A fourth group of 200 Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti to combat gang violence, joining over 600 already deployed as part of a U.N.-backed multinational force that includes Jamaica, Guatemala, and El Salvador. This follows a U.S. freeze of $13.3 million in aid under President Donald Trump’s broader foreign assistance cuts. However, mission commander Godfrey Otunge reassured that this amounts to less than 3% of total funding, with continued U.S. and international support. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed Washington’s commitment, as gangs now control 85% of Port-au-Prince amid worsening violence.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on Friday gained control over areas south of GIAD Industrial City, 45 km from Khartoum, steadily advancing toward the capital. SAF secured El Tekeina, El Maseed, and El Noba, reinforcing their push after reclaiming Wad Madani in El Gezira last month. Fierce battles continue at Jebel Aulia Bridge, while SAF seized Saria Industrial Complex in southwest Khartoum. They also took Wadi El Akhdar in northeast Khartoum and aim to advance toward Soba Bridge. In White Nile state, still occupied by the RSF, Sudanese warplanes struck Naima village amid ongoing resistance.
The U.N. Human Rights Council condemned Rwanda’s support for M23 rebels in eastern Congoon Friday, ordering a team of experts to investigate rights violations. The resolution, requested by Congo, passed by consensus amid escalating violence that has killed 3,000 people since January. The council demanded an end to Rwanda’s military aid and called for humanitarian access in the region. U.N. experts estimate 4,000 Rwandan troops back M23, prompting Secretary-General Guterres to urge mediation. Congo’s minister accused Rwanda of war crimes, while Rwanda’s envoy cited security threats from armed groups linked to the 1994 genocide as justification for its actions.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday announced he would cut all funding to South Africa and launch an investigation into its new land expropriation law, claiming it leads to human rights violations against white people. Posting on Truth Social, he alleged land confiscation and mistreatment of certain groups. The South African government refuted the claims, stating no land had been seized and the law aims to address historical injustices from apartheid. President Cyril Ramaphosa insisted South Africa “will not be bullied.” Trump’s ally Elon Musk previously accused the government of being anti-white, though experts link farm attacks to high crime rates.
Egypt on Friday, along with Arab nations like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, has firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza. Trump suggested moving Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan while the U.S. would take control of Gaza and transform it into a luxury destination. However, Arab leaders insist on a two-state solution with a sovereign Palestinian homeland alongside Israel. Egypt called the forced displacement of Palestinians a violation of international law and a threat to regional stability. Despite internal debates on response strategies, Egyptian leadership, including President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, remains united against the plan.
The Netherlands this week officially requested the extradition of convicted cocaine smuggler Jos Leijdekkers from Sierra Leone, despite the lack of an extradition treaty between the two countries. Leijdekkers, one of Europe’s most wanted fugitives, has reportedly found refuge and protection in Sierra Leone, where he is known under the alias “Umar Sheriff.” Sierra Leone’s police have expressed willingness to cooperate with Dutch authorities and international law enforcement, with raids conducted in search of Leijdekkers. Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel hopes for swift action, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration in combating organized crime.
Britain on Wednesday denied media reports suggesting that payments to Mauritius for retaining a U.S.-British military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean could rise from £9 billion ($11.29 billion) to £18 billion. Stephen Doughty, the foreign office minister, dismissed the claims as “categorically untrue,” stating there was no change in the terms of the agreement. In October, Britain agreed to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining a 99-year lease for the base. However, Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has questioned the deal, and there are concerns that the lease payments could increase due to inflation protections.
The UN reports at least 700 people killed and 2,800 injured in intense fighting in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, since Sunday, as M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, captured the city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. The rebels are advancing towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu. The ongoing conflict, rooted in the 1990s, has escalated recently, with M23 seeking minority rights, while the DR Congo government accuses them of aiming to control the region’s mineral wealth. The fighting has worsened the humanitarian crisis, with over 400,000 displaced since 2025, and humanitarian supplies severely restricted.
Uganda this week begin a trial for a Sudan strain Ebola vaccine following an outbreak that killed one person and infected two others. The first participant, currently in isolation, received the vaccine developed by the International Aids Vaccine Initiative. Unlike the approved vaccine for the Zaire strain, no vaccine exists for the Sudan strain, which has a 40% fatality rate. Uganda’s health ministry and WHO are overseeing the trial, vaccinating 40 contacts of the first victim while monitoring 234 individuals. If successful, this vaccine will enhance global health security against future outbreaks, following Uganda’s 2022 outbreak that claimed over 70 lives.
Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has ordered the military to prepare for withdrawal from DR Congo’s SAMIDRC peacekeeping mission after 20 peacekeepers, including three Malawians, were killed when M23 rebels captured Goma. Chakwera said the decision supports ceasefire efforts, though fighting continues. South Africa, leading the mission, has vowed to keep its troops until at least December. Meanwhile, M23 rebels advance south, seizing Nyabibwe in South Kivu. Their leader, Corneille Nangaa, addressed crowds in Goma despite an arrest warrant for war crimes and treason.
