Legal and Judicial Affairs

Historic Sentencing of Congolese Rebel Leader in France A French court has sentenced former Democratic Republic of Congo rebel leader and politician Roger Lumbala to 30 years in prison after finding him guilty of complicity in crimes against humanity committed more than two decades earlier during the Second Congo War. The 67-year-old, who led the Uganda-backed Rally of Congolese Democrats and Nationalists, was convicted of ordering or aiding and abetting a variety of heinous acts, including torture, inhumane treatment,…

Former radio DJ Warrick Stock, known professionally as DJ Warras, was shot and killed outside the Carlton Centre in central Johannesburg, police said Monday. Johannesburg police said Stock was approached by three unknown suspects after parking his vehicle in the area. The attackers opened fire after he stepped out of the car, and then fled on foot. No arrests have been made and the motive remains under investigation, authorities said. According to police, Stock was reportedly inspecting a building he had contracted to a…

Former radio DJ Warrick Stock, known on air as DJ Warras, was shot and killed outside the Carlton Centre in central Johannesburg, police and witnesses said. Police said Stock was approached by three unknown suspects after parking his vehicle and was shot before the attackers fled on foot. Initial accounts circulating on social media and among colleagues said he had been inspecting a building guarded by his security company and was fired on after stepping outside. The shooting, which occurred in a busy commercial area of…

Trump Expands Travel Restrictions, Targeting 15 Additional Countries President Donald Trump has expanded United States travel restrictions to include an additional 15 countries, predominantly in Africa, a move that is poised to exacerbate tensions in U.S.-Africa relations and disrupt travel, education, and business connections across the continent. Among the newly added countries, 11 are African: Angola, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This…

A Surge of Coups in Africa: Understanding the "Coup Belt" Eight African countries are currently under military rule, an alarming situation that has intensified recently. Within just eight weeks, two successful coups and one foiled attempt have unfolded, raising concerns that a new dimension of instability is emerging in Africa’s political landscape. This phenomenon has led to the emergence of a "coup belt" stretching across the continent, particularly concentrated in the predominantly French-speaking Sahel region. Jakkie…

The M23 armed group has announced its agreement to withdraw from the city of Uvira in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following a request from the United States. This decision marks a significant moment in a region long troubled by conflict and political instability. Recently, the Rwanda-backed M23 militias seized control of Uvira, a strategic city located near the Burundian border. This takeover occurred just days after the Congolese and Rwandan governments signed a road map towards peace in Washington, D.C. The…

Tunisian authorities have charged six staff members of the Tunisian branch of the France Terre d'Asile aid group and 17 municipal workers from the eastern city of Sousse with sheltering migrants and facilitating “illegal entry and residence,” prosecutors said. If convicted, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison. The case centers on humanitarian assistance provided to migrants in Tunisia, a key transit point for tens of thousands of people each year trying to reach Europe. Authorities gave no immediate public timeline…

Opposition Accuses Nigerian Government of One-Party Drift Ahead of 2027 Elections Opposition politicians in Nigeria have sounded the alarm over what they describe as the government's drift toward a de facto one-party state. They contend this shift is being executed "through coercion," primarily by weaponizing state institutions, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In a joint statement that has drawn significant attention, key opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar…

Ghana Deports Israeli Nationals Amid Diplomatic Tensions Ghana has taken the significant step of deporting three Israeli nationals, a move that appears to be a direct response to the treatment of Ghanaian citizens at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. This escalating diplomatic conflict underscores the intricate and often fraught relationships between nations in the region. In a troubling incident, seven Ghanaians, including four members of an official delegation attending a cyber-security conference in Tel Aviv, were…

Human Rights Watch said Monday that thousands of civilians displaced by recent attacks by an Islamist armed group in northeastern Mozambique are sheltering in overcrowded, inadequate conditions and urgently need food, health care and protection. Between Nov. 10 and 23, 2025, attacks in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces killed 33 people and forced about 108,000 people from their homes, the rights group reported. Among the displaced are an estimated 70,000 children, HRW said. "Displaced people in northern Mozambique,…