🔅 Trump Claims Congolese Prisoners Are Flooding the US & Niger Gives US Military the Boot
Plus, West and Central Africa's Internet Outage: A 5-Week Fix
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Trump's Claims of Congolese Prisoners Flooding the US Border: Fact or Fiction?
You know what they say: you can’t believe everything you hear, especially when it comes from former President Donald Trump. His latest claim that “the Congo” is emptying its prisons and sending violent criminals to the US border as migrants have been shut down by both the DRC and the neighbouring Republic of Congo.
In fact, they’re calling him out for spreading false information and damaging their countries’ reputations. So let’s set the record straight: Is there any evidence to support Trump’s claims? Nope. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Zippo. And that’s not just according to media databases, but also human rights organizations who have weighed in on the matter.
Zambia Born, Wales Raised: Meet the First Black Politician to Lead a European Country
Move over white male politicians. There’s a new leader in town. Vaughan Gething has been announced as the next First Minister of Wales, making him the first black politician to lead a European country, ever. Gething, who was born in Zambia to a Welsh vet and a chicken farmer, has spoken about his experiences with racism and hopes to combat prejudice in Wales.
His family moved to Dorset when he was two, but an offer for his father's new job was withdrawn when he arrived with a black family. Despite this, Gething returned to Wales to study law and has been a member of the Welsh parliament since 2011.
Niger Gives US Military the Boot
Niger has pulled the plug on its military agreement with the US, sending American security interests in the region into a tailspin. This means US personnel and defence staff can no longer operate from Niger, a central hub for US military operations in Africa's Sahel region.
The decision came after a visit from top US officials, who apparently didn't follow diplomatic protocol or give Niger a heads-up about their arrival. Oops. This is a major blow to the US, which had 650 personnel working in Niger and a major drone base there that cost over $100 million. Their presence was aimed at targetting ISIL and al-Qaeda fighters across the Sahel.
The US delegation also apparently accused Niger of secretly working with Russia and Iran, even threatening action against Niger if they didn't cut ties with the two countries. The comment was not appreciated, and now, they have been given the boot.
Niger has been under military rule since July 2023, when President Mohamed Bazoum was detained, and General Abdourahamane Tchiani declared himself ruler.
West and Central Africa's Internet Outage: A 5-Week Fix
Imagine going five weeks without scrolling through your favourite social media feed. That's the reality for many in West and Central Africa, thanks to damaged subsea cables causing widespread internet outages.
And the repairs? They're not exactly a quick fix. Ghana's communications regulator estimates it will take at least five weeks before everything is back to normal. That's a lot of time for banks, mobile networks, and communities to suffer. Turns out, the damage may have been caused by some seismic activity on the seabed. This isn't the first time Africa's internet has been disrupted—just last month, three lines were severed in the Red Sea.
Food for Thought
“Be a mountain or lean on one."
— Somali Proverb