandate to patrol the Persian Gulf and its straits under the International Law of the Sea. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi responded to the attacks by the Pentagon. In another article published by Press TV on June 9, it says:

“Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned the United States that its most recent spate of attacks on southern Iranian areas ‘will not go unanswered.’ The top Iranian diplomat made the remarks in a post on X early on Wednesday after the US struck multiple locations across the Hormozgan Province. ‘Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the U.S. opted to test our determination,’ he wrote, warning that the Iranian armed forces ‘will leave no attack or threat unanswered.’ ‘Leave our region if you want to be safe,’ he stated, adding that ‘the history of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders.’" (https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2026/06/09/770160/Iran-United-States-attacks-Hormozgan-warning-Araghchi)

Consequently, the White House must either abide by the ceasefire agreement or face the raft of the IRGC and its allies in the region. In response to the continuing attacks on Lebanon and Iran, the Yemeni resistance under Ansar Allah launched missile attacks on the Ben Gurion Airport inside the occupied territories.

Several U.S. Bases Attacked by IRGC

In other developments in the Persian Gulf, Al Mayadeen reported that the U.S. Fifth Fleet was attacked in retaliation for the ongoing aggression. After the initial U.S.-Israeli attacks on February 28, the Fifth Fleet in the Kingdom of Bahrain was attacked by Iranian military forces.

Other outposts for the Pentagon also suffered serious damage during March and April. The Kingdom of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have operated for decades as bases for imperialism and zionism in the Persian Gulf and the entire West Asia region.

In the most recent events after June 9 and 10, Al Mayadeen notes:

“Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced early Wednesday that it had launched an attack targeting 21 US-linked sites across the region, including the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, stressing that the operation was in response to recent American aggression on Iran. The targets also included a US F-35 fighter jet base in al-Azraq in Jordan, as well as a command-and-control center at the same facility. Iranian Fars news agency reported that the IRGC used Kheibar Shekan missiles in strikes targeting F-35 hangars in Jordan. The IRGC added that it had destroyed four high-value targets using long-range solid-fuel missiles and said a US MQ-9 drone was shot down during aerial engagements over Jam in Iran’s southern Bushehr province. The IRGC warned that continued hostile actions would be met with ‘more severe and harsher responses,’ signaling readiness to expand its military operations if attacks persist.” (https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iran-targets-us-bases--fifth-fleet-after-american-aggression)

This latest round of fighting between Iran, the U.S. and Israel illustrate the strategic confusion of imperialism and zionism. As they further wreck the world economy, opposition to their militarism will force more people to reject these systems of exploitation and oppression in their entirety. 

There can be no peace in the West Asia region as long as the Palestinian people remain subjected to occupation by the zionist entity. The occupation of southern Lebanon, the surrogate system of proxy control over Syria and large sections of Iraq and the attempts to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran will inevitably result in the escalation of resistance to Israel and its U.S. backers.

Iran Launches Concerted Retaliatory Strikes Against American Military Targets After Fresh US Aggression

Wednesday, 10 June 2026 3:05 AM

Frame grab from a video shows the moment Iranian explosive-laden unmanned aircraft make impact at the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain on June 10, 2026, in response to earlier American aggression targeting southern Iran.

Iran's Armed Forces have launched retaliatory operations against American military targets in the region after fresh American aggression struck several locations in the country's southern Hormozgan Province.

On Wednesday, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) noted how the "warmongering American regime" had attacked several locations in Jask, Sirik, and Qeshm in the province earlier in the day under the "false pretext" of an American helicopter's crash.

Footage captures the moment of a missile strike and the subsequent explosion at the location of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain.

According to the IRGC, the American strikes had damaged a telecommunications tower in Sirik and destroyed two water reservoirs in the Bemani district of the county.

US Fifth Fleet, al-Azraq base hit in reprisal

The Corps said its Navy responded to the attacks by carrying out a retaliatory drone strike against the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

The force later announced that it had also launched a missile strike against Washington's al-Azraq base in Jordan.

According to another IRGC statement, four major targets, including F-35 warplane shelters and the command-and-control center of the "child-killing American army" at al-Azraq, were struck and destroyed.

An informed military source, meanwhile, said Iran used long-range solid-fuel Kheibar Shekan missiles to target the shelters housing the warplanes.

The IRGC added that, in total, 21 targets at American air and naval bases across the region were hit throughout the reprisal.

Army reports drone strikes

Additionally, the Iranian Army's Public Relations Office said that, as part of operations aimed at countering the "hostile acts and harassment of the terrorist American army" against residents of southern Iran, the Army launched waves of drone operations against American bases and the radar systems of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

IRGC says operations continue

The IRGC also described the Islamic Republic's response to enemy aggression as ongoing amid reports that the American attacks were followed by additional blasts in Jask.

It added that, should the United States continue its actions, "heavier responses are on the way."

Shortly after the latter comments, local sources reported more strikes against American outposts in Bahrain and Kuwait.

Joint command issues warning

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which coordinates the IRGC's and the Army's operations, described the overall counterstrikes as a "powerful [retaliatory] assault."

The headquarters likewise warned that if the United States repeated any aggression against the Islamic Republic, "heavier and more extensive strikes" would be carried out against a predetermined list of targets across the region.

Iranian officials and military forces have denied any role in the helicopter crash, which was used by Washington to try to justify the attacks on Hormozgan.

They have sternly warned that any act of aggression against the country would not go without an answer.

Iranian Armed Forces to Leave No attack Unanswered, FM Warns After Fresh US Aggression

Wednesday, 10 June 2026 12:03 AM

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned the United States that its most recent spate of attacks on southern Iranian areas "will not go unanswered."

The top Iranian diplomat made the remarks in a post on X early on Wednesday after the US struck multiple locations across the Hormozgan Province.

"Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the U.S. opted to test our determination," he wrote, warning that the Iranian armed forces "will leave no attack or threat unanswered."

"Leave our region if you want to be safe," he stated, adding that "the history of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders."

Earlier, the Islamic Republic's national broadcaster reported that several locations in the southern Iranian province had been hit by US projectiles.

It named the Qeshm Island and the Jask and Sirik Counties as the targets.

Right before the attacks, in a statement posted to social media, US Central Command had said it had begun strikes against Iran following the crash of a US Army Apache helicopter off the coast of Oman.

A day earlier, US President Donald Trump had acknowledged that one such helicopter had gone down near the Strait of Hormuz, confirming a report by The New York Times. Trump had vowed that the United States "must" respond, accusing Iran of downing it.

Iranian officials and military forces have denied any role in the incident, warning that any act of aggression against the country will certainly warrant reprisal.

Military source: Any enemy's new aggression on pretext of crashed chopper will be met with Iran's firm response. pic.twitter.com/hXgmu1UFW9

Prior to the American strikes too, Araghchi had cautioned, "Our Powerful Armed Forces are on constant alert for any violation of Iran's airspace, land or waters. Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire."

"To reduce risk, the best solution is for foreign forces to exit, as soon as possible, an environment which will never be hospitable to a hostile presence," he had stated.

‘You Pulled Iran Out of Wolves’ Jaws’: Qalibaf Hails Nation for Nightly Rallies

Tuesday, 09 June 2026 4:05 PM

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has lauded the Iranians for their ongoing nightly street rallies, which have extended to 100 days as a symbol of popular resistance against the US‑Israeli war of aggression.

In a message addressed to the Iranian nation on Tuesday, Qalibaf said “100 days have passed since the jihad of a nation that rose up to preserve dear Iran.”

