Iran Warns About 'Dangerous Consequences' of US Actions Targeting Persian Gulf, Hormuz Strait

Thursday, 16 April 2026 2:16 AM

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned about the "dangerous consequences" of provocative US positions and actions targeting the Persian Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The top diplomat made the remarks in a telephone conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday.

The former cautioned that the actions would further complicate the situation in the region, referring to the United States' efforts at imposing, what Washington calls, a "naval blockade" on the Islamic Republic by trying to adversely affect shipping to and from the strait.

Speaking to the Chinese official, Araghchi, meanwhile, outlined the latest regional developments following the announcement of a two-weak lull in attacks against the Islamic Republic by Washington.

Announcing the decision, US President Donald Trump said a 10-point proposal forwarded by the Islamic Republic served as "a workable basis on which to negotiate."

However, following ceasefire talks held in the Pakistani capital Islamabad afterwards, Tehran lamented that Washington's "excessive demands" had prevented the negotiations from succeeding.

Iranian officials have underlined that realization of a conclusive cessation of all instances of aggression against the country serves as an indivisible part of the Islamic Republic's demands.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Araghchi expressed appreciation for the responsible decision made by China and Russia to oppose an "unreasonable" and one-sided draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council earlier this month regarding regional developments.

On April 7, Beijing and Moscow vetoed a Security Council resolution aimed at forcing Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz that it shut down to enemies and their allies following the launch of the US's and the Israeli regime's latest bout of unprovoked aggression targeting the Islamic Republic.

The Iranian foreign minister described Beijing's and Moscow's opposition to the draft resolution as effective in preventing further escalation of existing tensions.

For his part, the Chinese foreign minister praised the resilience and self-reliance exhibited by the Iranian nation throughout the aggression.

Wang also emphasized Beijing’s readiness to help advance diplomacy and bring an end to the situation arising from foreign aggression against the Islamic Republic.

Hezbollah Pounds Israeli Positions in Northern Settlements

By Al Mayadeen English

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon carried out a series of coordinated strikes targeting Israeli military positions in northern occupied Palestine and southern Lebanon, including drone, rocket, and anti-tank operations.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Hezbollah, announced a series of coordinated operations targeting Israeli occupation army positions, military gatherings, and advancing forces in northern occupied Palestine and southern Lebanon, as confrontations continued along the border axis.

The operations, carried out between Tuesday and Thursday, included guided missile strikes, rocket barrages, and swarms of attack drones targeting military sites from the south of Lebanon to the depths of northern occupied territories.

On Wednesday morning, more than 20 rockets were launched by Hezbollah fighters within three minutes toward settlements in northern occupied Palestine, according to the Israeli Army Radio.

Sirens sounded in several settlements and locations, including Kiryat Shmona and its surrounding area, Dovev in the Western al-Jalil, and Misgav Am in the al-Jalil Panhandle. Israeli reports indicated that the latest barrage also targeted Akka and Nahariya. Israeli media also reported the launch of approximately 10 additional rockets toward the Western al-Jalil.

The Resistance also announced that it fired a salvo of rockets at Israeli troop positions in the northern outskirts of Bint Jbeil on Tuesday, at 7:00 pm.

Drones and missiles pound northern occupied Palestine

According to successive statements issued by the Islamic Resistance, multiple Israeli military positions were targeted on Wednesday and Thursday.

Fire support in South Lebanon 

At 2:00 pm on April 14, 2026, a Merkava tank of Israeli occupation forces was targeted on the northeastern outskirts of Bint Jbeil with a guided missile, achieving a confirmed direct hit.

At 11:20 am on April 15, 2026, a logistics base of the 146th Division north of Sheikh Danoun, east of Nahariya, was targeted with swarms of attack drones.

At 2:30 pm on April 15, 2026, the headquarters of the 146th Division in the settlement of Gaaton was targeted for the second time with a swarm of attack drones.

At 1:10 am on April 16, 2026, the Liman barracks north of Nahariya were targeted with swarms of attack drones.

Rocket, drone attacks on Israeli settlements, sites

At 3:15 pm on April 15, 2026, a communications radar system at the Katsafia barracks in the occupied Syrian Golan was targeted with a missile salvo.

At 1:40 am on April 16, 2026, a site on Al-Ajal Hill north of the Kfar Yuval settlement was targeted with a rocket barrage.

At 2:30 am on April 16, 2026, the Hanita site was targeted with a swarm of attack drones.

Scale of operations

In a summary report, the Resistance revealed that it carried out 488 military operations between April 6 and April 13, including:

The Islamic Resistance reaffirmed that its operations “will continue until the aggression stops,” emphasizing that the operations are ongoing retaliation for continued Israeli attacks on southern Lebanese villages and violations of ceasefire agreements.

Hezbollah stressed that its attacks follow a period in which the Resistance upheld a ceasefire agreed upon by the United States, Iran, and their allies on April 8; however, the Israeli regime did not commit to the agreement and instead launched a large-scale assault, striking more than 100 sites across Lebanon, many in densely populated residential areas, within minutes.

‘Presence vs absence’ at Berlin Conference, Disputes Over Civilian Representation, and Exclusion of Warring Parties

15/04/2026 10:04 

BERLIN / AMSTERDAM

Preparatory Workshop for the Berlin Conference in Addis Ababa (File photo: Supplied)

By Suleiman Siri for Radio Dabanga

The Third International Conference on Sudan that commenced in the German capital, Berlin, this morning, is aimed at mobilising international support for peace efforts, delivering humanitarian aid and easing the worsening crisis. Some 40 political and civilian figures are taking part, while Sudan’s warring parties have been excluded. The one-day conference coincides with the third anniversary of the war that broke out on 15 April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, along with allied groups on both sides. Efforts to reach a settlement have so far failed.

The announcement of the conference—organised by Germany, the European Union, the African Union, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States—has been accompanied by a counter media campaign and widespread anger over invitations and selection criteria. While some political and civilian groups welcomed the meeting, it has faced strong criticism from the governments based in Port Sudan and Nyala.

The “Tasees” administration did not object to the conference itself or its agenda, but criticised the invitation of figures it accused of fuelling the war, describing them as representatives of the Port Sudan government. That government had previously sought an invitation, according to the prime minister, but after failing to secure one, announced a boycott and launched parallel diplomatic efforts through its embassies abroad.

Prime Minister Kamil Idris confirmed this for the first time in remarks to visiting foreign journalists in Khartoum last Thursday, saying he had warned Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, against ignoring his government.

Idris said the conference would fail without Sudan’s participation: “If the Berlin conference on 15 April does not include the government of Sudan, I can assure you, frankly and with full confidence, that it will be a complete failure.”

The government: present in absence?

However, the academic and political analyst El Nour Hamad takes a different view. He argued that claims by the Port Sudan government that it had been excluded were inaccurate, saying it had representatives attending on its behalf.

He told Radio Dabanga that these included Mohamed Sayed Ahmed, known as “El Jakoumi”, Democratic Bloc figure Mubarak Ardol, Umma Party leader Mubarak El Fadil, and others such as the lawyer Nabil Adib.

He described the government’s objections, voiced through its ambassador in Germany, as a “media campaign to mislead”.

He also criticised claims that the conference represents a broad spectrum of Sudanese civilian forces. He suggested that the Port Sudan authorities may have played a significant role in shaping the list of participants, possibly with support from unnamed regional actors backing the Muslim Brotherhood.

He linked this to earlier experiences in countries such as Egypt, saying such arrangements had historically worked against revolutionary movements and undermined democratic civilian transitions.

A contradiction with the “Quartet” approach

Hamad said he had hoped the conference would follow the line of the “Quartet mechanism” announced in September last year, which called for excluding Islamists, their affiliates and the military from power and wealth.

He expressed regret that this had not been realised, arguing that members of the Muslim Brotherhood were represented at the Berlin conference, despite having obstructed democratic transition efforts.

Based on this, he said he did not expect the conference to produce tangible results or lead to the formation of a civilian government. Instead, he suggested it might move towards reconciliation with Islamist groups and accept them as a political reality.

