Yemeni Forces Target Saudi Oil Tanker off Yanbu Amid Escalation

By Al Mayadeen English

24 Aug 2026 18:09

Yahya Saree says Yemen struck the Saudi tanker Amzan and Saudi military positions as Sana’a enforces its maritime ban under the “blockade for blockade” equation.

The Yemeni Armed Forces announced operations targeting a Saudi oil tanker off the coast of Yanbu and Saudi military positions in several areas, as part of Sanaa’s military equation against Saudi Arabia's aggression.

"The Yemeni Armed Forces were able to target the Saudi oil tanker Amzan in the northern Red Sea, off the coast of Yanbu, with a ballistic missile," Spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement. "The strike was precise and direct, resulting in a fire on the ship, and the escape of several other ships in the area." 

Saree confirmed that this move "is part of the implementation of the Yemeni Armed Forces' decision to ban maritime traffic for the Saudi enemy and to enforce a blockade with a blockade."

Saudi military positions targeted

The spokesperson further added in his statement that the Yemeni Armed Forces conducted two military operations against Saudi forces. 

The first operation "targeted Saudi forces consisting of a large military convoy carrying military equipment in the areas of Al-Ubra and Al-Wadi'a, using ballistic missiles and drones."

Saree noted that this retaliatory action destroyed over ten trucks "loaded with weapons" that were making their way from Saudi Arabia to "target the Yemeni people."

"The second operation targeted Saudi enemy forces in the Al-Kanais area with ballistic missiles and drones," Saree stated, "resulting in the deaths and injuries of dozens, including officers and commanders, as well as the burning and destruction of several weapons depots.

The Yemeni Armed Forces' spokesperson added that Sanaa will continue to move forward with enforcing a maritime ban on Saudi Arabia within the declared area of operations. He also said that Yemen will continue abiding by the military equations of blockade for blockade and meeting escalation with escalation. 

"We are ready, with God's power, to confront any escalation with stronger and more severe strikes, and with broader and larger operations," Saree stated. 

Riyadh attacks Saada governorate

The Yemeni Armed Forces' announcement follows overnight strikes by Saudi Arabian forces against residential villages in Razih District, Saada Governorate, northern Yemen, with artillery shells, according to Yemen’s Al Masirah TV.

The Saudi attacks came after continued Yemeni military operations in response to violations of the country’s sovereignty, notably Sanaa announcing the downing of a Saudi reconnaissance drone on Sunday after it entered Yemeni airspace over the province of Hajjah.

A Yemeni military source identified the aircraft as a ScanEagle reconnaissance drone, adding it was shot down using an appropriate weapon while carrying out a surveillance mission over the province. 

Tensions between Sanaa and Riyadh escalated following the Saudi aggression on Sanaa International Airport in July.

Following the strike, the Yemeni Armed Forces declared that the 2022 peace deal with Saudi Arabia had effectively collapsed and announced the imposition of a naval blockade on Riyadh.

British Firm Trafficked Enslaved Africans to Guyana After Abolition

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: News websites

23 Aug 2026 09:33

A newly uncovered 1847 letter raises reports that a British company continued trafficking enslaved Africans to Guyana years after slavery was abolished.

A British trading company continued trafficking enslaved Africans to Guyana years after slavery had been abolished across most of the British Empire, The Guardian reported, citing a newly uncovered 1847 letter.

The document, examined by author Malik Al Nasir as part of research into his family history, was sent to the Liverpool office of Sandbach, Tinne and Company by Peter Miller Watson, who managed the firm's interests in Demerara, Guyana. The letter describes the arrival of a company vessel carrying what Watson called a "cargo of negroes," including more than 100 adult men, 86 adult women, and 123 children.

The findings are detailed in Al Nasir's book Searching for My Slave Roots and were reported by The Guardian. They have also contributed to a new research initiative examining the financial structures that sustained slavery and its aftermath.

Britain outlawed the transatlantic slave trade in 1807, while the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 prohibited slavery across most of the British Empire. The letter therefore raises questions about how people could have been transported as enslaved people to British-controlled Guyana in 1847.

Letter describes people as company's 'cargo'

The vessel identified in the letter was the "Parker". Watson recorded that it had arrived with "115 adult males, 86 adult females, 82 under 14 years, and 41 under 4 years," while reporting three deaths during the journey.

He attributed the deaths to the "wretched state in which they had lived ashore."

Al Nasir argues that the language used in the document points to the people being trafficked rather than passengers or Africans liberated by the British Royal Navy. He noted that Watson described them as "cargo", a term associated with enslaved people, and treated deaths during the voyage as losses connected to the shipment.

"Slavery had been abolished, so how do we know the people on the Parker weren’t indentured, or Africans liberated by the Royal Navy? Firstly, Watson specifically refers to them as cargo, and not passengers, when liberated Africans were not regarded as cargo, enslaved people were called cargo.

"In referring to the ‘wretched state’ in which they had lived ashore, he’s saying they were shipped from land and are the architects of their own condition – if they had been previously enslaved blame would have been on their former masters, and they would not have been bought if they were sick. When [Watson] talks about casualties, he’s attributing the deaths as a loss of property. By process of deduction, we can see these are people illegally trafficked from Africa."

The evidence comes against the backdrop of continued clandestine trafficking after abolition. Al Nasir pointed to an 1847 missionary account describing illegal slave trading taking place "south of the line," referring to areas below the equator where traffickers attempted to evade the Royal Navy's efforts to suppress the trade.

Company had benefited from slavery compensation

Sandbach, Tinne and Company was closely connected to families that had built substantial fortunes through the Demerara sugar trade. Its shareholders and associates included members of the Sandbach, Tinne and Gladstone families.

By the time the 1847 letter was written, members of the company and related families had already received compensation from the British government following the abolition of slavery for the loss of enslaved people they had owned.

William Robertson Sandbach and his brother-in-law Charles Stuart Parker Jr. were among the company's principal shareholders at the time. The wider network was also connected to John Gladstone, the father of former British Prime Minister William Gladstone, who owned plantations in Guyana and Jamaica.

Al Nasir said John Gladstone received the largest individual compensation payment, while Sandbach Tinne received the second-largest aggregate payment.

British taxpayers ultimately funded the compensation scheme, with the debt incurred through the payments not fully cleared until 2015, according to the Guardian.

New project to examine financial legacy of slavery

The historical evidence is now feeding into a broader research project called Overwriting-Underwriting, which is being launched at the Museum of Liverpool on Sunday, coinciding with UNESCO's International Day of Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.

The initiative will investigate the financial networks that supported transatlantic slavery and examine how those structures continued to shape institutions and wealth after abolition.

The project draws on research by Lucy Moynihan of the University of Liverpool into insurance records connected to John Gladstone, alongside Al Nasir's work on Sandbach Tinne. It forms part of the Connector project led by National Museums Liverpool, which received a £1 million grant from the Lloyd's Register Foundation.

Lloyd's Register apologized last year for its historical role in the trafficking of enslaved Africans. Descendants of both the Sandbach and Gladstone families have also apologized for their ancestors' involvement in slavery.

The Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron, established to intercept slave ships after the 1807 ban, faced significant limitations. Around 1,600 sailors reportedly died during its operations, while historical estimates suggest fewer than 10% of vessels involved in trafficking were intercepted.

Even Africans liberated from intercepted ships could subsequently face military conscription or forced labor through systems including apprenticeship and indentured labor.

