‘Like a horror movie’: 770 km of fear for those fleeing Sudan’s El-Fasher

Survivors of the bloody takeover of El-Fasher walked for days through the desert, past bodies and armed men who humiliated them, desperate to escape the Sudanese city now overrun by paramilitary forces.Several gave harrowing accounts to AFP, describing scenes of terror as nearly 100,000 people fled the last army stronghold in western Darfur after its fall to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on October 26.Now sheltering at Al-Dabbah refugee camp in Northern State, about 770 kilometres (480 miles) to the northeast, they say they saw bodies scattered on the roadside and endured hunger, thirst and repeated assaults — a journey one described as “like a horror movie”.Local authorities say around 50,000 people have reached Al-Dabbah since the RSF besieged El-Fasher in May 2024.Over more than two and a half years, the war between the RSF and Sudan’s army has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced nearly 12 million, creating what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.Talks for a humanitarian truce remain stalled as both sides consolidate their territorial control and political legitimacy.- ‘Dead bodies’ -“We arrived here completely exhausted. We thought we were going to die,” said Zahra Youssef, one of the survivors now sheltering in Al-Dabbah.”There was no water, no food. The roads were impassable. It was desert. “It took us 16 days to get here. Along the way, there were dead bodies, people lying in the streets.”Everywhere we looked, we saw dead bodies.”- ‘Like a horror movie’ -Hussein Mohamed, who fled the city with his family, described the journey as “inhuman”.”Just a kilometre outside El-Fasher, a man pointed a gun at us.”Soon after, we found three men running in our direction. That’s when the body searches and insults began.””They searched the women horribly. One woman said, ‘I have my period’, but they ignored her.”The roads were terrifying, terrifying because of the bodies. Bodies of people and children, along with their clothes, belongings and documents scattered across the street. It looked like a scene from a horror movie.”At a checkpoint, “they made us get out of our vehicles… They took nine young men, accusing them of being soldiers.”They began torturing them. They kicked them in the head.”- ‘As if we weren’t human’ -Suleiman Mohamed said the paramilitary fighters stripped women and humiliated them.”They touched the women, even taking off their undergarments,” he said.”They took phones, money, anything they could find. They searched us like we weren’t human beings.”We heard the worst insults, words you don’t say to humans.”We saw bodies of young men on the road. We don’t know how they died. They took nearly all my money.”- ‘They wanted to rape my sisters’ -Mohamed Adam, 12, fled with his mother and siblings.”They didn’t leave us alone,” he said.”They wanted to rape my sisters. My mother told them, ‘Rape me instead, but not the girls.'”Then, they threw stones at us as we ran away.”- ‘Taking girls’ virginity’ -For Mazaher Ibrahim, walking in a group offered little safety.”When we girls walk together, we put henna on our hands even if we’re not married,” she said.”The RSF prefer unmarried girls. They boast about killing and about taking girls’ virginity.”One of them said proudly, ‘I am up to 40 girls’.”Those who survived the 770-kilometre trek now find themselves in overcrowded camps in northern Sudan, with little food or medical care. Many have lost family members along the way and say they are haunted by what they saw. 

Boeing union votes to end strike, accept new contract

More than 3,000 striking Boeing defense workers on Thursday voted to end a strike over wage increases and retirement benefits, one of the longest work stoppages in the company’s history.”We’re proud of what our members have fought for together and are ready to get back to building the world’s most advanced military aircraft,” District 837 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said in a statement.Striking workers in the midwestern states of Missouri and Illinois had walked off the job on August 4.”We’re pleased with the results and look forward to bringing our full team back together on Nov. 17 to support our customers,” Boeing said in a statement.After rejecting four previous offers, workers accepted a wage increase and a $6,000 upfront payment.The average annual base salary will increase from $75,000 to $109,000 at the end of the five-year collective bargaining agreement.The Boeing machinists work on F-15 and F-18 combat aircraft, the T-7 Red Hawk Advanced Pilot Training System and MQ-25 unmanned aircraft in factories in Missouri and Illinois.Union leaders had pressed for a higher bonus more in line with the $12,000 received by IAM members in the Pacific Northwest last November, following a strike that lasted more than seven weeks.The Seattle-area strike shuttered two major Boeing commercial airline manufacturing plants.IAM representatives recognized that they were unlikely to garner a similar bonus for midwestern workers in light of the higher cost of living in the Seattle region as compared with St. Louis, leading union representatives to push for $10,000 during the talks.Ahead of the vote, IAM District 837 leaders recommended the latest proposal from Boeing.

