Secretive Deal Leaves Deportees from the US Stuck in Equatorial Guinea with ‘No More Hope’

By MONIKA PRONCZUK

1:19 AM EDT, March 21, 2026

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — When a U.S. immigration judge told a 28-year old refugee from East Africa that he was free to leave detention in California after 13 months, he was overjoyed. Though an asylum request was denied, the judge ruled he could not be deported home because it would put him in danger.

“He told me: ‘Welcome to the U.S.,’” the refugee told The Associated Press, which saw his legal documents. “You are now protected by the U.S. law, so you can leave the center, work and stay in this country.”

But he was never freed, and instead was later handcuffed and put on a flight to Equatorial Guinea, an authoritarian petrostate in West Africa that signed a secretive deal with the Trump administration and has become a transit hub for deported migrants. It holds him and others in detention, and has no asylum policy.

He requested anonymity for fear of repercussions, saying he fled his country after being beaten, persecuted and imprisoned because of his ethnicity.

He is among 29 people deported to Equatorial Guinea, which the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeanne Shaheen, has called “one of the most corrupt governments in the world.”

The first American pope, Leo XIV, who has criticized the Trump administration’s treatment of migrants as “extremely disrespectful,” is visiting Equatorial Guinea in April.

Judge’s order is no guarantee of protection

At least seven African nations have signed deals with the U.S. to facilitate deportations of third-country nationals, which legal experts said are effectively a legal loophole for the U.S. Most deportees received legal protection from U.S. judges shielding them against being returned to their home countries, their lawyers said.

AP previously interviewed a gay asylum-seeker from Morocco who was deported to Cameroon and, believing she had no choice, agreed to be returned to her home country, where homosexuality is illegal.

In a phone interview, the 28-year-old refugee said authorities in Equatorial Guinea pressure him to return home even though he lodged an asylum application there, which AP has seen.

“They told us there is no any asylum or any protection in this country for us,” he said. “So the best option is to leave the country as soon as possible.”

But he said returning to a country ravaged by ethnic conflict was “not an option.”

The U.S. is deporting people to third countries “to circumvent laws that forbid sending a person to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened,” said Meredyth Yoon, litigation director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, who has helped deportees to Equatorial Guinea.

She verified significant parts of the 28-year-old asylum-seeker’s account.

“Once deported, these individuals face impossible alternatives: indefinite detention without access to counsel, or forced deportation to the very countries they fled from,” she said.

Handcuffed on a flight with an unknown destination

The 29 people deported to Equatorial Guinea were from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mauritania, Angola, Congo, Chad, Georgia, Ghana and Nigeria, according to their visiting lawyer, who requested anonymity given the country’s human rights record. He said authorities did not allow him to see most of them.

The 28-year-old refugee said he was deported in January. Before that, he said, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents pressed him to sign a document saying he wanted to return to his country voluntarily. He said they were surprised he could read it, and quoted one as saying: “I never knew Black people could read and write.”

When he refused, he said he was transferred to Arizona, where he spent five months in a room without windows with several others. Hygiene conditions in the facility were poor, and getting medical attention was “very difficult.”

“One guy in my room became crazy and started shouting and hitting himself because he wanted to go home,” he said.

An immigration judge denied his asylum claim but granted him protection under U.S. law and the U.N. Convention Against Torture, which prohibit his return home but would allow his removal to a third country that is deemed safe.

“All the people told me that we are going back to Africa,” he recalled. “I needed to speak with my lawyer, but these ICE officers started using force, they started beating me.”

After transfers to California, Texas and Louisiana, he was handcuffed and driven to an airport in the middle of the night.

The plane belonged to Omni Air International, a charter airline, filled with people like him, he said.

When they landed, he discovered they were in Equatorial Guinea.

When asked about his case, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said ICE officers “did NOT beat, coerce, or use racial slurs” against him, adding that he was “an illegal alien” who “was processed as an expedited removal and was removed to Equatorial Guinea.”

”All of these illegal aliens deported to Equatorial Guinea received due process and had a final order of removal,” they said.

Most have been deported to their home countries

The 28-year old and other deportees are detained in Malabo, the former capital.

“It’s an old closed hotel and there are no other customers,” he said. “Most of us were sick because of the food. I was hospitalized for two days. There is also malaria here, two guys were hospitalized with that.”

Yoon said 17 detainees have been returned to home countries after being told there is no other option, with no asylum policy in Equatorial Guinea.

“Everyone who I’ve talked to since they left is not in a good situation,” she said. “Many of them are in hiding.”

One man who was returned to Mauritania told AP he requested asylum anyway from the prime minister’s office, according to documents seen by AP. The visiting lawyer said he sent a copy to the United Nations refugee agency.

But on Christmas Day, Equatorial Guinea authorities handcuffed him and put him on a plane.

“He alerted (authorities) to the fact that he had applied for asylum, and we contacted the U.S. Embassy in Malabo about his case but didn’t receive a response,” Yoon said.

UHNCR said it could not comment on individual cases. Larissa Schlotterbeck, its head of external engagement in the region, said Equatorial Guinea is working on establishing an asylum system and UNHCR is helping with identifying people who may need protection until then.

African nations are paid millions in opaque deals

The Trump administration has spent at least $40 million to deport about 300 migrants to countries other than their own, according to a February report by the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The other African nations known to sign deals are South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana and Cameroon.

Equatorial Guinea received $7.5 million, Senator Shaheen has said.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by AP, Shaheen said the “highly unusual payment” raised concerns over the use of taxpayer dollars, and noted that it exceeded U.S. foreign assistance to Equatorial Guinea over the last eight years.

Last year, the U.S. State Department issued a temporary sanctions waiver to allow Teodorin Obiang, son of Equatorial Guinea’s president and the country’s vice president, to visit the U.S. Obiang met with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.

The U.S. State Department and Equatorial Guinea authorities did not respond to requests for comment.

The 28-year-old asylum-seeker remains in limbo. He called it the worst part of his ordeal.

“Before, we were immigrants with hope,” he said. “But here, there is no more hope.”

Uganda Reintroduces Rhinos Into a Protected Area Where They Have Been Extinct Since 1983

By PATRICK ONEN

4:02 PM EDT, March 20, 2026

KARAMOJA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan wildlife authorities have reintroduced rhinos into a remote protected area where they were once poached into extinction, an event seen by conservationists as a milestone in efforts to support the recovery of a species threatened by poaching.

On Tuesday, two southern white rhinos from a private ranch in the East African country were reintroduced into Kidepo Valley National Park in the country’s northeast. Two more rhinos in metallic crates arrived there on Thursday.

There have been no rhinos in Kidepo Valley National Park since 1983, the result of poaching. But a private ranch in central Uganda — the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary — has been breeding the large mammals since 2005. That program has succeeded over the years.

“This moment marks the beginning of a new rhino story for Kidepo Valley National Park,” said James Musinguzi, executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. “We are deeply grateful to our conservation partners whose technical expertise, financial support and logistical contributions have made this milestone possible.”

Local wildlife authorities collaborated with multiple conservation groups, including Global Conservation, to relocate some rhinos from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to another sanctuary inside Kidepo Valley National Park, more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) away.

The rhinos’ new habitat are expected to be relocated there later this year, including some from Kenya.

The rhino translocation “shows that Uganda is stable again for tourism, national parks are being protected, and Ugandans and international visitors can watch rhinos in their natural setting, which will be an incredible feat,” said Jeff Morgan, executive director of Global Conservation.

Poaching remains a problem in Uganda’s protected areas, although enhanced security measures have curbed incidents over the years.

Rhinos are targeted by poachers who kill them because of the high demand for rhino horn products for medicinal and other uses in parts of Asia. Studies indicate that rhino horn products sold through illegal markets sometimes fetch higher prices than gold.