Agents of Imperialism and Zionism: Uganda and Burundi Military Officials Visit Israel to Discuss Gaza Troop Deployment

By JOSEPH FALZETTA and SAM MEDNICK

12:14 AM EDT, August 24, 2026

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Military officials from Uganda and Burundi visited Israel last week to discuss deploying troops to Gaza as part of an international security force envisioned by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for the fragile ceasefire, according to officials.

A Board of Peace official told The Associated Press that Ugandan officials joined a Burundian military delegation, and that Uganda is finalizing details of its participation after its parliament approved the troop contribution this month.

Nothing has been finalized with Burundi, but the official said they look forward to starting the process.

“We shared significant knowledge with one another, and the Burundi representatives expressed interest in our mission,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss talks with potential troop-contributing countries ahead of any agreement.

A Burundian military official told the AP that three other senior military officers led the delegation to Israel and that Burundi appeared intent on joining. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

It was not clear what Uganda or Burundi might be offering or what they might receive in return. Spokespersons for their militaries did not respond to requests for comment.

Progress on the international force has been slow

If Burundi moves ahead, the African nations would be the latest to join the international force for Gaza after Morocco, Kosovo, Kazakhstan and Albania made commitments. Uganda has committed around 1,200 personnel, and Morocco has committed up to 500. Kosovo, Kazakhstan and Albania in total have committed around 80.

Indonesia earlier said it was preparing to send 8,000 troops — by far the largest commitment — but put that on hold after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.

The 20,000-strong force would be led by U.S. Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers. Troops committed remain far short of that goal.

Last month, Trump announced a deal for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza. According to the deal, the International Stabilization Force would be deployed to areas of the Palestinian territory administered by an incoming technocratic committee, and Israeli forces would withdraw.

The force would help monitor the ceasefire, train Palestinian police and secure the delivery of aid, among other tasks.

The ceasefire that took effect in Gaza last October has stalled due to disagreements regarding Israel’s withdrawal from the strip and Hamas’ disarmament. A U.S. delegation met for hours earlier this month with the Hamas leader and then with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to press them forward. Hamas has agreed to the new U.S. deal.

Netanyahu has rejected it, saying Israel will not withdraw from any of the roughly 60% of the territory it controls in Gaza until Hamas has been completely disarmed. Even after Netanyahu’s meeting with the U.S. team, which included negotiator Jared Kushner, officials offered no concrete commitment by Israel.

Uganda and Burundi have peacekeeping experience from Somalia

Paul D. Williams, director of the security policy studies program at The George Washington University, said Uganda and Burundi have gained considerable peacekeeping experience through long-term deployments in Somalia as part of an African Union force resisting the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group.

Their countries’ leaderships have “shown they are willing to tolerate high numbers of casualties without withdrawing,” he said.

Williams added that, with the mission in Somalia winding down, both countries will be searching for ways to accrue financial and material support for their militaries: “Deploying to Gaza with U.S. support is one way to do that.”

A Ugandan military officer with knowledge of the upcoming deployment said troops were being selected to go to Gaza. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to the press.

___

Falzetta reported from Nairobi, Kenya.

Deportees Who Refused to Exit a US Flight in Liberia Are Sent to Equatorial Guinea

By MARK BANCHEREAU

11:30 AM EDT, August 24, 2026

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Six people who were deported by the United States to Liberia last week resisted getting off the plane and instead were sent to Equatorial Guinea, another ‌African nation that signed a third-country deportation agreement with the Trump administration, a person on the plane and a lawyer in contact with the six said Monday.

Under a series of often secret agreements, the Trump administration has deported thousands of people to two dozen countries that aren’t their own as it pushes ahead with its immigration crackdown, advocates say. Immigration lawyers say the practice is being used as a legal loophole to indirectly return some asylum seekers to countries they fled.

The group who refused to get off the plane in Liberia on Thursday include four Cuban men, a Brazilian man and a Cameroonian woman, the person and lawyer said.

A Honduran deportee aboard the flight said the group refused to disembark, saying Liberia was “not their country” and that they would face danger there. They were then separated from the others, he said. He spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisals.

He said the other passengers got off in Liberia because they feared officers would force them.

Meredyth Yoon, litigation director for Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, said the deportees who resisted leaving the plane in Liberia were told they would be returned to the United States but instead were flown to Malabo city in Equatorial Guinea.

“It was a really heartbreaking and chaotic scene when they arrived in Malabo on Thursday,” Yoon said.

Some arrived in chains and in extreme distress, she said, including the Cameroonian woman and one of the Cuban men, who Yoon said has a large abdominal growth and uses a colostomy bag that must be drained regularly.

There is no medical staff at the hotel in Equatorial Guinea where the six are being held, alongside around 40 other deported migrants, she added.

Conditions at the hotel have worsened in recent months, Yoon said, with food sometimes withheld and guards accused of threatening, beating and choking some of the migrants.

Equatorial Guinea’s government did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.

Under an opaque $7.5 million deal with the Trump administration, Equatorial Guinea’s all-powerful president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, has turned the hotel owned by his family into a prison for asylum seekers deported from the U.S.

DR Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Records One of its Highest Weekly Death Tolls Yet

9:09 AM EDT, August 24, 2026

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — More than 300 people died of Ebola in eastern Congo in the past week, one of the highest weekly tolls yet, government data showed Monday, as health workers struggle to catch up with an outbreak that is spreading at unprecedented speed.

Ministry of Health data showed that as of Saturday, the outbreak had recorded 5,514 cases and 2,642 deaths, including 317 deaths reported in the previous seven days. But Congolese experts have said the outbreak that started weeks before it was confirmed could be three times the known size.

This is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history, with many people dying outside treatment centers. It has recorded seven times more deaths at this stage than the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak that is the deadliest in history with over 11,000 in all.

Most new cases in Ituri province, the current epicenter, still come from outside monitored contacts.

Nearly half of people infected have died — 47.9% — but the government data shows much higher rates in hard-to-reach areas such as North Kivu province, which has a fatality rate of 68.6%.

Frontline workers to receive vaccine used in past outbreaks

A key challenge has been the lack of approved vaccines or treatments for the rare Bundibugyo virus responsible for the outbreak.

On Friday, Congo received more than 16,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine that was effective in past Ebola outbreaks caused by a different, more common type. The World Health Organization says it also will be used in clinical trials for a Bundibugyo virus vaccine.

WHO says it’s not known whether Ervebo can protect against the Bundibugyo virus, although early laboratory and animal data suggest it may offer some protection.

Officials have not said when the vaccine will be rolled out to frontline workers. In Ituri, locals expressed optimism that it will help slow the outbreak.

“I am very pleased that these vaccines have finally arrived,” said Héritier Ramazani, a resident. “We are fed up with recording new cases of Ebola every day.”

The outbreak is unfolding in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable, with rebel threats and intense population movements.

Medical teams in Ituri and other affected provinces also face work stoppages by responders who haven’t been paid, anger from long-traumatized communities, bad roads and misinformation claiming that Ebola isn’t real.

Experts believe the virus was spreading in the mining town of Mongbwalu as early as February, months before authorities declared the outbreak on May 15.

African Leadership Fellows Meet In Accra On Youth Boom

By Roger A. Agana 

August 22, 2026

The inaugural cohort of Dr. Hage G. Geingob Fellows met in Accra in July for a three-day session on whether African institutions can keep pace with the continent’s youthful population.