La Cnam condamnée pour le suicide d’une médecin conseil “débordée”

La Cnam a été condamnée jeudi à Strasbourg pour homicide involontaire après le suicide en 2023 d’une médecin conseil “débordée”, un drame qui jette une lumière crue sur un métier “délicat”.Le tribunal judiciaire de Strasbourg a suivi les réquisitions du procureur, qui avait réclamé une amende de 50.000 euros pour la Caisse nationale de l’assurance maladie lors d’une audience début octobre.Le 12 décembre 2023, le docteur Catherine Dumas-Pierog, 44 ans, se défenestrait depuis le 3e étage des bureaux de l’assurance maladie à Strasbourg, quelques heures après avoir reçu son planning du mois suivant.Dans un signalement adressé au procureur de la République en octobre 2024, l’Inspection du travail estimait que la médecin, embauchée en mai 2023 à l’Echelon local du service médical du Bas-Rhin, avait été victime d’un homicide involontaire de la part de son employeur.”Je n’arrive pas à m’améliorer, je n’arrive pas à m’intégrer, je n’en peux plus, je craque, je vous demande pardon”, avait-elle écrit dans un billet manuscrit laissé sur son bureau, selon le signalement de l’Inspection du travail que l’AFP s’est procuré.”Selon l’étude de sa boîte mail, la victime envoyait des courriels très tôt le matin (le plus tôt constaté à 05H32 du matin) de manière fréquente”, selon le même document.- Menaces de mort -Par ce jugement, “la justice reconnaît que la responsabilité de la Cnam était engagée pour ne pas avoir suffisamment veillé au bien-être psychosocial” d’une salariée, a commenté pour l’AFP Me Laurent Paté, défenseur de la Fédération CFDT de la protection sociale, partie civile au procès.Dans cette optique, le jugement “est une décision importante car il y a assez peu de jurisprudence dans ce genre d’affaires”, a-t-il relevé, même si dans les années 2000 les affaires de suicides chez France Télécom (devenu Orange) “ont défrayé la chronique” et illustré la problématique du harcèlement moral.Les médecins conseil de la Sécurité sociale exercent “une mission délicate”, rappelle Me Paté: ils sont notamment chargés de vérifier le bien fondé des arrêts maladie et de reconnaître les cas de maladies professionnelles. Ils sont parfois en proie à des violences physiques ou verbales de la part des assurés.”La victime avait fait l’objet de menaces de mort en juin 2024″, selon les inspecteurs du travail.- Porte fermée -Le signalement de l’Inspection du travail relevait qu’à la suite d’une nouvelle organisation en 2019 et la mise en place d’un nouveau logiciel, le docteur Dumas-Pierog s’était trouvée “débordée par son travail”. Son suicide “ne saurait être considéré comme un acte local et isolé” dénonçait l’Inspection du travail, évoquant une “tentative de suicide d’un manager” dans les services parisiens de la Sécurité sociale et une alerte à la souffrance au travail en Bretagne.La réorganisation baptisée “Smmop” pour “Service médical management organisation performance” avait fait l’objet en 2021 d’une alerte relative aux risques psychosociaux établie par la médecine du travail qui évoquait “une souffrance au travail de nombreux salariés causée par un management vertical”.Concernant le Dr Dumas-Pierog, sa hiérarchie avait été alertée deux semaines avant son passage à l’acte, selon la même source.La victime, qui avait déjà exercé ce métier entre 2008 et 2016, “s’est trouvée en conflit entre la pression des objectifs à atteindre et un manque d’autonomie dans sa gestion” induite par la réorganisation du travail des médecins conseil.Ces derniers “n’ont plus la main sur la gestion des dossiers médicaux (…) Dès qu’un dossier est traité un autre prend sa place”, relevaient les inspecteurs du travail.Les contacts entre collègues “se font essentiellement par courriels”, selon le signalement, qui note que la victime ne participait plus depuis plusieurs semaines aux repas entre collègues “et fermait la porte de son bureau”. Contactée par l’AFP, la Cnam n’avait pas réagi jeudi soir à ces informations.