Anti-apartheid Activist, Human Rights Campaigner and UN Diplomat Nicholas Haysom Dies at Age 73

Nicholas Haysom, United Nations envoy in Afghanistan, speaks during a press conference in Kabul on Feb. 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini, File)

By EDITH M. LEDERER

9:24 PM EDT, March 19, 2026

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Nicholas Haysom, a white South African anti-apartheid activist who was tapped by prisoner-turned-president Nelson Mandela to help draft the country’s new constitution that enshrined equal rights for Black people, minorities and white people, has died at 73.

Haysom went on from high-level positions promoting human rights in his home country to a distinguished career as a U.N. diplomat, serving in hot spots from Afghanistan and Iraq to Somalia and South Sudan.

His daughter, Rebecca Haysom, told The Associated Press that he died Tuesday in New York “after a long, valiant battle with heart and lung complications.”

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Haysom “devoted his life to justice, dialogue, and reconciliation -- from his central role in South Africa’s democratic transition serving as chief legal and constitutional adviser to president Nelson Mandela to years of leadership in U.N. posts in some of the world’s most complex and fragile settings.”

His legacy “will endure in the peace processes he advanced, the institutions he strengthened, and the principles he helped bring to life around the world,” the U.N. chief said in a statement.

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, a former anti-apartheid activist, said the country mourns “a distinguished diplomat and a pioneer of our democratic administration whose commitment to justice and peace made our country, our continent and the world a better place.”

“I remember him for applying his legal acumen, mentorship, wisdom and integrity to the development of our constitution,” Ramaphosa said in a statement urging South Africans “to honor his contribution to our nation and the international community by upholding the fundamental rights and maintaining the peace he advocated so passionately and eloquently.”

He came from a family that believed in equality

Nicholas Roland Leybourne “Fink” Haysom grew up in Durban in a liberal family that believed in racial equality, especially his mother who was an activist against apartheid. At university, he said he became a critic of apartheid as well and decided to go to law school at the Universities of Natal and Cape Town to tackle the conditions of how people lived.

He went on to become president of the anti-apartheid National Union of South African Students and he said in a U.N. interview last year that he was arrested or detained about half a dozen times, once serving six months in solitary confinement in about 1980. Ramaphosa said he also had a creative side: He was South African Playwright of the Year in 1987.

Nobody at that time thought apartheid would end, Haysom said, and it was a “tremendous moment” when Mandela was released in 1990. At the time, Haysom was a member of a very activist human rights law firm.

The African National Congress, which Mandela led, asked Haysom to join its Constitutional Commission, and he said he spent several years with “a very exciting group of intellectuals” conceptualizing the new South Africa, and negotiating with the National Party, which instituted and enforced the apartheid system of racial segregation, on how to get there.

Having been a pariah in much of the world, Haysom said the group wanted to find the perfect formula for a constitutional state that appreciated the need for equality among all its citizens and recreated a social contract “which we wanted to be a lesson for the world.” It wasn’t easy, he said, but “the South African constitution is still regarded as perhaps one of the most progressive constitutions in the world.”

“And I think that’s what led to me being asked to be Mandela’s legal adviser ... while he was president,” Haysom said, a position he held from 1994 to 1999.

Mandela wanted to set an example for the first post-apartheid government to respect the law, Haysom said, “and he was really at the forefront of creating a society built on respect for legal equality and human rights.”

He saw Mandela every morning and said he was “tremendously gracious.”

“But he was steely, strong in the conviction he had that he was embarking on the right path, and he persevered,” Haysom said. “As I say to my children, the lesson of Mandela is not just being a nice person, it’s perseverance in your ideals that’ll change the world.”

He worked across the decades to end ethnic discord

Under Mandela, Haysom joined a team that helped end ethnic violence in Burundi between Hutus and Tutsis in the 1990s. He then was asked to try to find a formula to restore peace in Sudan between the north and south, which eventually led to South Sudan seceding and becoming an independent country in 2011.

Haysom then spent from 2005 to 2007 in Iraq trying to find a formula for its communities — Shia, Sunni and Kurd — to live together, an issue he saw in all conflicts. From 2007 to 2012, he served in then-U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s office as director for political, peacekeeping and humanitarian affairs. He then spent four years in Afghanistan from 2012 to 2016 in two U.N. roles.

Most of the rest of his U.N. career was focused on Sudan and South Sudan, where he had been head of the peacekeeping mission since 2021 except for a brief stint in Somalia. He was ordered to leave by the Somali government in 2019 after questioning the arrest of a former leader of the al-Shabab extremist group.

Haysom is survived by his wife Delphine and their two sons Charles and Hector, as well as his three older children, Rebecca, Simone, and Julian, from his previous marriage to Mary Ann Cullinan.

Haysom said there was a time when he was “quite probably inappropriately proud” of his efforts particularly in Burundi, Sudan and South Africa, but after a few years all those peace agreements were in trouble.

It’s a recognition, he said, that peace doesn’t last forever and democracy requires “constant engagement by people of good intention.”

___

Gerald Imray contributed to this report from Cape Town, South Africa

Madagascar’s President Orders Lie Detector Tests for Candidates Applying to be Government Ministers

3:26 PM EDT, March 19, 2026

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — Anyone applying to become a minister in Madagascar’s new government will be subjected to lie detector tests to root out those who are corrupt, the country’s military leader said Thursday.

President Michael Randrianirina, who took power in a coup in the Indian Ocean island in October, said Madagascar had acquired a polygraph machine and a specialist to operate it to vet new government ministers.

“We will know who is corrupt and who can help us,” Randrianirina said. “We are not looking for someone who is 100% clean, but someone who is more than 60% clean.”

Randrianirina, a colonel in an elite army unit, ousted President Andry Rajoelina after a weekslong uprising last year by mainly young Madagascans frustrated with the lack of government services and opportunities in a nation of around 32 million that is beset by poverty.

Randrianirina fired his entire Cabinet and dissolved the government last week. He appointed a new prime minister on Sunday.

“After taking the polygraph test, candidates who fail will not proceed to an interview,” Randrianirina told reporters. “Those who pass the polygraph test will have an interview with me and the prime minister.”

Randrianirina has promised to hold new elections within two years of him taking power.

Senegal and Morocco’s Dispute Over Africa Cup Title Has Extended Beyond Sports

By MARK BANCHEREAU

5:00 PM EDT, March 19, 2026

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Morocco being awarded the Africa Cup of Nations title after governing body judges overturned Senegal’s victory two months after the chaotic final stunned soccer fans worldwide.

While Moroccans took to the streets to celebrate their team’s belated success, the decision by the Confederation of African Football was met with disbelief in Senegal, with fans and authorities calling the decision “unjust.”

Senegal’s government on Wednesday said it will pursue “all appropriate legal avenues” to overturn the decision and called for an international investigation into “suspected corruption” within African soccer’s governing body.

CAF’s appeals board on Tuesday ruled that Senegal forfeited the final by leaving the field of play without the referee’s authorization, and it awarded Morocco a default 3-0 win.

Most of the Senegal team left for almost 10 minutes while Senegal fans battled stewards behind one of the goals in protest against a controversial penalty call for Morocco after Senegal had a goal ruled out. The players returned, Morocco missed the penalty, and Senegal won the match by scoring in extra time.

Here is what to know about the controversies surrounding the decision to overturn Senegal’s victory:

Dispute has gone beyond soccer

Morocco and Senegal have long shared close ties built on religion, trade and culture. Tijaniyyah, a Sufi Muslim order, is widely followed in both countries. Moroccan banks and companies heavily invest in Senegal’s finance and agriculture sectors. Cultural exchanges include student programs, migration and joint festivals.

But the tensions surrounding the final and CAF’s appeals court decision to overturn Senegal’s victory have put a strain on the relationship between the two countries.

