Trump Expands Travel Restrictions to 15 More Countries, Mostly in Africa
President Donald Trump expanded United States travel restrictions to include an additional 15 countries, most of them in Africa, in a move that is set to further strain U.S.-Africa relations and disrupt travel, education, and business links across the continent. Of the newly added countries, 11 were African: Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The move reflects a growing pattern in which African nations are disproportionately targeted by U.S. immigration controls. The White House said the decision was based on national security concerns related to screening and information-sharing deficiencies. Africa became the region with the largest number of countries under U.S. entry limits. Beyond the newly listed countries, the proclamation maintains full entry restrictions on nationals from 12 previously designated high-risk states: Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Two countries, Laos and Sierra Leone, have been upgraded from partial to full restrictions, while Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela remain under partial limits.
Former DR Congo Rebel Leader Sentenced to 30 Years for Crimes Against Humanity
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A French court 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 torture, inhumane acts, summary executions, rape, sexual slavery, forced labour, and theft linked to the 2002–2003 “Erase the Slate” campaign in eastern DR Congo. Lumbala, who later served in DR Congo’s transitional government and as a member of parliament, was arrested in France nearly five years earlier after fleeing the country and refused to recognise the Paris court, although he appeared to hear the verdict. The case was prosecuted under universal jurisdiction, with dozens of survivors and experts testifying, and human rights groups hailed the ruling as a historic step toward accountability for atrocities committed during a conflict that killed millions.
Report Accuses Sudan’s RSF of Covering Up Mass Killings in El-Fasher
A research team from Yale University accused the Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of trying to cover up mass killings in the city of el-Fasher by burying and burning bodies. The RSF had drawn international condemnation amid reports of executions and crimes against humanity when its fighters captured the city in October. Analysis of satellite imagery suggested the RSF likely disposed of tens of thousands of bodies through a systematic, multi-week campaign to destroy evidence of executions and other crimes against humanity, including killings of civilians trying to flee. The RSF, which had been fighting Sudan’s army since April 2023, did not respond to the report. Its leader had previously acknowledged some violations by his fighters. The UN and human rights groups condemned the violence, warning that the conflict, described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, had left hundreds of thousands trapped in el-Fasher and displaced more than 13 million people nationwide.
Nigerian Air Force Silent After Civilian Deaths in Borno Airstrikes
The Nigerian Air Force remained silent two days after airstrikes reportedly killed civilians on an island in Borno State. It was alleged that its jets mistakenly struck fishermen and commercial drivers around Mararaba in Kukawa Local Government Area. The strikes, believed to have occurred in an area long controlled by Islamic State West Africa Province, destroyed vehicles, injured many people, and left an unknown number of casualties. A security researcher estimated that up to 200 people were affected. Injured victims were taken to a general hospital in Monguno. The Air Force has neither publicly acknowledged the incident nor responded to enquiries, despite assurances issued a day earlier about civilian safety. Borno State officials said they had not received details from the Air Force, as investigations were reportedly ongoing, amid renewed scrutiny of the military’s history of deadly accidental airstrikes in the region.
Popular South African DJ Warras Shot Dead
Former radio DJ Warrick Stock, known as DJ Warras, was shot and killed outside the Carlton Centre in central Johannesburg. Warras was allegedly inspecting a building guarded by his security company when a passing vehicle opened fire on him after he stepped outside. Police said the victim was approached by three unknown suspects after parking his vehicle and was shot before the attackers fled on foot. The motive is still unknown, and no arrests have been made. Tributes poured in from friends and public figures, including businessman Rob Hersov, who described Warras as loving and compassionate, as news of the killing spread rapidly across social media.