Osimhen strikes twice as Nigeria keep World Cup hopes aliveThu, 13 Nov 2025 18:59:26 GMT

Star striker Victor Osimhen scored twice in extra time to clinch a 4-1 victory for Nigeria over Gabon on Thursday in an African 2026 World Cup qualifying semi-final in Rabat.Osimhen squandered a great chance to win the match at the end of regular time, firing wide with only goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba to beat.But the 2023 …

Osimhen strikes twice as Nigeria keep World Cup hopes aliveThu, 13 Nov 2025 18:59:26 GMT Read More »

Panama denies US military exercises on its soil aimed at Venezuela

The president of Panama denied Thursday that US military exercises on its soil were in any way a “hostile act against Venezuela.”US forces have carried out survival and combat exercises in Panama’s Darien jungle bordering Colombia this year, and at a police base on the Caribbean coast.They have coincided with a US military deployment against drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific, which Venezuela claims is really a maneuver to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro.Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino insisted Thursday the Central American country was not “lending out its territory for any type of hostile act against Venezuela or any other country in the world.”US strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in Latin America have claimed at least 76 lives since September.Washington has provided no evidence the boat occupants were traffickers, and rights groups say the strikes are illegal even if they were.The US military exercises in Panama were made possible by a security agreement signed by the allies in April.It sparked protests by Panamanians who oppose any perceived infringement of their country’s sovereignty after a 1989 US invasion to depose then-leader General Manuel Noriega.The agreement allows Washington, with Panamanian authorization, to use air and naval bases for “training” purposes for a renewable period of three years. The agreement was signed amid pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to “take back” control of the Panama Canal that the United States built and controlled until 1999.”There is no unauthorized military presence in Panama,” said Mulino.

Israeli troops kill two West Bank Palestinians, settlers set mosque ablaze

The Israeli military said its troops killed two suspected militants in a town in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, while Palestinian officials accused Israeli settlers of setting fire to a mosque in the territory.Settler violence has surged in recent weeks across the West Bank, drawing international condemnation and even rare criticism from within the Israeli military and government.”A short while ago, IDF soldiers who were operating adjacent to the community of Karmei Zur, eliminated two terrorists who were on their way to carry out a terror attack,” the military said in a statement, without providing details.Palestinian authorities also did not provide any details.Meanwhile, the Ramallah-based Palestinian foreign ministry said Israeli settlers set ablaze the Hajja Hamida mosque near the town of Deir Istiya in the north.”This blatantly violates the sanctity of places of worship and reflects the deep-rooted racism driving settlers under the protection of the occupying government,” the ministry said.AFP photographs from the scene showed burnt copies of the Koran and walls blackened by smoke. A wall of the mosque was also graffitied.The Israeli military said that security forces were dispatched to the scene on Thursday following “a report and footage… regarding suspects who set fire to a mosque and sprayed graffiti.” In a statement, it said that no suspects were identified after a review of the incident, which was handed over to the Israeli police and security agency.”The IDF condemns any form of violence and will continue to operate to safeguard the security and order in the area,” it added.- ‘Red line’ -UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, with his spokesman saying that “such acts of violence and desecration of religious sites are unacceptable.””Such incidents are part of an increasing pattern of extremist violence that is inflaming tensions and must stop immediately,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.Thursday’s arson attack came a day after Israeli army chief pledged to halt settler violence.”We are aware of the recent violent incidents in which Israeli civilians attacked Palestinians and Israelis. I strongly condemn them,” Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in a statement.”These acts contradict our values, cross a red line and divert the attention of our troops from their mission,” he warned.”We are determined to stop this phenomenon and will act decisively until justice is served.”Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, where more than 500,000 Israelis now live in settlements.A minority of these Israelis engage in violence against Palestinians, who complain that Israeli forces usually do not arrest settlers.All settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law.Earlier this month, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that October 2025 was the worst month for settler violence since it began recording in 2006, with at least 264 attacks that caused casualties or property damage.Almost none of the perpetrators have been held to account by the Israeli authorities.Violence has surged across the West Bank since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023.At least 1,003 Palestinians, including militants, have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the war started, according to the Palestinian health ministry.During the same period, 43 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks in the West Bank, according to official Israeli figures.