“God’s blessings be upon you who had Iran’s back, disappointed the enemy, and pulled the country out of the jaws of ravenous wolves that had sharpened their teeth to force Islamic Iran into submission.”

“Long live Iran and long live the resistance of the great Iranian nation.”

The massive nightly street rallies have been held nationwide since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched the illegal, unprovoked war on the Islamic Republic.

Millions across Iran renew allegiance to new Leader at Ghadir celebrations

Millions of Iranians have poured onto the streets of Tehran and cities across the country for the annual "10-Kilometer Ghadir Celebration".

It has been a powerful display of national unity. It has been a manifestation of solidarity with the armed forces. And it has been a resolute movement in defiance of efforts by the enemies to destabilize Iran.

The war included the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and strikes on nuclear facilities, schools and hospitals.

Despite a fragile Pakistan‑brokered ceasefire in place since early April, Washington has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports, and Israel has continued its attacks on Lebanon and Gaza.

US Launches Fresh Act of Aggression Against Iran; American Regional Bases Placed on High Alert

Tuesday, 09 June 2026 11:40 PM

File photo shows an aerial view of the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan.

Several locations in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan were hit by US projectiles late on Tuesday, the Islamic Republic's national broadcaster said, in yet another act of unprovoked and illegal military aggression. 

Reporting on Wednesday, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) said a location on Qeshm Island was one of the sites that came under the US attack.

According to an informed source cited by the broadcaster, six explosions were heard in Qeshm, which the source said were caused by enemy projectiles. The broadcaster added that the projectiles had apparently been launched from a warplane.

An IRIB correspondent further said that, based on the information available so far, the impact of one projectile in the province's littoral Sirik County has been confirmed.

At least two water reservoirs in the Bomani district of the county were targeted by the enemy, and the drinking water supply to this district has been temporarily cut off.

According to an IRIB correspondent in Jask, another one of Hormozgan's coastal counties, two locations in the county's city of Jask and Kuh-e Mobarak were also struck by such projectiles.

No explosions were reported elsewhere in the coastal province.

Earlier, in a statement posted to social media, US Central Command said it had begun strikes against Iran following the crash of a US Army Apache helicopter off the coast of Oman.

A day earlier, US President Donald Trump had acknowledged that one such helicopter had gone down near the Strait of Hormuz, confirming a report by The New York Times.

Trump had vowed that the United States "must" respond, accusing Iran of downing it.

Iranian officials and military forces have denied any role in the incident, warning that any act of aggression against the country will not go without an answer.

Trump declared the truce on April 7 after at least 100 waves of decisive and successful Iranian retaliation in the face of the latest bout of unprovoked American-Israeli aggression targeting the Islamic Republic.

Shortly after reporting the blasts, the IRIB said "the wave of American strikes" had subsided in Hormozgan, describing the overall situation as "calm."

'Blasts hit Jask again'

Later, however, the IRIB cited local sources and nearby villagers as reporting that multiple blasts rang out across the Jask County again.

American website Axios, meanwhile, cited an American official as saying that a second round of attacks was underway against Iran.

Amid the situation, media outlets cited issuance of the highest level of alert at American bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar amid the prospect of Iranian reprisal.

Iran's military command has not commented on the US aggression so far.

Boycott Trump’s World Cup

US President Donald Trump is presented with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize award by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, United States, December 5, 2025

“HAS not Goering admitted that the Games will be used for propagating the new Germany of Hitler? Is that the purpose of the Olympic Games, or are they designed to encourage the fraternity of peoples?”

George Sinfield of the Morning Star’s forerunner the Daily Worker posed this question in its July 20 1936 edition, explaining the Worker’s call for a boycott of the Berlin Olympics and support instead for the grassroots People’s Olympiad planned to take place in Barcelona in Republican Spain.

Similar questions have often been asked since, with “sportswashing” an established way for repressive regimes to launder their reputations.

The Morning Star has always been cautious about calls to boycott sporting events, or exclude countries from them.

Sport can promote cultural exchange across borders; familiarity with civilian rather than political representatives of foreign countries helps counter the othering of official enemies. That’s especially valuable in a world lurching towards war, and the Christmas Day football game between British and German soldiers in the trenches is one of the best-loved stories of World War I.

Boycotts are also used to further the political agenda of the Western powers which dominate global governing bodies: the hypocrisy of banning Russia from competitions over Ukraine while refusing to penalise Israel over Gaza has been widely condemned.

But Donald Trump’s US hosting the bulk of the 2026 Men’s World Cup is a different matter.

His brutality and venality is clear from the endorsement of ethnic cleansing in Gaza to the corporate-dominated “Board of Peace,” from the bombing of Iranian schoolgirls to the kidnap of Venezuela’s president.

The People’s Olympiad never took place because the Nazi-backed fascist revolt against democracy engulfed Spain before it could. Trump’s US threatens violent regime change against Cuba even as it invites the world to enjoy its hospitality.

Some of the world, anyway. This is the most exclusionary World Cup ever. Trump’s travel bans on dozens of countries block access to fans, journalists and athletes’ families. Even a Fifa-selected referee from Somalia, Omar Artan, has been denied entry.

Trump has threatened fans from Iran, whose team’s entire allocation of tickets has now been withdrawn days before the competition begins. His murderous, revamped Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agency has stepped up repression around host cities.

And hospitality may not be the correct term for the most extortionate World Cup in history either.

The first use of “dynamic pricing” has seen the cost of tickets soar, some selling for tens of thousands of dollars and pricing out working-class fans.

Prices have been ratcheted up for travel to stadiums — already expensive given the vast distances between them, also of environmental concern — and every effort made to squeeze fans for every penny, even with a mooted ban on bringing your own water to matches.

Many Morning Star columnists have considered the toxic consequences of the commercialisation of the “beautiful game.” The 2026 World Cup is capitalist extortion incarnate, everything wrong with modern football sold as something to celebrate.

And Fifa has aligned itself openly with a warmongering, racist presidency, one actively backing far-right movements across the world — including in Britain.

It even invented a new “Fifa Peace Prize” so boss Gianni Infantino could award it to a president who has bombed 10 countries in his second term, threatened to annex his neighbours and is ordering vast increases in what is already by far the world’s biggest military budget. Sportswashing is too weak a term.

Trump is not Hitler, but there are parallels with the 1936 Olympics: this is no mere rogue state, but an aggressive superpower plunging the world into a new dark age.

Waking up to the scale of the threat he poses means opposing the normalisation of his regime. The Morning Star will not be covering World Cup matches in the United States and calls for this competition to be boycotted.

Belfast Riots Flare After Attempted Murder Charge in Knife Attack Case

Masked protesters gathered in several areas, including Belfast, Newtownabbey and Kilkeel, where houses, vehicles and barricades were set on fire

By The News Digital

June 10, 2026

Belfast riots flare after attempted murder charge in knife attack case

Violence broke out across parts of Northern Ireland on Tuesday night after a man was charged with attempted murder following a knife attack in Belfast.

Masked protesters gathered in several areas, including Belfast, Newtownabbey and Kilkeel, where houses, vehicles and barricades were set on fire.

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill condemned the unrest, saying groups of masked men were “burning families out of their homes” in scenes of “outright thuggery.”

The protests followed police confirmation that a 30-year-old Sudanese man had been charged over Monday night’s knife attack in north Belfast. The victim suffered injuries to his eyes, back and face and remains in hospital.