The gathering was the second convening of Leadership Lab Yetu’s Intergenerational Leadership Accelerator, a 12-month program pairing younger and established African leaders. The Fellows program launched in February in Kigali under Leadership Lab Yetu, founded by Monica Geingos, Namibia’s former First Lady and widow of the late President Hage Geingob, in whose honour the fellowship is named.

In Accra, the Fellows heard from a range of continental figures, including Namibia’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata; Brian Kagoro, managing director of programs at the Open Society Foundations; Edmond Kombat, managing director of Tema Oil Refinery; and Francis Gatare, president of the African School of Governance. The sessions centred on a fictional government scenario designed to test how the Fellows anticipate unintended consequences and make decisions under pressure, alongside separate work on systems thinking led by leadership practitioner Martin Kalungu-Banda.

Geingos framed the session as a test of institutions rather than a debate about population trends. “The question is not whether Africa has a youth bulge,” she told the Fellows. “The question is whether our institutions can move with the same speed as our people.”

Fellow Caryn Dasah, founder of Hope Advocates Africa, said the program “has reignited a spirit of leadership,” pointing to the value of bringing leaders from different countries and sectors into the same room.

On the final day, the group visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum, where Kagoro led a session on Pan-Africanism as what he called a practical, cross-border responsibility rather than an abstract ideal. Geingos closed the convening with a challenge to the cohort to become, in her words, “institutionally dangerous to mediocrity” by learning to read budgets, build coalitions and hold onto their values from inside government systems.

“Africa does not need another generation that can describe the crisis beautifully,” she said. “Africa needs a generation that can hold the line and still deliver the future.”

The Fellows continue the program through virtual sessions, coaching and peer support over the remainder of the 12-month cycle.

Mahama: Africa Must Speak With One Voice on Global Reform

By News Ghana 

August 22, 2026

President John Dramani Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama says  Africa’s influence over the emerging global order hinges on something the continent has struggled to sustain: a shared position among its 54 states rather than each country negotiating alone.

Mahama made the case in an interview with Ghida Fakhry on TRT World’s Bigger Than Five, arguing that coordinated African diplomacy could reshape outcomes on issues from reparations to United Nations reform in ways that individual countries acting separately cannot. “I believe that this is a time for the continent to become more integrated and united than we’ve been in the past,” he said.

The remarks extend an argument Mahama has pressed at the UN General Assembly and elsewhere: that Africa’s 1.4 billion people and 54 votes carry more weight collectively than country by country. On Security Council reform specifically, he said African states have already agreed they want an expanded council with greater African representation, and that the continent should lock in that consensus before tackling the harder question of veto power. “We need to change our strategy and we need to speak with one voice,” he said.

Mahama linked the reform push to Africa’s parallel campaign for reparations, framing both as tests of whether Global South countries can coordinate rather than compete for attention on the world stage.

He also tied continental integration to economic goals, saying freer movement of people, goods and trade across African borders remains essential to the continent’s ambitions. Recent tensions over migration in South Africa, he said, showed the cost of failing to integrate: he called for migration disputes to be resolved through African Union channels rather than vigilante action, adding that “Africa needs more integration at this point.”

The unity message forms part of Mahama’s broader Accra Reset agenda, which pushes for greater African economic self-reliance and a stronger continental voice in global decision-making.

US Judge Strikes Down Visa Ban Covering Ghana

By News Ghana 

August 23, 20260

A U.S. federal judge has struck down the Trump administration’s suspension of immigrant visas for 75 countries, including Ghana, ruling that Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his authority in imposing it.

U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York issued the ruling Friday in a 61-page opinion, finding the policy “contrary to law and was issued in excess of statutory authority.” Vargas wrote that federal immigration law gives individual consular officers “exclusive authority and discretion” to assess each visa applicant, and that a blanket, nationality-based suspension could not override that.

The policy, announced in January and in effect since January 21, indefinitely paused the processing of immigrant visas, the category that leads to permanent residency, for nationals of the 75 countries the State Department said were at high risk of relying on U.S. public assistance. It did not affect tourist, student or business visas. Ghana was among 26 African countries on the list, named alongside Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan and Sierra Leone, at a time when the Trump administration had also been pressing several African governments, Ghana included, to accept deportation flights from the United States.

The ruling vacates the policy nationwide and sets aside any visa refusals that were based solely on it, ordering the State Department to resume individualised, case-by-case review of pending applications. The case was brought by the Catholic Legal Immigration Network and African Communities Together, along with six U.S. citizens affected by the suspension. A State Department spokesperson said the administration was “protecting the American people by upholding the highest standards of screening and vetting,” and declined to comment further on the ongoing litigation.

The department has not said whether it will appeal. Until that is resolved, Ghanaian applicants whose immigrant visa cases were frozen under the policy should see their applications return to normal processing, though the ruling does not guarantee approval, since consular officers retain discretion to assess each case on its individual merits.

Nigeria’s New Women’s Skills Push Isn’t Its Only One

By Roger A. Agana 

August 22, 2026

Nigeria has launched the second edition of SheIsIncluded, targeting 10 million women for digital skills and credentials, months after a separate government programme said it had already reached 25 million.

The SheIsIncluded 2026 Summit, held August 19 to 20 at the Presidential Villa in Abuja under the theme “Designing for Delivery: Financing. Systems. Scale,” brought together government officials, development partners and private-sector organisations to move the initiative from planning into delivery. It was convened by the Presidential Committee on  Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI) and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, and is coordinated nationally through COWRIE, the Coalition on Women Empowerment. Minister of Women Affairs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the goal was to move women beyond being “beneficiaries of intervention programmes” toward becoming “co-creators of prosperity.”

Under the programme, women enrol by phone, complete free training in local languages, and receive verifiable credentials intended to be recognised by employers and financial institutions. Ubuntu Tribe, delivering the training through its Ubuntu Tribe Academy platform, is the initiative’s implementation and technology partner. PreCEFI Secretary Nurudeen Zauro described the summit as marking a shift “from policy conversations to practical implementation.”

SheIsIncluded is not Nigeria’s only large-scale women’s  economic programme, and this is not its first edition. The Ministry of Information has described the Abuja summit as advancing the “second edition” of the initiative. Separately, President Bola Tinubu expanded the existing Nigeria for Women Programme to 25 million beneficiaries in February, rolling out a “Happy Woman App Platform” that also connects women to finance, skills and markets, after a six-state pilot phase had already reached more than a million people. The government has not explained publicly how the two programmes, both aimed at women’s digital and financial inclusion and both operating through mobile platforms, are meant to complement rather than duplicate each other.

SheIsIncluded aims to bring 10 million women within reach of skills, credentials and economic opportunities. Federal government figures cited at the summit show national digital skills initiatives have reached more than 263,000 Nigerians to date, a figure organisers stressed reflects government data and policy targets rather than results attributable to SheIsIncluded or Ubuntu Tribe specifically. Women’s economic participation is positioned as part of Nigeria’s broader ambition to build a 1 trillion dollar economy by 2030.

Ubuntu Tribe founder Mamadou Kwidjim Toure said the model was designed so that “a woman should not need wealth or proximity to opportunity to develop a valuable skill,” using the phone she already owns to access training and a credential “the economy can recognise.” Training remains free for participants, funded through the coalition of government agencies, development partners and private-sector organisations. Organisers say the initiative’s progress will be measured by how many women gain recognised credentials and convert them into jobs, businesses or access to finance, a bar that will also apply to distinguishing SheIsIncluded’s results from those of Nigeria’s other overlapping women’s programmes.