Bad Bunny in box seat as Latin Grammys hit Vegas

Bad Bunny looks set for a big night on Thursday when the Latin Grammys, the biggest celebration of Spanish and Portuguese-language music, return to Las Vegas.The reggaeton star has 12 nominations, including best album, best record and best song — categories in which he is also competing at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in February.A triumph for “Debi Tirar Mas Fotos” (“I should have taken more photos”) would be another chapter in a year in which the 31-year-old — whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — has swept the entertainment world.A barnstorming residency in his native Puerto Rico has just ended, with a world tour set to kick off this month in the Dominican Republic.The reggaeton breakout made headlines when he said the tour would not include any dates on the US mainland because he was concerned his fans might be targeted by President Donald Trump’s immigration raids.The one exception to his self-imposed ban will be the Super Bowl halftime show on February 8 in Santa Clara, California.The performance, which comes midway through the NFL final, is routinely one of the television events of the year, watched by well over 100 million people in the United States alone, with millions more tuning in around the world.On Thursday night, Bad Bunny faces competition from Argentinian duo Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, whose album “Papota” is also vying for the night’s biggest awards.They are the first nominations for the explosive hip-hop duo, who recently opened several concerts in Latin America for Kendrick Lamar, a strong favorite for the 2026 Grammys. Edgar Barrera, who as a producer and songwriter has garnered more than 70 nominations at the Latin awards, is also competing for Song and Record of the Year for his work with Karol G on “Si antes te hubiera conocido” (If I Had Met You Before). The album’s single “Tropicoqueta” also earned the Colombian singer a nomination for Best Tropical Song. Karol G is set to be one of the headliners at Coachella next year.Brazil’s Liniker, who in 2022 became the first transgender artist to win a Latin Grammy, is sitting on seven nominations for her album “Caju,” including the top three prizes.Other nominees for the award include Alejandro Sanz, Carin Leon, Gloria Estefan, Joaquina, Rauw Alejandro, Vicente García, and Natalia Lafourcade, who has a total eight nominations.The Latin Grammys return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena after editions in Spain and Miami. The show, which kicks off at 5 pm (0100 GMT Friday) will feature performances from Bad Bunny, Karol G, and Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, as well as by Alejandro Sanz, Carlos Santana, Rauw Alejandro, Kacey Musgraves, Edgar Barrera, Joaquina, Christian Nodal, Nathy Peluso, Elena Rose, and Grupo Frontera.

Starbucks baristas launch strike on chain’s ‘Red Cup Day’

Hundreds of unionized Starbucks baristas kicked off an indefinite strike Thursday in cities across the United States, protesting working conditions and stalled labor negotiations.Like last year, the work stoppage came on the coffee chain’s popular Red Cup Day, when Starbucks gives reusable cups to customers who purchase holiday-themed drinks.The “Red Cup Rebellion” will see rallies at 4 pm local time in more than a dozen US cities, and a work stoppage by about 1,000 baristas, according to Starbucks Workers United.More than 65 cafes in over 40 cities are part of this first phase of the strike, which the union said could expand to include more than 550 unionized locations representing over 10,000 employees.The baristas are demanding better wages, improved working conditions, and stable and adequate hours.”It’s hard to get more than 19 hours a week, which isn’t enough to qualify for the health care,” said Dachi Spoltore, who has worked as a barista for five years in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.In the United States, health insurance is commonly provided by employers, and Starbucks only gives the benefit to employees working more than 20 hours per week.For Lynne Fox, president of Workers United, which represents more than 90,000 employees across all industries in the United States, Starbucks management has refused to negotiate in good faith.Founded in 2021, the Starbucks union is trying to develop a “foundational framework” on key issues such as wages, scheduling policy and access to health care. Talks have been deadlocked since April.In the United States, Starbucks owns nearly 10,000 cafes and has more than 7,000 franchise locations. The company told AFP it was experiencing very little disruption on Thursday morning, ahead of the work stoppage.”We’re disappointed that Workers United, who represents less than four percent of our partners, has called for a strike instead of returning to the bargaining table,” spokesperson Jaci Anderson said, adding that less than one percent of cafes were experiencing disruptions.”We’ve been very clear — when the union is ready to come back, we’re ready to talk,” she added.

