Biden administration signals US is willing to engage with Afghanistan’s Taliban-led regime
The United States has adopted a policy of “pragmatic engagement” with Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government, which Washington has yet to recognise as official more than two years after the former Western-backed leaders fled Kabul and the Taliban re-established its Islamic Emirate in the country.
Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seize key smartphone mineral mining town in eastern Congo
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi alleges Rwanda is destabilizing Congo by backing the M23 rebels. UN experts, along with the US State Department, have also accused Rwanda of backing the rebels. Rwanda denies the claims.
Presence of Russian troops in US military base in Niger heightens tensions between the superpowers
The US and its allies have been forced to move troops out of a number of African countries following coups that brought to power groups eager to distance themselves from Western governments. In addition to the impending departure from Niger, US troops have also left Chad in recent days, while French forces have been kicked out of Mali and Burkina Faso.
Killer floods: Kenya government under stinging criticism from Human Rights Watch for negligence
The meteorology department had warned that the country would experience increased rainfall due to El Niño until early this year but Ruto in October said the country had been spared by the weather pattern.
UN peacekeeping mission drawdown in eastern Congo on course as it ends South Kivu operations
Bintou Keita, MONUSCO Head and Special Representative of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, repeated what she said at the recent departures of Chinese and Pakistani contingents, saying the South Kivu exit was not “synonymous with the departure of the UN from the DRC”.
Kaizer Chief FC player Luke Fleur’s murder is grim reminder of South Africa’s endemic crime ahead of this month’s polls
At 45 per 100,000 people in 2022/23, South Africa’s murder rate was the highest in 20 years, police figures show, roughly equivalent to Ecuador’s and higher than that of Honduras, a country plagued by extreme gang violence. The murder rate in the United States, one of the highest in the developed world, was six per 100,000 in 2022, according to government data.
Climate change funds flow to Africa has risen markedly but a yawning funding gap remains
Funding for climate tech startups in Africa from the private sector is growing, with businesses raising more than $3.4 billion since 2019. But there’s still a long way to go, with the continent requiring $277 billion annually to meet its climate goals for 2030.
Tourists evacuated from Kenya’s Maasai Mara reserve as torrential rains pound East Africa, kill dozens
More than 180 people have died across Kenya since mid-March when the long rains season started, causing flooding, landslides and destroying infrastructure. The Metrology Department has warned that more torrential rains are expected this week.
US Methodist Church unbans homosexuality, now defines marriage as between ‘two people of faith’ not man and woman
Also approved was a measure that forbids district superintendents – or regional administrators – from penalising clergy for either performing a same-sex wedding or for refraining from performing one. It also prohibits superintendents from forbidding a church from hosting a same-sex wedding or requiring it to.
Hours after $9,000 fine for contempt, Trump calls judge ‘crooked’ but risks no time in jail
Trump insists he is merely exercising his free speech rights, but the offending posts from his Truth Social account and campaign website were taken down. Merchan is weighing other alleged gag-order violations and will hear arguments on Thursday.