He also cast doubt on the prospects for mobilising humanitarian funding, warning that aid might not reach those in need if Islamist groups retained control of power.

He said the Port Sudan authorities could obstruct aid organisations and that relief supplies might be diverted into markets, describing such practices as consistent with methods used over 37 years of Muslim Brotherhood rule.

He concluded that the Berlin conference would amount to little more than a “media spectacle”, unlikely to have a real impact on developments in Sudan in the near term.

Between acceptance and rejection

By contrast, former foreign minister Ambassador Dr Ibrahim Taha Ayoub said the idea of the conference originated with the European Union, alongside other international bodies including the United Nations, the African Union, the Arab League, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), as well as the United Kingdom.

He told Radio Dabanga the aim was to intensify diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis affecting Sudan and its civilians, who, he said, had become victims of the war through no fault of their own.

He described the gathering of those opposed to the war as a last opportunity to restore peace, while noting that those who favour continuing the conflict view such efforts as foreign interference or a form of new colonialism aimed at undermining Islamist influence.

Ayoub said it was important that the Berlin meeting should lead to agreement on a political settlement acceptable to the parties, stressing that there can be no outright winner. He called for consensus on principles based on Sudan’s sovereignty, protection of citizens’ rights and agreement on transitional governance.

He also warned of international concerns about the conflict spreading to neighbouring countries and the Red Sea region.

Humanitarian issues

Ayoub said urgent priorities included strengthening humanitarian efforts, delivering food aid, and creating safe conditions for displaced people and refugees living in camps or in the open.

He added that the presence of international organisations reflected the use of both “soft and hard diplomacy”, which could help produce positive outcomes as intended by the host country and Sudan’s partners.

He said the countries behind the Berlin meeting include those forming the Quartet mechanism, and that the principles outlined in its September statement may guide the conference agenda.

He argued that the de facto government opposes the meeting because it was deliberately not invited, adding that Islamist groups, at its direction, were conducting public campaigns against it.

He added that the conference was intended to bring together advocates of peace, while excluding armed actors responsible for violence and fear among civilians.

Welcome, with reservations

Ambassador Dr El Shafi Ahmed Mohammed welcomed the conference, while expressing reservations. He said, in principle, any international effort to address humanitarian issues or armed conflict should be welcomed, provided it is genuine and serious.

He told Radio Dabanga that the conference could become complex and open to differing interpretations, noting that commentators often align with one side or another. He stressed the need for an objective assessment based on facts.

However, he questioned the seriousness of the sponsoring countries, noting that they have been involved in Sudan’s affairs since before the fall of the previous regime.

He said countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have long managed the Sudan file, whether through the Quartet or other initiatives.

Despite this, he argued, the crisis has grown more complex, eventually leading to war and widespread suffering, without tangible progress, even though those countries are aware of who initiated and funded the conflict.

A humanitarian tragedy

El Shafi said the humanitarian situation has reached critical levels in many parts of Sudan, particularly in Darfur and the city of El Fasher. He noted that despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for the lifting of the siege and the delivery of aid for more than a year and a half, it has not been implemented.

He accused those countries of acting as bystanders, and said some had specific agendas they sought to impose on Sudan, even if this risked worsening the crisis.

He suggested that calls to address the humanitarian situation often mask broader political aims, citing previous conferences in London, Paris, and the United States.

He also questioned the outcome of previous funding pledges, asking what had become of the announced aid, and said relief had not reached those in need.

He said he did not expect the Berlin conference to produce positive results, criticising the discussion of Sudan’s future without its representatives, and arguing that their absence indicates that organisers have a particular objective in mind.

Sudan Govt Reiterates Rejection of the Berlin Conference – Pro-army Voices Call Out ‘Selectivity’

15/04/2026 16:26 

KHARTOUM

Supporters of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) demonstrate in front of the German Foreign Ministry today, to condemn the Berlin Conference (Photo: Radio Dabanga)

The Sudanese government has reiterated its strong rejection of the Third International Conference on Sudan commenced in Berlin today, stating that the move “represents a disregard for the country’s sovereignty” and “a consecration” of what it described as the approach of colonial tutelage.

In a statement seen by Radio Dabanga, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that holding the conference without consultation or coordination with the Sudanese government reflects a deliberate disregard for national visions, stressing that any discussion related to Sudanese affairs must be conducted with the participation of the state and its official institutions.

The statement stressed that Sudan is the first and last stakeholder in its internal issues, rejecting what it considered attempts by international parties to bypass the legitimate government or deal with false neutrality between the state and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Khartoum criticised what it said was an inaccurate portrayal of the war in Sudan, warning that such approaches do not lead to peace or stability, but rather promote polarisation and open the door to state fragmentation. The Berlin conference is an extension of previous conferences in Paris and London, accusing these initiatives of undermining the principles of international law and the sovereignty of states, and providing political cover to armed groups.

The Sudanese government affirmed its commitment to work towards peace, noting that it submitted an initiative before the UN Security Council in December 2025, and expressed its readiness to deal with any serious and impartial international efforts that respect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It warned that any initiative that is not in line with these principles will be rejected and unacceptable.

‘Imbalance of participation standards’

A group of 25 entities and parties supporting the armed forces criticised what he described as the imbalance in the criteria for selecting participants, the lack of transparency and the adoption of selectivity in issuing invitations, pointing to what he called “the overwhelming representation of forces identified with the RSF in exchange for the widespread exclusion of the national forces supporting the Sudanese state institutions”, which he considered a disturbance of balance and a challenge to the neutrality of the organisation.

The statement, signed by the Justice and Equality Movement, the Supreme Council for Beja Glasses, and the National Movement, also accused the deliberate exclusion of key actors by refusing and stipulating that certain leaders should not participate, which is considered blatant interference in Sudanese affairs in exchange for unconditional representation of the allies of what it terms the RSF Militia.

The statement said that the preparation of the agenda of the conference without consultation with Sudanese stakeholders reflects external interference and empties the process of its national ownership.

He also criticised what he described as the subjective integration of the political track and the security and humanitarian tracks in line with the vision of the RSF and its allies from the political forces.

The statement warned of what it called the urgency of forming committees and structures without Sudanese consensus, which threatens to exclude national forces, undermine the comprehensiveness of the political process, and contradict the principles of national sovereignty and the Sudanese-Sudanese solution.

He declared his rejection of what he described as the unacceptable use of the humanitarian file as a tool of political pressure rather than a neutral response to the needs of citizens.

On the other hand, Sudanese supporters of the armed forces began organising protests in front of the headquarters of the German Foreign Ministry to condemn the Berlin conference. Participants in the protests came from a number of European countries.

Official memorandum

As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, in a previous statement, the Sudanese government in Khartoum rejected the convening of the conference, without its participation, approval, and consultation on all arrangements, and submitted an official memorandum to that effect to the German Foreign Ministry on April 10, emphasising that “the tutelage approach reflected in the Berlin Conference might prompt Sudan to reconsider its dealings with the countries organising and sponsoring the conference, based on the principle of reciprocity…”

Legitimacy Dilemma and Sovereignty Concerns: an Analysis of Why Both Sides of the Conflict Rejected the Berlin Conference

15/04/2026 17:39 

BERLIN / AMSTERDAM

By Ashraf Abdelaziz for Radio Dabanga

Political and diplomatic polarisation over the Sudan crisis is intensifying as the Third International Conference on Sudan convenes in Berlin at a highly complex moment, seeking to mobilise international support to end the war and alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe. Despite the momentum surrounding the gathering, with participation from civilian alliances such as Summud and the Democratic Bloc, the official and practical stance of the two warring parties and their allies has been marked by hostility and opposition. This raises fundamental questions about the reasons behind this rejection and its implications for the future of a political solution in the country.

