The leaders of nine Mediterranean and southern European countries met Friday in Malta with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for talks focused on the thorny issue of migration.The summit comes a day after EU interior ministers finally made headway on new rules for how the bloc handles asylum seekers and irregular migrants.Officials said …

EU’s Mediterranean leaders meet on migrationFri, 29 Sep 2023 13:19:29 GMT Read More »

The jailed leader of Tunisian opposition party Ennahdha, Rached Ghannouchi, 82, began a hunger strike on Friday to protest his detention and express support for other “political prisoners”, his party said.A court in the North African country sentenced Ghannouchi to one year in prison on terrorism-related charges in May following his arrest the month before, …

Jailed Tunisia opposition chief begins hunger strikeFri, 29 Sep 2023 13:12:07 GMT Read More »

Voters in Eswatini cast their ballots on Friday in legislative elections that despite recent and deadly pro-democracy protests are unlikely to change the politics of Africa’s last absolute monarchy.More than 500,000 people are registered to vote in the impoverished southern African nation, where King Mswati III has ruled with an iron fist for 37 years.Some …

Eswatini, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, votes for parliamentFri, 29 Sep 2023 11:50:37 GMT Read More »

Seven soldiers were killed Thursday in Niger’s southwest in an attack by suspected jihadists, and five others died in a traffic accident while trying to respond to the assault.The deaths come as former colonial power France prepares to withdraw an anti-terrorism force stationed in the country at the request of its new military leaders, who …

7 Nigerien soldiers killed in jihadist attack, 5 more in ensuing accidentFri, 29 Sep 2023 08:21:23 GMT Read More »

When he seized power, Captain Ibrahim Traore set himself “two to three months” to improve security in Burkina Faso, but one year on, jihadist attacks still plague the West African nation.The interim president said at the time of the September 30, 2022 putsch that resolving “several small logistical problems” as well as “consideration” within the …

Burkina still battling insecurity one year after coupFri, 29 Sep 2023 07:05:56 GMT Read More »

The Malian army has reported attacks on three of its posts in the north, west and centre of the country, with an Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group claiming responsibility for two and a separatist grouping claiming the other.The army said on social media that its camp in Dioura, in the central Mopti region, was hit by a …

Mali military reports three attacks on army postsThu, 28 Sep 2023 21:15:19 GMT Read More »

Burkina Faso said on Thursday that four officers had been detained a day after the military government announced it had thwarted a coup attempt.The four are suspected of involvement in a “conspiracy against state security”, military prosecutor Ahmed Ferdinand Sountoura said in a statement seen by AFP on Thursday.Two others are “on the run” according …

Burkina Faso detains four officers after thwarted coupThu, 28 Sep 2023 17:12:03 GMT Read More »

The United States placed sanctions Thursday on former Sudan foreign minister Ali Karti, accusing him of obstructing efforts to bring about a ceasefire in the country’s civil war.Karti, who was foreign minister from 2010 to 2015 in the government of now-deposed dictator Omar al-Bashir, is currently secretary general of the Sudanese Islamic Movement.US Secretary of …

US sanctions former Sudan foreign ministerThu, 28 Sep 2023 15:40:32 GMT Read More »

Charities rescuing migrants stranded in the Mediterranean play a vital role in saving lives, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock insisted Thursday, amid a spat with Italy over Berlin’s funding for such organisations.Baerbock told a joint news conference with Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani that as long as people were dying trying to reach Europe, Berlin stood …

Germany defends migrant NGO funding against Italian complaintThu, 28 Sep 2023 15:08:34 GMT Read More »