Namibia Eyes Ghana Textiles to Cut Import Reliance

By News Ghana 

August 23, 2026

Association of Ghana Industries (AGI)Exploring African Diaspora Media

Namibia’s top diplomat in Accra is pushing for a direct industrial partnership with Ghanaian manufacturers, aiming to source textiles from a country that produces what Namibia currently imports.

Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, Namibian High Commissioner to Ghana, raised the proposal during a visit to the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) office in Ho, part of a broader tour of the Volta Region. She said Namibia relies heavily on imported textiles and sees Ghana’s established production capacity as a chance to source both raw materials and finished goods from within Africa rather than from outside the continent.

The visit doubled as fact-finding. Nghituwamata said she wanted a clearer picture of AGI’s operations and Ghana’s exportable goods and expertise before identifying where cooperation would pay off, whether through knowledge sharing, technology transfer or expanded trade between the two countries.

Her pitch sits inside a wider argument about African manufacturing. She said many African countries produce similar raw commodities but lack the processing capacity to turn them into finished goods, a gap she said demands more cooperation between African industries rather than continued reliance on imports from outside the continent.

Dela Gbeve, AGI chairman for the Volta, Eastern and Oti regions, welcomed the approach and said the association is ready to work with Namibian counterparts to drive industrial development and create jobs in both countries. He said AGI is already collaborating with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat on implementing the continental trade agenda, and continues to lobby government and policymakers on issues affecting Ghanaian businesses while helping entrepreneurs build capacity to compete internationally.

Gbeve also credited his predecessor, Dela Gadzanku, now AGI Vice President for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector, for expertise the region continues to draw on in its industrial development efforts.

Sudanese Joint Force Says it Destroyed RSF Convoy Near Libyan Border

23 August 2026

August 23, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese allied forces said on Sunday they destroyed a Rapid Support Forces (RSF) convoy in the northern desert bordering Libya and Darfur, capturing dozens of vehicles and drone equipment.

The Joint Force, an alliance of Darfur armed groups fighting alongside the Sudanese army and local militias, said the clash was part of an effort to sever supply lines smuggling weapons and fuel from Libya.

Spokesperson Mutawakil Ali Wakeel said in a statement that allied troops destroyed 49 combat vehicles, captured 30 operational vehicles and a fuel tanker, and detained 70 RSF fighters.

The force also seized a cache of batteries used to power unmanned aerial vehicles, Wakeel said, adding that four joint force personnel were killed in the fighting, including a major.

Reuters could not independently verify the claims, and the RSF did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Sudanese army sent reinforcements last month to remote desert zones in Northern State, including al-Khanaq and al-Rahib, to tighten control over transit corridors linking eastern Libya to western Sudan.

Chad Accuses Sudanese Military of Strike on Convoy Inside its Territory

23 August 2026

August 23, 2026 (N’DJAMENA) – Chad’s military on Saturday accused the Sudanese armed forces of launching drone strikes against a convoy inside Chadian territory, an incident that risks escalating regional tensions from Sudan’s civil war.

The strikes targeted a column of vehicles in the Ennedi Est region, more than 100 km (60 miles) from the border, the General Staff of the Chadian Armed Forces said in a statement late on Saturday.

General Alchanan Issakha Acheikh, director of military information for the Chadian army, said available information indicated aircraft and drones belonging to Sudanese forces or allied groups carried out the attack.

Chad placed all military units on high alert and warned all warring parties against spilling the conflict across the frontier, adding it reserved the right to defend its territorial integrity.

The Sudanese army spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Sudan’s army has previously accused Chad of supporting the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and facilitating the transit of military supplies sent by the United Arab Emirates through Chadian airports in Amdjarass and N’Djamena. Chad and the UAE have denied those claims.

The strike follows reported air raids on August 20 and Aug. 21 targeting suspected RSF supply lines and reinforcements moving from border areas.

The war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023 and has lasted more than three years, has driven hundreds of thousands of refugees into eastern Chad, compounding a severe humanitarian crisis and fueling instability along the shared border.

Displaced Sudanese Outside Camps Face Mounting Health and Economic Crises

24 August 2026

Displaced women carry humanitarian aid supplies in Khartoum, Sudan. (SPA photo)

August 23, 2026 (OMDURMAN/KASSALA/Jazirah) – Hundreds of displaced Sudanese families living outside official shelters and displacement camps face severe hardship, struggling with soaring living costs, lost livelihoods, and scarce access to healthcare, education, and clean drinking water.

Field accounts and recent United Nations figures highlight the mounting challenges confronting vulnerable groups, particularly pregnant women and female heads of households, alongside the risks faced by millions returning to ruined hometowns amid a collapsing health sector and underfunded relief efforts.

Sara fled the town of al-Hasahisa in Al Jazirah State with her family to escape the fighting, carrying only essentials in the hope of returning quickly once danger subsided.

Her family settled in Omdurman, renting modest quarters outside managed displacement centres. Sara, who used a pseudonym for security reasons, said her family initially stayed with relatives before finding separate accommodations.

“When we left al-Hasahisa, we did not know where we were going; we took whatever clothes and basic necessities we could carry and left most of our possessions behind,” Sara told Sudan Tribune. “We thought we would be away for a few days, but this journey has stretched on for months.”

Settling in Omdurman brought little relief, she explained.

“Living costs here are exorbitant, and we have no steady income. We need food, water, and transportation daily. When one of our children falls sick, the crisis multiplies because medical treatment and travel costs exceed our financial means,” she said.

“We are not asking for the impossible. We just want a safe haven where we can feed our children and continue their education.”

Sara’s experience reflects a broader pattern across Sudan, where thousands of families choose to stay outside formal camps—residing with relatives, in rented houses, or in unfinished buildings—relying almost entirely on community solidarity and scarce aid.

According to World Health Organization estimates, 33.7 million people in Sudan require humanitarian assistance in 2026, including 21 million in urgent need of health services, as conflict, supply shortages, and depleted medical personnel push the health system toward total collapse.

International Organization for Migration data recorded approximately 8.88 million internally displaced persons and 4.24 million returnees between April and May 2026.

However, returning home does not guarantee stability. Millions returning to Khartoum and Al Jazirah find widespread destruction, severe water and power shortages, shuttered schools, and no jobs, alongside the hazard of unexploded ordnance in residential neighbourhoods.

Pregnancy without healthcare

In Omdurman, Maryam, who fled Um Ruwaba in North Kordofan State, struggles to access maternal care due to movement restrictions and high transport costs.

“Before the war, I could visit the doctor and follow my pregnancy regularly,” Maryam told Sudan Tribune. “Now it is extremely difficult because I often cannot afford transport to the remaining operational health facilities.”

As her due date approaches, her concerns grow.

“I fear going into labour when transportation is unavailable, or reaching a medical centre that lacks life-saving equipment. I worry not only for myself, but for my unborn child,” Maryam said.

“Pregnancy requires proper nutrition, rest, and regular check-ups, none of which are available here. My main focus is scraping together money for treatment to avoid sudden complications.”

WHO figures indicate that at least 803,000 pregnant women require urgent reproductive healthcare in 2026, with an estimated 1.1 million births expected, while 37% of health facilities across Sudan remain out of service.

The UN Population Fund has warned that roughly one million pregnant women in Sudan are cut off from essential maternal care due to damaged hospitals and severe shortages of medicine and qualified personnel.

Loss of livelihoods

In the al-Haj Yousif area of East Nile locality, Amina, who fled Sinjah in Sennar State, struggles to provide for her children after losing her income.