The right course between international legitimacy and political intransigence:

The writer and political analyst Qurashi Awad argues that the Berlin conference represents a serious attempt to return the Sudanese issue to its proper course, pointing to the weight of the international and regional organisations involved, of which Sudan is a member. Awad suggests that the government’s refusal to participate may stem from not receiving a direct official invitation, but rather one extended to figures close to it. He describes this as a missed opportunity of rare significance, noting that the conference, given its European and regional backing, holds a legitimacy exceeding that of any transient political alliances.

Awad adds that clinging to negotiating positions as preconditions sends a negative message to the international community, portraying the rejecting parties as opposed to peace. He also warns that such intransigence does not serve international allies such as Russia and China, but instead places them in an awkward position globally. In his view, political prudence would have dictated welcoming this international platform, which affirms Sudan’s unity and sovereignty, rather than relying on courting factions within Congress or exploiting tensions in strategic waterways. The international community, he argues, will not accept the obstruction of humanitarian aid or the rejection of civilian solutions under any justification.

The propaganda dimension and the struggle of hidden agendas through the lens of the “battle of dignity”:

In contrast to the view that Berlin offers an opportunity for resolution, the writer and political analyst Makki El Maghribi presents a sharply different assessment, describing the conference’s stated humanitarian aims as “propaganda rhetoric” detached from reality. He cites the silence of participating civilian groups regarding the siege and starvation in El Fasher as evidence, arguing that the conference is fundamentally “a political conference par excellence” aimed at weakening the national front supporting the armed forces in the so-called “battle of dignity”.

El Maghribi goes further, suggesting that one of Berlin’s objectives is to create a breach within the national bloc backing the army and draw parts of it towards alliances with groups claiming neutrality, which he characterises as political fronts for the Rapid Support Forces. From this perspective, he argues that rejection of the conference is not merely a diplomatic stance but a necessity to preserve internal cohesion and prevent the legitimisation of forces aligned with what he describes as the rebels’ agenda under the cover of humanitarian work or international initiatives.

The balance of legitimacy and the challenge facing “stakeholders” under de facto authority:

From another angle, El Misbah Ahmed, head of the media department of the Umma Party, analyses the roots of hostility towards the Berlin conference, attributing them to its principled stance of placing both sides of the conflict in the same category in terms of “lack of legitimacy”. He maintains that this approach prompted both parties to adopt adversarial positions, as it undermines attempts by armed actors to impose a fait accompli through force.

El Misbah highlights that the importance of Berlin lies in bringing together the genuine “stakeholders” calling for an end to the war with the international community on a single platform. He describes this as a qualitative development that places the intransigent parties in direct confrontation with international will. He adds that the continuation of a high-cost war is no longer acceptable, and that international pressure is likely to intensify, with the global community unlikely to remain silent in the face of continued fighting. This, he suggests, could push the UN Security Council towards decisive measures that go beyond the preferences of local actors.

Conclusion: repercussions of diplomatic confrontation

Amid these developments, and between the support of civilian forces and the rejection by the warring parties, the Berlin conference remains a pivotal moment in the international handling of the Sudan file. While the government and its allies view it as an attempt to impose political guardianship and legitimise the Rapid Support Forces, civilian groups and independent analysts see it as a last opportunity to avoid Chapter VII measures and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid. Rather than exploiting differences between European and American positions to Sudan’s advantage, the parties’ insistence on their conditions may instead expose the country to harsher international options within the corridors of the UN Security Council.

Sudan Enters a Fourth Year of War as Officials Lament an ‘Abandoned Crisis’

By SAMY MAGDY and SAM MEDNICK

5:37 PM EDT, April 15, 2026

PORT SUDAN, Sudan (AP) — Famine. Massacres. And now badly needed food and other supplies are under strain. Sudan on Wednesday entered a fourth year of war that’s been called an “abandoned crisis,” as a new Middle East conflict throws into shadow the fighting that has forced 13 million people to flee their homes.

The North African country is described as the world’s largest humanitarian challenge, notably in terms of displacement and hunger. There is no end in sight to the fighting between the military and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, which witnesses and aid groups say has laid waste to parts of the vast Darfur region.

Growing evidence shows regional powers like the United Arab Emirates backing rival combatants behind the scenes. Attempts by the United States and regional powers, now distracted by the Iran war, have failed to establish a ceasefire.

“We’ve lost so many people in this war,” said Hussein Mohamed Shareef, running his fingers over the scar on his head where he said an RSF sniper had shot him in the city of Omdurman, near Khartoum, Sudan’s capital. He said at least 10 friends have been killed.

At least 59,000 people have been killed. At least 6,000 died over three days as the RSF rampaged through the Darfur outpost of el-Fasher in October, according to the United Nations, with U.N.-backed experts concluding that the offensive bore “the defining characteristics of genocide.” More than 11,000 people have gone missing over the course of the war, the Red Cross says.

The war has pushed parts of Sudan into famine. The number of people with severe acute malnutrition, the most dangerous and deadly kind, is expected to increase to 800,000, the world’s foremost experts on food security, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, said in February.

About 34 million people, or almost two out of three Sudanese, need assistance, the U.N. says. Only 63% of health facilities remain fully or partially functional amid disease outbreaks, including cholera, according to the World Health Organization.

At a center for malnourished children in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, health staff weighed crying babies and fed some through a tube in their nose.

The number of severely malnourished children entering the 16-bed center has doubled since the war began, to 60 a week, staff said. Several children often must share a mattress.

“I don’t know what will happen in the coming days,” Dr. Osman Karrar said.

Now fuel prices in Sudan have increased by more than 24% because of the Iran war and its effects on shipping, driving up food prices.

“A plea from me: Please don’t call this the forgotten crisis. I’m referring to this as an abandoned crisis,” the top U.N. official in Sudan, Denise Brown, said Monday, criticizing the international community for failing to focus on ending the fighting.

War could spread beyond Sudan

The conflict exploded from a power struggle that emerged following Sudan’s transition to democracy after an uprising forced the military ouster of longtime autocratic President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.

Tensions boiled over three years later, in April 2023 between Sudan’s military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, who chairs the ruling sovereign council, and RSF commander Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who was Burhan’s deputy.

Neither side can achieve a decisive victory, said Shamel Elnoor, a Sudanese journalist and researcher, adding that Sudanese “have become powerless and are subjected to foreign dictates.”

Germany was hosting a Sudan conference in Berlin on Wednesday for governments, U.N. agencies and aid groups. The aim was to rally humanitarian donors and “promote an immediate ceasefire,” the German Development Ministry said.

The Sudanese government in Khartoum, however, slammed the conference as an “unacceptable” interference and said Germany didn’t consult with Sudan before convening it.

Sudan is now essentially divided between a military-backed, internationally recognized government in Khartoum and a rival RSF-controlled administration in Darfur.

The military has established control over the north, east and central regions, including Sudan’s Red Sea ports and its oil refineries and pipelines. The RSF and its allies control Darfur and areas in the Kordofan region along the border with South Sudan. Both regions include many of Sudan’s oil fields and gold mines.

While Egypt supports Sudan’s military, the UAE is accused by U.N. experts and rights groups of providing arms to the RSF. The UAE has rejected the accusation.

The Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab, which tracks the war through satellite imagery, said this month that the RSF had received military support from a base in Ethiopia. The RSF didn’t comment on the allegation.

Josef Tucker, senior analyst for the Horn of Africa at the International Crisis Group, told The Associated Press that the war could spill over Sudan’s borders, making the conflict “even more intractable.”

Experts look at possible war crimes

Three years of fighting have seen widespread atrocities such as mass killings and rampant sexual violence, including gang rapes.

Hospitals, ambulances and medical workers in Sudan have been attacked, with more than 2,000 people killed, WHO has said.

The International Criminal Court has said that it was investigating potential war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly in Darfur, a region that two decades earlier, during al-Bashir’s rule, became synonymous with genocide and war crimes.

Most of the latest atrocities have been blamed on the RSF and their Janjaweed allies — Arab militias that were notorious for atrocities in the early 2000s against people identifying as East or Central African in Darfur. The RSF grew out of the Janjaweed.