Affaire de corruption en Ukraine: Zelensky impose des sanctions contre un proche

Le président ukrainien a imposé jeudi des sanctions contre un homme d’affaires considéré comme son ami proche et accusé d’avoir orchestré une vaste affaire de corruption, tentant ainsi d’endiguer l’une des pires crises politiques qu’il traverse depuis l’invasion russe. Ces sanctions visant Timour Minditch, 46 ans, ainsi qu’un autre homme d’affaires impliqué dans ce scandale, prévoient notamment le gel de leurs biens, selon un décret présidentiel. M. Minditch est accusé d’avoir orchestré un vaste système de corruption dans le secteur énergétique, avec 100 millions de dollars de pots-de-vin et impliquant plusieurs hauts responsables dont des ministres. Cet homme, qui a quitté l’Ukraine peu avant le scandale, est copropriétaire de la société de production audiovisuelle fondée par Volodymyr Zelensky, qui était un humoriste vedette avant de se lancer en politique.Ce scandale éclate alors que le réseau énergétique ukrainien a été gravement endommagé par une série de frappes massives russes, provoquant des coupures de courant à l’approche de l’hiver.Il s’agit de l’une des pires crises politiques pour le président Zelensky depuis le début de l’invasion russe de l’Ukraine en février 2022. – Pressions internationales -Des voix s’inquiètent en Ukraine de la réaction d’alliés européens à ce scandale, alors que l’effort de guerre de Kiev dépend fortement de l’aide occidentale. L’Union européenne n’a pour l’heure pas réagi officiellement. Une source européenne à Kiev a déclaré à l’AFP, sous couvert d’anonymat, vouloir “voir le gouvernement et l’administration nettoyés des éléments corrompus”, mais a aussi estimé que le scandale montre l’efficacité des agences ukrainiennes contre la corruption.Le Premier ministre hongrois Viktor Orban, très critique de l’aide européenne à l’Ukraine, a critiqué de son côté jeudi sur Facebook la mise à jour d'”un réseau mafieux ukrainien de guerre” lié au président Zelensky.L’Allemagne, principal bailleur européen de Kiev, a réclamé jeudi dans un entretien téléphonique entre le chancelier Friedrich Merz, et le président Zelensky, que ce dernier lutte “avec énergie” contre la corruption.Le Fonds monétaire international (FMI), dont Kiev espère obtenir prochainement un nouveau prêt, a pour sa part estimé que la lutte contre la corruption “est un élément de réforme central pour la communauté des donateurs”.- “Pété un câble” -Interrogé par l’AFP, un haut responsable ukrainien travaillant étroitement avec le chef de l’Etat a assuré que ce dernier avait été pris au dépourvu par les révélations de l’enquête. “Bien sûr, il ne considère pas cela comme normal et a pété un câble lorsqu’il a découvert ce qui se passait”, a assuré ce responsable. “Il soutient pleinement l’enquête. Tout le monde au gouvernement va aider l’enquête”. Cette source a assuré que “le président avait pris les mesures les plus dures possible dans le cadre de ses pouvoirs” en imposant des sanctions et réclamant le départ de deux ministres. “Le président n’a pas parlé avec Minditch” depuis l’éclatement de cette affaire, a encore affirmé le responsable. “Qu’y a-t-il à discuter ? Qu’il aille voir ailleurs. Il a créé un tel problème”, s’est-il insurgé.Timour Minditch est également soupçonné d’avoir influencé des décisions de hauts responsables du gouvernement, parmi lesquels l’ex-ministre de la Défense, Roustem Oumerov, aujourd’hui secrétaire du Conseil de sécurité national, et un vice-Premier ministre Oleksiï Tchernychov. Les ministres de l’Energie et de la Justice, Svitlana Gryntchouk et Guerman Galouchtchenko, ont annoncé mercredi leur démission, à la demande de M. Zelensky, après la révélation du scandale.- Visite auprès des troupes -M. Galouchtchenko, ex-ministre de l’Energie, est accusé d’avoir perçu des “avantages personnels” dans cette affaire en échange du contrôle sur les flux financiers du secteur énergétique donné à M. Minditch.Mme Gryntchouk, sans être à ce stade directement visée par des accusations de corruption, est considérée comme une personne de confiance de M. Galouchtchenko, selon des médias ukrainiens.Le président Zelensky a par ailleurs annoncé avoir effectué dans la matinée une visite auprès des soldats combattant dans la région méridionale de Zaporijjia, visée par une nouvelle offensive russe. bur-ant-pop-mda/cpy