“The attack in North Belfast was heinous and wrong. But there are dangerous attempts to exploit that to target and attack innocent people who are simply trying to live, work and raise their families here. Racism, intimidation and violence are wrong wherever they occur,” O’Neill wrote on X.

Police said there was currently no evidence linking the stabbing to terrorism. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson added that the suspect had legal permission to live in Northern Ireland.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the knife attack as “horrific” and “sickening,” while urging calm as tensions continued to rise across the region.

Northern Ireland Police, British Politicians Appeal for Calm After Belfast Stabbing Attack

Police in Belfast say no indication at this stage of a terrorist attack

Chris Iorfida 

CBC News 

Jun 09, 2026 9:17 AM EDT

A knife attack in Northern Ireland horrified onlookers on Monday night, sending a man to hospital in serious condition and raising tensions in the United Kingdom as questions about immigration, policing and online disinformation have been at the forefront of political discourse.

The attack occurred in north Belfast, with a man in his 40s in hospital with what police described as "significant injuries" to his eyes, face and back. Democratic Unionist Party Leader Gavin Robinson described the attack as "medieval" in nature.

"This is a deeply concerning assault and I have declared this a critical incident. We have commenced an investigation to establish a motive," Ryan Henderson, assistant chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said in a statement.

At a subsequent news conference, Henderson said that those who had rushed to the scene to intervene "undoubtedly" saved a life.

There is no indication that the suspect had accomplices and a terrorist attack is being ruled out at this stage, Henderson said. A kitchen knife was recovered, he said, and the suspect is believed to have lived near the scene of the crime.

Henderson said there would be a heightened police presence in the coming days for public safety and he urged any protests that proceed take place peacefully.

Hundreds of ‌anti-immigrant protesters took to the streets of Belfast on Tuesday, with some setting vehicles on fire.

People wearing masks gathered at points across the city, prompting police to deploy armoured vehicles. A bus was set on fire in east Belfast, television pictures showed. A few dozen protesters blocked Parliament Square ⁠in London.

Belfast stabbing sparks night of violent unrest

People took to the streets hours after a Sudanese asylum seeker was charged in a brutal and public stabbing in Belfast, setting vehicles on fire and throwing rocks at houses where immigrants reportedly lived. The attack has added to ongoing tensions over immigration and racial issues in Northern Ireland.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack "sickening" in a statement.

"I have absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets," he said.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill of Sinn Féin and leaders from across Northern Ireland's political spectrum released a joint statement on Tuesday condemning the attack, expressing condolences to the victim and their family, and calling for calm.

"It is essential that the facts are established through proper investigation and due process," the leaders said.

Farage posts image of attack

The leaders followed the call of Henderson and the police, urging those on social media not to share or repost what has been described as graphic videos or images related to the incident.

"No good will come of sharing it or of turning on each other in this society, including for the clout of online voices who don't know or care about us and who offer absolutely nothing for the future," Claire Hanna, leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, said separately.

The leaders' statement came after Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage had already done so, reposting an image of a person with their arm raised and kneeling on a street, with blocks over the faces of two persons in the image.

The suspect, a 30-year-old ⁠Sudanese national police initially said was Somali, was charged on Tuesday evening with attempted murder, possession of an article with blade or point in a ⁠public place and threats to kill.

He is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Police said he had been granted leave to remain in ​the U.K. in September 2023 after claiming asylum. He travelled to Belfast in February that year by bus from Dublin, having flown there from Paris ⁠on an unknown date.

"There is no trace of this suspect on any of our national security databases, and he was ⁠not known to the Police Service of Northern Ireland," Chief Const. Jon Boutcher said.

The North West Migrants Forum, a non-profit charity that helps integrate newcomers in Northern Ireland, said in a statement that it was "horrified" by the incident, while praising bystanders who rushed to help the victim or helped apprehend the attacker.

The organization appealed for calm, with a reference to the decades-long deadly violence between Catholics and Protestants that largely ended with negotiated agreements in 1998.

"The overwhelming majority of people who come through our door desire only to live in peace and to build a life for themselves and their families," it said. "Northern Ireland knows well the danger of blaming an entire community for the deeds of an individual or small faction."

Heightened tensions

The attack came ahead of a scheduled speech by British Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch, where she discussed equalities laws and policing.

The Tory leader called on police to "bring the facts out as quickly as possible so that we can get some clarity" in the Belfast incident.

Badenoch in her speech said she believed that the fear of appearing racist had hampered police action and investigations in other incidents, including in the case of homicide victim Henry Nowak, the killings of three young girls in Southport by a young man with a history of concerning behaviour and years-long reports of sexual abuse by grooming gangs targeting minors.

Downing Street issued a statement pushing back after U.S. Vice-President JD Vance linked the death of 18-year-old Henry Nowak to immigration and what he characterized as civilizational decline in Europe.

The issue of race and policing has come to the fore in recent weeks as more circumstances surrounding the police response to the deadly incident involving the 18-year-old Nowak in December came to light.

Hampshire Police handcuffed Nowak as he lay dying from stab wounds after another man on the scene falsely alleged Nowak had committed a racist attack.

The killer, a British-born Sikh man, was sentenced last week to life in prison, and several people were arrested in a subsequent night of protest that was encouraged by Farage and far-right leader Tommy Robinson.

The Nowak killing aftermath also led to another diplomatic squabble between Britain and the U.S. The State Department, in a social media post about the Nowak killing, said "ideological conditioning and two-tiered policing are glaring symptoms of civilizational decline."

U.S. Vice-President JD Vance on social media argued that Nowak would be alive "if the last few generations of European elites had stood their ground against the politics of self-hatred and the mass invasion of migrants, many of whom despise the West and the people who love it."

Vance's comments overlooked the fact that Nowak was a duel citizen of England and Poland, with at least one grandparent born in the eastern European country. They also earned a rebuke from Starmer's office as well as Secretary of State David Lammy, who said he spoke to the vice-president — with whom he has developed a cordial relationship — after the remarks.

The British government has stressed that Nowak's family has urged people not to exploit their son's death for political purposes.

With files from Anna Cunningham of CBC News and Reuters

Racists Torch Cars, Buildings in Belfast After Knife Attack

Unrest comes after a Sudanese man was arrested over a stabbing attack in north Belfast, UK.

A fire burns during a protest after a knife attack on June 8 left a man seriously injured and prompted police to declare a critical incident, on Newtownards Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland, June 9, 2026.

Belfast plunged into chaos as vehicles set ablaze following stabbing attack

By AFP, AP and Reuters

10 Jun 2026

Anti-immigrant protesters in the city of Belfast in the United Kingdom have torched vehicles and buildings after a Sudanese man was arrested over a knife attack that left one person with serious injuries.

Hundreds of protesters, many of them masked, gathered at several locations across the city on Tuesday, setting fire to a bus and several cars.

A building near the city centre was also set alight, with residents telling the AFP news agency that the protesters started a fire in the bins and went on to throw petrol bombs.

Crowds also gathered in Antrim, about 25km (15 miles) west of Belfast.

Michelle O’Neill, the first minister of Northern Ireland, slammed the protests and urged calm.

“Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice,” she wrote on X.

“Racism, intimidation and violence are wrong wherever they occur. There can be no excuse and no justification for these attacks tonight. No one wants to see this on our streets and I again appeal for calm”.

Appeals for calm

The suspect in the knife attack, which took place in north Belfast late on Monday, was charged late on Tuesday with attempted murder, possession of a bladed weapon in a public place, and making threats to kill.

The 30-year-old man, whose name has not been released, is due to appear in court on Wednesday.

