Dozens of migrants are missing after an overcrowded boat carrying more than 200 people capsized off the coast of Gambia on New Year’s Eve, prompting an urgent search-and-rescue operation involving emergency services and local fishermen. The tragedy underscores the deadly risks faced by African migrants attempting the perilous Atlantic route to Europe in search of better opportunities.
Category: INTERNATIONAL
International News / Items from Around the World
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
U.S. strikes Venezuela, says its leader has been ‘captured’ and flown out of the country
Legal experts are examining military action taken by the United States in Venezuela on Jan. 3 to determine if the “capture” of the country’s president and first lady can be legally justified. The two are said to be in U.S. custody to face charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy and weapons charges in New York.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Structural inequality undermines Jamaica’s schools
Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. This week he highlights that curriculum reform efforts falter without intentional, culturally grounded curriculum implementation leadership.
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
Central African Republic’s incumbent president, a Russian ally, eyes a third term in key elections
Voters in the Central African Republic went to the polls Dec. 28 in wide-ranging national elections, with incumbent President Faustin Archange Touadéra favored to secure a third term after consolidating power and relying on Russian-backed security forces. Analysts say his likely victory would further entrench Russia’s political, security and economic influence in the conflict-scarred country amid a weakened and divided opposition.
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
Guineans vote in first election since 2021 coup with junta leader likely to win
Guineans cast ballots on Dec. 28 in the country’s first presidential election since the 2021 coup, with junta leader Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya widely expected to win amid a weakened and sidelined opposition. The vote follows a controversial transition that expanded presidential terms and allowed military leaders to run, even as poverty, food insecurity and concerns over civil liberties persist.
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
Nigerian villagers are rattled by US airstrikes that made their homes shake and the sky glow red
Residents of the Nigerian village of Jabo described panic, fear and confusion after U.S. airstrikes targeting alleged Islamic State-linked militants lit up the sky and shook homes on Christmas night, despite no reported civilian casualties. Nigerian officials say the strikes were coordinated with the U.S., but analysts warn that a lack of transparency has left villagers feeling vulnerable amid an expanding and complex security conflict.
Posted inOpinion
COP30 and G20: Good tidings of a way forward
Angelique Walker-Smith reflects on the historic hosting of the G20 in Africa and COP30 in Brazil as moments of inclusive global engagement that elevate the voices of Indigenous, African and Afro-descendant communities most impacted by climate change and economic inequity. While acknowledging unfinished negotiations, she offers cautious hope that new frameworks like the Gender Action Plan and the Mutirão Decision signal a more just economic and environmental path forward—if backed by sustained investment and commitment.
Posted inCOMMUNITY
Resilient Neighborhoods: Senegalese immigrants find community of support in West Detroit
For immigrants from Senegal, Detroit’s religious communities are a source of spiritual grounding and practical support. The westside of Detroit has become a destination that many Senegalese now call home.
Posted inNational News
Anxiety grows in Trinidad and Tobago as U.S.-Venezuela conflict escalates
As U.S.-Venezuela tensions escalate, Trinidad and Tobago has been drawn into the conflict, with citizens worried that their country’s alignment with Washington could put them in harm’s way. Two Trinidadians were reportedly killed in one of the U.S. strikes, and locals fear the fallout could affect the nation socially, economically and politically.
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
Trinidad and Tobago will open Caribbean nation’s airports to US military as Venezuela tensions grow
By Anselm GibbsThe Associated Press PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — The government of Trinidad and Tobago said Dec. 15 that it would allow the U.S. military to access its airports in coming weeks as tensions build between the United States and Venezuela. The announcement comes after the U.S. military recently installed a radar system at the […]
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
AP report details widespread sexual violence allegations amid Mali conflict
An Associated Press investigation details allegations of rape and other sexual assaults in Mali involving a new Russian military unit known as Africa Corps, as well as abuses committed by militants and other armed actors in the conflict. Aid workers and the U.N. say sexual violence is widespread but severely underreported because of fear, stigma, and limited access to medical and legal support.
Posted inINTERNATIONAL
UN aid coordination agency cuts appeal for 2026 to $33B after lowest annual support in a decade
By The Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.’s humanitarian aid coordination office is downsizing its appeal for annual funding in 2026 after support this year, mostly from Western governments, plunged to the lowest level in a decade. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Dec. 8 it was seeking $33 […]