Last month, 19 Senegal fans who were arrested on charges of hooliganism at the final were given prison terms of up to a year by a Moroccan court. The Senegalese government has expressed solidarity with the Senegalese supporters.

Seydina Issa Laye Diop, president of the Senegalese national team’s fan group called “12th Gaindé” told The Associated Press on Thursday that the incidents should not damage the relationship between Senegal and Morocco.

“However, there are limits: if this continues, it could somewhat affect the pride of the Senegalese people,” Diop said. “If the goal is to preserve friendship, then it must be nurtured. Small gestures can have a big impact. These are things we can move past, especially since, during the trial, no solid argument has justified the continued detention of these supporters.”

Mariama Ndeye, a student in Senegal’s capital Dakar, said the decision has negatively impacted her view of Moroccans.

“When everything goes well, they call us their brothers. But when things don’t go their way, they start being nasty,” Ndeye said.

On Wednesday, Morocco’s embassy in Dakar called on Moroccans in Senegal to “demonstrate restraint, vigilance, and a sense of responsibility.”

“It is important to recall that, in all circumstances, it is only a match, the outcome of which should never justify any form of escalation or excessive remarks between brotherly peoples,” the embassy said.

In Casablanca, home appliances business owner Ismail Fnani said he felt like other African countries were rooting against Morocco during the final.

“Honestly, my views toward Senegalese and sub-Saharan Africans changed after this,” he said. “We used to feel sympathy and help them because they were migrants who had struggled to get here. Where there was once sympathy and compassion, now I will treat them as they have treated us.”

Mohamed El Arabi, who works in a grocery shop in Casablanca, said he didn’t celebrate the decision awarding Morocco the title.

“We would have preferred it to stay with Senegal because it doesn’t feel right otherwise,” El Arabi said.

“People here have started hating Senegalese. They no longer provide them with help. We used to be like brothers, especially since they are Muslims like us, but that is no longer the case,” he added.

Accusations of favoritism within CAF

The Senegalese government’s allegation of “suspected corruption” at CAF followed anger at perceived favoritism toward Morocco, which is a 2030 World Cup co-host and has invested heavily to become a soccer superpower.

On Wednesday, CAF President Patrice Motsepe defended the body against perceptions of favoritism toward Morocco.

“Not a single country in Africa will be treated in a manner that is more preferential, or more advantageous, or more favorable than any other country on the African continent,” Motsepe said in a video published on the CAF website.

Ansar Allah Stands with Iran, Resistance in Lebanon, Iraq

By Al Mayadeen English

Ansar Allah reaffirms support for Iran and resistance groups, urging Arab and Islamic unity while highlighting Gaza’s siege and Al-Aqsa.

The political bureau of Ansar Allah in Yemen renewed its solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran, stating that it is “writing an epic of faith, freedom, and dignity on behalf of the nation.”

The group also expressed support for Hezbollah fighters, Iraqi resistance factions, and “all peoples of the Ummah” facing what it described as US-Israeli aggression, framing the situation as part of a broader regional confrontation.

Ansar Allah urged Arab and Islamic countries to unify their position, calling for a collective response in support of Palestine and its just cause. The statement emphasized the need for coordinated positions at both the official and popular levels.

The group stressed the need to support al-Aqsa Mosque and the people of Gaza, noting that residents are marking Eid al-Fitr under conditions of siege and starvation. It held “the Zionists and their allies” responsible for the humanitarian situation.

Yemen has taken the decision to support Iran

Ansar Allah Political Bureau member Mohammed al-Bukhaiti told Al Mayadeen that Yemen had taken the decision to support Iran. According to al-Bukhaiti, Yemen is in complete coordination with the Axis of the Resistance, particularly Iran, and is closely monitoring the situation.

He further referenced Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, who previously declared that Yemen's hands are on the trigger, and emphasized that Sanaa's involvement is "only a matter of time."

The leader of Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, declared on March 5 that his forces stand ready to intervene in support of Iran, warning that Yemen is prepared to act if the situation requires.

Yemen hails Axis of Resistance

Addressing “the brothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran” during his sixteenth Ramadan lecture, Sayyed al-Houthi said, “Our fingers are on the trigger, and we are ready to intervene whenever necessary.”

He accused leaders of the United States and the Israeli occupation of openly discussing plans to reshape West Asia in favor of the “Greater Israel” project. The Yemeni leader said the Islamic world is currently facing a direct confrontation with the “tyrants of the era,” represented by the Americans, Zionists, and global powers seeking domination over the region.

Meanwhile, Yemen saw massive demonstrations that flooded its streets and cities on International Quds Day, reaffirming Sanaa's full solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran and hailing the crushing blows it has inflicted on the Israeli and American enemies.

The demonstrations also extended support for the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Hezbollah, declaring that the movement's unwavering resolve has plunged "Israel" into the existential unknown. 

AFCON 2025 Title "Cannot Be Taken Away" from Senegal, Says FSF

Senegal

The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said Thursday that the Africa Cup title cannot be taken away from Senegal, following a decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to strip the country of its title earlier this week.

CAF defended its decision Wednesday, which hinged on a moment during the chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final when Senegalese players walked off the field.

Though the players returned, CAF ruled this week that they had violated the rules of the tournament and thus forfeited the game.

The title was given to Morocco instead, and the decision has been met with widespread controversy.

The FSF called the decision “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable”.

Support from Senegal's Olympic and Sports Committee

"We know very well that from a legal standpoint, from a legal standpoint, Senegal cannot lose this match by forfeit, and we cannot take this title away from Senegal,” said Abdoulaye Fall, the federation’s president.

Fall also addressed the Senegalese soccer fans that remain in detention in Morocco following the match, where they were arrested and later charged with damaging sporting facilities and committing violence during a sporting event after they tried to storm the field.

He said that though those fans are not officially under the soccer federation’s responsibility, the federation was providing them legal support.

“We are going to fight for them to be released and for them to come back to us,” he said.

Referring to the Court of Arbitration for Sport by its French acronym, TAS, the secretary general of the Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee Omar Diagne said his organization was offering legal support to the football federation.

“The Olympic Committee is at your disposal so that some of our lawyers who know a lot about sports law can join the pool of lawyers that you have already established, so that today we can fight the battle at TAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) so that victory can be returned to Senegal. And of that, we are sure and we are certain. God willing, TAS will rule in our favor,” he said.

DR Congolese Citizens Welcome Belgian Court Trial in Lumumba Case

By Africa News and Chris Ocamringa

Democratic Republic Of Congo

Several Congolese citizens welcomed a Belgian court's decision to put 93-year-old former diplomat Etienne Davignon on trial over the killing of independence hero Patrice Lumumba in 1961. Africanews correspondent Chris Ocamringa reports from Kinshasa.

A Belgian court has ruled that a former Belgian diplomat is fit to stand trial in the assassination case of Patrice Lumumba, the Democratic Republic of Congo's first prime minister.

Former Belgian diplomat Etienne Davignon is accused of involvement in Lumumba’s detention and transfer to the Katanga region, where he was killed in 1961.

Davignon was a trainee diplomat at the time of Lumumba's detention and death. He is the last of a total of 10 Belgians whom Lumumba's family accused of being complicit in his murder in a criminal case in 2011.

While some Congolese citizens in the streets of Kinshasa welcomed the decision to open a trial over the decades-old assassination, others thought that the trial came too late.

"It's unusual for this case to be brought up now, more than 50 years later, after Lumumba's family demanded justice. They want to condemn a poor elderly man in his final days to cover up for the real culprits," said Richard Makoffo, a businessman.

Patrice Lumumba was executed by firing squad in 1961 after being ousted from the position of prime minister - the first in the Democratic Republic of Congo's history - through a coup. His body was then dissolved in acid.