The military’s seizure of Khartoum and other urban areas in central Sudan in early 2025 did allow the return of about 4 million people to their homes, the U.N. migration agency said in March. But they struggle with damaged infrastructure and other challenges.

“It’s not really a return to normal. It is trying to survive amid a new normal,” said Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, CEO of aid group Mercy Corps.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo. Fatma Khaled in Cairo, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.

A Look at Sudan’s War by the Numbers

By FATMA KHALED

4:16 AM EDT, April 15, 2026

CAIRO (AP) — Sudan is entering a fourth year of war between the military and paramilitary forces.

The fighting has pushed many people into famine, caused a huge displacement crisis and left over 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Both sides have been accused of committing atrocities like ethnic cleansing, extrajudicial killings and sexual violence against civilians.

Here’s a look at the war by the numbers:

59,000

At least this many people have been killed, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, or ACLED. Aid groups say the true toll could be much higher as access to areas of fighting across the vast country remains limited.

11,000

The number of missing people over the course of the war, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

4.5 million

About this many people have fled the country to places like Egypt, South Sudan, Libya and Chad.

9 million

About this many people remain displaced in Sudan.

19 million

More than this many people face acute hunger, according to the World Food Program.

24%

This is the amount that fuel prices have shot up in Sudan since conflict in the Middle East escalated.

354

This is the number of community kitchens that have closed over the last six months after providing a lifeline for millions of people, according to Islamic Relief.

Over 4,300

About this many children have been killed or maimed in the war, according to UNICEF.

8 million

At least this many children are still out of school, according to UNICEF.

11%

About this many schools are being used by warring sides or are shelters for displaced people, according to UNICEF.

63%

This many of Sudan’s health facilities are fully or partially functioning, according to World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

217

This is the number of verified attacks on health facilities since the war began, according to the WHO.

1,032

This was the number of civilians killed by air and drone strikes in 2025, according to ACLED, as a surge in drone strikes took a growing toll.

Nigerian Security Forces on High Alert for Large-scale Attack on Airport and Prison, Memo Says

By DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN

3:33 PM EDT, April 15, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s security forces are on high alert over a planned attack by Islamist militants on public infrastructure in Abuja and Niger states, an internal memo dated April 13 obtained from the Nigeria Customs Service by The Associated Press on Wednesday showed.

The planned targets include the international airport and a prison facility in the capital city of Abuja, as well as a military detention center in neighboring Niger state.

“Their intention is to release detained terrorists and inflict significant damage on critical aviation infrastructure,” the memo reads.

The plan mirrors a similar attack in Niger Republic in January, in which Islamist terrorists attacked an air force base in Niamey, the memo read in a warning to customs service personnel.

“An analysis of the report reveals a concerning correlation between the potential targeting of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja and recent large-scale attacks on aviation facilities in Niger Republic, notably in Niamey and Tahoua. This suggests a possible intent by terrorists to replicate the attack patterns within Nigeria,” according to the memo.

In 2022, an attack on the aforementioned prison led to the escape of 879 inmates, including 64 members of the Islamic State West Africa Province, which claimed responsibility for the attack.

“The military and paramilitary forces are all on high alert and ready to forestall the attack,” a senior customs service personnel member who is not authorized to speak to journalists told AP.

The customs service and the Nigerian military have not responded to AP’s request for comments.

Nigeria, which is Africa’s most populous country, is battling a complex security crisis, especially in the north, where there is a decade-long insurgency and several armed groups that kidnap for ransom.

Among the most prominent Islamic militant groups are Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, known as ISWAP. There is also the IS-linked Lakurawa group operating in communities in the northwestern part of the country that borders Niger Republic.

The attacks would be carried out by sleeper cells of ISWAP and Boko Haram, the memo said.

Last week, the U.S. authorized its non-emergency government employees and their families to leave the Abuja embassy owing to a spike in terrorist attacks, kidnapping, and violent crimes in the country, especially in the north. The embassy has been shut.

Nigeria’s information minister, Mohammed Idris, described the U.S. decision as a “routine precaution guided by internal protocols”, insisting that it does not reflect the overall security situation of the country.

WHO Says Vaccinations Save Millions in Africa, but US Aid Cuts and Iran War Threaten Progress

A health worker shows a bottle of the malaria vaccine R21/Matrix-M before administering it to a child at the comprehensive Health Centre in Agudama-Epie, in Yenagoa, Nigeria, on Dec. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba, File)

By Farai Mutsaka

12:34 PM EDT, April 15, 2026

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Vaccination programs across Africa have saved tens of millions of lives over the past two decades, but progress is slowing in some countries, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, amid warnings that cuts to United States aid risk leaving millions of children unprotected.

Health systems in the continent of 1.5 billion people face growing uncertainty following the U.S. pullback from global health funding under President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy, alongside disruptions linked to the war in the Middle East that are straining aid budgets and supply chains.

Announcing its first-ever comprehensive analysis of immunization in the region, the WHO said more than 500 million children have been reached through routine vaccination since 2000, preventing over 4 million deaths each year.

Overall, it said vaccines have saved more than 50 million lives in Africa over the past five decades, “gaining an estimated 60 years of life expectancy for each infant life saved” during that period.

In 2024 alone, vaccines saved nearly 2 million lives, the agency said, pointing to key milestones including the eradication of wild poliovirus in 2020, “a historic milestone for Africa,” and the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus in most countries.

Vaccines against malaria, a disease that kills more than 400,000 people annually, most of them children under five in Africa, are now being introduced in 25 countries. Mohamed Janabi, the WHO regional director for Africa, called that “a major scientific and public health breakthrough” during an online press briefing.

But he also warned that “progress is uneven and in some places really slowing,” after the COVID-19 pandemic increased the number of children who have never received a single vaccine.

Ten countries account for 80% of children who haven’t received any vaccine in the region, he said, describing it as “a profound equity issue.”

“These immunization outcomes reflect very different realities, and we have more work to do to ensure we are consistently able to reach children, even in the most fragile and remote contexts,” said Sania Nishtar, chief executive of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which partners with WHO in vaccination efforts.

Aid cuts since Trump returned to the White House in 2025 have been devastating, Janabi said. The U.S. withdrawal from WHO in January resulted in the loss of about 40% of the agency’s overseas development funding, he said, and urged African governments to increase domestic health financing to mitigate the impact.

The U.S-Iran war, which has disrupted supply chains and increased gas prices, is concerning for a continent where “many of our facilities depend on generators,” said Adelheid Onyango, the WHO Africa director for health systems and services. She said the agency is yet to quantify the war’s impact.

Health experts such as Shabir Madhi, a professor of vaccinology and dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at South Africa’s University of the Witwatersrand, say funding is emerging as the “biggest threat” to Africa’s immunization efforts as the U.S. and other Western donors tighten aid to poorer countries.

In many countries, aid-funded programs have already scaled back or shut down, reducing access to basic health services, including clinics, health workers, cold-chain infrastructure and outreach services that vaccination campaigns rely on.

“It can’t be that we continue relying on the likes of Gavi Vaccine Alliance, which has done a tremendous amount of work in terms of ensuring that there’s increasing uptake of new vaccines,” said Madhi. “The Gavi Vaccine Alliance itself is already experiencing a financial crunch. What we need to start putting on the table is what percentage of the immunization program should be funded by countries ... to ensure that not just a few children are getting vaccinated.”

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For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

Veteran Negotiator Roelf Meyer Appointed as South Africa’s Ambassador to the US

This April 19, 1994 file photo shows in the front row; Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, left, President F.W. de Klerk, middle, and African National Congress (ANC) President Nelson Mandela, right, exchanging words at a news conference, while in the back row at center South African Foreign Minister Pik Botha looks over them, in Pretoria, South Africa. Next to Botha, second from right is Roelf Meyer, chief government negotiator, and ANC’s Secretary General Cyril Ramaphosa, right. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME

7:00 AM EDT, April 15, 2026

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed veteran politician Roelf Meyer as the country’s ambassador to the United States in a move widely seen as an effort to ease diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

Meyer was minister of defense from 1991 to 1992 under the white minority government of former President F.W. De Klerk’s National Party. He later was a chief negotiator in the negotiations that brought an end to apartheid and led to the election of Nelson Mandela as the country’s first Black and democratically elected leader in 1994. Meyer served in Mandela’s cabinet as constitutional development minister from 1994 to 1996.

