Laborers and street vendors in Mali find no respite as deadly heat wave surges through West Africa

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Street vendors in Mali's capital of Bamako peddle water sachets, ubiquitous for this part of West Africa during the hottest months. This year, an unprecedented heat wave has led to a surge in deaths, experts say, warning of more scorching weather ahead as effects of climate...

9 bodies found adrift in a boat off Brazil were likely migrants from Mauritania and Mali, police say

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Brazilian police investigating the grim discovery of a boat with several decomposing bodies say they were likely African migrants from Mali and Mauritania. Fishermen off Brazil's northern coastal state of Pará found the boat adrift Saturday in the Atlantic...

Mali's junta bans the media from reporting on political activities in a deepening crackdown

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — In a deepening crackdown, Mali’s ruling junta on Thursday banned the media from reporting on activities of political parties and associations, a day after suspending all political activities in the country until further notice. The order, issued by Mali's...

Mali's ruling junta bans the media from reporting on political activities in the country

Mali's junta suspends all political activities until further notice

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali's ruling junta has issued a decree suspending all political activities until further notice, saying it needs to preserve public order, a move that follows last year's decision to call off elections indefinitely. Junta spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga read out the...

In Mali, Russian Wagner mercenaries are helping the army kill civilians, rights groups say

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The Russian mercenary group known as Wagner is helping government forces in central and northern Mali carry out raids and drone strikes that have killed scores of civilians, including many children, rights groups said in reports published this week that span the period from...

Attack on Nigerien forces kills 23 soldiers and underscores continued conflict with militants

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — A militant attack on Nigerien forces in a border region near Mali and Burkina Faso killed 23 soldiers, the defense ministry said Friday. The soldiers were taking part in an overnight clearing operation on Tuesday in the country's west when they were ambushed...

Juntas ruling Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso agree to create a joint force to fight worsening violence

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — A joint security force announced by the juntas ruling Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to fight the worsening extremist violence in their Sahel region countries faces a number of challenges that cast doubt on its effectiveness, analysts said Thursday. Niger's top...

An Italian family of three is back in Rome following two years of captivity in Mali

ROME (AP) — Italy's foreign minister was on hand Tuesday for the arrival in Rome of an Italian family of three just hours after their release from two years of captivity in the African nation of Mali. The family, identified as Rocco Langone, his wife Maria Caivano and an adult son,...

A bus accident in southern Mali has left at least 31 people dead, the government says

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — At least 31 people were killed and 10 others injured when a driver lost control of a passenger bus in southern Mali on Tuesday, the country's government announced. The bus carrying Malians and nationals from the West African subregion was en route to Burkina...