Former Gambian interior minister to serve 20 years in a Swiss prison for crimes against humanity
The Federal Criminal Court in the southern town of Bellinzona ruled that Sonko’s crimes – including homicide, torture and false imprisonment – amounted to crimes against humanity. However, they did not rise to “aggravated” cases that could have brought the maximum penalty of life behind bars, according to several lawyers who attended the trial.
Anxiety spreads in South Africa ahead of May 29 presidential election expected to weaken ruling ANC base
President Cyril Ramaphosa hopes the May 29 ballot will lead to his re-election. But if the ANC does lose its majority, it will force it into a coalition to form a government – also a first for the country and something that may complicate policymaking in Africa’s most advanced economy.
Nigeria labour unions turn the heat on Tinubu administration over higher electricity prices
Protesting workers said they are frustrated that Nigeria’s chronically erratic power supply has not improved despite the higher prices.
Sudan Witness: Fire used as weapon in military and paramilitary war burnt down 72 villages and towns
Sudan Witness, an open-source project run by the nonprofit Centre for Information Resilience, said 72 villages and settlements were either destroyed or damaged by fires last month, bringing the total number of settlements hit by fire in Sudan to 201 since the conflict began in mid-April of last year.
Campaign ad of burning flag evokes racial tensions in South African as president terms it ‘treasonous’
State broadcaster SABC said on Thursday it would not air the video because of an alleged “outcry from South Africans” and that airing it would only be “fuelling the outrage.” Some say the ad accurately portrays the deep problems of the African continent’s most advanced economy.
Military ruler and son of a former president, Deby Itno, declared winner of Chad’s presidential poll
The oil-exporting country of nearly 18 million people hasn’t had a free-and-fair transfer of power since it became independent in 1960 after decades of French colonial rule. Hours ahead of Thursday’s announcement, Prime Minister Succès Masra published a speech on Facebook accusing the authorities of planning to manipulate the outcome.
Bamako-bound Boeing 737 catches fire, skids off runway at Senegal airport and injures 10 people
The incident has raised scrutiny of Boeing to the highest level since two crashes of Boeing 737 Max jets in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. About a dozen relatives of passengers who died in the second crash have been pushing the US government to revive a criminal fraud charge against the company by determining that Boeing violated terms of a 2021 settlement.
Togo’s longtime leader assents to new constitution that eliminates presidential elections
Togo has been ruled by the same family for 57 years, first by Eyadema Gnassingbe and then by his son. Faure Gnassingbe took office after elections that the opposition described as a sham.
Investigations reveal ‘Biden says he told Nigeria to kill fewer civilians, but Nigeria keeps killing lots of civilians’
Between 2000 and 2022, the US provided, facilitated or approved more than $2 billion in security aid, including weapons and equipment sales to Nigeria, according to report by Brown University’s Centre for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies and the Security Assistance Monitor at the Centre for International Policy, a Washington think-tank. Over that time, the US also carried out more than 41,000 training courses for Nigerian military personnel.
Elections security gets top priority as South Africa turns to 350 private firms to assist police
Police and voting stations have received threats and intimidation before Election Day