The victim, a man in his 40s, suffered significant injuries to his eyes and slash wounds to his face and back during the attack with a kitchen knife found at the scene, police said.

“I understand that last night’s attempted murder will leave people feeling a range of emotions, from fear to anger,” Northern Ireland’s Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson told ⁠a news conference, as he declared the unrest a “critical incident”.

“I appeal for calm and the safety of all of our communities in ⁠response to this”, he said.

Footage of the knife attack in north Belfast showed several members of the public trying to fight off the ⁠attacker before police arrived, and they were credited by senior officers with saving the man’s life.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack “horrific” and “sickening” on X. “I have absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets,” he said.

His office said that “it is time for calm”, adding: “It’s important that police have the time and space to investigate appropriately."

Heightened tensions

The attack, which is ⁠not being treated as terrorism, comes at a time of heightened tensions in the UK following the murder of a student in Southampton who was handcuffed by police as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer, a Sikh man, had falsely alleged a racist attack.

Although the victim and convicted killer were both British, protesters on Tuesday stood outside a Southampton hotel that had housed asylum seekers, holding signs that read, “Illegal Migration Is Destroying Our Civilisation”.

The attack in Belfast, meanwhile, sparked immediate questions about the suspect’s immigration status, including from some politicians.

Gavin Robinson, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, urged authorities to curb “uncontrolled immigration”, while anti-immigration figures, including Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage and Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe, demanded details about the attacker.

Northern Ireland’s chief constable, Jon Boutcher, told reporters that the suspect was living in the UK on a five-year visa granted in September 2023.

Boutcher said he was believed to have travelled from Sudan to Paris and Dublin before claiming asylum in Belfast.

“There is no trace of this suspect on any of our national security databases, and he was not known to the Police Service of Northern Ireland,” he added.

Northern ‌Ireland’s ‌main political party leaders jointly condemned the knife attack, calling it “horrific” and saying that “there is no place in our society for this kind of brutality”.

They also called for calm, saying that disturbances would only damage their communities.

Anti-immigrant Protests Flare Up Across Belfast After Knife Attack

By Amanda Ferguson, Reuters

June 9, 20266:30 AM EDT

Summary

Sudanese man charged with attempted murder

Man in his 40s in serious condition in hospital, police say

Police deploy armoured vehicles against masked youth

Political leaders call for calm

BELFAST, June 9 (Reuters) - Hundreds of anti-immigrant protesters took to ​the streets of Belfast on Tuesday, with some setting vehicles alight, after police charged a Sudanese man over ‌a knife attack that left one person with serious neck and head wounds.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the attack, which took place in north Belfast late on Monday evening, as "sickening". Video of it was shared widely on social media.

The knife attack, which is currently not being treated as terrorism, comes at a time ​of heightened tensions in Britain following the murder of a student who was handcuffed by police as he lay dying from ​stab wounds after his killer, a Sikh man, falsely alleged a racist attack.

It also follows repeated ⁠protests about immigration, with populist parties saying Britain's asylum policy had allowed dangerous men into the country. There was anti-immigrant rioting in ​Northern Ireland last year amid anger over an alleged sexual assault.

POLICE DECLARE CRITICAL INCIDENT

Masked youths gathered at points across the city, with police ​responding by deploying armoured vehicles. Protesters set fire to a number of vehicles, including a bus in east Belfast.

The BBC reported that a crowd of 100 men kicked in doors and broke windows of homes on a street in east Belfast. Sky News showed footage of a house on fire.

A few dozen ​protesters blocked Parliament Square in London.

"I understand that last night's attempted murder will leave people feeling a range of emotions, from ​fear to anger," Northern Ireland's Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson, who has declared it a "critical incident", told a press conference.

"I appeal for calm and the ‌safety ⁠of all of our communities in response to this."

The victim, a man in his 40s, suffered significant injuries to his eyes and slash wounds to his face and back during the "brutal" attack, with a kitchen knife found at the scene, Henderson said.

Footage showed a number of members of the public trying to fight off the attacker before police arrived, and they were credited by senior officers with ​saving the man's life.

SUSPECT DUE IN ​COURT ON WEDNESDAY

The suspect, a ⁠30-year-old Sudanese national, was charged on Tuesday evening with attempted murder, possession of an article with blade or point in a public place and threats to kill.

He is due to appear at Belfast ​Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Police said it was understood he lived locally, having been granted leave ​to remain in the ⁠UK in September 2023 after claiming asylum. He had travelled to Belfast in February that year by bus from Dublin, having flown there from Paris on an unknown date.

"There is no trace of this suspect on any of our national security databases, and he was not ⁠known to ​the Police Service of Northern Ireland," Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said.

Northern Ireland's ​main political party leaders jointly condemned the attack, calling it "horrific", and also called for calm, saying disturbances would only damage their communities.

Reporting by Amanda Ferguson in Belfast and ​Conor Humphries in Dublin; writing by Michael Holden and Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Kate Holton, Alex Richardson, Gareth Jones and Nia Williams

Disorder Breaks Out in Belfast After Man Charged Over Knife Attack

Auryn Cox and Angus Harron

BBC News NI

People have been forced to flee their homes in Belfast amid disorder following a knife attack.

Houses and cars have been set on fire and all public transport has been paused in the city.

A 30-year-old Sudanese man is due to appear in court on Wednesday charged with attempted murder following the attack in north Belfast on Monday night.

He has also been charged with possession of an article with blade in a public place and threats to kill.

A man in his 40s remains in hospital with serious injuries to his eyes, neck and back after the attack in Kinnaird Avenue at about 22:30 BST.

A video widely circulated online showed a number of people, including one wielding a hurling stick, confront the apparent attacker until police officers arrived.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have called for calm as "sporadic pockets of disorder" have broken out across Northern Ireland in response to the attack.

People gathered at a number of locations, including Londonderry, Antrim, Newtownabbey, Ballymena, Bangor and Belfast.

Some protests passed peacefully but violence erupted in a number of areas.

"Cars were set alight on the road, which caught fire to my house but masked men were bashing down doors," a resident in Lendrick Street, in east Belfast, told BBC News.

A group of about 100 masked people were on Newtownards Road in east Belfast where doors were kicked in and windows were broken.

A large number of them were teenagers, according to Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Jon Burrows.

Bins and a bus were also set on fire.

A Translink spokesperson condemned the attack on its bus and suspended services.

On Tuesday night, Justice Minister Naomi Long said there is no place for "masked thugs" in Northern Ireland.

"While I recognise and understand the concerns following on from the attack in north Belfast, hate cannot be allowed to win," she added,

Protesters set fire to bus as disorder flares in Belfast after knife attack

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson appealed for "voices of influence within local communities to encourage peaceful protest and discourage any involvement in violence or disorder".

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) responded to 62 incidents on Tuesday evening.

"The majority of these incidents were in the Greater Belfast Area where an additional 21 fire appliances from across Northern Ireland were required to meet demand," NIFRS said in a statement, after midnight.

Earlier, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said there would be an increased police presence on the streets in the coming days.

Elsewhere, a police Land Rover was attacked on the Crumlin Road and houses and cars were on fire nearby.

A significant emergency response remains.

A pastor who helped people targeted in the area said members of his church "who have been with us for 20 years" were being put out of their homes "because they're black".

"I'm angry and disappointed that this is the response of people in our community," pastor Jack McKee said.

The PSNI and NIFRS also attended a fire at a commercial premises in Belfast's Sandy Row area.

About 10 people in dark clothing watched on.

Incidents were reported across Belfast

Two cars were set alight at the Cloughfern roundabout in Newtownabbey and a police car was set ablaze in Portadown.