Meyer’s appointment comes during a period of strained relations between South Africa and U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which expelled former Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool following his criticism of Trump.

The fallout put pressure on Ramaphosa to appoint an ambassador who would be acceptable to the Trump administration while relations remain tense.

Trump has targeted South Africa and cut all financial assistance after accusing the government of allowing a “white genocide” against the white Afrikaner minority group, claiming they were being racially targeted and killed. Trump implemented a program offering migration and asylum to white Afrikaners who feel persecuted in South Africa.

“I can confirm that President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Mr Roelf Meyer as South Africa’s Ambassador to the US,” Ramaphosa’s spokesman Vincent Magwenya said in a message to The Associated Press.

The appointment of Meyer, himself an Afrikaner, comes a week after Ramaphosa accepted Leo Brent Bozell III as the new U.S. ambassador to South Africa.

Bozell, a conservative activist appointed by Trump, started on a tense footing after he was summoned by South Africa’s foreign ministry in March. Speaking at a meeting of business leaders, Bozell challenged the South African government over its diplomatic ties with Iran and affirmative action laws that he said advance opportunities for Black people ahead of other races.

Professor John Stremlau, a U.S.-Africa relations expert at the University of the Witwatersrand, called Meyer “the right person, at the right time.”

“He is an excellent and experienced negotiator who not only negotiated in South Africa, but has brokered agreements elsewhere in various other places under very difficult circumstances,” Stremlau said, adding that Meyer needs to “stabilize the relationship” between the nations.

“But it will be difficult for him because Trump’s executive orders last year laid out a racist agenda against South Africa’s Black majority, cutting all financial assistance to them and offering refugee status to Afrikaners,” Stremlau said.

The two nations also are at odds over South Africa’s decision to pursue an International Court of Justice case accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Trump boycotted the G20 Leaders Summit hosted by South Africa in 2025 and has not invited South Africa to the G20 meetings being hosted by the U.S. in Miami in December.

Pope Leo XIV: 'Our Father’s Heart is Not with the Wicked or Arrogant'

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: National Catholic Register

14 Apr 2026 19:48

During a visit to a care home in Annaba, Pope Leo XIV met with elderly residents and commended the work of religious sisters and staff, while noting interfaith gestures.

Pope Leo XIV said on Tuesday that “God’s heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant or the proud” during a visit to the Ma Maison care home for the elderly in Annaba as part of his apostolic journey to Algeria.

After departing the archaeological site of Hippo, the pope traveled to the facility operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor, where he met residents and greeted those present.

“God dwells where there is love and service,” the pope said.

“I am pleased to make this visit because God dwells here,” Leo said. “Indeed, wherever there is love and service, God is there.”

He emphasized the spiritual value of the setting and the care provided to elderly residents during his visit.

Pope thanks religious order, staff, and church representatives

The Pope expressed gratitude to the Little Sisters of the Poor, the home’s staff, Mother Philomena, and Archbishop Emeritus Paul Desfarges of Algiers for their work and presence.

“Having listened to you, and seeing your presence here amongst our elderly brothers and sisters, it is natural to praise God and give thanks to him,” the pope said to Desfarges. “Just as Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said: ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.’”

Appreciation for interfaith testimony

Leo also thanked Salah Bouchemel, an elderly Algerian Muslim, describing his testimony as “beautiful and comforting.”

“I think that the Lord, looking down from heaven upon a house like this, where people strive to live together in fraternity, would say, ‘There is hope!’” the pope said.

He added, “Yes, because God’s heart is torn apart by wars, violence, injustice and lies. But our Father’s heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant or the proud. God’s heart is with the little ones, with the humble, and with them he builds up his Kingdom of love and peace day by day, just as you are striving to do here in your daily service, in your friendship and life together.”

The pope concluded by thanking those present for their welcome and prayers.

“I will keep you in my prayers and I gladly impart my blessing,” he said.

Later on Tuesday, Leo was scheduled to conclude his visit to Hippo by celebrating Mass at the Basilica of St. Augustine before returning to Algiers.

This is happening as a wave of international condemnation has followed remarks by United States President Donald Trump targeting Pope Leo XIV, with political leaders and senior Catholic figures denouncing the statements as disrespectful and harmful to dialogue.

The controversy intensified after Trump shared an AI-generated image depicting himself in a biblical-style scene, appearing to place himself as Jesus Christ and heal a person, which drew widespread backlash before being deleted. Trump said that he did upload the photo but claimed that he thought the image depicted a doctor, not Jesus Christ.

The pope has repeatedly called for peace and dialogue, particularly in conflict zones, positioning the Vatican as a voice against war and in defense of civilians.

Pope Leo XIV in Algeria Walks in Footsteps of His Spiritual Father, St. Augustine

By NICOLE WINFIELD

9:48 AM EDT, April 14, 2026

ANNABA, Algeria (AP) — Pope Leo XIV walked Tuesday in the footsteps of his spiritual father, St. Augustine, making a pilgrimage to the archaeological ruins in Algeria where the fifth-century titan of early Christianity lived, died and wrote some of the most important works in Western thought.

Leo’s visit to Annaba, the modern-day Hippo, was a spiritual homecoming for the American pope on his second full day in Algeria. He arrived Monday on a first-ever papal visit, against the backdrop of his calls for peace that have sparked a feud with U.S. President Donald Trump over the war in Iran. It’s the first stop on Leo’s four-country Africa tour.

The pope arrived at the ruins in a rainstorm and with tight security, with sharpshooters positioned around the site and policemen stationed every few yards (meters) along roads leading to it.

Leo prayed under under a tent looking out over the ruins of the ancient Roman city, including its theater, market and basilica where Augustine preached and the adjoining baptistry. In a sign of peace, he planted an olive tree and watched as white doves were set free.

Accompanied by the current head of his Augustinian religious order, the Rev. Joseph Farrell, Leo then walked amid the muddy ruins for a few minutes, pausing to listen to an Algerian choir.

Leo proclaimed himself a “son of St. Augustine” on the night of his election and has cited Augustine prolifically in his first year, making clear that he’s the guiding inspiration of Leo’s pontificate. For this trip, Leo is focusing on Augustine as a bridge-builder as he aims to press a message of peace and Christian-Muslim coexistence.

“God’s heart is torn apart by wars, violence, injustice and lies,” Leo later told a small gathering of nuns and elderly people in Annaba.

The visit also draws attention to the North African origins of Augustine, who spent only five years in Italy but is often seen through a Eurocentric lens as one of the greatest Western thinkers of Christianity for his writings on truth, evil, creation and grace.

Leo’s Augustinian religious order was founded in Italy in the 13th century, inspired by the saint.

A life in North Africa, looking to Rome

St. Augustine was born in 354 to a Berber mother and Roman father in Thagaste, today the Algerian city of Souk Ahras near the border with Tunisia. At the time, the swath of North Africa was part of the Roman Empire, including Carthage in today’s Tunisia, where Augustine was educated and taught rhetoric.

He left North Africa for Rome in 383 and then Milan, where he converted to Christianity. He returned to his homeland soon thereafter, founded a monastery at Hippo where he developed the rule of his order in use today, emphasizing community life. He became a bishop and in Hippo wrote some of the most important works in the Western canon, including “Confessions” and “The City of God.”

A new book, “Augustine the African,” by Catherine Conybeare, an Augustine scholar at Bryn Mawr college in Pennsylvania, explores Augustine from his perspective: As a North African, looking to Rome as the center of his universe but feeling insecure there about his Punic-accented Latin.

“One of the most important thinkers in the Western intellectual tradition actually came from Africa, spent almost his whole life in Africa,” Conybeare told The Associated Press. “How does that change things?”

