By Africanews with AP Persecuted for being gay and disowned by his family, Assane (not his real name) left Senegal seven months ago for France. As Senegal was tightening anti-homosexuality laws, the pressure and stigma from his own family also became unbearable. Now he’s seeking asylum in France. “It’s been at most six or seven months since I left my country because of my sexual orientation, which my father had found out about,” said Assane. Senegal has enacted legislation doubling the maximum penalty for same-sex relations, making them punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The new law additionally…
Author: Montage Africa
By Rédaction Africanews Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met in Damascus Sunday for a high‑level, three‑way meeting. They were welcomed at the Presidential Palace by Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa. According to Turkey’s state‑run Anadolu Agency, the talks will focus on joint projects to rebuild Syria, and on key regional issues, including efforts to bring northeast Syria more fully under the control of the central government, and the impact of nearby conflicts in Iran and Lebanon. In a post on X, Zelenskyy said he and President al‑Sharaa discussed both the wars in the Middle East and…
Christians in Nigeria’s central city of Jos celebrated Easter Sunday Mass under a pall of fear following a shooting that killed around 30 people a week ago. A large, imposing church situated metres from the site of the Palm Sunday attack was less than half full, as worshippers gathered to mark Easter, the most important festival on the Christian calendar. With the city still under a curfew between 3:00 pm and 7:00 am, streets were largely deserted. There was just one police checkpoint along the road where the church is located, in the Anguwan Rukuba district. The military said it…
By Rédaction Africanews and Euronews Catholic faithful around the world gathered on Easter Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and to share a message of hope. In his first Easter blessing at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV delivered a powerful appeal for peace, urging world leaders to choose dialogue over force. “May those with the power to start wars choose peace—not a peace imposed by force, but a peace built through dialogue; not to dominate others, but to meet them,” he said. Addressing over 50,000 worshippers, the pontiff also cautioned against a “globalization of indifference,” echoing the…
Martha Ongwane looks adoringly at her bouncy, giggling four-year-old, unable to believe that just two years ago she had wanted to kill her. Non-verbal, biting and unable to sit still, her daughter Rachael, who had been diagnosed with autism, had slowly overwhelmed Martha leaving her desperate and depressed. She was shunned by her neighbours in the east African country of Malawi, who blamed her for what Rachael was doing. Martha was told to lock her little girl inside. There was no sympathy, and little understanding of autism and how it should be treated. Martha describes how she had poured poison…
By Rédaction Africanews Palestinian Orthodox Christians gathered at the Greek Orthodox church, St. Porphyrios in Gaza City for a Palm Sunday service. It is the first since a fragile ceasefire was reached in October. “On this day, we ask for peace and love. Our numbers are dwindling this year because of our brothers who were martyred in the church bombing and those who have emigrated in search of a dignified life,” Ehab Ayyad, from Gaza City, said. Worshippers lit candles inside the church in silence and reverence, and the choir members sang during the Palm Sunday service. Gaza’s tiny Palestinian…
By AFP Soaring fuel costs due to US-Israel war on Iran have pushed the Egyptian government to issue a month-long early-closing order. Small businesses are scrambling to adapt. At a roadside cafe in downtown Cairo, Abu Ali was mid domino throw when the lights snapped off under new early-closing orders enacted to curb Egypt’s soaring energy bill due to the US-Israel war on Iran. “I used to stay here until 2:00 am,” the 63-year-old told AFP, tapping his tiles as the street went dark. “Now I’m home by 11 at most, just watching the news. This is not the Cairo…
By Rédaction Africanews with AFP Nigerian troops have rescued 31 worshippers abducted during Easter services in Kaduna state, the military said, following an attack that left several people dead. The operation took place in Ariko, a village about 100 kilometres north of the capital, Abuja, where gunmen had stormed churches during celebrations. Soldiers engaged the attackers in a gunfight, forcing them to flee and abandon dozens of hostages. Authorities said at least five people were killed in the assault, though local church officials reported a higher toll. Caleb Bawa Ma’aji, head of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna, said…
Washington, USA, 03 April 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- Community-built shelters in Niger are enabling mothers to participate in land restoration work by providing shaded spaces for their children, protecting them from extreme heat and environmental hazards. The initiative has led to the construction of 662 shelters across six regions, safeguarding 6,465 children and allowing women to focus on earning income and supporting their families. This practical solution not only improves household livelihoods but also advances women’s economic empowerment, transforming a structural barrier into a pathway for resilience and community development. The Issue: An impossible choice In the sun-scorched landscapes…
The Democratic Republic of Congo has agreed to accept migrants deported from the US who are not themselves Congolese under a deal effective from this month, officials said. The Ministry of Communication said a temporary reception system had been set up, while facilities to accommodate arrivals had been selected in the capital, Kinshasa. “Logistical and technical support” will be provided by the US, the statement on Sunday said, adding that the Congolese government would bear no financial cost for the scheme. The government did not say how many deportees they would accept. The US has already sent deportees to several…