“When we fled Sinjah, my only concern was keeping my children alive at any cost, without thinking about tomorrow; getting to safety was everything,” Amina told Sudan Tribune.

“Yet safety alone does not feed a hungry child. Life here requires cash, and we lost all our income. Every day we have to calculate every penny to secure basic food, rent, and medicine.”

She expressed deep distress over her children’s interrupted schooling.

“The children do not understand how drastically our lives changed. All they want is safety, food, and school, and providing that has become a burden beyond my capacity,” she said.

UN agencies estimate that more than 21 million people in Sudan suffer from acute food insecurity, with growing risks of malnutrition and disease outbreaks in displacement hubs.

From El Fasher to Kassala

Huda, who fled El Fasher in North Darfur to Kassala in eastern Sudan, reflects the toll of prolonged displacement.

“We left behind homes and belongings we spent years building, not knowing what tomorrow held,” Huda told Sudan Tribune. “Once the gunfire stopped, the real challenge began: surviving and rebuilding everything from scratch.”

“We hoped this stay would be temporary, but reality forced us into an extended displacement far from home,” she added. “I worry our children will grow up without knowing stability. Our only hope is for the war to end so we can return home or live with dignity.”

Crises outside camps

These accounts illustrate the plight of displaced populations residing outside formal sites, who frequently fall through the cracks of regular humanitarian distribution networks.

Host cities face strained public infrastructure alongside concurrent outbreaks of cholera, dengue fever, malaria, and measles.

Aid agencies continue to grapple with international funding shortfalls and operational access hurdles, while IOM officials stress that intervention plans must support both host communities and returnees.

Displacement in Sudan extends well beyond camp boundaries, encompassing host families, pregnant mothers lacking medical care, and families forced back to ruined neighbourhoods because they cannot afford the costs of staying displaced.

Africa: The Deadly Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak Can Be Stopped

Africa CDC

Dr Mohamed Janabi (WHO Regional Director for Africa -left), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (WHO Director-General - center), and Dr Jean Kaseya (Director-General of Africa CDC -right) at a press briefing in Kinshasa during a joint high-level mission to Uganda and DRC on 4 and 5 August 2026.

23 August 2026

allAfrica.com

guest column

By Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, Dr Jean Kaseya

In Bunia, we have met dozens of community representatives: survivors, women, young people, local organisations, health workers and leaders from affected areas. Their message is direct: involve us. We know our communities. We know where families seek care, how information moves and why trust is breaking down. Give us the means to help drive the response. They are right.

Ebola spreads through communities, and communities hold the knowledge required to stop it. They can identify illness early, alert health teams, help identify and trace contacts, challenge dangerous rumours and support families through access to treatment and safe, dignified burials. The response always moves faster when communities lead alongside national authorities and health workers.

Communities are not just part of the response. They are at its heart." - Tedros

One hundred days ago, the Government of the DRC declared the country's 17th Ebola outbreak following confirmation of the Bundibugyo virus. WHO subsequently declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, followed by Africa CDC's declaration of a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security.

Priorities are clear: reach every affected area, protect frontline workers and turn commitments into action.

The scale of the emergency is immense. As of 21 August 2026, the DRC has reported 5,290 confirmed cases and 2,516 deaths across 56 health zones. This is now the second-largest Ebola outbreak recorded, and it is moving faster than any previous one. It is being fuelled by insecurity caused by decades of armed conflict that have undermined law, order and social services and displaced more than a million people.

At the centre of the response are the people who show up every day. Health workers care for patients. Laboratory teams identify the virus. Contact tracers follow its path. Community health workers build trust where fear and misinformation have taken hold. Burial teams help families honour their loved ones safely and with dignity.

They are working under extraordinary pressure, often in insecure and hard-to-reach areas. Some have contracted Ebola in the line of duty.

Their service must be met with action: safety, protective equipment, training, sufficient medical supplies, timely payment, psychosocial support and access to rapid diagnosis and high-quality supportive care if they fall ill. The safety of frontline workers is central to stopping transmission.

The response has made progress. Under the leadership of national authorities, Congolese responders, WHO, Africa CDC and partners have expanded surveillance, deployed laboratories, supported treatment centres, reinforced infection prevention and delivered essential supplies.

Uganda has interrupted locally acquired transmission of the virus. Several health zones in northern Ituri province and South Kivu have also interrupted transmission. These experiences prove that the outbreak can be stopped more quickly when rapid detection, decisive national leadership and close cooperation with communities break the chains of transmission. But the continued emergency in Ituri and five other provinces demands urgently scaled up action.

To turn the corner, surveillance teams are being expanded and equipped to detect cases early and rapidly identify contacts. Safe clinical care and infection prevention measures are being increased wherever people seek treatment. More risk communication and community engagement teams are being deployed to reach out to communities to empower them to participate in the response and address barriers to care. More safe and dignified burial teams are working to prevent transmission associated with deaths. Special efforts are being made to reach vulnerable populations and communities in insecure and hard-to-reach areas.

But despite all these efforts, more is needed. We need to scale our response by two to three times current capacities, across all the response pillars.

Front-line workers' safety is essential to stopping Ebola.

Health facilities require urgent protection from infection. As of 20 August 2026, 158 health workers have been infected and 45 have died. Every facility in an affected or high-risk area needs trained staff, protective equipment, clean water, sanitation and functioning infection-prevention systems.

National and local teams need predictable funding for surveillance, laboratories, treatment, logistics, infection prevention and community engagement. Frontline workers must be paid on time. Local organisations need direct support to work consistently with communities. Supplies must arrive before stocks run out.

Delayed financing costs lives. Fragmented financing leaves gaps. Ebola exploits both. On the ground we at WHO and Africa CDC have established tight integration among health and relief organizations working with the government. Donors therefore need to support and enhance that integration, rather than support siloed and disconnected efforts.

Cross-border also coordination must remain strong. People move within and between countries to trade, work, study, seek care and support their families. Borders must serve as bridges for coordinated public health action. This does not require closing borders or imposing blanket travel and trade restrictions. Such measures can disrupt response operations and livelihoods without stopping transmission.

The priority is coordinated surveillance, rapid information-sharing and prepared health services along movement routes. Find every case. Follow every contact. Break every chain of transmission, protect every health and frontline worker, save lives and ensure that no community is left behind. Bring testing, and treatment closer to every affected community. Bolster cross-border coordination. Scale up international support. Turn every pledge into action.

African leadership and international support are necessary.

WHO and Africa CDC will continue working with the DRC, neighbouring countries, communities and partners to deliver on these priorities. Our responsibility is to bring the full strength of international and continental cooperation behind the nationally led response.

Uganda and areas in DRC have shown how the course of the outbreak can be turned, through rapid detection, decisive action and close cooperation with communities. But these measures must be delivered at scale. Success depends on sustained national leadership, continental solidarity and international support. We must rise to this challenge, together.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is Director-General of the World Health Organization. Mohamed Yakub Janabi is Regional Director of the World Health Organization African Region. Jean Kaseya is Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Liberia: Jewel Howard Taylor Spends Night in Hospital Under Police Custody

Liberian Investigator

Former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor

21 August 2026

Liberian Observer (Monrovia)

By David a. Yates

Former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor spent Thursday night at the Gomez Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in the Sophie Community, Congo Town, after being rushed to the facility following a medical emergency while in police custody.

Taylor was transferred to the hospital under heavy police escort after reportedly experiencing an asthma attack and a significant rise in blood pressure while being held at the headquarters of the Liberia National Police (LNP).