Independent MLA Doug Beattie said he saw the police car on fire while on his way back to his constituency office.

"Taking this out on the police or innocent members of the public is counter-productive and must be condemned," he said.

A Turkish barber shop was also attacked in Ballyclare in County Antrim.

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said that "there is no justification at all for this type of destruction and thuggery".

Earlier on Tuesday, the leaders of Northern Ireland's five main parties issued a statement to say they were "united" in their condemnation of the "horrific incident".

After disorder broke out, First Minister Michelle O'Neill criticised what she described as "groups of masked men burning families out of their homes" as "outright thuggery".

"The attack in north Belfast was heinous and wrong, but there are dangerous attempts to exploit that to target and attack innocent people," she added.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly urged people to protest peacefully.

"I know all are horrified about what has happened - I know so many are angry and there are those who want to register a protest," she said.

"This is an appeal to act in an entirely peaceful way. Violence does not advance any cause, it damages it."

Who was the alleged attacker?

An initial statement from the PSNI on Tuesday morning said they believed the alleged attacker was Somali, but have since confirmed he is Sudanese.

They said they recovered what they believe to be a kitchen knife at the scene.

The Home Office said the alleged attacker was on leave to remain in the UK until 2028.

He entered the UK in 2023 and was granted refugee status the same year.

"The individual claims to have entered the UK via the Common Travel Area," a spokesperson said.

The PSNI's chief constable said he understood the suspect made his way from Sudan to Paris before flying to Dublin, and then travelled by bus to Belfast on 10 February 2023 - the date on which he claimed asylum.

The suspect was not known to police and there is no trace of him on any of the PSNI national security databases, Boutcher said.

Iran Announces Suspension of Operations After ‘Painful Response’ to Zionist Regime

Monday, 08 June 2026 2:39 PM

The insignia of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters is seen in this handout image.

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has announced the cessation of military operations against Israel, stating that a "painful response" has been delivered to the Zionist regime in support of the oppressed people of Lebanon.

The headquarters said in a statement on Monday that the halt comes after Iran's powerful armed forces delivered a response to the "atrocities and mischief" of the "savage Zionist regime" in southern Lebanon and the Dahiyeh district, which were carried out with the support of "criminal America".

"The fake Zionist regime and its supporters must learn a lesson from this response," the statement said.

The announcement follows a series of missile strikes by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Sunday targeting Israel's Ramat David Air Base in northern occupied territories.

The IRGC said the operation was in response to Israel's "widespread crimes" in southern Lebanon, including the killing and displacement of civilians, and that the air base had served as the origin of aggressions against Lebanon.

On Monday, the IRGC struck Israel's strategic Nevatim and Tel Nof airbases in northern occupied territories after Israeli aggression on several Iranian cities.

Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted that the ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel that took effect on April 8 was conditional on a truce on all fronts.

However, Israel, with a US greenlight and the silence of international organizations, has continued its "malicious actions" against the Lebanese people on a daily basis, committing war crimes by using banned weapons, including phosphorus bombs, Iranian officials say.

The headquarters emphasized that while operations have been halted, "much more intense and crushing measures than before" will be taken if aggression and mischief, including in southern Lebanon, continue.

Israeli forces suffered “heavy, targeted, and costly blows” in a new wave of operations against “important and sensitive targets” inside occupied territories, the central command’s spokesman said.

“We acted as we had promised,” Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a senior commander in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the spokesman of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said Monday.

"The powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the IRGC and the regular army, have proven that they are at the peak of defensive and offensive readiness, acting swiftly and precisely on what they say, and will make the American and Zionist enemies regret their actions," he added.

Zolfaghari said, “In the new wave of operations against important and sensitive targets in the occupied territories, the enemy experienced a successful offensive operation, having received heavy, targeted, intelligent, and costly blows from the powerful forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

He also issued a stark warning to the United States and Israel, saying “criminal America and the brutal Zionist regime must know that a strong and proud Iran and the honorable resistance forces in the region will stand firm under any circumstances and against any threat, and will never bow their heads in surrender to the losing enemies of war”.

“If aggression and mischief continue, they will be dealt with even greater intensity,” he added.

Report: CAR to Accept Third-country Deportees from US

Central African Republic is the latest African nation to agree to accept third-country deportees from the United States, according to Reuters news agency.

The deal was reportedly reached during a US delegation visit to Bangui last month. No details of numbers, nationalities, or timing of flights were available.

The Trump Administration had deported thousands of people to third countries under a series of often-secret agreements as part of a broader crackdown on immigration.

Lawyers say the use of third countries offers a legal loophole to indirectly force asylum seekers to return home.

At least eight African nations, including Eswatini, the DRC, Ghana and Sierra Leone have taken in US deportees, usually in exchange for financial or logistical support.

Last week, rights groups filed a case against Equatorial Guinea before Africa’s Human Rights Commission, accusing the government of forcing deportees back to their home countries in violation of their rights.

Health Workers at the Epicenter of DR Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Labor with Little Pay or Rest

By JUSTIN KABUMBA and OPE ADETAYO

12:59 AM EDT, June 8, 2026

MONGBWALU, Congo (AP) — Dr. Richard Lokudu, the medical director of Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, has received barely any compensation for his work on the front line of one of Congo’s deadliest Ebola virus outbreaks.

Lokudu and several of his colleagues work all day at the hospital treating an influx of patients. Notifications of suspected cases come even late at night.

“I have not received my allowance (and) what happened to others could happen to me as well,” Lokudu told The Associated Press. “Despite all the infection prevention and control measures we are implementing, we do not know what may happen.”

Health authorities believe the outbreak, which took the eastern region of Congo by surprise after spreading silently for weeks without detection, started in the bustling mining area of Mongbwalu in Ituri province.

Mining conditions conducive to virus spread

Mongbwalu has emerged as the epicenter of the rare Bundibugyo type. The town attracts large numbers of laborers who work in large gold mines with muddy pools of gold deposits, narrow pits and caves. They live in low-income areas including crowded camps and have little access to proper health protocols.

The conditions increase the possibility of transmitting the disease, which spreads through close contact with bodily fluids of the sick and deceased such as sweat, blood, feces and vomit.

There also has been widespread skepticism regarding the disease, making the job of medical treatment more difficult for Lokudu and his colleagues, while some of the health workers and first responders have died from the disease.

“It is one thing to be far away and hear statistics being reported, but what is happening on the ground is enormous,” Lokudu said. “People are sacrificing their rest and comfort for this cause. There should be recognition that they deserve compensation. These workers should receive their salaries regularly.”

The Congolese government didn’t respond to a request for comment from the AP.

Minimal resources available

Congolese authorities released new statistics on Sunday, saying there have been 488 confirmed cases, including 86 deaths, as of Friday. On Thursday, the Central African nation recorded 71 new cases in a day, which authorities said is a sign of “active community transmission.”

In neighboring Uganda, there have been 19 confirmed cases and two deaths.

Bundibugyo has no approved vaccines or treatment, so Congolese health workers have been targeting symptoms of the species. The government said at least five people have recovered from Ebola since the outbreak was officially confirmed by Congo’s health ministry on May 15.

The disease “had a big head start,” according to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Hospitals in the region couldn’t test for the right type of Ebola that had begun spreading several weeks before confirmation.

Health workers are handling the disease with minimal resources, because agencies have been scrambling to bring aid into the region. Masks, gloves, boots and medications were initially all in short supply.

