PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 PRESS STATEMENT    ActionAid @25: Information Minister Commends 25 Years of Impact    The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has praised ActionAid Nigeria for 25 years of action, service, and transformative work across the country.    Speaking at the 25th Anniversary of ActionAid Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister said, “For a quarter of a century, ActionAid has taken development to the frontlines, empowering women and girls, strengthening education, improving healthcare, advocating for governance reforms, supporting communities during crises, and amplifying the voices of the most vulnerable.”   ActionAid, he added, must be praised for its innumerable responses to challenging humanitarian situations and grassroots empowerment work that have shaped policy and community development in profound and measurable ways in Nigeria. “Today, we gather to honour this legacy and to look toward the next chapter.”  ...

 Ghana police arrest woman caught assaulting man in viral video The Ghana Police Service has arrested a woman seen in a viral video physically assaulting a man. The arrest was carried out by the IGP’s Special Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team on Wednesday, November 27, 2025. The suspect, Esther Nana Afia Sarfowaa, was apprehended at Subriso in the Ahafo Ano North Constituency of the Ashanti Region.  A second suspect, Stephen Ofori, was also arrested at Nkawie in connection with the incident. Police say three other individuals linked to the assault remain at large, and efforts are ongoing to bring them into custody. The Ghana Police Service has assured the public that all perpetrators involved will face justice.

 ECOWAS Suspends Guinea-Bissau After Military Coup  The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended Guinea-Bissau from all its decision-making bodies with immediate effect following a military coup that overthrew President Umaro Sissoco Embaló on Tuesday, 26 November. In a strongly worded communiqué issued after an emergency virtual summit late Thursday, ECOWAS Heads of State condemned the takeover in the strongest terms and ordered the unconditional restoration of constitutional rule.  ECOWAS praised Guinea-Bissau citizens for their resilience and commitment to democracy during the vote while expressing alarm at the military’s disruption of the electoral process. The regional bloc rejected any arrangements that perpetuate the illegal abortion of the democratic process and the subversion of the will of the people and demanded that coup leaders allow the National Electoral Commission to declare the 23 November election results without further delay, It...

 NESREA SHUTS DOWN QUARRY AS BLAST DESTROYS SCHOOL, INJURES SCHOOL CHILDREN Officials of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has shut down Cornerstone company managed by Istanbul Quarry in Dutse area of Abuja , after flying rocks from a blasting operation injured staff and students of Graceland High School, and damaged the school properties. Investigations by NESREA showed that the students were in their various classes writing exams when they heard a bang at about 12.30 pm, followed by flying rocks which destroyed the school buildings, with 11 students and 2 staff of the school sustaining various degrees of injuries. Nearby shops were also affected by the flying rocks. DIrector General NESREA Prof innocent Barikor  said, the Agency took the steps to shut down the facility as their operations were contrary to the provisions of the National Environmental (Quarrying and Blasting Operations) Regulations 2013. He said,  preliminary...

 Guinea-Bissau’s Deposed President Embaló Arrives in Senegal After Military Coup Guinea-Bissau’s ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embaló has fled to neighbouring Senegal after being released by the military officers who overthrew his government earlier this week, Senegalese authorities confirmed on Friday. The former army general, who came to power in 2020, arrived “safe and sound” in Dakar late Thursday aboard a chartered military flight, Senegal’s foreign ministry said in a statement.  His transfer followed intense negotiations led by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) as tensions escalated in the coup-prone nation. Guinea-Bissau has suffered multiple coups and attempted coups since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, with the latest upheaval marking another setback for democratic stability in the region.

 Apple faces fresh lawsuit over alleged use of DR Congo conflict minerals A US-based advocacy group has filed a lawsuit in Washington accusing Apple of using minerals linked to conflict and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda despite the iPhone maker's denials. International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates) previously filed a lawsuit against tech firms including Tesla, Apple and other companies over cobalt sourcing, but US courts dismissed that case last year. French prosecutors also dropped Congo's case against Apple subsidiaries in December over conflict minerals, citing lack of evidence. A related criminal complaint in Belgium is still under investigation. Apple denied any wrongdoing in response to Congo's lawsuits, saying it had instructed its suppliers to halt the sourcing of material from Congo and neighbouring Rwanda. Unsafe mining Apple said on Wednesday it “strongly disputes” the latest allegations that the company is benefiting from fo...

 Tunisia frees prominent lawyer Sonia Dahmani, a critic of the president Tunisia freed prominent lawyer Sonia Dahmani, a vocal critic of President Kais Saied, on Thursday after a year and a half in prison and she said she hoped her release would pave the way for dozens of other critics to walk free. Dahmani, who is also a media commentator, is widely seen as a leading dissenting voice in Tunisia, and her arrest last year prompted local protests demanding her release and international criticism. She was convicted for comments during a television appearance that questioned the government's stance on undocumented African migrants in Tunisia. The court said the comments had insulted her country and spread false information intended to harm it. As Dahmani was released from Manouba prison, dozens of her family members and activists chanted: "The police state's era of repression is over." She told reporters, "I hope this is the end of the nightmare for me and all the ot...