“Of course, because his successors — the people who carried on his heritage — were in Europe, they got to tell the story,” she said. And Europe got his body: After Augustine died in Hippo in 430, his body was taken eventually to Pavia, Italy, though a forearm remains in the basilica dedicated to him in Annaba.

In welcoming Leo, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed the “immense pride” Algerians feel over St. Augustine. He called him “a cherished son of this land, which having been his first cradle, proudly became his initial resting place.”

A personal visit for Leo

Leo made clear en route to Algeria and in remarks to Algerian authorities how deeply personal and important this visit is to him, because of his spiritual connection to St. Augustine. He had visited twice before, while he was superior of the Augustinian order.

“This journey, which is very special for several reasons, was supposed to be the first of my pontificate,” Leo told reporters on the papal plane. “As early as last May, I had said that on my first journey, I would like to visit Africa. Several people immediately suggested Algeria because of St. Augustine.”

In the end, other trips intervened, but he kept the appointment.

The saint, he said, represents “a very important bridge in interreligious dialogue” that the world could use today.

“We must always seek bridges to build peace and reconciliation,” he said. “This journey, then, truly represents a valuable opportunity to continue with the same voice, with the same message, that we wish to convey: to promote peace, reconciliation, respect and consideration for all peoples.”

Also Tuesday, Leo was visiting a small community of Augustinians in Annaba. He was finishing the day by celebrating Mass at the Basilica of St. Augustine, the 19th century basilica overlooking the ruins of Hippo which contains the relic of the saint. Thousands of pilgrims visit the basilica each year, including Muslims.

Ethiopian Orthodox Christians in Washington Mark Easter with Prayer, Joyful Family Celebrations

By JESSIE WARDARSKI

9:28 AM EDT, April 13, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dressed head to toe in white, hundreds of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians packed tightly into Washington, D.C.’s DSK Mariam Church to sing hymns in the ancient language Ge’ez, to pray, and to stand vigil as their Easter Sunday unfolded.

The celebration of Christ’s resurrection, a core belief known as Fasika in Amharic, is observed a week after Catholic and Protestant Easter.

“We dress in white so that we are groomed for heaven,” said Archdeacon Getahun Atlaw.

For the Ethiopian Orthodox, Fasika is the most important and revered time of the church calendar. Festivities and rituals build in intensity over Holy Week, culminating in an eight-hour, overnight service that ends with the breaking of a 55-day fast in which believers abstain from meat and animal products.

For some members of the DSK Mariam Church, hardships were greater this year as Ethiopian communities in the U.S. faced efforts from the Trump administration to revoke temporary protected status for over 5,000 people from Ethiopia.

A federal judge recently blocked this decision.

“It takes a grind and courage to get to where they’re at,” said 18-year-old deacon Jonathan Melaku of the members who founded the church. “Our people will always stay resilient.

Many Ethiopian families have come to the U.S. over the past 50 years, and the Washington church is now filled with first- and second-generation Ethiopian Americans.

“Ethiopians are hard workers, disciplined, mannered, and they know how to come together,” Atlaw said. “We’re not here merely, we bring values.”

DSK Mariam, formally known as Re’ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church, is part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition — one of the oldest branches of Christianity.

Located in the D.C. metro area, home to the largest Ethiopian diaspora community in the United States, the church serves roughly 4,000 people weekly.

This Easter, about 1,500 people gathered for the overnight service, which ended at 3 a.m. on Sunday.

“The climax is the resurrection because if there was no resurrection, there would be no Christianity. It would just be an empty philosophy,” said Abraham Habte-Sellassie, a “kesis” or priest — who helped lead the Divine Liturgy from midnight to 3 a.m., representing the three hours they believe Christ was on the cross.

Sebawit Yirsaw, who joined the church 16 years ago just after she immigrated from Ethiopia, says people feel a special connection during Fasika because they want to be saved.

“The salvation is always something that we feel like much needed because we all go through a lot of hardship in life,” she said.

A weekend of prayer and worship

Earlier in the week, on Good Friday, the priests huddled together and were covered in a dark purple and gold garments, representing Christ triumphing over evil and providing salvation. The priests together chanted, “Lord have mercy upon me.”

At another point, clergymen beat out a flame, representing the defeat of Satan.

And throughout this service congregants and clergy alike prostrated dozens of times.

“We’re living Christ-like as much as we can,” said Atlaw. “The prostration is a passion to Christ’s love. What he has done for us, the sacrifice.”

On Easter, during the nocturnal service, the lights are dimmed and long skinny wax candles called tuaf are lit to represent the moment of resurrection, when they believe the light of Christ dispelled the darkness.

The church erupted as clergy and lay people alike chanted: “Your resurrection is for us who believe. Send your light upon us, send your light upon us.”

“The celebration is so joyful that you don’t even feel that you’re tired,” said 21-year-old Deacon Amanuel Argaw.

Fast-breaking and feasting together

After the Easter service, congregants rushed out into the dimly lit streets, birds softly chirping, drawn by the smell of doro wat, a traditional Ethiopian dish of spicy chicken, simmering in spices.

Gathered in small groups on the sidewalk, congregants ate small bites to break the fast before going home to rest.

Later in the day, family and friends gathered for an Easter feast and fully broke the fast together over doro wat and other traditional Ethiopian food.

Continuing these ancient traditions in the United States and teaching them to the youth is crucial for members of the community.

“This history and value can go wherever Ethiopians go. This is our history. How can we take it lightly? … This is who we are,” said Atlaw. “We have to pass it from generation to generation.”

For Selamawit Tekola, breaking Easter fast with her large Ethiopian family is a must.

“When Selama says, take off work and show up, it’s not optional,” joked Tekola’s niece, Adey Thomas, as they sat together in a house full of friends and family.

“In the States, it’s very, you know, rush to go, go, go especially in the D.C. area,” Thomas. “This is the one time to stop and celebrate with family.”

So, on a warm Easter Sunday in Virginia, the family showed up. Dressed in traditional clothing they stood together around the homemade food and said a prayer. They shared traditional honey wine called Tej and eventually Ethiopian coffee.

“I was born Orthodox and I respect it, I love it. So that means a lot for us.” said Tekola. “That’s what we are teaching our children.”

UN Concerned as Opposition Retakes a Strategic Town in South Sudan

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir, right, and Vice President Riek Machar, left, attend a Holy Mass led by Pope Francis at the John Garang Mausoleum in Juba, South Sudan Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

By DENG MACHOL

11:52 AM EDT, April 13, 2026

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — The U.N. has expressed concern over violence in the strategic town of Akobo in South Sudan’ s Jonglei State, which was retaken by opposition forces after they ousted government troops.

Fighting started over the weekend and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said on Monday that opposition fighters captured the town and took military vehicles and weapons. Government troops, which seized the town in March, withdrew.

The public service minister, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, called the attacks “senseless and unjustified,” saying the opposition forces had put civilians in harm’s way. He said the army would provide more details on what transpired, but the army spokesperson refused to comment.

The South Sudanese government has been fighting opposition forces since a 2018 peace deal broke down about a year ago. Akobo is one of the last strongholds of the opposition, led by Riek Machar, South Sudan’s detained vice president.

Last month, the army issued an evacuation order in Akobo to pave the way for a military operation against the opposition forces. Thousands fled the town, which borders neighboring Ethiopia.

Videos circulated on social media showed opposition fighters in key locations, including near the airstrip and the administrative headquarters, suggesting the group had established a presence in central administrative areas.

The U.N. Mission in South Sudan, or UNMISS, on Monday warned of worsening humanitarian conditions and called for a cessation of hostilities.

“We are engaging intensively with all parties at all levels to help prevent further escalation and restore calm,” a statement from the UNMISS spokesperson, Priyanka Chowdhury, said.

UNMISS is due to close its base in Akobo following a reduction in humanitarian budgets.

