Their lives are mired in poverty and despair.”Kush” offers them relief — but the nirvana is fleeting and carries a grim price.The recently-emerged drug is making terrible inroads among the young in Sierra Leone, a West African nation ranked among the world’s poorest.On the edge of a rubbish tip in the capital Freetown, Mohamed (name …

Synthetic drug ‘kush’ ravages Sierra Leone’s youngMon, 24 Jul 2023 12:38:15 GMT Read More »

Lagos state government has announced plans for a mass burial of more than 100 people killed during Nigeria’s 2020 anti-police brutality rallies, sparking renewed criticism over a crackdown on protesters.The youth-led #EndSARS protests were the largest anti-government demonstrations in Nigeria’s modern history, but ended in repression by security forces and bitter disputes over whether some …

Lagos plans mass burial for victims of 2020 protestsMon, 24 Jul 2023 11:38:58 GMT Read More »

Nine people, including four soldiers, were killed Sunday evening when a civilian plane crashed in Sudan due to “technical” reasons, the army said, as the war in the east African country entered its 100th day.The fighting has left millions trapped in their homes and some without water, particularly in the suburbs of the capital Khartoum …

Nine killed in civilian plane crash in Sudan, as war-hit capital left hungryMon, 24 Jul 2023 01:10:13 GMT Read More »

Italy hosted Mediterranean leaders in Rome on Sunday at a conference aimed at extending an EU-backed deal with Tunisia to curb the arrival of migrants on European shores.The summit convened by Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni laid the foundations for a fund to finance investment projects and support border controls, with a medium-term aim of …

Italy says Med migration conference paves way for donors’ fundSun, 23 Jul 2023 19:18:46 GMT Read More »

At least 80,000 people have been displaced in three months of intercommunal violence in a north central Nigerian state, a local official said, as the army reinforced security to end the clashes.Since May, Plateau State has seen surge of attacks among mostly Muslim nomadic herders and Christian farming communities in violence the local state government …

Tens of thousands displaced by central Nigeria clashesSun, 23 Jul 2023 15:01:36 GMT Read More »

Italy hosted numerous national leaders in Rome on Sunday, at a conference aimed at extending an EU-backed deal with Tunisia to curb the arrival of migrants to European shores.As presidents, premiers and ministers prepared to huddle for the talks, Pope Francis appealed to them to help the scores of people who try to enter Europe …

Italy hosts Med migration conference to extend Tunisia dealSun, 23 Jul 2023 13:09:43 GMT Read More »

In a war-devastated district of Sudan’s capital, Abbas Mohammed Babiker says he and his family have only been able to eat once a day. Now even that is in doubt, but on Sunday a citizens’ support group issued an urgent appeal for donations to help people like him.”We only have enough for two more days,” …

Plea for help as hunger stalks war-devastated KhartoumSun, 23 Jul 2023 12:23:35 GMT Read More »

Hildah Magaia is likely to be fit for South Africa’s second match at the Women’s World Cup after fears her tournament had ended in the act of scoring in the loss to Sweden on Sunday.A distraught Magaia lay prone in the goal after falling heavily while bundling in the game’s opening goal of a 2-1 …

S.African goal hero Magaia likely to play despite painful exitSun, 23 Jul 2023 09:49:51 GMT Read More »

In Kenya’s rural northeast, roadside bombs and beheadings that killed two dozen people last month appear to be part of a troubling escalation of violence by Al-Qaeda-linked Islamists, analysts say.A regional economic powerhouse and a popular tourist draw, Kenya has not suffered a high-profile jihadist attack since 2019, when 21 people lost their lives at …

‘Vigilance is key’: Al Shabaab threat rising in Kenya’s northeastSun, 23 Jul 2023 05:43:41 GMT Read More »

Italy has invited Mediterranean countries to Rome on Sunday for an “international conference” aimed at extending an EU-backed deal with Tunisia to curb the arrival of migrants to European shores.Italy’s far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is expecting leaders from the region, the European Union and international financial institutions to meet in the capital, according to …

Italy calls Med migration conference on Tunisia modelSun, 23 Jul 2023 04:35:00 GMT Read More »