Although the execution was carried out by Congolese forces, they were tacitly backed by Belgium, which viewed Lumumba with suspicion despite having officially ended its colonial rule over the country.

Brussels Court Orders Trial Over 1961 Killing of Patrice Lumumba

By Al Mayadeen English

17 Mar 2026 19:18

Belgium orders trial of ex-diplomat Etienne Davignon over his role in Patrice Lumumba’s 1961 assassination and charges of war crimes.

A Brussels court has ordered Belgian ex-diplomat Etienne Davignon, 93, to stand trial over his alleged role in the 1961 assassination of Congolese independence leader Patrice Lumumba, in a case widely seen as part of Belgium’s delayed reckoning with its colonial legacy in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Davignon, the only surviving figure among 10 Belgians accused by Lumumba’s family, faces charges of “participation in war crimes,” including involvement in the unlawful detention, transfer, and degrading treatment of the Congolese leader prior to his killing.

The court’s decision, announced Tuesday, was welcomed by Lumumba’s grandson, Mehdi Lumumba, who described it as “historic,” adding that “Belgium is finally confronting its history.” The ruling remains subject to appeal.

If the trial proceeds, Davignon would become the first Belgian official to face legal accountability in the 65 years since Lumumba’s assassination, an event that has long symbolized the violent legacy of Belgian colonial interference in Congo’s sovereignty.

Colonial legacy and delayed justice

Patrice Lumumba, a leading voice against Belgian colonial rule, became the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo following independence in 1960. His tenure was short-lived, as he was removed from power in a coup backed by foreign governments, including Belgium and the United States.

Lumumba, 35, was executed on January 17, 1961, in the Katanga region with the involvement of Belgian-backed forces. His body was subsequently dissolved in acid in an attempt to erase evidence of the crime.

Belgian prosecutors allege that Davignon, then a junior diplomat, played a role in the chain of events that led to Lumumba’s killing. Lawyers representing Lumumba’s family have described the case as part of a broader “state-sponsored criminal enterprise” tied to Belgium’s colonial apparatus.

In contrast, Davignon has denied all accusations, with his legal team arguing that the passage of time undermines the case.

Renewed scrutiny of Belgium’s role in Congo

The case forms part of a broader process in which Belgium has faced growing pressure to address its role in Lumumba’s assassination and the wider crimes committed during its colonial rule in Congo.

One of the most striking developments in the investigation was the recovery of a tooth belonging to Lumumba, the only known remains of his body. The tooth had been kept by the family of a Belgian police officer linked to the disposal of the body.

In 2022, Belgian authorities returned the remains to the Democratic Republic of Congo in an official ceremony aimed at acknowledging past injustices. At the time, then-Prime Minister Alexander De Croo reiterated Belgium’s apology and its “moral responsibility” for Lumumba’s fate, pointing to officials who “chose not to see” and “not to act.”

The upcoming trial, if upheld, is expected to further expose the depth of Belgium’s involvement in one of the most consequential political assassinations in post-colonial African history.

IRGC Debuts Multi-warhead ‘Nasrallah’ Missile to Strike Israel’s Oil Refineries

Thursday, 19 March 2026 8:58 PM

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has launched the 65th wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4 targeting Israel’s oil refineries, debuting multi-warhead “Nasrallah” ballistic missile.

In a statement on Thursday, the IRGC said that the fresh wave of retaliatory strikes targeted Ashdod and Haifa oil refineries, which are among the Israeli regime’s biggest refineries, using Nasrallah ballistic missile system for the first time.

Nasrallah is the upgraded and the guided version of Qadr missiles used in previous strikes against US military assets in the region and targets in the Israeli-occupied territories.

The 65th wave employed a variety of other domestically manufactured long-range precision missiles, the statement said.

The IRGC has so far employed a variety of powerful weaponry in the latest strikes, including multi-warhead Qadr missiles, Kheibar Shekan missiles, Emad missiles, and Haj Qassem missiles.

According the statement, the new retaliatory wave of strikes also employed medium-range missiles of Qiyam and Zolfaghar for hitting US military assets in Al Kharj Air Base in Saudi Arabia, which is the main logistics and refueling center for F-16 and F-35 fighter jets as well as AWACS surveillance aircraft.

Furthermore, the same missile targeted Fujairah Sheikh Isa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which serves as the headquarters and the data center control and the communication center of the US military in the region.

The US terrorist army forces at al-Zafra base in the UAE, which played a supporting and intelligence role in the attack on Iran, was also targeted by medium-range missiles of Qiyam and Zolfaghar and long-range ballistic missile of Kheibar Shekan, which carries multiple warheads.

Operation True Promise 4, a sequel to the IRGC's previous instances of successful reprisal against adversaries, began late last month momentarily following the launch of Washington's and Tel Aviv's latest bout of unlawful aggression targeting the Islamic Republic.

The IRGC has pledged to sustain the reprisal until the enemies' “complete defeat.”

Sources from Hebrew media reported strong and consecutive explosions heard in northern Israeli occupied territories, including Haifa, Kiryat, Carmel, and the Golan Heights. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu held his press briefing in a reinforced underground bunker.

The missile strike by Iran resulted in significant damage to aircraft and infrastructure at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.

The spokesperson for the Central Command of the Iranian Armed Forces, in a statement, emphasized that all US and Israeli assets would be targeted as part of Iran’s retaliatory actions, taking full responsibility for the attack.

"As previously stated, we will target all American and Zionist regime infrastructure, and we officially accept responsibility for this operation," the spokesperson added.

As a result of the damage inflicted on its aviation sector, Israel’s airline industry has faced unprecedented disruption.

The Ben Gurion airport’s management announced a 50% reduction in international flight capacities, and several airlines, including El Al, were forced to cancel flights, with El Al halting all flights scheduled between March 21 and March 27.

According to Israel’s Channel 12 News, the Israir carrier also suspended all scheduled flights until March 31 and stopped selling tickets for the foreseeable future, citing new restrictions imposed by the so-called ministry of transport.

The airline also mentioned limited capacity on remaining flights, though it would attempt to accommodate some passengers.

The strike comes just days after a bombing campaign that targeted fuel depots in Iran.

In Israeli occupied territories, the attack has sparked widespread panic, with reports of long queues at airports, ticket offices, and even border crossings as settlers attempt to flee the occupied lands.

Concerns about further missile attacks have led to fears of being trapped in the event of additional strikes, especially after the announcement of the 50% flight capacity reduction.

IRGC Unleashes 'Super-heavy Multi-warhead' Missiles During 66th Wave of Op. True Promise 4

Friday, 20 March 2026 12:43 AM

Frame grab from footage depicting implementation of the 66th wave of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)'s ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4 on March 20, 2026

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announces execution of the 66th wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4 featuring deployment of a large-scale reprisal involving multiple missile systems targeting locations across the occupied territories and US military positions in the region.

In a statement on Friday, the Corps' Public Relations Office said the latest phase was carried out “successfully” striking targets in the heart and south of the occupied territories, including the city of Tel Aviv, as well as bases of the US military in the region.

The statement detailed the use of a combination of solid- and liquid-fuel missile systems, including super-heavy, precision-guided, multi-warhead Qadr missiles as well as Khorramshahr and Kheibar Shekan missiles and medium-range Qiam projectiles.

The 66th stage also involved deployment of Zolfaqar missiles and attack drones, it noted.

'Siren-to-siren’ nightmare in occupied territories

The statement added that Israeli authorities, in an effort to overcome previous failures and internal crises, as well as the fallout from the Epstein scandals, have entered an "unjust war against Iran" that was doomed from the onset.

The Islamic Republic's retaliation in the face of the aggression, it added, has resulted in “life from siren to siren and the prolonged confinement of the illegal settlers of the occupied territories in shelters.”

