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Dutch police arrest 3 suspects over unrest in western Amsterdam

World /

Dutch police arrested three people suspected of causing unrest in Amsterdam following last week’s clashes between Israeli fans and pro-Palestinian demonstrators ahead of a soccer match. Police officers pursued groups of people who lobbed stones at them, the daily Het Parool reported late on Monday. Several parked cars were damaged in the unrest, while some groups launched fireworks, erected barricades, and set fire to an empty tram in the city’s western part. The three suspects were arrested in those areas, Het Parool reported. A wave of violence erupted before and after Maccabi Tel Aviv’s match against Ajax late last Thursday, causing widespread outrage, with reports of Israeli fans fighting bystanders, vandalizing property, and setting a Palestinian flag alight. Videos shared widely on social media depict Maccabi fans not only vandalizing private property but also attacking a local taxi driver and even confronting law enforcement officials. Amsterdam authorities imposed a three-day ban on demonstrations last Friday, with over 60 arrests made.

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13 Killed in mine collapse in Nigeria

Africa /

At least 13 people were killed when a mining site collapsed in the Plateau State, northcentral Nigeria. Joshua Riti, a government official in the state, told Anadolu on Tuesday that the victims were aged between 18 and 30 and belonged to the Bassa Local Government Area. The collapse occurred on Saturday at the borders of Bassa, Jos South, and Jos North Local Government Areas, where these young individuals sought to earn a living in the mining pit, he added. Recently, 22 miners died when a mining pit collapsed at an illegal site located within a national game reserve that spans the Gashaka Local Government Area in Taraba State and the Toungo Local Government Area in Adamawa State.

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Haiti’s new prime minister sworn in amid surge in violence

Africa /

Haiti’s newly appointed interim Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, was sworn in on Monday as violence surged in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Shortly after his inauguration, gunfire erupted at Toussaint Louverture International Airport, where armed gangs targeted a Spirit Airlines flight arriving from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Shots fired at the plane struck a flight attendant, who suffered minor injuries, according to reports from Spirit Airlines and the U.S. Embassy. The flight, originally scheduled to land in Port-au-Prince, was diverted to the Dominican Republic and landed safely. In response to the escalating violence, some airlines have temporarily suspended flights to Haiti due to security concerns. During his inauguration, Fils-Aimé emphasized the urgent need for security, stating, “The first essential task that will determine the success of the transition is to re-establish the security of people, property and infrastructure, food security, and freedom of movement throughout the country.” Fils-Aimé, a prominent businessman and former president of Haiti’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, assumes office at a particularly turbulent time for the country. The transitional council overseeing the restoration of democratic rule has recently faced allegations of corruption against three of its members, further hindering efforts to stabilize the government. Fils-Aimé’s appointment follows his 2015 Senate campaign and studies at Boston University. He was previously considered a private sector candidate for interim prime minister before the role was held by Garry Conille.

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15 Chadian soldiers killed in clashes with Boko Haram

Africa /

At least 15 Chadian soldiers were killed and 32 injured in weekend clashes between government forces and the Boko Haram terrorist group in the country’s Lake Chad region, the military said Sunday. In a statement, the military said 96 terrorists were neutralized and 11 injured in clashes on Saturday. The military recovered more than 100 weapons while six boats were destroyed, it added. Boko Haram is in disarray and defense and security forces involved in the operation continue to hunt down the group’s remnants, the military said. The injured soldiers were rushed for treatment to the capital N’Djamena. The incident came weeks after President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno launched an operation against the terrorist group following an attack last month on a military base in Lac province that killed 40 soldiers. Earlier on Sunday, Deby expressed his “sincere condolences to the families of the martyrs who died defending the homeland during the clashes” and wished the wounded a speedy recovery. “Following clashes between Chad’s security forces and a group of terrorists from the Boko Haram sect, I would like to salute the bravery of our valiant soldiers who fought a heroic battle that annihilated the group that ventured into our territory,” the president said in a message. Last month’s attack targeted a defense and security forces base in the Barkaram area in Lac near Ngouboua, a town located around 480 kilometers (298 miles) northwest of N’Djamena. Following the attack, Deby led an operation dubbed Haskanite to track down the assailants. He withdrew from the frontline on Saturday, according to the President’s Office. Deby reaffirmed that Operation Haskanite via “air, sea and land continues to track down the last elements of this evil sect.” Chad has been battling an insurgency in the Lake Chad region, where government forces regularly clash with terrorist groups, including Boko Haram.

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Somali cabinet fires army chief, reappoints predecessor

Africa /

Somalia’s cabinet ministers on Saturday dismissed armed forces chief Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow, appointing Maj. Gen. Odowaa Yusuf Rageh in his place. The cabinet made the change during an emergency meeting in Mogadishu amid rising political tensions in the Horn of Africa nation. Rageh, who previously served as army chief from 2020 to 2023, led operations against al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s “all-out war” on the group.  According to the Prime Minister’s office, Rageh’s reappointment aims to “speed up the defense of the country and eliminate the Khawarij groups,” a term the Somali government uses to refer to al-Shabaab terrorists who had been fighting the government and AU peacekeepers since 2007. The reshuffle comes as tensions between Somalia’s federal government and several regional states escalate over an election timetable dispute.  This week, Jubaland announced it had severed ties with the federal government, becoming the second state to do so, following Puntland’s decision in August. Despite opposition from two regional states and former presidents, the Somali presidency recently announced an agreement to hold direct elections in 2025, the first in 56 years, with votes for parliament members and state presidents planned for September of that year.

