Africa

Niger closes airspace over ‘threat of intervention’ as junta defies deadline

NIAMEY, Aug 7, 2023 (AFP) – Niger closed its airspace due to the “threat of intervention” as the junta defied a deadline from the West African bloc ECOWAS to reinstate democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum or face possible military action. ECOWAS issued its ultimatum a week ago, demanding the generals relinquish power by midnight Sunday (2300 GMT). Bazoum was overthrown on July 26 when members of his own guard detained him at the presidency. “Faced […]

US orders partial evacuation of embassy in Niger

WASHINGTON, Aug 2, 2023 (AFP) – The United States on Wednesday ordered a partial evacuation of its embassy in Niger, the State Department said, a week after the fragile nation was rocked by a coup. “On August 2, 2023, the Department ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government employees and eligible family members from Embassy Niamey,” an updated US travel advisory for Niger said. The advisory warned US citizens “not to travel to Niger,” but […]

Kenya suspends Worldcoin crypto over privacy concerns

Kenya on Wednesday suspended the Worldcoin crypto project that relies on an eye scan to verify a user’s identity, citing concerns about data protection. Worldcoin, set up by OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, began operating in June in Germany and provides users with a private digital identity — a “World ID” — after they get their eye’s unique iris pattern scanned. The project, according to its founders, aims to solve one of the main challenges […]

UN chief calls on Tunisia to end migrant expulsions

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Tuesday for Tunisia to stop expelling migrants into desert border areas, and demanded those already stranded in the harsh environment be relocated, a spokesperson said. “We are deeply concerned about the expulsion of migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers from Tunisia to the borders with Libya and also Algeria,” deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said. He warned that “several have died” at Tunisia’s border with Libya, while […]

First evacuation flight from coup-hit Niger lands in France

By Boureima HAMA Agence France-Presse NIAMEY, Niger (AFP) — The first of three planes carrying mostly French and European people evacuated from Niger landed in Paris early Wednesday, a week after a coup toppled one of the last pro-Western leaders in the jihadist-plagued Sahel. “There are 262 people on board the plane, an Airbus A330, including a dozen babies,” French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told AFP before the flight landed at Paris Roissy Charles de […]

Africa leaders give Niger junta week to cede power

ABUJA, July 30, 2023 (AFP) – African leaders on Sunday gave the junta in Niger one week to cede power or face the possible use of force, and slapped financial sanctions on the putschists, after the latest coup in the jihadist-plagued Sahel region raised alarm on the continent and in the West. In the third coup in as many years to fell a leader in the Sahel, Niger’s elected president and Western ally, Mohamed Bazoum, […]

American nurse, child kidnapped in Haiti: aid group

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2023 (AFP) – An American nurse and her child have been kidnapped in Haiti, a Christian aid group said Saturday, days after the US government ordered its nonessential personnel out of the impoverished Caribbean country due to spiraling insecurity. Alix Dorsainvil and her child were kidnapped Thursday morning near Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, El Roi Haiti said in a statement on its website. She is the wife of the group’s director, who is […]

US orders nonessential staff out of Haiti amid gang crisis

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2023 (AFP) – The United States has ordered its nonessential personnel and family of government employees to leave Haiti as the Caribbean nation faces spiraling insecurity, the State Department said. Issuing an updated travel advisory Thursday evening, the State Department also reiterated its warning that Americans should not travel to Haiti. “US citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light […]

Army general declares himself Niger leader

NIAMEY, July 28, 2023 (AFP) – Niger’s putschists named an army general as the new leader of the unstable jihadist-hit nation on Friday, the third day since elected President Mohamed Bazoum was detained. Former colonial master France said hours earlier that it did not consider the coup “final”, adding there was time for plotters to heed international calls to leave democratically-elected Bazoum in office. But General Abdourahamane Tchiani, head of the Presidential Guard since 2011, […]

Algeria battles wildfires that have killed 34

By AFP correspondent with Abdellah Cheballah in Alger Agence France-Presse TOUDJA, Algeria (AFP) — Algerian firefighters on Tuesday battled blazes that have killed 34 people across the tinder-dry north, destroyed homes and coastal resorts, and turned vast forest areas into blackened wastelands. Witnesses described fleeing walls of flames that raged “like a blowtorch”. TV footage showed charred cars, burned-out shops and smoldering fields. Severe fires have raged through the mountain forests of the Kabylia region […]

‘Time for peace’ in Sudan, Darfur: Rapid Support Forces envoy

LOME, Togo (AFP) — A top envoy to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on Monday said it was “time for peace” in Sudan and the Darfur region even as RSF’s war with Sudan’s regular army passed its 100th day. RSF representative Youssef Ezzat made his remarks in the West African nation of Togo where he was attending talks aimed at preventing Sudan’s Darfur region from sliding deeper into war. Sudan’s conflict broke out in the […]

Shops, schools reopen in Kenya despite protest call

NAIROBI, July 20, 2023 (AFP) – Shops and schools reopened Thursday as Kenyans resumed normal life, despite an opposition call to join anti-government protests after earlier demonstrations prompted widespread closures and resulted in deadly clashes. Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has staged several demonstrations since March against the government, alarming the international community which has urged both sides to find a political solution after earlier protests left more than dozen dead. Odinga’s Azimio alliance had […]