The statement concluded with a warning, “We will not leave you; this reprisal will continue…”

Operation True Promise 4 began momentarily following the launch of Tel Aviv's and Washington's most recent bout of unlawful aggression towards the Islamic Republic late last month.

Iranian armed forces and resistance groups across the region continued their retaliatory military operations against the US and the Israeli regime on Thursday, March 19.

The reprisal has hit sensitive and strategic targets in the heart of the occupied territories, including those lying in the city of Tel Aviv, the holy occupied city of al-Quds, the occupied port of Haifa, Be'er Sheva, which serves as the regime's technological epicenter, and the Negev Desert.

American outposts across the region, including those based in Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, have also faced intense retaliation.

Iran Warns of No Restraint if Infrastructure Attacks Continue

Thursday, 19 March 2026 8:35 PM

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has issued a stern warning, stating that Iran will exercise no further restraint if its infrastructure faces repeated attacks.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has issued a stern warning, stating that Iran will exercise no further restraint if its infrastructure faces repeated attacks.

In a message posted on his X account on Thursday, Araghchi emphasized that the response to Israel’s recent attacks on Iranian infrastructure was only a fraction of Iran’s capabilities.

The Israeli regime attacked parts of Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure in the country’s south on Wednesday.

Araghchi noted that the sole reason for Iran’s restraint was adherence to calls for de-escalation.

“If attacks on our infrastructure are repeated, there will be no more self-restraint,” Araghchi declared, adding that any end to the conflict must address the damages inflicted upon civilian sites.

The US and Israel launched their unprovoked act of aggression against Iran on February 28 by assassinating former Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders, in flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty.

The enemies have deliberately targeted Iran’s civilian infrastructure and energy facilities.

Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the strikes by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in regional countries.

Iran's Top Military Command Warns of Israel's 'Evil Intent' to Hit Regional Energy Infrastructures

Thursday, 19 March 2026 10:47 PM

Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesman for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters

Iran's highest operational command unit has warned about an "evil intent" borne by the Israeli regime to target regional energy infrastructures so it can falsely implicate the Islamic Republic and sow regional divisions.

The warning was issued on Thursday by the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran's highest operational command unit that coordinates operations between the Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

"As we have previously announced, Iran’s Armed Forces will target all infrastructure belonging to the United States and the Zionist regime, and will officially accept responsibility for it and declare it," Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari said.

Based on reports, however, the Zionist regime is planning to target energy infrastructure in the region, including the Aramco facilities in Saudi Arabia.

The regime’s past record of hostile actions supports this "evil intent" aimed at carrying out such attacks and falsely implicate the Islamic Republic in order to create discord among regional countries, he concluded.

The comments came amid the Iranian Armed Forces' ongoing Operation True Promise 4 in response to fresh unprovoked Israeli-American aggression against the Islamic Republic.

The reprisal has been taking aim at sensitive and strategic targets inside the occupied territories as well as American outposts throughout the region.

Amid the retaliation, blasts have been reported across unrelated facilities in the Persian Gulf region's littoral states, for which the Islamic Republic has categorically rejected responsibility.

Earlier this month, American journalist and media figure Tucker Carlson said authorities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia have arrested agents enlisted with the Israeli spy agency Mossad planning bombings.

Carlson described the incidents as part of a broader effort to destabilize Persian Gulf countries.

First Strike on US F-35: Iran Hits Stealth Jet in Central Airspace

Thursday, 19 March 2026 5:30 PM

The IRGC says the likelihood of the US F-35's crash is very high.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says it has successfully hit a US Air Force F-35 stealth fighter jet in central Iran's airspace.

According to a statement released by the IRGC on its official news website on Thursday, the jet was struck at 2:50 a.m. local time by the IRGC’s advanced, modern air defense systems.

"The fate of the fighter jet is unclear and under investigation, and the likelihood of its crash is very high," it said.

The IRGC noted that the interception follows the successful downing of more than 125 US-Israeli drones by Iran’s defense systems, signaling significant and purposeful upgrades in the country’s integrated air defense network.

Further details on the incident are still under investigation.

CNN cited sources familiar with the incident as confirming that a US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at a US airbase in West Asia after being struck by what is believed to have been Iranian fire.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, confirmed that the fifth-generation stealth jet was conducting a combat mission over Iran when it was forced to land. The incident is currently under investigation, he said.

This marks the first reported instance of Iranian forces hitting a US aircraft since the Israeli-American war of terrorism on Iran began in late February, with the unprovoked assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Both the United States and Israel have been deploying F-35s in the war, with each jet valued at over $100 million.

The alleged emergency landing comes amid continued claims from senior US officials regarding the success of its terrorist operations against Iran.

Extremist US war secretary Pete Hegseth boasted on Thursday morning that the US is “winning decisively” and emphasized that Iran’s air defenses have been “flattened.”

Hegseth has made numerous controversial statements, in which he sees America’s military aggressions, especially against Islamic nations, as part of a larger crusade seeking to bring about Armageddon.

His extremism is reflected in his tattoos, including the Jerusalem Cross, a religious symbol associated with the violent Crusades of Europeans to reclaim al-Quds from Muslims and the phrase “Deus Vult” (“God Wills It”) inked on his body, a rallying cry of the Crusaders.

These tattoos, along with his self-published book American Crusade, which frames the fight against Islam as a modern-day “crusade,” have reportedly sparked numerous complaints from his service members who see an apparent connection between his extremist worldview and the ongoing terrorist war on Iran.

Africa’s Third-largest Gold Producer Launches 'Special Task Force' to Curb Illegal Mining by Local and Foreign Operators

Olamilekan Okebiorun

12 March 2026 12:50 PM

Mali, Africa’s third-largest gold producer, has announced the creation of a specialised law enforcement unit to crack down on illegal mining involving both local and foreign operators, as the government moves to tighten oversight of one of the country’s most important economic sectors.

Mali has established a specialised law enforcement unit, the Brigade spéciale des mines, to strengthen oversight of mining and quarrying activities.

The new unit will have judicial powers to inspect, enforce regulations, and combat illegal mining and hazardous practices across the country.

Illegal mining, gold trafficking, and environmental damage remain serious challenges, despite previous reforms since 2020.

Gold is Mali's main export, with both large-scale industrial and artisanal operations contributing significantly to the economy.

The measure was announced following a cabinet meeting held on March 12, 2026, where the government reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening oversight of the mining sector.

The unit, known as the Brigade spéciale des mines, will have judicial powers to carry out inspections, enforce mining regulations and take action against illegal mining activities.

Authorities say challenges such as illegal gold panning, mineral trafficking and the use of hazardous chemicals continue to persist despite reforms introduced since 2020.

Government aims to address illegal mining activities

Gold remains Mali’s most important export and a key source of government revenue, accounting for the majority of the country’s export earnings.

Most of Mali’s gold is exported to international refining and trading centres, including Switzerland, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

However, unregulated mining activities continue to pose challenges for authorities, including environmental damage and loss of fiscal revenue.

Officials say the new brigade is intended to strengthen enforcement of existing mining laws. With judicial authority, the unit will be able to carry out inspections, seize equipment used in illegal operations and pursue legal action against offenders.

The government has also cited concerns about environmental damage linked to informal mining, particularly the use of prohibited chemicals that may contaminate water sources and agricultural land.

Mali among Africa’s leading gold producers

Mali is one of Africa’s largest gold producers, with several major industrial mines operated by international companies.

Among the country’s largest gold operations are the Fekola mine, operated by Canadian company B2Gold, and the Loulo-Gounkoto complex, run by Barrick Gold.

Other notable mining sites include Sadiola, Morila and Yatela.

These mines contribute significantly to Mali’s annual gold output, which has exceeded 60 tonnes in recent years.