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Three Australian mining executives arrested in Mali

Africa /

Three executives from an Australian gold miner have been taken in police custody in Bamako, Mali to be questioned in a case of alleged forgery and damage to public property, people familiar with the matter confirmed. Terry Holohan, managing director of Resolute Mining Ltd., was detained by the Malian junta, a source at the Justice Ministry told Anadolu. Holohan and two other company executives were arrested on Friday, said the same source, requesting anonymity. Two officials from the Mines Ministry did not wish to communicate on the situation when contacted by telephone. The executives of Resolute, which owns 80% of the shares in the Syama gold mine in the country’s southwest, are being questioned as part of an investigation into alleged forgery and damage to public property. Accusations were firmly refuted by a company official, who also requested anonymity. Foreign companies that dominate the mining sector have recently borne the brunt of increased efforts to control the sector by the military regime. Four employees of the Canadian company Barrick Gold were detained for several days in September. Barrick Gold had reached an agreement with the state and had paid 50 billion CFA francs ($81 million) in October. But the transitional government said the gold producer had not kept its commitments. The increased pressure exerted on foreign companies coincides with the strategic pivot made by the junta towards Russia, ending defense agreements with former colonial ruler France. Since seizing power in 2020, Mali’s military leaders have vowed to ensure a more equitable distribution of mining revenues. In May, Australian group Firefinch said it would transfer all its shares in the Morila gold mine, as well as its mining rights in the West African country to Sorem, a state-funded company founded in 2022, for a symbolic one dollar. Despite being one of the leading gold producers in Africa, the Sahel nation is also one of the poorest countries in the world.

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Egypt, Malaysia agree to work towards cease-fire in Gaza, Lebanon

Africa /

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced Sunday that he and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim share a commitment to working toward achieving a cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon. During a press conference at the presidential palace in Cairo marking 65 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Sisi highlighted that he and Anwar agreed to increase cooperation in the coming period. The discussions covered regional and international issues, with both leaders emphasizing the need to pursue efforts to halt the violence in Gaza and Lebanon and to enable the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Sisi noted that over the past year, Egypt has been dedicated to reducing the severe impact of death and hunger in Gaza and aims to prevent the region from facing even wider instability. He also emphasized that the two-state solution remains the only viable path to resolving the crises in the region, calling for a Palestinian state to be established alongside Israel. Anwar indicated his intention to strengthen bilateral ties with Egypt, particularly in trade, investment, education, culture and scientific research. He expressed his concerns over Israel’s blockade on humanitarian aid to Gaza, describing it as part of a broader campaign of violence. Pointing to Israel’s disregard for the United Nations and UN Security Council resolutions, Anwar said Israel should face consequences, including possible expulsion from the UN. Invited by Sisi, his visit to Egypt runs from Nov. 9-12. In a joint statement, the countries announced their intention to strengthen relations by increasing high-level visits.  They agreed on the importance of promoting peace and security in the region, condemning the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and calling for an immediate cease-fire to address the suffering there. Additionally, they underscored the need to maintain Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

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Affi N’Guessan named FPI candidate for 2025 election

Africa /

Former Ivorian Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan was named the candidate for the Popular Ivorian Front (FPI) in the upcoming 2025 presidential election on Saturday. At a congress held in Yamoussoukro, the political capital of Ivory Coast, N’Guessan was re-elected president of the FPI with an overwhelming 99.34% of the vote from approximately 4,500 delegates. The FPI is the party of former President Laurent Gbagbo, and N’Guessan assumed its leadership during Gbagbo’s trial at The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity. N’Guessan previously ran for president in both 2015 and 2020, losing to incumbent Alassane Ouattara in both elections. In 2020, he rejected the election results and was briefly arrested on charges of attempting to establish a “parallel government.” Among his key policy proposals are the abolition of the Senate and the restoration of presidential term limits. Ouattara, who won a controversial third term in 2020, has not yet announced whether he plans to seek re-election for a fourth term.

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Global leaders convene in Baku for COP29, seek climate solutions

Africa /

 The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) commenced in Baku on Monday, bringing together world leaders, policymakers, and activists with a renewed commitment to address intensifying climate crises. Running until Nov. 22, the event will focus on urgent discussions around global warming, climate adaptation, and sustainability. With extreme weather events on the rise and average global temperatures reaching unprecedented levels, COP29 presents a crucial platform for advancing solutions. “COP29 will bring together leaders from governments, business, and civil society to advance concrete solutions to the defining issue of our time,” the UN noted, emphasizing the need for collaboration to combat the escalating impacts of climate change. A primary focus at this year’s conference is climate finance. The UN highlights the need for trillions of dollars to assist nations in significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions while building resilience against climate-driven threats. “A key focus of COP29 will be on finance, as trillions of dollars are required for countries to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect lives and livelihoods from the worsening impacts of climate change,” the organization stated. Established in 1992, the UNFCCC treaty arose from the initial findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), with the goal of stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations to prevent severe human-driven disruptions to the climate. Since its inception, the UNFCCC has underpinned global climate agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 and the Paris Agreement in 2015. The convention’s 198 member countries meet annually to assess progress and negotiate collective responses to the climate crisis. This year’s conference in Baku promises a renewed emphasis on actionable commitments and innovative funding mechanisms to drive global progress.

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