“There has been an erosion of the health system,” said Heather Kerr, country director for the International Rescue Committee in Congo. “There has not been investment in the health system, and this has been going on for years.”

Tough conditions for health workers

“During the first week, we did not even have time to go home and eat. The second week was the same. We only eat once a day, what amounts to breakfast in the evening,” said Alice Bamuhinga, a nurse at the Mongbwalu hospital.

Even with widespread skepticism and disregard for health protocols, many in the town are becoming aware of the outbreak’s grave reality.

Asero Jeanne, 52, had five children. Two died from the disease within two weeks. When her daughter became ill, the family thought it was malaria and neighbors advised them to avoid the hospital, saying “anyone who went there would die immediately,” Jeanne said.

The daughter died after three weeks of moving between hospitals and home, followed by a son who died days after. Then Jeanne became sick.

“I saw about 20 people die,” Jeanne said. “I watched them being taken to the morgue, yet God is allowing me to leave here alive. I thank the doctors.”

UN health agency offers a plan

Tedros on Friday launched a $518 million plan to combat the outbreak, saying “containing Ebola depends on political commitment, sustained financing, and the trust and engagement of communities.”

Efforts to contain the disease also have been hindered by the conflict between the government and Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, in addition to attacks by Islamist militants.

For health workers on the front line of Congo’s Ebola outbreak, the work has become harder as the disease spreads faster than their current treatment capacity.

“Despite the alerts we receive and the teams we have on site, we lack the means to travel into the field,” Lokudu said. “As a result, there are alerts we are unable to investigate.”

___

Ope Adetayo reported from Lagos, Nigeria.

Africa's Next Economic Revolution Must Begin at Home - Mozambique's Bold Move Signals a New Era for African Resource Sovereignty

7 June 2026

allAfrica.com

guest column

By Daniel T. Makokera

For generations, Africa has exported its wealth and imported its future.

From copper and cobalt to crude oil and natural gas, the continent has supplied the raw materials that power global industries while receiving only a fraction of the value generated from them. The result has been a paradox that has defined Africa's economic story for decades: a continent rich in resources but poor in industrial development.

This reality is now being challenged.

Mozambique's recent decision to strengthen state participation in its mining sector and promote local processing of minerals before export is not an isolated policy shift. Rather, it is part of a growing continental movement toward beneficiation, value addition, and economic sovereignty.

Across Africa, governments are increasingly asking a simple but powerful question: Why should the continent continue exporting raw materials only to buy back finished products at many times their original value?

The answer is becoming increasingly clear. It should not.

Beneficiation—the process of transforming raw materials into higher-value products before export—represents one of the most important economic opportunities available to Africa today. Whether it is refining crude oil, processing lithium into battery-grade materials, smelting copper, cutting diamonds, or manufacturing fertilizer from natural gas, value addition allows countries to capture a far greater share of the wealth generated from their natural resources.

The benefits extend far beyond increased revenue.

Local processing creates industries. Industries create jobs. Jobs create skills. Skills create innovation. Innovation drives economic diversification. This virtuous cycle is how nations build sustainable prosperity.

The example of Aliko Dangote's Dangote Refinery illustrates what is possible when Africa moves up the value chain.

For decades, Nigeria was one of the world's largest crude oil producers, yet it remained heavily dependent on imported refined petroleum products. Billions of dollars left the country annually to pay for fuel that could have been refined domestically.

The Dangote Refinery has begun changing that equation. As Africa's largest refinery, it has the potential to reduce fuel imports, improve energy security, conserve foreign exchange, create thousands of jobs, and position Nigeria as a regional supplier of refined petroleum products.

Most importantly, it demonstrates a fundamental principle: the greatest value lies not in extracting resources but in processing them.

The same lesson applies across the continent.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo possesses some of the world's largest reserves of cobalt and copper, minerals essential to the global energy transition. Yet much of this wealth continues to leave the country in raw or semi-processed form.

Zimbabwe and Namibia are seeking greater domestic processing of lithium before export.

Botswana has spent years expanding local diamond cutting and polishing.

South Africa continues to develop downstream mineral industries.

Mozambique is now moving to ensure that more value from its graphite, natural gas, and critical minerals remains within its borders.

These efforts should be applauded.

Critics argue that beneficiation requirements may discourage investment or increase costs. While such concerns deserve consideration, they should not obscure the larger reality. No nation has achieved sustained prosperity by exporting raw materials indefinitely. The world's industrial powers built their economies through manufacturing, processing, and value addition.

Africa deserves the same opportunity.

The continent possesses approximately 30 percent of the world's known mineral reserves, vast energy resources, and one of the youngest populations on Earth. As demand for critical minerals, energy products, and industrial commodities continues to rise, Africa finds itself at the center of the global economy.

The question is no longer whether the world needs Africa's resources.

The question is whether Africa will continue exporting them in their raw form or transform them into engines of industrialization and economic growth.

The answer will determine the continent's future for generations.

Beneficiation is not merely an economic policy. It is a development strategy. It is a jobs strategy. It is a skills strategy. It is a sovereignty strategy.

Most importantly, it is a strategy that allows Africa to capture more of the value created by its own resources.

Mozambique's recent actions should therefore be viewed not as a national policy decision but as part of a broader continental awakening. Africa is increasingly recognizing that true resource wealth is not measured by what leaves its ports, but by what remains within its economies.

The era of exporting opportunity and importing dependency must come to an end.

Africa's next economic revolution will not be dug from the ground alone.

It will be built in its refineries, smelters, factories, industrial parks, and processing plants.

And that revolution has already begun!

-----------------------

Daniel Makokera is a renowed media personality  who has worked as journalist, television anchor, producer and conference presenter for over 20 years. Throughout his career as presenter and anchor, he has travelled widely across the continent and held exclusive interviews with some of Africa's most illustrious leaders. These include former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former South African presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and presidents Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He currently is the CEO of Pamuzinda Productions based in South Africa.

Uganda Contains Ebola Cases as WHO Chief Visits, Urges DRC Cooperation

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: News websites

8 Jun 2026 20:24

3 Min Read

WHO chief Tedros praises Uganda's Ebola response while urging authorities to reopen the DRC border to sustain regional containment efforts.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Uganda on Monday, visiting an Ebola isolation unit in Kampala and urging Ugandan authorities to reconsider their decision to close the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), warning that shutting crossings could hamper the coordinated regional response needed to contain the outbreak, Daily Monitor reported.

While praising Uganda's "prompt and capable" handling of the crisis, Tedros stressed that cross-border collaboration, not closure, was the key to ending the threat.

"The country's surveillance, testing, and case management systems are doing steady work," he said, adding that the WHO and the Africa CDC are actively supporting the government-led response.

His remarks came fresh from a high-stakes assessment tour of the DRC, where the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus first emerged and continues to drive the regional outbreak.

Ebola in Uganda

Uganda has registered a cumulative total of 19 confirmed cases as of June 6, according to a weekend situation report from the Ministry of Health, which also reported zero new cases in its latest specific update, a signal that containment measures may be gaining traction.

Of the 19 cases, 14 involve individuals who contracted the virus in the DRC and crossed into Uganda, while five are locally confirmed Ugandan nationals. Thirteen patients are currently receiving medical care, four have been successfully discharged, and two deaths have been recorded, both among imported cases.

The figures, while comparatively modest, sit against a far more alarming backdrop in the DRC, where the outbreak has reached 381 confirmed cases and 64 confirmed deaths, with transmission concentrated in Ituri province and spreading into North Kivu and South Kivu.

The Bundibugyo strain, one of the rarer species of Ebola virus, has no approved vaccine or treatment.