In addition to industrial mining, the country also has a large artisanal mining sector that provides income for thousands of people across rural communities.

Rising global demand for gold

The government’s move comes at a time when global attention is increasingly focused on commodity supply chains.

Demand for gold remains strong, with global consumption exceeding 5,000 tonnes in 2025 and prices reaching record levels.

For major gold-producing countries such as Mali, regulatory oversight is considered important for maintaining production stability and ensuring compliance with environmental and legal standards.

Across Africa, governments are reviewing policies in the mining sector as interest in mineral resources continues to grow.

Sahel Accounts for Nearly Half of All Terror-related Deaths: Report

The Sahel region of Africa, which has become the "global epicentre of terrorism," accounted for nearly half of all terrorism-related deaths for the third consecutive year in 2025, the Global Terrorism Report said Thursday.

The index, compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace think tank, has ranked 163 countries for 13 years according to the impact of "terrorism" based on indicators such as the number of attacks, deaths, injuries and hostages.

It defines terrorism as "the systematic threat or use of violence, by non-state actors, whether for or in opposition to established authority".

In 2024, more than half of the 7,555 deaths due to "terrorism" worldwide were recorded in the Sahel, a semi-arid belt stretching along the Sahara desert's southern rim from the Atlantic to the Red Sea.

The trend remained largely unchanged in 2025, with nearly half of the 5,582 deaths attributed to "terrorists" occurring in the Sahel, although the total number of victims in the region fell, the Australia-based think tank said.

"The Sahel has suffered a tenfold increase in terrorism fatalities since 2007", when it accounted for only one percent of global terrorism-related deaths.

"The epicentre of terrorism has shifted from the Middle East and North Africa, into the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa," the report said.

Burkina Faso was the most affected country in the world for two consecutive years but was overtaken in 2025 by Pakistan.

"Deaths from terrorism in Pakistan are now at their highest level since 2013, with the country recording 1,139 terrorism deaths and 1,045 incidents in 2025," the report said.

"This follows a sharp resurgence in terrorist activity driven in part by the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021," the report said, also pointing to rising violence by the Pakistani Taliban movement and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most active separatist militant group.

- JNIM and Islamic State group -

Burkina Faso, meanwhile, saw the largest decline in deaths in 2025, falling 45 percent from the previous year to 846, the report noted.

The reason was mostly an 84-percent reduction in civilian casualties rather than an improvement in security.

The Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, known by its Arabic acronym JNIM, which is the main jihadist group active in Burkina, has shifted its strategy to target soldiers rather than civilians in its attacks.

Niger, listed fifth in 2024, climbed to third place with an increase in "terrorism" incidents in 2025 and surpassed Mali and Syria with 703 deaths, more than half of which were civilians.

Nigeria rose to fourth place on the index, with 750 people killed in 2025, up 46 percent from the previous year.

"This marks the highest death toll since 2020, driven by internal instability as well as ongoing conflict between ISWAP and Boko Haram," the report said.

Mali saw a decline in deaths, now ranked fifth on the index, with 341 killed last year compared to 604 in 2024.

The report attributes most attacks in the Sahel to the Islamic State group and JNIM.

It also highlighted the expansion of the jihadist groups to West Africa's coastal countries, particularly Benin, which has shot up to 19th place on the index from 26th.

Other organisations, such as ACLED, which monitors conflict-related casualties worldwide, report higher figures for jihadism-related deaths in the Sahel.

As Zambia Nears Election Season, Some Warn Against the ‘Sextortion’ of Woman Candidates

By JACOB ZIMBA

3:09 PM EDT, March 18, 2026

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Politicians and women’s rights activists in Zambia warned Wednesday of a trend of female election candidates being asked for sexual favors by senior male party officials in exchange for an endorsement.

The issue came under public scrutiny after a top official in a government gender equality department said this week that she had received 10 complaints of sexual harassment from women hoping for party backing to stand as candidates in Zambia’s national elections in August.

Mainga Kabika, the permanent secretary of the government’s Gender Division, said Monday that the complaints she received alleged “various political party officials, including chairpersons, youth leaders and those holding senior positions, are asking for sexual favours” in exchange for endorsing women and supporting their campaigns.

“I appeal to all female aspiring candidates to secure evidence against suspects,” Kabika said. She did not name any of the parties or officials implicated.

Saboi Imboela, the president of the National Democratic Congress opposition party, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the problem arises every election cycle and capable candidates have often been sidelined because they refused to comply.

“As a result, the wrong candidates are selected while deserving individuals are left out. This must be fought at all costs,” she said.

Imboela, a former singer, said some female politicians and nongovernmental organizations like the Zambia National Women’s Lobby have formed a committee to address what she called the “sextortion” of female political candidates. It has a toll-free helpline, she said.

Zambia’s elections on Aug. 13 will choose the president, but also lawmakers and local councilors. The southern African nation already has a problem with the underrepresentation of women in politics, where only about 15% of lawmakers in Parliament are women, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an international organization of national parliaments.

Golden Nachibinga, the executive director of the Zambia National Women’s Lobby, said previous allegations of officials demanding sexual favors in the run-up to elections had discouraged women from joining politics.

Venna Banda, a woman hoping to run in a mayoral race for the ruling United Party for National Development, said she had previously encountered sexual harassment while trying to build a political career and urged female politicians to “refuse,” though she noted inexperienced or less-established candidates were vulnerable.

Zambia is a stable democracy but has a largely conservative and patriarchal society, women’s groups say.

Zambia passed a law last year reserving at least 20 seats in Parliament for women, while also aiming to increase the representation of young and disabled people. President Hakainde Hichilema has acknowledged gender disparities in Zambian politics, though his vice president, Mutale Nalumango, is a woman.

Rwanda Seeks $134 Million from the UK in Arbitration Over Scrapped Refugee Deal

By MIKE CORDER

10:57 AM EDT, March 18, 2026

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Rwanda told a panel of international arbitrators Wednesday that Britain still owes it 100 million pounds ($134 million) under a contentious refugee resettlement deal that Prime Minister Keir Starmer scrapped immediately after taking office in 2024.

The 2022 deal struck by Starmer’s predecessor, Rishi Sunak, involved sending migrants who arrive in the U.K. as stowaways or in boats to the East African country. It included arrangements for payments to Rwanda to help cover costs.

Rwanda set up an asylum appeals chamber, created ministerial and administrative structures and “prepared reception facilities for the incoming refugees and incurred significant costs in doing so,” Rwanda’s Justice Minister and Attorney General Emmanuel Ugirashebuja told a hearing at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

But when Starmer took office, “the new prime minister declared the Rwanda scheme to be dead and buried on his first full day in office,” Ugirashebuja said. “The United Kingdom did not do Rwanda the courtesy of informing it in advance. Instead, Rwanda was left to read about these developments in the media.”

The British government is urging the court to dismiss Rwanda’s claims, arguing that the countries agreed in November 2024 that Rwanda would forgo the payments.

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports in The Hague, officials are arguing over Rwanda’s large financial claim on the UK government.

Rwanda denies that. Ugirashebuja told the panel that the U.K. “sought to walk away from its legal obligations.”

“A lot of the arbitration is going to turn around on the proof of that agreement,” Joelle Grogan, visiting senior research fellow at UCD Sutherland School of Law in Dublin, told The Associated Press.

The arbitration court is likely to take months or more to reach a decision after hearings this week.

Starmer’s home secretary at the time the deal was scrapped, Yvette Cooper, called it the “most shocking waste of taxpayer money I have ever seen.”

She estimated that the plan, which ran into legal challenges and was widely criticized by human rights groups, cost 700 million pounds in public funds including making payments to Rwanda, chartering flights that never took off and paying more than a thousand civil servants who worked on the arrangements.

