President: 11 babies killed in fire at Senegalese hospital

TIVAOUANE, Senegal (AP) — Police were on guard and nearby residents and parents stood mourning outside a hospital in Senegal where a fire in the neonatal unit killed 11 newborns. Only three infants could be saved, President Macky Sall said before calling on Thursday for three days of mourning for...

IOM: Up to 600 missing at sea in 3 months in Central Med

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — The International Organization for Migration says up to 600 people attempting to reach Europe by sea from Tunisia and Libya have gone missing during the first three months of 2022, the highest figure since 2014. In the latest tragedy, according to Tunisian...

UN votes narrowly to extend arms embargo on South Sudan

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council voted by a narrow margin Thursday to extend an arms embargo on South Sudan and a travel ban and financial sanctions for targeted individuals for a year. For a resolution to be approved by the 15-member council, it needs at least nine...

Zimbabwe's court raises age of consent for sex to 18 years

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the legal age of consent for sex should be raised to 18 from 16, a judgment welcomed by many in a country where rights groups say teen pregnancies are forcing hundreds of girls out of school. In a ruling...

Congo's M23 rebels attack military base in country's east

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo’s army defended a major military camp in the country’s east on Thursday after days of fighting with M23 rebels making advances in the region. Clashes continued at the Rumangabo base in the Rutshuru area of North Kivu province about 40 kilometers...

Rival Libya leader says he has no plans to rule from Tripoli

SIRTE, Libya (AP) — One of Libya’s rival prime ministers told The Associated Press that he has no immediate plans to rule from the capital of Tripoli, after his attempted move there last week sparked clashes and fears of a return to widespread civil strife. In an interview late...

WHO: COVID-19 cases mostly drop, except for the Americas

LONDON (AP) — The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths are still falling globally after peaking in January, the World Health Organization said. In its latest weekly assessment of the pandemic, the U.N. health agency said there were more than 3.7 million new infections and...

Senegal's president says 11 newborns have died in a fire that broke out in the neonatal unit of a hospital in Tivaouane.

Dozens of Europe-bound migrants missing off Tunisia's coast

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Rescue teams searched Wednesday for dozens of people reported missing after a boat carrying migrants from Libya to Europe capsized off Tunisia's coast. The International Organization for Migration said 30 people were rescued and 75 people were unaccounted for...

Gambia to investigate fugitive ex-dictator Jammeh for abuses

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Gambia’s government is setting up a special prosecutor's office to investigate for severe human rights violations and potentially charge former dictator Yahya Jammeh, who fled into exile in 2017 after 22 years in power. Wednesday's government announcement...