Nigerian Ex-oil Minister Denies Taking Bribes for Government Contracts, During a Trial in London

Former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke answers a question following a speech at the IHS CERAWeek, in Houston, March 4, 2014. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan, File)

By SYLVIA HUI

2:19 PM EDT, April 13, 2026

LONDON (AP) — A former Nigerian oil minister accused of staying in luxury homes for free and enjoying lavish spending sprees in exchange for government contracts denied taking bribes as she gave evidence in a London court on Monday.

Diezani Alison-Madueke, 65, is accused of benefiting from access to multimillion-pound U.K. homes that were paid for and refurnished by energy firms seeking government contracts in Nigeria.

Prosecutors allege that she benefited from private jets, a chauffeur-driven car and shopping trips including 2 million pounds ($2.7 million) spent at Harrods, a famed London department store. They also allege that she received 100,000 pounds ($135,000) in cash while she was Nigerian minister of petroleum resources from April 2010 to May 2015.

Giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court in London, Alison-Madueke said “I did not abuse my office during that period.” She denies five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.

Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, an owner of Nigerian oil companies, denies two charges of bribery. Alison-Madueke’s brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, denies conspiracy to commit bribery.

“I can state categorically at no time did I ask for, take or seek a bribe or bribes of any sort from any of these persons,” Alison-Madueke said.

The former minister had oversight of the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. and its subsidiaries, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Co. and the Pipelines Product Marketing Co.

Alison-Madueke told the court that the logistics and financial dealings of her work trips were handled by the Nigerian National Petroleum Co., and insisted that a string of services arranged for her were subsequently reimbursed.

Alison-Madueke was the first female president of the oil alliance OPEC. As a minister, she had pledged to transform the oil sector but was accused by authorities of looting millions of dollars in public funds alongside her associates.

Nigeria’s anti–graft agency previously secured court orders seizing houses, cars and jewelry in Nigeria said to be proceeds of corruption connected to the former minister and her associates.

Authorities say that many such assets were domiciled in the United States and the United Kingdom.

She has spent much of her time in the U.K. since leaving office.

Separatists in Cameroon Announce a 3-day Pause in Fighting for Pope’s Visit

Pope Leo XIV visits the nursing home of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Annaba, Algeria, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, on the second day of an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)

By NGALA KILLIAN CHIMTOM and MARK BANCHEREAU

10:20 AM EDT, April 14, 2026

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — English-speaking separatists in Cameroon say they will pause fighting for three days to allow “safe travel” for Pope Leo XIV ’s visit on Wednesday to the central African country.

The Unity Alliance, which includes several separatist groups, said in a statement late Monday the pause reflects the “profound spiritual importance” of the visit and is intended to allow civilians, pilgrims and dignitaries to travel safely.

Cameroonian authorities did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment. The government’s spokesperson, René Sadi, last week said “all necessary arrangements have been made” to ensure a successful visit.

Cameroon’s western regions have been plagued by fighting since English-speaking separatists launched a rebellion in 2017 with the stated goal of breaking away from the French-speaking majority and establishing an independent state. The conflict has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced over 600,000 others, according to the International Crisis Group.

Pope Leo, who began his four-country Africa visit this week in Algeria, is set to arrive in Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé.

He will lead a “peace meeting” on Thursday in the city of Bamenda, the epicenter of the conflict between separatists and government forces.

A spokesperson for the Unity Alliance, Lucas Asu, said in the statement the pause in fighting “reflects a deliberate commitment to responsibility, restraint, and respect for human dignity, even in the context of ongoing conflict.”

He said the pope’s visit should remain “spiritual” and not be seen as endorsing any political authority.

Though the number of deadly attacks by separatists has decreased in recent years, the conflict shows no sign of resolution. Peace talks with international mediators have stalled, with both sides accusing each other of acting in bad faith.

The conflict is rooted in Cameroon’s colonial history, when the country was divided between France and Britain after World War I. English-speaking regions later joined French Cameroon in a 1961 U.N.-backed vote, but separatists say they have since been politically and economically marginalized.

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Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal.

Benin Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni Elected President With Vast Majority of Votes

By VIRGILE AHISSOU

5:32 AM EDT, April 14, 2026

COTONOU, Benin (AP) — Benin Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni won the country’s presidential election held Sunday with over 94% of votes, according to election officials, fulfilling the expectation he was the anointed successor after President Patrice Talon’s decade in power.

The outcome was based on more than 90% of votes ⁠counted with voter turnout of 58.75%, Sacca Lafia, head of the West African country’s independent electoral commission, announced on national television late Monday.

The final results must be confirmed by Benin’s constitutional court and are expected in the coming weeks.

Paul Hounkpè, the sole opposition candidate who received 5.95% of votes, conceded defeat ahead of the announcement Monday.

Wadagni, 49, was considered the chosen heir to Talon, who is stepping down at the end of May after serving in office from 2016 to 2026. Analysts had predicted a sidelined opposition would result in Wadagni’s win.

Talon leaves a mixed legacy of economic growth, a growing jihadi insurgency in the north and the suppression of opposition critics. While Benin has historically been among the most stable democracies in Africa, opposition leaders and human rights organizations have accused Talon of using the justice system as a tool to sideline political opponents.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch denounced a sustained crackdown on dissent under Talon, citing arbitrary detentions, tighter restrictions on public demonstrations and mounting pressure on independent media outlets.

In a parliamentary election in January, the opposition failed to cross the threshold of support from 20% of registered voters in each of the country’s voting districts before standing for election, leaving Talon’s two allied parties with control of all 109 seats in the National Assembly.

Renaud Agbodjo, leader of The Democrats, the main opposition party, was barred from competing in Sunday’s vote after failing to secure enough parliamentary endorsements, which critics say is a threshold engineered to keep out rivals.

Senegal Moving Further Rightward Sentences Queer Person to Prison Under Harsh New Law

By BABACAR DIONE and MARK BANCHEREAU

12:21 PM EDT, April 13, 2026

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A court in Senegal has issued the first conviction under a new law increasing the punishment for homosexuality.

A court in Dakar suburb Pikine-Guédiawaye sentenced a 24-year-old laborer on Friday to six years in prison and fined him 2 million CFA ($3,300) for “acts against nature and public indecency.” He was arrested earlier this month.

Senegal, a largely Muslim nation, is the latest African country to impose harsher penalties against the LGBTQ+ community. The law increases prison sentences to between five and 10 years.

The law also punishes what it calls the “promotion” or “financing” of homosexuality, seen as an attempt to crack down on groups that support sexual and gender minorities.

Human Rights Watch researcher Larissa Kojoué told The Associated Press on Monday the law has created a climate of “constant fear” and arrests have become more aggressive “because now there is backing from the state apparatus.”

More than 30 of Africa’s 54 countries criminalize homosexual acts. In Somalia, Uganda, and Mauritania, the offense can carry the death penalty.

Tankers Transit Strait of Hormuz Amid US Attempt to Impose Blockade, Data Shows

Tuesday, 14 April 2026 10:15 AM

Oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz, where the US military attempts to enforce a naval blockade on all Iranian ports. (Photo by AP)

Shipping data indicates that three Iran-linked tankers entered the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the first day of a US attempt to impose blockade targeting vessels that call at Iranian ports.

The blockade was announced by US President Donald Trump on Sunday after peace talks between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad ended without an agreement.

According to LSEG data, the Panama-flagged medium range tanker Peace Gulf is sailing to Hamriyah port in the United Arab Emirates. Kpler data shows the ship is typically involved in transporting Iranian naphtha—a petrochemical feedstock—to non-Iranian ports in West Asia for onward shipment to Asia.

Earlier, two US-sanctioned vessels also passed through the critical waterway.

The Handy size tanker Murlikishan is heading toward Iraq to load fuel oil on April 16, according to Kpler. Formerly named MKA, the vessel has previously carried both Russian and Iranian crude.

Another sanctioned tanker, Rich Starry, is expected to be the first to leave the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz since the blockade purportedly took effect, based on LSEG and Kpler data.