$518mln regional plan unveiled

The institutional response has also scaled up significantly.

On June 5, WHO and the Africa CDC jointly unveiled a $518 million, six-month continental response plan running through November, consolidating emergency coordination, surveillance, clinical care, and community engagement under a unified framework. "The only way to beat this outbreak is through close partnership," Tedros said at the plan's launch.

Uganda's Ministry of Health has sought to reassure the public that the outbreak remains tightly managed and the country is safe, an assessment Tedros echoed.

Mauritius Denies Receiving US Acquisition Proposal of Chagos Islands

By Al Mayadeen English

8 Jun 2026 20:18

Mauritius insists that its sovereignty over the archipelago is non-negotiable despite claims that Washington is exploring alternatives to Britain's planned transfer of the territory

Mauritius on Monday said it has not received any proposal from the United States regarding the future of the Chagos Islands, after media reports suggested that the administration of US President Donald Trump was considering options that could involve purchasing the archipelago, The Straits Times reported.

In a statement, the Mauritian government said it had seen reports published by The Telegraph but stressed that no communication had been made by Washington on the matter.

"The Mauritian government has taken note of the information reported by the Telegraph. As of today, it has not received any official proposal and has not been approached, either directly or indirectly, by the US administration regarding a separate agreement concerning Diego Garcia or the Chagos Archipelago," it said.

Port Louis reiterated that its position on the territory remains unchanged.

"Mauritius's position remains unchanged: its sovereignty over the Chagos (Archipelago) is non-negotiable."

Chagos purchase proposal

The comments followed a report by The Telegraph claiming that officials in Washington were examining a number of alternatives to a planned British agreement that would transfer sovereignty over the islands to Mauritius while preserving Western military access to Diego Garcia.

According to the newspaper, one proposal being discussed within the White House would involve the United States seeking to acquire the archipelago directly from Mauritius after sovereignty is transferred from Britain. The report said the idea was included among several contingency options being developed as alternatives to the British-backed arrangement.

The discussions are reportedly being driven by concerns over the long-term status of Diego Garcia, a major US-British military installation regarded by Washington as one of its most important overseas bases. Reports indicate that some US officials fear Mauritian control of the territory could eventually complicate military operations or create strategic uncertainty in the Indian Ocean amid growing competition with China.

Trump questions handover deal

The reported discussions come amid continuing uncertainty over a deal negotiated by London to resolve the long-running dispute over the archipelago. The agreement would see Britain recognize Mauritian sovereignty while securing continued access to the strategically important Diego Garcia military facility through a long-term lease arrangement.

Earlier this year, the British government paused progress on the agreement following criticism from Trump and concerns raised by some US officials about the implications for the future of the base.

Trump publicly criticized the arrangement in February, calling it a "big mistake".

Colonial legacy persists

The Chagos Islands have remained the subject of an international sovereignty dispute for decades. Britain separated the territory from Mauritius prior to Mauritian independence and later forced thousands of Chagossians out of the islands to facilitate the construction of the joint US-British military base on Diego Garcia.

International legal bodies, including the International Court of Justice, have previously concluded that Britain's administration of the islands should come to an end and that the decolonization of Mauritius should be completed.

Under the framework previously outlined by London, Britain would transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while paying approximately £101 million annually to maintain operations at the installation, which remains a key hub for US and British military activities across the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, and beyond.

Over 400 Abductees Freed from Boko Haram Captivity in Nigeria

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Agencies

7 Jun 2026 14:20

Hundreds of women and children abducted by Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria have been freed, according to local officials and the military, after months in captivity.

More than 400 women and children abducted by Boko Haram militants earlier this year in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State have been released after months in captivity, according to local officials and military authorities.

The release marks one of the largest reported recoveries of abducted civilians in recent months in a region long affected by armed violence and displacement.

The captives were taken from Ngoshe, a community near the border with Cameroon, an area repeatedly targeted in attacks linked to the Boko Haram insurgency.

Local representatives said the freed civilians returned on Saturday after enduring harsh conditions during their captivity, bringing relief to families across communities in Borno State.

Hundreds of women and children return home

Samaila Kaigama, president of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), said all 416 women and children abducted from Ngoshe had been released.

“Our group has secured the release of all the 416 women and children abducted from Ngoshe,” Kaigama told journalists.

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume also confirmed the release, though authorities did not immediately clarify the circumstances under which the captives were freed.

The return of the abductees comes after months of uncertainty for families in a region where abductions have become a recurring feature of the long-running Boko Haram conflict.

Competing accounts of the release operation

The Nigerian military stated that it conducted an “intelligence-led rescue operation” that resulted in the release of 360 people held by Boko Haram terrorists.

According to the military, the captives were kept under harsh conditions after being taken from multiple communities, particularly around the Ngoshe axis in Borno State.

Officials said the operation involved extended intelligence gathering and psychological operations aimed at weakening cohesion within armed ranks before a final phase of intervention.

Authorities did not specify whether negotiations or other forms of pressure contributed to the outcome.

Human toll of captivity in northeastern Nigeria

Daniel Bwala, a spokesperson for Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu, said two infants died during captivity due to exhaustion and harsh conditions during movement through difficult terrain.

“Sadly, two infants died due to exhaustion from prolonged captivity and harsh terrain,” he said.

The deaths underscore the severe humanitarian impact of prolonged abductions, particularly on women and children caught in cycles of violence and displacement.

Communities in Borno State continue to face insecurity, disrupted livelihoods, and repeated exposure to armed attacks despite years of military operations.

Abductions amid long-running conflict in the Lake Chad region

Ngoshe lies in the Gwoza hills near the Cameroon border, a long-standing area of Boko Haram activity and cross-border instability in the Lake Chad Basin.

Abductions of civilians have remained a recurring tactic throughout the conflict, which has displaced millions across Nigeria and neighboring states.

Rural communities remain particularly vulnerable due to limited infrastructure, sparse security presence, and repeated incursions by armed groups operating across remote terrain.

Untapped Resources: Tax Reforms Could Unlock $469bn Annually in Africa

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: News websites

5 Jun 2026 09:25

The African Development Bank says Africa could generate over $469 billion annually through better tax systems and efficiency, without increasing tax rates.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) said African countries could unlock more than $469 billion in additional annual revenue without raising tax rates, a figure that would exceed the continent’s estimated financing gap and reduce reliance on external borrowing and aid, Business Insider Africa reported.

The estimate comes at a time when African governments are facing increasing fiscal pressure from rising debt repayments, weaker aid inflows, and a tightening global financial environment.

According to S&P Global Ratings, Africa’s external debt repayments are projected to exceed $90 billion this year, while development institutions estimate the continent’s annual financing gap at around $400 billion.

These pressures have intensified the search for domestic sources of funding as governments attempt to balance budgets and sustain development spending.

AfDB estimates $469 billion in untapped revenue

AfDB Chief Economist Kevin Urama said the potential revenue can be unlocked through improved tax administration, digitization, and institutional reforms rather than higher tax rates.

“We see that by improving tax administration through digitisation and other reforms, just adopting best practices, the continent can mobilise more than $469 billion extra without increasing tax rates,” he said. “It is simply about improving efficiency and strengthening compliance.”

Tax inefficiency and governance gaps across the continent

The AfDB also estimated that Africa could mobilize up to $1.43 trillion annually through broader reforms, including improved public spending efficiency, stronger institutions, and deeper financial systems.

It argued that weak tax administration and fragmented financial structures continue to drain significant resources that could otherwise support development priorities.