Her hospitalization came as her expected appearance before the Monrovia City Court was postponed, adding another development to a case that has attracted intense national attention following her arrest in connection with Liberia's ongoing investigation into alleged transnational drug trafficking.

The government has formally charged Taylor with drug trafficking, money laundering and other offenses linked to the investigation into a major cocaine seizure. Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. Oswald N. Tweh has emphasized that the charges remain allegations and that Taylor is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

According to information gathered by the Daily Observer, medical personnel were called to the LNP headquarters after concerns were raised about Taylor's condition.

Her legal team said attempts were made to stabilize her at the police headquarters for several hours, but the effort was unsuccessful, prompting authorities to transport her to GIMS.

"She was then heavily escorted and rushed here at the Gomez Institute of Medical Science, a hospital we were informed she requested to be brought to," Taylor's lawyers said in a statement.

"This is where she chose to have been brought and has trust and confidence in the hospital."

The lawyers said Taylor was suffering from an asthma attack and high blood pressure and required further medical attention.

The former vice president was subsequently admitted at GIMS, where she remained under medical observation and police security.

Police spokesman Sam Collins confirmed Taylor's transfer to a medical facility but did not disclose details about her medical condition or indicate when she would be taken before court.

Taylor's medical emergency came after her scheduled court appearance had already been postponed.

Her legal team said the postponement was based on a request from her lawyers for additional time to gather information in support of the ongoing investigation.

The lawyers said the Montserrado County Attorney asked them to issue a public statement clarifying that the additional 24 hours granted to Taylor was based on the request of her legal team and was not a decision by the government to prevent her from having her day in court.

The legal team stated that Taylor was initially expected to remain at police headquarters while her lawyers gathered the additional information.

However, her health condition subsequently changed the circumstances, requiring her transfer to the hospital.

Taylor's lawyers stressed that her admission to the hospital does not mean that she has been released or that her arrest has been suspended.

"She is still in the custody of the Republic of Liberia," the lawyers stated.

They explained that the government remains responsible for Taylor's security and welfare for as long as she remains under arrest.

According to the lawyers, while an arrested person may lose certain rights, including freedom of movement, fundamental human rights remain protected.

"One of such rights is the freedom of movement, but your fundamental human rights are still guaranteed, and one of such rights is the right to life or the right to live," they said.

The legal team described Taylor's situation as "constructive detention," explaining that although she is receiving treatment at a hospital rather than being held in a police cell, she remains under arrest and police custody.

"Being here doesn't mean the arrest has been lifted or suspended temporarily. No, she's still under arrest," the lawyers said.

They explained that a similar arrangement can apply when an arrested or incarcerated person requires medical treatment that cannot be adequately provided at a detention facility. In such circumstances, the person may be transferred to a hospital and returned to the detention facility after recovery.

Taylor was visited at GIMS by members of her family as well as former Foreign Minister Maxwell Kemayah.

Members of the Bong County Legislative Caucus, including Representatives Marvin Cole and Eugene Kollie, also visited the former vice president. The lawmakers reportedly indicated that they intended to remain at the hospital overnight.

Taylor's hospitalization has drawn further attention to the conditions surrounding her detention, particularly because she is a former vice president and a prominent political figure.

Her arrest followed her interception at Roberts International Airport on Wednesday, August 19, while she was preparing to travel to Accra, Ghana, for a women's forum. She was subsequently taken to LNP headquarters for questioning.

The government later announced formal charges against her in connection with the ongoing drug investigation, including allegations under Liberia's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Taylor's legal team said the former vice president is facing a total of eight charges arising from the investigation.

The allegations include drug-related offenses, money laundering and violations involving controlled substances.

The lawyers also referenced allegations of criminal solicitation, criminal facilitation and criminal conspiracy, as well as alleged violations relating to the unlicensed importation, transportation, exploitation, distribution and dispensation of controlled drugs or substances.

The government has stressed that the allegations do not amount to a finding of guilt.

Justice Minister Tweh has specifically stated that Taylor, like all defendants, remains innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.

As of Thursday, Taylor's lawyers said they were awaiting further information about her medical condition, including whether her blood pressure had stabilized and whether the reported asthma attack had been brought under control.

Her continued hospitalization also leaves the timing of her court appearance uncertain.

The legal team said Taylor remains under government custody while receiving treatment at the facility.

The development adds a medical dimension to an already politically sensitive investigation that has generated widespread public debate over drug trafficking, due process and the rights of persons held by the state.

For now, Taylor remains at GIMS under medical care and police security, with her legal status unchanged despite her transfer from police headquarters to the hospital.

The government has maintained that the charges against her are allegations subject to judicial determination, while her lawyers continue to insist that her constitutional and fundamental rights must be protected throughout the investigation and any subsequent court proceedings.

Read the original article on Liberian Observer.

30 Dead After Guinea Landfill Collapse from Torrential Rain Landslide

A local woman who lost her five children in the disaster told reporters, ‘I have lost all my children. All I can do is put my trust in God’

Riley Hoffman

Sunday 23 August 2026 21:47 BST

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A catastrophic landslide at the primary landfill in c's capital of Conakry killed 30 people early on Sunday morning, according to an updated casualty toll released by the central government, after heavy rainfall caused a massive mound of waste to collapse onto surrounding homes.

Authorities reported that torrential downpours starting at approximately 2 a.m. (0200 GMT) swept through the Dar Es Salam open-air dump in the city's Gbessia commune, causing a large pile of refuse to collapse.

The resulting torrent of waste engulfed nearby tents, shacks, and precarious dwellings, destroying several houses.

Emergency personnel launched search and rescue operations to locate survivors, as officials confirmed six people were seriously injured and another 16 sustained lighter injuries.

Witnesses stated that the collapse was extensive enough to bury an entire apartment building alongside fragile homes.

The open-air facility, the largest dump in Conakry, was set to close officially on Sunday, according to Lt. Col. Baldé Mamadou Bailo, the sanitation officer for the military engineering battalion.

Local residents in the area received official eviction notices instructing them to vacate, prompting many to leave, but several families remained when the disaster struck.

Visiting the scene, Dienabou Touré, the minister of territorial administration and decentralization, promised government assistance for affected residents.

"We will ensure that the remaining families are relocated elsewhere," she said. On Thursday, Touré had announced the decision to shut the dangerous landfill due to safety hazards amplified by the ongoing rainy season, noting that waste would be relocated outside Conakry.

While Guinea has the world's largest reserves of bauxite and the rich, untapped iron ore deposit at Simandou, where a massive mining initiative was launched in November, the West African nation suffers from poor infrastructure and widespread poverty.

According to a World Bank report published in April, approximately 3.7 million of the country's 15.1 million citizens live on less than $4.20 daily.

Landslide at Waste Mound in Guinea Capital Kills 30, Government Says

Dump site in Conakry, which minister had just promised to move, collapsed after heavy rain in west African state

Sun 23 Aug 2026 18.16 EDT

A ⁠landslide at a huge waste dump in Guinea’s capital has killed 30 people, the government said on Sunday, after heavy rains overnight prompted it to ⁠collapse, engulfing nearby tents and shacks.

The incident occurred less than a week after the government announced plans to close the ⁠site and relocate the waste because of the threat it posed, especially during the rainy season, which causes landslides and fatal flash ⁠floods each year in crowded, underdeveloped cities across parts of West Africa.

The landslide took ​place at about 2am (3am UK time) ‌in the Gbessia commune ‌of Conakry, according to a government statement.

