International News
Cameroonian Curator Appointed As First African Woman To Lead 2026 Venice Biennale
In a historic moment for the global art world, Koyo Kouoh, the esteemed Cameroonian curator, has been appointed the first African woman to curate the Venice Biennale, one of the most prestigious contemporary art exhibitions in the world.
At 57 years old, Kouoh will oversee the 2026 edition of the biennale, making her mark in the 130-year-old institution that draws hundreds of thousands of art lovers to Venice every two years.
Kouoh, who has served as the director of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in Cape Town since 2019, was hailed by Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, president of the Biennale, as a “curator, scholar, and influential public figure.”
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He emphasized that Kouoh’s leadership would bring a fresh and dynamic vision to the event, incorporating the “most refined, young, and disruptive intelligences” into the iconic exhibition.
Before her role at Zeitz MOCAA, Kouoh founded the RAW Material Company in Dakar, Senegal, and has long been a prominent figure in the Pan-African art scene.
Raised between Douala, Cameroon, and Switzerland, her global perspective has shaped her curatorial approach. Kouoh’s work in Cape Town has been groundbreaking, focusing on bold programs that highlight artists from Africa and its diaspora.
Describing her appointment as a “once-in-a-lifetime honour,” Kouoh expressed her ambition to bring forward a show that “carries meaning for the world we currently live in—and most importantly, for the world we want to make.”
She sees the Venice Biennale as a unique opportunity to reflect on the pulse of the contemporary world and address pressing global issues through art.
Kouoh’s Pan-African vision extends beyond the boundaries of the continent, challenging traditional ideas of identity and geography.
She has been vocal in her belief that African culture spans far beyond Africa itself, calling America “another African country” and linking Brazil, Cuba, and Haiti to the African diaspora.
“Africa is for me an idea that goes beyond borders. It’s a history that goes beyond borders,” she has said, emphasizing the significance of black culture and its global impact.
Kouoh follows in the footsteps of the late Nigerian art critic Okwui Enwezor, who made history as the first African to curate the Venice Biennale in 2015.
Her appointment reflects a growing recognition of the influence of African and diasporic art on the global stage.
The Biennale’s announcement follows Kouoh’s recommendation by Buttafuoco, a Sicilian intellectual appointed to lead the Venice board with support from Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.
Federal agents raided the Washington, D.C., home of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar early Monday morning as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed.
Homeland Security Investigations agents arrived at the Minnesota congresswoman’s residence at about 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, according to a report by Fox News.
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The report said both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the DOJ are involved in the investigation.
A DOJ spokesperson confirmed the operation, stating: “Today in the Washington, D.C. area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice.”
The spokesperson added: “This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.”
Details later……….
Heavy rains have triggered severe flooding across parts of Bangkok, Thailand, forcing nearly 4,900 residents to evacuate to shelters as floodwaters swept through roads and residential areas.
The flooding has disrupted movement across parts of the Thai capital, with motorists and pedestrians forced to navigate submerged roads and seek alternative routes.
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According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, about 52,000 households have been affected by the flooding, prompting authorities to declare a flood disaster and intensify emergency response efforts.
Emergency teams have been deployed to assist affected communities and move residents from vulnerable areas to safer locations as water levels rise.
Bangkok is accustomed to seasonal heavy rainfall, but intense downpours can overwhelm drainage systems, particularly in low-lying areas, resulting in widespread flooding and disruption.
Authorities are continuing to monitor affected locations while coordinating evacuations and other emergency measures.
For thousands of residents, the immediate priority remains securing safe shelter and protecting homes and livelihoods as authorities work to manage the situation and restore normal activities once the floodwaters recede.
US President Donald Trump has explained his decision to reject Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying Tehran was seeking an agreement because it was losing revenue.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Iran wanted to immediately reopen the strategically important waterway but argued that the proposal was not acceptable to his administration.
“They want to make a deal, and I think that’s fine. I like making a deal, too, but that deal would not be acceptable,” Trump said.
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According to the US president, Iran’s push to reopen the strait was driven by the economic pressure it was facing.
“What they want to do is immediately open the Hormuz Strait. Do you know why? Because they are dying,” Trump said.
“You know why they’re dying? Because they have no money coming in, because they get their money from the Hormuz Strait.”
Trump also claimed that the US had established an unprecedented naval blockade against Iran, describing it as “a wall of steel.”
“So they outsmarted themselves. We put up the greatest blockade ever in military history. It’s a wall of steel,” he said.
“And guess what? They don’t have any money now because they wanted to close the strait.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy shipping route, and disruption to traffic through the waterway has significant implications for international oil markets and countries that depend on energy imports.
Trump’s remarks came amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran over the reopening of the strategic waterway and negotiations involving Iran.
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