Niger: First French troops withdraw as US cuts aid

The first French soldiers left Niger on Tuesday in an overland convoy under local escort, possibly to Chad, just as the United States announced the withdrawal of its aid to the country, which has been ruled by a military regime since late July. The withdrawal of the French troops was quickly demanded by Niger’s generals…

Cameroon: Toll rises to at least 27 dead and 50 injured in floods

Death toll from floods in Cameroon’s capital, reaches 27 with more than 50 injured, Monday, as rescuers intensify the search for those missing following the deluge the previous day. The rains unleashed floodwaters in the district of Yaoundé 2 of the country’s capital on Sunday, sweeping away buildings and reducing many to rubble. One of…

DRC: in the Goma camps, prostitution, rape and hunger

Patricia* is 15 years old and has a tough look. Like thousands of girls and women in recent months, she was raped while searching for food for her family around the displaced camps in Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sitting in a Médecins sans Frontières tent, pregnant, she hides her…

Top Libyan officials detained in investigation into deadly floods

Sixteen officials in Libya have been detained amid an investigation into the deadly collapse of two dams after heavy rain in the coastal city Derna earlier this month, according to a statement by the Libyan attorney general’s office. Thousands of people died in ensuing floods. “The investigating authority initiates a criminal case against sixteen officials…

Kenya’s anti-gay bill proposes 50-year jail term

Kenya is considering the Family Protection Bill 2023, which could lead to 50-year prison sentences for non-consensual same-sex acts. Sponsored by Homa Bay Town legislator Peter Kaluma, the bill aims to ban homosexuality, same-sex unions, and LGBTQ activities and campaigns. It also intends to prohibit gay parades, assemblies, marches, and public cross-dressing. According to the…

At least 8 dead in military helicopter crash in Kenya

The crash of a military helicopter in Kenya, near the border with Somalia, killed at least eight people, officials said Tuesday. The cause of the accident in Lamu County, on the Kenyan coast, was not immediately clear. Kenyan defense forces operate in the region to help deter al-Qaeda- linked extremists from the Al-Shahab group, based…

Libya’s Leaders Urged to Bury Differences After ‘Shocking’ Floods

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called on all Libyan political actors to overcome political deadlocks and divisions and collectively ensure relief access. The number of deaths in the Libyan city of Derna could range from 18,000 to 20,000 after the catastrophic event, according to the city’s mayor. Sky Newsreports that Abdulmenam…

Moroccan rescue teams step up last-ditch hunt for earthquake survivors

Rescue teams stepped up a massive effort to bring relief to devastated Moroccan mountain villages Wednesday as the chances faded fast for finding survivors from the powerful earthquake which killed 2,900 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless. Vehicles packed with supplies were inching up winding mountain roads to deliver desperately needed food and tents…