Somalia Faces Hunger Crisis Tunisia Detains Lawmaker

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WFP Warns Somalia Food Aid Could Stop by April Without New Funding

The United Nations World Food Programme cautions that life-saving food and nutrition support in Somalia could be halted by April if new funding isn’t secured, putting millions at risk. Approximately 4.4 million people face crisis-level hunger, including nearly 1 million experiencing severe food shortages. This situation is driven by failed rainy seasons, conflict, and reduced humanitarian aid. The WFP, the largest humanitarian agency in Somalia, has already cut assistance from 2.2 million to just over 600,000 due to funding gaps and has sharply reduced nutrition programs. The agency seeks $95 million to maintain operations between March and August, warning that a halt in support could have severe humanitarian, security, and economic consequences.

Tunisian MP Jailed for Mocking President Kais Saied

A Tunisian court has sentenced Member of Parliament Ahmed Saidani to eight months in prison for a Facebook post mocking President Kais Saied. Critics view this as part of a widening crackdown on dissent. Saidani, formerly a supporter of Saied, had recently become a vocal critic, accusing the president of centralizing power. He was arrested after calling Saied the “supreme commander of sewage and rainwater drainage” and convicted of insulting others through communication networks. The parliamentary vote in which Saidani was elected in late 2022 had very low turnout, occurring after Saied dissolved parliament and dismissed the government in 2021. Since then, Saied has ruled by decree, which the opposition considers a coup. Numerous opposition leaders, journalists, and critics have been jailed since he consolidated power.

Five Miners Presumed Dead After Mudslide at South African Diamond Mine

Five diamond miners who went missing after a mudslide at the Ekapa mine in South Africa’s Northern Cape province are now presumed dead, according to Mining Minister Gwede Mantashe. The miners were trapped more than 800 meters underground during what the company described as a “mud-rush” earlier this week. Efforts have shifted to recovering their bodies. Ekapa Minerals has halted operations and rescue efforts are ongoing. An investigation will determine the cause of the incident. South Africa recorded 41 mine deaths last year, its lowest number on record.

Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s ‘Soumsoum’ Centers Chadian Women at Berlin Film Festival

Chadian director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun says his new film, Soumsoum, the Night of the Stars, is a tribute to women, whom he considers the backbone of Chad’s social fabric. Speaking ahead of the film’s premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, Haroun notes that women carry memory and tenderness in a country shaped by decades of civil war. The film follows 17-year-old Kellou, played by Maimouna Miawama, as she struggles with mysterious powers. She finds a connection with Aya, portrayed by Achouackh Abakar Souleymane, an older outcast protecting cultural traditions. Both actors emphasized the film’s focus on women’s strength and resilience. Soumsoum is competing for the festival’s top prize, the Golden Bear.

Gambia’s FGM Ban Faces Supreme Court Test as Survivors Speak Out

A legal challenge to The Gambia’s 2015 ban on female genital mutilation is set to resume as religious traditionalists seek to overturn it. Despite testimony from survivors describing lifelong pain and trauma, they argue the practice is a religious and cultural right. FGM affects an estimated 73% of Gambian women and girls aged 15 to 49. Activists and health advocates warn it causes severe physical and psychological harm. Survivors and campaigners say repealing the ban would strip protections for girls.

Cameroon Police Detain Journalists Reporting on U.S. Deportees in Yaounde

Police detained a freelance journalist on assignment for the Associated Press and confiscated equipment while they were interviewing Africans recently deported from the United States. The journalist, Randy Joe Sa’ah, and three other reporters were taken to the judicial police after attempting to film the facility where deportees are being held. The equipment has not been returned. Cameroon’s Foreign Affairs Ministry and police declined to comment. The latest deportations brought the total number of deportees in Cameroon to 17.

Lion DNA Used for First-Ever Poaching Conviction in Zimbabwe

DNA from a specific lion has been used to convict poachers in Zimbabwe, marking a global first. Authorities in Hwange National Park matched DNA from lion body parts found with a snare to a blood sample previously taken from the same lion. Two men pleaded guilty and received 24-month prison sentences. The lion’s value was estimated at $20,000. Wildlife groups say the case is a major step in fighting illegal trade.

Rights Groups Urge Senegal to Protect LGBT Community Amid Rising Homophobia

International rights groups are urging Senegal to protect LGBT people after 12 men were arrested on charges of “acts against nature” and intentional HIV transmission. Local media coverage has intensified fear and stigma. Homosexuality is already punishable by up to five years in prison in Senegal.

Burundi Border Closure Strains Life in Eastern DRC’s Uvira

Life in Uvira, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, has slowed as Burundi shut its Gatumba land border post in December. The closure has halted trade between Uvira and Bujumbura, cutting off a key source of food, clothing, medicine, and income. Residents report deaths linked to the loss of access to medical care in Burundi. Families split across both countries are also affected.

Moroccan Court Jails 19 Fans After Chaotic AFCON Final

A Moroccan court has sentenced 19 football fans — 18 Senegalese nationals and one French citizen — to up to one year in prison over hooliganism during last month’s Africa Cup of Nations final. The group was convicted of damaging sporting facilities and committing acts of violence after supporters tried to storm the field in protest of a late penalty awarded to host Morocco.

Malawi Signs Minerals MOU Tied to U.S. Strategic Supply Chain

Malawi has signed a minerals memorandum with U.S.-based Traxys North America and Australia-listed Sovereign Metals Limited to market graphite from the Kasiya rutile-graphite project. Officials say the deal could plug the country into Washington’s critical minerals strategy. Civil society groups are pressing for transparency, local jobs, environmental safeguards, and clearer national benefits.