Under the 2022 deal, migrants were to be sent to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be processed and, if successful, they would stay. Britain’s Supreme Court ruled that the policy was unlawful because Rwanda is not a safe third country for migrants sent there.

Rwanda launched the arbitration proceedings in January, also alleging that the U.K. violated part of the deal in which London had agreed to resettle vulnerable refugees from Rwanda.

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Associated Press writer Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.

As Senegal Cracks Down on LGBTQ Plus People, They Are Suffering

By WILSON MCMAKIN

1:41 AM EDT, March 19, 2026

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Sitting at an upscale hotel in Senegal ‘s capital, the young man seemed nervous, rarely making eye contact and keeping his back against a wall, facing the entrance. He said he had been in hiding for being gay after being disowned by his family, and after police took in a friend for questioning.

Born in the city of Touba, central to Senegal’s Sufi Muslim faith, he said he has been living with another friend who doesn’t know his secret. It’s an increasingly common story in the country where homosexuality is illegal, and the government is a step away from putting in place longer prison terms for it.

“There’s a lot of fear,” the young man said.

The Associated Press could not independently verify his account or those of others who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

Senegal is the latest country in Africa, where over half its states have laws against homosexuality, to pursue harsher penalties for it. Uganda in recent years introduced the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality,” to an international outcry.

Government criticizes ‘unnatural acts’

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko proposed increasing the punishment for “unnatural acts,” a euphemism used in Senegalese law to refer to homosexuality, from a maximum of five years in prison and a fine to a maximum of 10 years.

The law was ratified on March 11 and needs presidential assent to become law, with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye expected to sign it.

Consensual same-sex conduct is criminalized under Article 319 of the Penal Code, which prohibits “acts against nature.” Senegal, a conservative majority-Muslim country, inherited the colonial French penal code and its provisions against homosexuality, but the law was previously sporadically enforced.

Senegal’s justice ministry and office of the president did not respond to questions about the push for tougher prison terms. Several local analysts refused to speak about the issue, citing fears of retaliation.

Local media have reported dozens of arrests since early February, including that of prominent local journalist Pape Biram Bigué Ndiaye, who was later released. Dakar police said they have several cases under investigation.

After a dozen gay men were arrested in Dakar, Human Rights Watch described how anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has intensified, noting that the Senegalese parliament tried unsuccessfully in 2022 and 2024 to increase penalties for homosexuality.

The rights group said public opposition to homosexuality in rare occasions has been graphic: In October 2023, in the town of Kaolack, “a mob exhumed the body of a man they believed to be gay, dragged it through the streets, and burned it in the town square.” The incident went viral.

Opponents make baseless accusations about HIV

At a protest against what they called the “intentional transmission of HIV” in Dakar in February, people chanted anti-gay slogans. “Intentional transmission of HIV” is a common accusation in Senegal for any sexual act that involves an HIV-positive person.

The group And Samm Djiko Yi, or “Together for the Preservation of Values,” has organized the recent protests and led the campaign to increase prison time.

Its founder, Serigne Ababacar Mboup, framed his fight against “the homosexual agenda” as essential, alleging that an LGBTQ+ agenda has been forced onto Senegal as the United Nations and Western countries show increasing acceptance of gay rights.

“Homosexuality is contrary to our customs, our values, and our beliefs,” Mboup told the AP. “We are not trying to impose anything on you, so in turn, learn to respect people and their positions, especially on societal issues.”

A rights group worries about the future

Free Senegal, a group that helps to relocate LGBTQ+ people who have faced prosecution, said the situation has deteriorated. It operated a safe house in Dakar until 2025, then closed it due to fears that neighbors would tell authorities.

A spokesperson for the group said the rise of homophobic organizations and the “freedom to express hatred towards the LGBT community” is supported by politicians seeking support in elections.

Free Senegal is among groups working to protect the LGBTQ+ community in Senegal. The spokesperson said other challenges include a lack of funding.

Some people flee the country. A man who fled to France in 2000 after his appearance in a documentary about gay rights brought retaliation now helps run Free Senegal remotely.

His voice broke as he spoke to the AP about the moment that neighbors confronted him, and the long-term opposition to LGBTQ+ people back home.

“I cannot return to Senegal,” he said.

Senegal Slams ‘Illegal and Deeply Unjust’ Decision to Strip Africa Cup Title and Pledges to Appeal

By CIARÁN FAHEY

3:36 PM EDT, March 18, 2026

Senegal isn’t giving up its Africa Cup of Nations title without a legal fight, with the country’s soccer federation saying it will appeal the “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision” to strip the team of its victory in a chaotic final against host Morocco.

The country’s government went further as it said it will “pursue all appropriate legal avenues” to overturn the decision and called for an international investigation “into suspected corruption” within African soccer’s governing body.

The Confederation of African Football’s appeals board on Tuesday ruled Senegal forfeited the final in January by walking off the field and turned its 1-0 win in extra time into a 3-0 default win for Morocco.

“This unprecedented and exceptionally serious decision directly contradicts the fundamental principles of sporting ethics, foremost among which are fairness, loyalty, and respect for the truth of the game,” the Senegalese government said in a statement Wednesday.

“It stems from a manifestly erroneous interpretation of the regulations, leading to a grossly illegal and deeply unjust decision. By calling into question a result achieved at the end of a match that was properly played and won in accordance with the rules of the game, CAF seriously undermines its own credibility and the legitimate trust that the African people place in continental sporting institutions.”

The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said the decision “discredits African football,” and that it will appeal “as soon as possible” to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, a process that would typically take a year to deliver a verdict.

“The FSF reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values of integrity and sporting justice and will keep the public informed of developments in this matter,” the federation said.

Shambolic final in Rabat

The Jan. 18 final descended into chaos when Senegal’s players left the field in stoppage time after having a late goal ruled out before Morocco was awarded a potentially game-deciding penalty. There were scuffles between rival players while furious Senegal fans tried to storm the field where they were battling with stewards, before Senegal coach Pape Thiaw led most of his players off. It was unclear if the game could continue.

But they returned after around 10 minutes and play resumed with Morocco star Brahim Díaz having his “Panenka”-style penalty saved by Édouard Mendy. Senegal’s Pape Gueye scored the only goal in extra time.

Rules and regulations

CAF in its decision referred to Articles 82 and 84 of its Africa Cup regulations. Article 82 says if a team “refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorization of the referee” it loses the game and is eliminated from the competition. Article 84 awards the opposing team a 3-0 win.

However, Law 5 of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which sets the rules for the game globally, gives “full authority” to referees to determine what happens in a match.

“The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match, are final. The decisions of the referee, and all other match officials, must always be respected,” according to Law 5.2.

Moroccan federation’s guarded response

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation said in a statement it wished to reiterate that its appeal to CAF was “never aimed at contesting the sporting merit or performance of the teams involved in this tournament, but solely to ensure the proper enforcement of competition regulations.”

It commended “all the nations that participated” in the Africa Cup and said it would issue a more comprehensive statement after a scheduled meeting of its governing bodies.

Questions for CAF

The Senegal government’s allegation of “suspected corruption” at CAF is the culmination of its growing anger at perceived favoritism toward Morocco, which is a 2030 World Cup co-host and has invested heavily to become a soccer superpower.

Even before the final, the FSF called on CAF to ensure “fair play, equal treatment, and security” after complaining about how the Senegal team was being treated upon its arrival in Rabat. Morocco coach Walid Regragui had already rejected suggestions his team was benefiting from favorable refereeing decisions to advance to the final.

Last month, 19 Senegal fans who were arrested at the final were given prison terms of up to a year by a Moroccan court. The government on Wednesday expressed solidarity with the Senegalese supporters.

Morocco was supposed to host the Women’s Africa Cup from March 17-April 3, but the tournament was postponed less than two weeks before it was due to start because of what CAF described as “unforeseen circumstances.” South Africa offered to step in as host while reports persisted that Morocco wanted to pull out of hosting it for the third time straight.