The death toll was 30, with six ‌people seriously injured and 16 more lightly injured, the statement said.

Rescue workers were using excavators and other tools to clear the site of the landslide, which witnesses said was large enough to bury an apartment building along with more precarious dwellings.

One woman, Cire Diallo, told reporters at the scene that her five children were killed. “I ‌have lost all my children. All I can do is put my trust in God,” she said.

Guinea holds the world’s largest bauxite ​reserves and richest untapped iron ore deposit at Simandou, where a massive mining project was launched in November. But the west African country has poor infrastructure and widespread poverty, with 3.7 million of its 15.1 million people living on less than $4.20 a day, according to a ⁠World Bank report published in April.

On Thursday Guinea’s minister of territorial administration, Djénabou Touré Camara​, announced ​that the government was closing ​the landfill because it was unsafe and said the waste was to ​be relocated outside Conakry.

The prime ‌minister, Amadou Oury ​Bah, visited ​the landfill on Sunday to assess the damage and supervise the response, the government statement said, adding that people should “remain calm, show solidarity, and strictly follow the instructions of rescue services and the competent authorities”.

Landfill Collapse in Guinea Kills at Least 30 People

Heavy rains wash over the site, triggering a landslide that buries several shacks.

By AFP and AP

23 Aug 2026

A mountainous heap of refuse has collapsed at the largest landfill in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, killing at least 30 people, according to a goverment statement.

Six others were also seriously injured after heavy rains in the Bbessia district’s Dar-es-salam neighbourhood triggered a landslide at the landfill around 3 am (15:00 GMT) on Sunday, which buried nearby shacks.

“Significant material and human resources have been deployed to search for any people who may still be buried, to rescue the victims and to recover the bodies,” the government said in the statement.

Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the site of the deadly accident, as excavators took part in a search-and-rescue operation through the collapsed landfill under the gaze of a crowd of onlookers.

Measures have been taken “to ensure medical care for the wounded” and “assistance for those affected by this tragedy”, the government statement said.

The site was designated for closure on Sunday, according to Lieutenant Colonel Balde Mamadou Bailo, sanitation officer for the Military Engineering Battalion.

Lancine Sylla, the head of the Dar-es-Salaam suburb, where the incident occurred, said he feared a high death toll. “We have pulled out 18 bodies that were taken to the morgue,” he told the AFP news agency.

One of Guinea’s main opposition figures, former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, who is in exile abroad, called the accident “a tragedy that plunges us into dismay”.

“This tragedy is all the more worrying because the closure of the dump had been announced for this Sunday, August 23,” he said on Facebook.

“It is now up to the competent authorities to establish, with full transparency, the circumstances that led to this disaster and to draw all the necessary conclusions,” he added in the statement posted before the release of the death toll.

The government recently has ordered the expulsion of people near the landfill and safety measures around the site because of a fear of collapses.

Guinea is led by General Mamadi Doumbouya, who came to power in a coup in 2021 before being elected president in December 2025.

Guinea Garbage Collapse at Landfill Kills Dozens

Zac Crellin with AFP, AP

Heavy seasonal rains caused a mound of garbage to collapse, burying dozens of people and nearby homes before the break of dawn.

At least 30 people have died after a landfill collapsed in Guinea's capital, Conakry, officials said on Sunday.

Heavy rains overnight caused a large mound of rubbish to collapse at the Dar Es Salam landfill, burying nearby homes before dawn.

At least six other people were seriously injured.

Guinea's minister for territorial administration, Djenabou Toure, visited the site, where workers used excavators to search for more bodies.

Landfill was slated for closure

The government had recently ordered the expulsion of nearby residents in informal housing due to a fear of collapses.

Balde Mamadou Bailo, the sanitation officer for the Military Engineering Battalion, said the Dar Es Salam site had been slated for closure on Sunday.

Heavy seasonal rains have been known to trigger collapses at landfills in some countries, with Uganda and Ethiopia suffering similar tragedies in recent years. 

Edited by: Sean Sinico

A Landslide at a Landfill in the Capital of Guinea Kills 30 People, Officials Say

8:56 PM EDT, August 23, 2026

CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — A mountainous heap of refuse collapsed at the largest landfill in Guinea ‘s capital of Conakry early on Sunday, killing 30 people, according to the central government.

Authorities said that heavy rains, which started at around 2 a.m., washed over the refuse at Dar Es Salam — the largest landfill in Conakry — and triggered a landslide that buried nearby shacks. A search and rescue operation was underway to find survivors. Six people were seriously injured and several homes were destroyed.

The site, an open-air waste dump which is the largest in the city, had been designated for closure on Sunday, according to Lt. Col. Baldé Mamadou Bailo, the sanitation officer for the military engineering battalion.

Locals living around the landfill had been given eviction notices, which forced many to leave the area, but many others were still around at the time of the disaster, according to authorities.

“We will ensure that the remaining families are relocated elsewhere,” Dienabou Touré, the minister of territorial administration and decentralization, said at the scene.

Guinea is mineral-rich with huge deposits of bauxite — the largest in the world — and also has iron ore, gold, diamonds and minerals. However, according to the World Bank, 43.7% of the population lives below the national poverty line.

Marrakesh Erupts in Protest Against Israeli Minister’s Visit

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Agencies

22 Aug 2026 13:41

Pro-Palestine demonstrators gather in Marrakesh as Morocco resumes a direct air route with "Israel" after a three-year suspension.

The Moroccan city of Marrakesh witnessed a large demonstration on Friday evening organized by supporters of the Palestinian people, who gathered to voice their strong opposition to the visit of Israeli occupation Transport Minister Miri Regev.

The protest came as Regev arrived in Marrakesh aboard the first direct flight between “Israel” and Morocco in three years.

Regev, a prominent minister in Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, is visiting Morocco to announce the resumption of the direct air route between Tel Aviv and Marrakesh, operated by Arkia Airlines, following a nearly three-year suspension.

An Israeli delegation is accompanying the minister, who has faced protests over her record of anti-Palestinian positions, as well as her racist and inflammatory rhetoric.

Marrakesh protests expose Morocco’s growing anti-normalization push

Regev drew international attention last May during the detention of activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, which included Moroccan participants.

At the time, videos showed her boasting about the interception and detention of the activists. In a similar vein, Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also published a video documenting the mistreatment and mockery of the flotilla activists, prompting widespread international condemnation.

The protests in Marrakesh highlight the growing divide between Morocco’s normalization policies and widespread public opposition to closer ties with “Israel".

While the government has maintained diplomatic and economic relations with “Israel", many Moroccans continue to reject normalization and express solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The demonstrations show that, despite the resumption of direct flights and efforts to deepen official relations, opposition to normalization remains strong and continues to take to the streets.

UNICEF: Somalia's Child Crisis Deepens as 205 Health Facilities Close

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: UNICEF

22 Aug 2026 13:51

UNICEF warns Somalia's child crisis is worsening as aid cuts close 205 health and nutrition facilities and drive a 32% rise in severe malnutrition admissions.

At least 205 health and nutrition facilities have closed in Somalia amid unprecedented cuts to humanitarian aid, leaving children increasingly vulnerable to severe malnutrition, preventable illness, and other risks, UNICEF reported.

UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said the closures had already contributed to a sharp deterioration in access to essential services, with the number of children admitted to stabilization centers for severe acute malnutrition and related complications rising by 32% during the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period last year.

