Africa

Death toll in Mozambique from Cyclone Chido rises to 45

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The death toll in Mozambique from Cyclone Chido has risen to 45, officials said Wednesday. Luisa Meque, chairperson of the National Disaster Risk Management Institute (INGD), said the storm has also left 500 people injured and destroyed around 35,000 homes in the northern provinces of Niassa, Nampula and Cabo Delgado, which have suffered massive destruction. “Much as the storm has calmed down, there is a likelihood that the number of fatalities is going to rise, as we are still assessing the extent of the damage,” Meque said. Around 2.5 million people are said to be affected by the cyclone, she added. According to Louise Eagleton, UNICEF Country Representative in Mozambique, around 90,000 children have been “worst affected” by the cyclone. “Almost in all the affected communities, there are growing numbers of affected children. These are children who are struggling to find sustenance and shelter. Children are bearing the blunt of the cyclone. The current situation in the country is heart-rending,” Eagleton said. On Wednesday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) disbursed $4 million in an emergency response to the cyclone. In neighboring Malawi, according to the country’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), the death toll has reached 13 and 45,000 people in five districts of the southern region have been rendered homeless. On Dec. 15, Tropical Cyclone Chido made landfall in Mozambique, bringing strong winds, thunderstorms and heavy rainfall exceeding 250 millimeters (9.84 inches) in 24 hours. The cyclone then moved to Malawi.

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Tragic stampede at funfair in Nigeria leaves several children dead

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Several children tragically lost their lives in a stampede on Wednesday at a funfair in southwestern Nigeria, authorities confirmed. The incident occurred at the Islamic High School in Basorun, Oyo State, near Lagos. Security personnel responded promptly to the scene, and the event organizers were arrested, according to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde. “Earlier today, a tragic event occurred at the Islamic High School Basorun, where a family-oriented event was taking place. Sadly, a stampede at the venue resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries. This is a deeply sorrowful day,” Governor Makinde said in a statement. He expressed condolences to the families of the victims, stating, “We extend our sympathies to the parents whose joy has been turned to mourning due to this tragedy.” Nigeria’s national emergency services have deployed a team to assist the victims, and injured children were taken to local hospitals. Parents were urged to check for missing children. Videos from the scene showed a large crowd of mainly children watching as some were carried away from an open field. Local media identified the event organizers as the Women In Need Of Guidance and Support Foundation, which had also hosted a similar event for children the previous year. The foundation was preparing to accommodate up to 5,000 young people at this year’s gathering, offering prizes such as scholarships and other gifts, according to reports from Oyo-based Agidigbo FM. Governor Makinde announced that an investigation into the cause of the stampede has been launched, and vowed that anyone found responsible, either directly or indirectly, would be held accountable.

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Ghana’s supreme court clears path for Anti-LGBTQ bill

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In a significant blow to the LGBTQ community in Africa, Ghana’s Supreme Court has dismissed two cases challenging the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, paving the way for the president to sign the highly controversial bill into law. The ruling marks a key step toward the enactment of what is considered one of the continent’s most restrictive anti-LGBTQ laws. All seven judges on the Supreme Court panel rejected petitions filed by broadcast journalist and lawyer Richard Dela Sky and academic Amanda Odoi, who had sought to block the bill. The bill, passed by Ghana’s lawmakers earlier this year, criminalizes same-sex relationships, with penalties of up to three years in prison for individuals identifying as LGBT, and five years for those involved in forming or supporting LGBT groups. President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose term ends in January, had delayed signing the bill pending the outcome of the Supreme Court challenge. However, the court ruled that the case could only be reviewed once the bill had been signed into law. Despite international criticism from human rights organizations and the United Nations, the bill has garnered support from Ghana’s political leadership, including opposition leader and incoming president, John Mahama. Odoi and Sky expressed their disappointment with the court’s decision and indicated they would review their options after studying the full judgment. If the bill becomes law, further legal challenges are anticipated.

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Sudan slams EU sanctions on 2 army generals

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 Sudan has condemned a decision by the European Union to impose sanctions on two army generals, describing the move as “flawed and defective.” The EU on Monday added four Sudanese individuals to its sanctions list for “threatening the peace, stability and security of the country.”  The individuals include director of military intelligence Gen. Mohamed Ali Ahmed Sabir, and former National Intelligence and Security Service chief Salah Abdallah. Two others are commanders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Fighting is ongoing between the Sudanese army and the RSF in the country since April 2023. The Sudanese Foreign Ministry in a statement on Wednesday condemned the EU sanctions on the two army generals, saying the decision is “baseless” and reflects the EU’s “flawed and defective approach” on the ongoing conflict. It urged the 27-member bloc to reverse its decision, review its approach in dealing with what’s going on in the country, and take “a positive stance” toward supporting Sudan in confronting “aggression and terrorism.” The fighting has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and displaced over 14 million people, according to estimates from the UN and authorities.

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Libya agrees to form unified government

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Representatives of Libya’s parliament and High Council of State announced a preliminary agreement Wednesday to form a unified government and establish special committees to address contentious issues. The deal was disclosed by House of Representatives member Sara Al-Sweih at a news conference following the first day of meetings in the city of Bouznika in northern Morocco. The discussions, which began Wednesday and are set to conclude Thursday, aim to resolve Libya’s political crisis. Al-Sweih said the two bodies agreed to form a joint committee to reevaluate the criteria for sovereign appointments, establish a candidate application process and outline a selection mechanism. Morocco previously hosted six rounds of talks with Libyan factions, culminating in a January 2021 agreement on the allocation of sovereign positions. It has also been a venue for discussions on Libya’s electoral laws and diplomatic visits from Libyan officials. The deputy head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Stephanie Koury, announced the formation on Sunday of a technical committee of Libyan experts to prioritize steps toward forming a unified government with broad consensus. The efforts are to pave the way for presidential and parliamentary elections to end a political deadlock between two rival administrations — the eastern-based government led by Osama Hamad, appointed by the House of Representatives in 2022, and the UN-recognized Government of National Unity under Abdul Hamid Dbeibah operating from Tripoli in the west.

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