CAF has still not confirmed the host for the rescheduled July 25-Aug. 16 tournament. The governing body did not respond to questions submitted by The Associated Press.

Previous decision

CAF in January imposed fines of more than $1 million against the Senegalese and Moroccan federations together. It banned Thiaw for five Africa Cup games for bringing the game into disrepute. But it did not interfere with the outcome of the final.

On Tuesday, it reduced Morocco player Ismaël Saibari’s three-game ban to one match and scrapped his $100,000 fine for unsporting behavior, while it also reduced fines that were imposed against the Moroccan federation for the conduct of its ball boys from $200,000 to $50,000. Another fine was also reduced.

Morocco fans celebrate

Moroccans took to the streets of Rabat and other cities to celebrate their team’s belated success, as residents waved flags and motorists honked their horns to compete with the sound of vuvuzelas. In Casablanca, some revelers lit smoke bombs and chanted “Always Morocco” to the din from honking cars.

The response appeared more subdued to the celebrations that followed the Under-20 team’s World Cup win, which saw thousands celebrate on the streets as skies were illuminated by fireworks.

“The joy isn’t the same as winning the match and lifting the trophy on the field, then celebrating in the moment with everyone,” Casablanca taxi driver Mohcin Rayan told the AP. “This feels more like an injustice that has been corrected.”

Disbelief in Dakar

CAF’s decision was met with disbelief and dismay in Senegal.

“To take back a trophy two months after the final was played is just ridiculous,” Souleymane Ba, a university student, told AP in the capital, Dakar. “The Senegalese players won medals, millions of francs (hundreds of thousands of dollars) in bonuses for winning the cup, and paraded the trophy through the country. And now CAF wants to take all that away? How do they even expect to do that?”

Shop owner Pape Sarr said he was shocked by the ruling but confident the appeal to CAS will be successful.

“The referee did not forfeit the match after the players left, and validated the result, so that should be the end of the story,” Sarr said.

Taxi driver Abdoulaye Diouf had a similar view: “The whole world saw that we won legitimately. Senegal are the champions on the field. Morocco can be the champions in the courthouse if they want.”

World Cup bound

Both Senegal and Morocco have qualified for the World Cup. None of the sanctions following their Africa Cup final will impact them at the tournament, though both will claim to be African champion.

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Associated Press reporter Mark Banchereau contributed from Dakar, Senegal.

African Soccer Confederation Strips Senegal of Africa Cup Title and Declares Morocco the Champion

By GRAHAM DUNBAR

4:55 AM EDT, March 18, 2026

GENEVA (AP) — Morocco was stunningly awarded the Africa Cup of Nations title on Tuesday by governing body judges who overturned Senegal’s victory in a chaotic final in January.

The Confederation of African Football said its appeals board ruled that Senegal is “declared to have forfeited the final” and its 1-0 win in extra time becomes a 3-0 default win for host nation Morocco.

Senegal later said it would appeal the decision, but did not indicate where. One such avenue is the Court of Arbitration for Sport, a Lausanne, Switzerland-based independent body which settles sports-related disputes through arbitration or mediation.

In the Jan. 18 final in Rabat, Senegal players led by coach Pape Thiaw left the field in protest during stoppage time for 15 minutes — and fans tried to storm the field — when Morocco was awarded a penalty that was set to decide the match.

When play resumed, Morocco forward Brahim Diaz’s spot kick — a controversial slow chip shot known as a “Panenka” — was saved by goalkeeper Édouard Mendy and Senegal scored the only goal in extra time.

Tension in the stadium was already raised by Senegal being denied a goal minutes before the penalty was given to Morocco.

In the second minute of stoppage time, Senegal’s apparent go-ahead goal was ruled out for a foul by Abdoulaye Seck, but TV replays showed little contact on Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi.

After the Senegal walk-off, the team’s return to the field seemed to be as a result of urging by star forward Sadio Mané to complete the game.

At an initial disciplinary hearing, CAF imposed fines of more than $1 million for Senegal and Morocco players and officials but left the result untouched.

Senegal defender Moussa Niakhaté on Instagram posted an image of himself holding the trophy with a message that said: “Come and get it! They’re crazy!”

In a similar post, left back El Hadj Malick Diouf added: “It’s not what I expected… this thing isn’t going anywhere.”

Decision called “a shame for Africa”

Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, secretary general of the Senegalese Football Federation, said the organization will file an appeal.

“We will not back down. The law is on our side,” Sow told the public broadcaster Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise late Tuesday.

He called the ruling a “shame for Africa.”

“This decision is a travesty that rests on no legal basis. We felt that the panel was not there to apply the law, but to carry out an order,” Sow said.

CAF cited article 82 of tournament regulations for its marquee event to justify the verdict enforced on appeal, though not at the first hearing.

It states “if, for any reason whatsoever, a team withdraws from the competition or does not report for a match, or refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorization of the referee, it shall be considered loser and shall be eliminated for good from the current competition.”

Still, the appeal verdict did seem to override the referee’s authority making field-of-play decisions.

The verdict Tuesday awards Morocco its first African title since 1976 and denied Senegal its second title, and second within three editions after also lifting the trophy in 2021.

World Cup-bound teams

Any appeal by Senegal to CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland, would typically take about a year to reach a verdict — long after both teams play at the 2026 World Cup being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Senegal has been drawn to play in a group with France, Norway and a playoff bracket winner this month which could be Iraq. The games against France and Norway both are at MetLife Stadium near New York.

Morocco was drawn to face Brazil, Scotland and Haiti, with an opening game also at MetLife against Brazil.

Under coach Walid Regragui at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Morocco became the first African team ever to reach the semifinals.

Regragui left the job two weeks ago following fierce criticism for not winning the AFCON title, saying “the team needs a new lease of life before the World Cup.”

Barring a successful appeal by Senegal, Morocco will go the U.S. as African champion.

DR Congo and Rwanda Agree on Steps to De-escalate Tensions in Border Areas

U.N peacekeepers guard a house hit by a drone strike in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)

6:52 AM EDT, March 19, 2026

GOMA, Congo (AP) — Congolese and Rwandan officials met in the United States and agreed on coordinated steps to de-escalate tensions in eastern Congo, where government troops are fighting rebels backed by neighboring Rwanda, according to a joint statement.

The statement issued by the Congolese, Rwandan and U.S. governments said that Congolese and Rwandan officials met on Tuesday and Wednesday to advance progress in eastern Congo as peace efforts led by the U.S. and partners including Qatar have stalled and violence continued.

The mineral-rich eastern Congo has been battered by decades of unrest as government forces fight more than 100 armed groups, the most potent the M23 rebel group backed by Rwanda. The M23 made an unprecedented advance into the region early last year, seizing key cities as they quickly expanded their presence.

U.S. President Donald Trump has emerged as a key peace facilitator as he tried to rally both countries to commit to a permanent ceasefire while at the same time paving way for American companies to gain access to Congo’s minerals, which are critical for much of the world’s technology from jets to mobile phones.

Both Congo and Rwanda in this week’s meeting committed to efforts that revolve around the agreement that Trump facilitated between the two presidents last year.

The sides agreed to specific but unnamed measures that will support each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the statement said. They also agreed to the “scheduled disengagement of forces as well as the lifting of defensive measures by Rwanda” in defined Congolese territory.

Although neither Rwanda nor M23 have publicly acknowledged the presence of Rwandan troops, U.N. experts have reported evidence of their involvement. Rwanda frames its role as defensive measures to protect its territory from Hutu rebels responsible for the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

The U.S. talks agreed that Congo will make “intensified efforts” to neutralize the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the statement said. The armed group was formed by mostly Hutus who fled to Congo after the genocide.