According to Urama, tax compliance is also closely tied to public trust in government institutions. In many countries, households and businesses often rely on private solutions for services such as electricity, water, and security, which reduces incentives to contribute more to public revenue systems.

He added that improving transparency and service delivery would help strengthen compliance and increase willingness to pay taxes.

Digitization and reform key solutions

The AfDB has repeatedly called for digitized tax systems, integrated taxpayer databases, broader tax bases, and simplified compliance procedures as key reforms to improve revenue mobilization. These measures, it argued, would help governments capture revenue that is currently lost through inefficiencies.

The bank also said Africa’s long-term development strategy must increasingly rely on internal resources rather than external financing, especially as global uncertainty affects investment flows and development assistance.

It concluded that the continent’s biggest untapped financial resource is not external aid or commodity wealth, but improved collection of revenue that is already due.

Iran Retaliates Against IOF Aggression on Beirut with Missile Salvos

By Al Mayadeen English

7 Jun 2026 23:03

Air raid sirens sounded across northern areas, explosions were reported near multiple locations, and flights at Ben Gurion Airport were temporarily halted.

Iran launched missiles today toward the occupied Palestinian territories in response to the Israeli attack on Beirut’s Southern Suburb.

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli warplanes bombed a residential building in the Mrjayeh–Tahwitat al-Ghadir area of Beirut's Southern Suburb, killing two citizens and injuring 20 others, including 8 women and children, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Israel Katz announced the strikes as they were underway.

Air raid sirens sounded across Haifa, al-Jalil, and the occupied Golan Heights, as well as dozens of other areas in the occupied north, following the detection of missile launches from Iran.

Iranian state television announced the launch of several waves of Iranian missiles toward targets in the occupied territories.

Israeli media reports said loud explosions were heard in the north as the missiles or their shrapnel made impact.

Meanwhile, Israeli Kan broadcaster reported damage in northern areas, coinciding with missile launches from Iran and the opening of shelters.

Preliminary reports by Israeli outlets also indicated that a missile struck near Kfar Yehoshua, southeast of Haifa, although details regarding damage or casualties were not immediately available.

Air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport was suspended and bomb shelters across "Israel" were opened after the missile launches from Iran were detected.

IRGC says Ramat David Airbase attacked

Shortly after the launches, the IRGC announced that the Ramat David Airbase was targeted by its ballistic missiles. According to the IRGC, the strike was carried out in response to the extensive Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, as well as the killing and displacement of civilians in the regions of Tyre, Nabatieh, and other areas, including Beirut's Southern Suburb.

"Our acceptance of a ceasefire had been contingent on a complete cessation of hostilities across all fronts," the IRGC stressed.

In a statement, the IRGC's Public Relations Department announced that the Aerospace Force had launched ballistic missiles targeting the Ramat David airbase, which it described as the origin of attacks against Lebanon.

'We have fulfilled our promise'

Majid Mousavi, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, said the operation fulfilled a previously stated commitment, declaring, "We have fulfilled our promise."

The IRGC stated that the operation was intended solely as a warning, adding that any repetition of such actions would be met with a broader response that would encompass all American and Israeli targets across the region.

The statement further said that Iran's acceptance of a ceasefire on April 8 was conditional upon a halt to hostilities on all fronts. However, it said that the United States and "Israel" failed to uphold their commitments, arguing that attacks and military operations in Lebanon continued and that repeated actions against Iranian coasts and vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, and the Indian Ocean constituted violations of the ceasefire.

'Israel crossed all red lines in Lebanon': Khatam HQ

The spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters stated that the Israeli regime, through its repeated violations of the ceasefire, continues to escalate its actions against the Lebanese people on a daily basis, with the backing and support of the United States and amid the silence of international institutions.

He stated that "Israel" is committing war crimes through the use of prohibited weapons, including phosphorus bombs, adding that despite previous warnings from the Islamic Republic of Iran, "the Israeli regime crossed all red lines by intensifying its attacks in southern Lebanon and targeting Beirut's Southern Suburb."

The spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters stated that the Israeli regime, through its repeated violations of the ceasefire, continues to escalate its actions against the Lebanese people on a daily basis, with the backing and support of the United States and

The spokesperson said Iran had previously warned that it would strike targets in the occupied territories following attacks on Beirut's Southern Suburb.

He further warned that the Israeli military must halt its attacks on southern Lebanon and the Southern Suburb of Beirut, stating that any further escalation or retaliation against Iranian actions would be met with more severe and devastating strikes.

According to the Iranian spokesperson, such a scenario would trigger destructive attacks against "Israel" and its protectors.

'Tonight, the aggressors received their response.'

On his part, Major General Mohsen Rezaei, a member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, said the Islamic Republic had repeatedly warned that it would not tolerate violations of the ceasefire or acts of aggression against Lebanon.

Speaking after the latest developments, Rezaei stressed that those responsible had already faced consequences, declaring, “Tonight, the aggressors received their response.”

He described the response as a warning intended to deter further action, adding that any additional attacks would be met by a stronger reaction and greater costs.

Rezaei said Iran remains committed to its stated position that continued violations of ceasefire arrangements and military actions against Lebanon would provoke an escalating response.

Iranian lawmaker says Axis of Resistance will respond with full force

A senior Iranian lawmaker on Sunday accused the United States and "Israel" of violating regional stability and committing crimes against Palestinians and Lebanese people, warning that the Axis of Resistance would respond in kind.

Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian Parliament, said Washington's violation of a ceasefire in the Gulf and "Israel's" actions in Palestine and Lebanon demonstrated that the two sides “understand only the language of force.”

“The United States’ violation of the ceasefire in the Persian Gulf and the crimes committed by the Zionist regime against Palestine and beloved Lebanon show that you understand only the language of force,” Azizi stressed.

“Therefore, the Resistance Front will address you in the same language,” he declared.

Ceasefire framework

The Israeli strike on Beirut's Southern Suburb follows a June 2–3 trilateral meeting in Washington between US, Lebanese, and Israeli representatives.

The US State Department published a joint statement on June 4 outlining a framework aimed at a ceasefire and border security arrangements, under which the Lebanese government and the Israeli occupation agreed in principle to a ceasefire arrangement.

The agreement has faced widespread rejection across Lebanese sects, political parties, and officials. The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon has continued its operations against Israeli occupation forces in retaliation for ongoing Israeli attacks.

Iran's response warning

Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly linked developments in Lebanon to the ceasefire agreement in Iran, insisting that the ceasefire deal includes all fronts, specifically Lebanon, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemning violations of the ceasefire in Beirut as acts of aggression.

Araghchi said Iran had informed all parties that "if they attack Beirut, we will not tolerate it," adding that the course of the conflict would ultimately be determined by the Resistance's ability to respond.

He also reiterated Tehran's position that Iran had been fully prepared to strike "Israel" if Beirut and its Southern Suburb had come under attack, referring to recent Israeli threats against the area issued on June 1.

Following the June 1 threats against Dahieh, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said US President Donald Trump's claim that he had prevented Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from launching an attack on Beirut amounted to an acknowledgment of Washington's direct role in the ongoing aggression.

For his part, Mohsen Rezaei, military advisor to Iran's Leader, warned "Israel" against taking any action targeting Beirut's Southern Suburb, asserting that missile forces were prepared to carry out a broader deterrent response if necessary.

Following the latest threats against Dahieh, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said US President Donald Trump's claim that he had prevented Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from launching an attack on Beirut amounted to an acknowledgment of Washington's direct role in the ongoing aggression.