The ship and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co. Ltd., have been sanctioned by the United States for dealings with Iran.

Abbas Araghchi has warned against the perilous consequences of provocative US actions in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

LSEG data shows Rich Starry, a medium range tanker, is carrying roughly 250,000 barrels of methanol loaded at its most recent port of call, Hamriyah in the UAE. The vessel is Chinese-owned and crewed by Chinese nationals.

China’s foreign ministry on Tuesday criticized the US attempt to impose blockade on Iranian ports as “dangerous and irresponsible,” saying the move would increase regional tensions. It did not specify whether any Chinese vessels were transiting the strait.

Trump’s Pyrrhic Gamble with Blockade on Strait of Hormuz

Tuesday, 14 April 2026 12:24 PM

The frontpage of the Jam Jam newspaper showing Donald Trump drowning in the Strait of Hormuz under the headline 'Maritime Bluff', in Tehran, on April 13, 2026.

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump declared that after the failure of lengthy ceasefire negotiations with Iran, the US would pursue a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

The announcement has been met with skepticism and mockery both within the US and abroad, where critics view it as yet another example of the Trump administration’s erratic foreign policy and its inability to deal with the situation in the strait.

American consumers are still feeling the effects of previous energy crises, particularly the inflationary pressures of rising gas prices, which could worsen if tensions in the Persian Gulf are aggravated.

Any serious disruption in such a vital chokepoint would provoke global backlash, particularly from European and East Asian powers that depend heavily on the stability of global energy markets.

The impacts of a naval blockade extend far beyond oil; they reverberate through every layer of supply chains, from raw materials to finished goods, as goods are increasingly transported via sea routes that pass through the region.

One of the most significant effects of any disruption in the strait is the immediate rise in energy prices. Indeed, following Trump’s declaration, global energy prices began to rise immediately, with European natural gas futures increasing by 18 percent in just one day.

At the heart of this issue lies the United States’ fragile economic position. Over the years, Washington has relied on the dominance of the petrodollar system to bolster the dollar’s standing as the world’s reserve currency.

The petrodollar system, which ties the global sale of oil to the dollar, has been integral to maintaining the strength of the US currency. However, any disruption to the flow of oil, particularly from the Persian Gulf, undermines this system.

The US Treasury, already facing substantial debt, could find itself at the mercy of countries willing to shift away from using the dollar in global transactions. This, in turn, could trigger a wave of sell-offs in US debt, leading to a broader financial crisis.

Despite this, the US continues to act aggressively in the region. Yet, the experience of the Yemen war highlights the difficulties involved in trying to enforce a naval blockade.

The US and its allies, including NATO forces, Australia, Canada, Japan and the Saudis were unable to secure the Bab el-Mandeb Strait despite a massive military presence.

That conflict proved that, even with superior military power, strategic chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb cannot be controlled indefinitely without significant costs.

And even if the US were to successfully blockade the Strait of Hormuz, the same fate could await them as in Yemen marked by prolonged conflict with little strategic advantage.

The American strategy faces additional hurdles due to the complex geopolitical realities in the region. Unlike smaller, isolated countries, Iran has extensive land borders with neighbors such as Iraq, Pakistan, and Turkey, in addition to access to the Caspian Sea.

Iran’s relationships with key global players like China, which are increasingly seeking alternative trade routes through Central Asia and Russia, further complicate any efforts to isolate the country.

This broad network of trade partners allows Iran to mitigate the impact of any disruption in its energy exports.

Even in the face of a blockade, Iran could shift trade routes to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. If the US continues its policy of maximalist pressure, it may end up inadvertently strengthening Iran’s position in the region.

Iran has fully and legitimately asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, turning US sanctions on their head. With India resuming oil imports, Tehran now determines global energy flow.

In fact, history suggests that such confrontations have little effect on Iran’s ability to continue its operations, particularly in its ability to access alternative trade routes.

Even during past sanctions, Iran managed to adapt and find ways to maintain trade with partners. It is notable that while Iran’s energy exports from the Persian Gulf have been curtailed at times, they have not stopped altogether.

Similarly, the country has invested heavily in infrastructure projects such as the Goreh-Jask pipeline, which allows it to bypass the Strait of Hormuz for oil exports. If push comes to shove, Iran could continue to export oil via this route.

This would still generate significant revenue for the country, particularly given that global oil prices are likely to rise due to the overall disruption.

Furthermore, any attempt to implement a maritime blockade on Iran could provoke regional instability. Iran has developed a robust set of tools to retaliate against any foreign aggression.

The use of drones, small boats, and other low-cost military tools against hostile forces in the strait would have an immediate psychological effect on shipping companies, forcing them to divert their operations and increasing insurance costs.

The cost of operating in the region would rise, and global shipping companies would likely be forced to reroute their vessels, further straining the already overburdened global supply chain.

The increasing cost of shipping, along with higher energy prices, would further fuel inflationary pressures around the world.

In addition to this, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait presents another point of leverage for Iran. Located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, it is another key maritime chokepoint, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and, by extension, the Arabian Sea.

While the US and its allies may struggle to secure these waterways, Yemen forces have proven adept at influencing the flow of maritime traffic in the region.

The Bab-el-Mandeb also holds strategic significance beyond energy exports. It is home to critical underwater communications cables that carry vast quantities of data between East and West.

These cables are essential to global communications, including internet traffic, financial transactions, and data transfers. An attack on these cables would be catastrophic for the global economy, crippling everything from banking systems to military operations.

Even in the unlikely event that the US successfully blocks the Strait of Hormuz, Iran would endure a reduction in oil exports from the Persian Gulf, but at higher prices. The global economy, including US allies, would bear the brunt of the fallout.

The heart of the global economy beats in the Persian Gulf, and America's lifeblood is tied to the oil and straits of the region. Should Iran and the Arabian Peninsula slip from US control, the structure of Washington's empire would face collapse.

The situation signals the US's strategic desperation and political failure, an implicit admission of its inability to confront Iran directly, highlighting its shift to maximum pressure tactics and psychological warfare in a bid to compensate for past setbacks.

Yemen May Close Key Red Sea Strait Amid US Threats to Blockade Iran: Report

Monday, 13 April 2026 3:08 PM

An analyst warns the Yemenis may decide to close the Bab el-Mandeb to help Iran tackle a planned US blockade.

Yemen may decide to close a key waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden to help Iran tackle a US blockade of Iranian ports, an analyst has warned.

Ahmed Nagi, a senior analyst for Yemen at the International Crisis Group think-tank, told the Associated Press that the ruling Houthi Ansarullah movement is well capable of escalating the situation in their regional waters nearly a week after a ceasefire was announced to stop the US-Israeli aggression on their key ally Iran.

Nagi said the Yemenis would close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to double the oil price pressure felt by the US because of Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

“If the US moves to impose a blockade on Iranian ports and Iran starts feeling the pain, the Houthis are very likely to escalate in the Bab el-Mandeb,” he told the Associated Press.

The analyst warned that restrictions in Bab el-Mandeb would add “another layer” of pressure on the global shipping industry.

Iran hints at the prospect of additional momentous pressure on aggressors and their allies with potential closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Yemen has yet to become fully involved in the Iranian fight against the US-Israeli aggression, although the Houthis have carried out several missile attacks on the Israeli regime weeks after the aggression on Iran began in late February.

The Yemenis have indicated they could restrict shipping in their regional waters, a policy they frequently used against Israel, the US and allies since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023.

US President Donald Trump said the US military will impose a blockade on all ships arriving at or departing from Iranian ports as of Monday evening.

Iran has dismissed the plans while warning that it would view any warships approaching the Strait as a violation of the ongoing fragile ceasefire.

Experts believe the blockade would trigger a major reaction from Iran and allies as they could further restrict the flow of energy from the region.

They say Yemenis could block Saudi Arabia’s oil exports from its western ports through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which has been an alternative route used by the Kingdom since the start of Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Such a move could cause a fresh rise in international oil prices that have doubled compared to before the US-Israeli aggression on Iran in late February.