"On the back of unprecedented cuts in humanitarian aid, 205 health and nutrition facilities have already closed. The impact on children has been immediate," Elder said during a press briefing in Geneva.

He warned that reduced access to community-based services was forcing mothers and children to travel farther for treatment, increasing the likelihood that severely malnourished children would reach specialized facilities only after their conditions had worsened.

Overlapping humanitarian crises

The aid reductions come as Somalia confronts worsening drought, conflict, displacement, and rising costs for fuel and fertilizer, while a strong El Niño is expected to intensify the country's humanitarian challenges through severe flooding in the coming months.

Elder said the cuts had come at a time when the pressures affecting children were increasing rather than easing.

"This is the wrong moment to retreat," he said, warning of a "brutal contradiction" in which resources for protecting vulnerable children are being reduced as humanitarian needs grow.

He described meeting malnourished children at stabilization centers who had arrived severely ill after community facilities closed. He also recounted the case of Hajio, a mother who lost her cattle and livelihood to drought before fleeing to Burhakaba in southwest Somalia in search of assistance.

According to Elder, Hajio now lives in a makeshift shelter made of plastic and sticks and received clothes and tomatoes from a nearby community but no assistance from the international community.

Nearly one million at risk of losing nutrition services

UNICEF said funding cuts have already contributed to a 30% reduction in health and nutrition service coverage. Under severe funding scenarios, as many as 618 health facilities could eventually close across Somalia.

Nearly one million children under five, adolescent girls and women are also at risk of losing access to nutrition services, according to the agency.

Elder said the 32% increase in admissions to stabilization centres does not necessarily mean more children are becoming malnourished. Instead, he attributed the rise to the loss of preventive and community-based services that would normally identify and treat vulnerable children earlier.

This year, nearly 1.9 million children in Somalia are projected to be affected by malnutrition, including almost half a million suffering from severe acute malnutrition, UNICEF said.

At the same time, funding for the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), which provides air connectivity for UNICEF's humanitarian operations and life-saving cargo, fell by 40% between 2025 and 2026.

Elder highlighted previous results achieved through humanitarian programs, noting that UNICEF supported more than 2.25 million admissions of children with severe acute malnutrition between 2021 and 2025. In 2025, the cure rate reached 97.6%.

Water and education services also under pressure

The funding crisis is also affecting access to clean water. More than 1.6 million people require access to safe water, while more than 800,000 are at risk of losing essential hygiene supplies.

The cost of water in rural and pastoral areas has quadrupled, with a 200-liter barrel rising from around $2 to $8.

Despite the shortages, UNICEF said it has reached more than one million people through emergency and sustainable water services, but warned that those gains are at risk without continued funding.

Education services are also being affected. The sector lost $30 million in funding in 2025, while major donors are expected to reduce contributions by more than half in 2026.

More than 78,000 students have already dropped out of school, with another 660,000 children at risk of leaving education, according to UNICEF.

The agency said its support during the 2022 drought helped more than 130,000 children remain in education.

Child protection services face closures

Funding reductions are also threatening child protection programs in a country that has one of the highest reported rates of violations against children.

At least 65 child protection service points and facilities have closed, while case management, psychological support, family tracing and reintegration programs are also under threat.

Elder highlighted the case of Abdullah, a teenager who was recruited by a non-state armed group after being offered work and training as a mechanic. The group instead sent him to the battlefield, where he was eventually wounded and captured by government forces.

UNICEF supported the training of more than 160 children formerly associated with armed groups in late 2024 and early 2025. Participants received vocational training and starter kits intended to help them establish businesses or find employment.

Elder warned that funding cuts could deprive children such as Abdullah of similar support, reducing their chances of building stable lives and increasing the risk of re-recruitment.

UNICEF warns against retreating from Somalia

UNICEF said the current funding crisis threatens programs that have demonstrated their ability to protect children and reduce humanitarian suffering.

"We have the programmes. We have the partners. What is missing is the funding," Elder said.

He called on the international community to maintain support for Somalia as its humanitarian needs expand, arguing that aid cuts could ultimately carry greater financial, security, and humanitarian costs.

"Protecting children is not a discretionary expense. Preventing suffering is not an inefficiency," Elder said. "And dismantling effective aid at the moment of greatest need is not a saving: it is a decision to pay more later, in money, in security, in lost development and, for some children, in lives."

Federal Judge Vacates Trump Policy that Suspended Processing of Immigration Visas from 75 Countries

By MICHAEL CASEY

11:55 AM EDT, August 22, 2026

A federal judge in New York has vacated a Trump administration policy that suspended the processing of visas from 75 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia, whose nationals the Trump administration deemed likely to require public assistance in the United States.

U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, set aside the policy Friday as “contrary to law and in excess of statutory authority.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his authority by issuing the policy, which “runs afoul” of the Immigration and Nationality Act by mandating “the refusal of visas to eligible applicants without any basis in law,” the judge ruled.

Judge says power lies with consular officers

Vargas said the policy also undermines the congressional requirement that puts consular officers at the forefront of any visa decision.

“Congress imbued these officers with exclusive authority and discretion to determine if an immigrant is eligible for a visa based upon review of specific and detailed criteria set forth in the statute,” she wrote. “The Policy, which categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant, represents a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme.”

The policy was challenged by two nonprofit organizations along with 11 individuals, including six whose family members had been refused visas. The remaining five are outside the country and had filed “employment-based petitions” to come to the United States.

Advocates say keeping families apart is cruel

“We welcome this ruling because, at its heart, this case is about keeping families together,” said Anna Gallagher, the executive director of CLINIC, a national nonprofit that provides training, resources, and support to a network of immigration legal service providers and was one of the plaintiffs.

“Catholic social teaching calls us to uphold the dignity of every person and recognize the family as the foundation of society,” she said in a statement. “This decision affirms both those values and the rule of law, allowing families to once again move forward toward reunification.”

Another plaintiff is African Communities Together, a Harlem-based nonprofit. One of its leaders called the ruling “a tremendous victory for the rule of law.”

“This unlawful and racist ban caused immeasurable harm, cruelly keeping families and loved ones apart,” Diana Konate, deputy executive director for policy and advocacy, said in a statement. “Today, we are elated to tell our community members: this ban is no more.”

Trump expands his anti-immigration agenda

President Donald Trump has imposed a growing list of immigration and travel bans mostly for people from Africa, Asia and Latin America. The State Department said Saturday that the Trump administration is “protecting the American people by upholding the highest standards of screening and vetting of visa applicants,” and that it would not comment on pending litigation.

At the time the policy was issued, the State Department said it had instructed consular officers to halt immigrant visa applications from the 75 countries in accordance with a broader order in November that tightened rules around potential immigrants who might become “public charges.” Relying on Council of Economic Advisers data, the State Department said that more than 30 percent of households with immigrants from these countries received some form of public assistance.

A separate notice sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates said that non-immigrant visa applicants also should be “fully vetted and screened” for the possibility that they might seek public benefits in the United States.

The cable, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, noted several times that the applicant must prove they won’t apply for public benefits while in the U.S., and that consular officers who suspect the applicant might apply should require them to fill out a form proving their financial bona fides.

The ruling is the latest example of the courts upending Trump’s immigration agenda. In June, a federal judge struck down a Trump administration policy that made it harder for immigrants from dozens of countries to enter and stay in America — affecting elements like asylum, work permits, green cards, and citizenship applications. That judge said the policy threw countless immigrants’ lives “into indeterminate legal limbo,” and accused the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of ignoring the law.