Four Sentenced to Death for Deadly 2022 Nigeria Church Attack
A Nigerian court has sentenced four men to death for the 2022 attack on St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. Forty-one worshippers were killed and more than 100 others injured when they opened fire at the St Francis Catholic church in the town of Owo during a Pentecost service. The court in Abuja also sentenced the men to 20 years in prison for belonging to a terrorist group. Judge Emeka Nwite said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt through witness testimony, including survivors who identified some of the attackers. The defence said it would appeal the ruling. A fifth accused person was acquitted due to insufficient evidence. The case comes as Nigeria continues to face rising insecurity and repeated attacks linked to extremist groups.
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WHO Says DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Improving but Challenges Remain
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is showing signs of improvement, but significant challenges remain in testing, surveillance, vaccine development and building community trust. After visiting the DRC, he said what he saw gave him hope. Tedros said cases have dropped. Tedros said 344 cases have been confirmed in the DR Congo, including 60 deaths. Meanwhile, the number of suspected cases has been reduced from over 1,000 last week to 116 as teams work through the backlog. Three Ebola treatment centres are now operating in Ituri's capital, Bunia, with a capacity of 80 beds. Treatment units also have been established in five other regional cities, and more are on the way. While no vaccines or therapeutics currently exist to treat the outbreak, WHO and partners are working to advance clinical trials as quickly as possible.
Senegalese President Names New 30-Member Cabinet
Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has appointed a new 30-member government amid political tensions with his party, Pastef, which initially threatened to boycott the process over disagreements on cabinet composition. Pastef, led by former prime minister Ousmane Sonko, said it would not participate, citing disagreements over the cabinet's composition, but five of its members ultimately appeared on the final list. The new lineup includes no senior allies of Sonko, deepening divisions between the president and his former close political partner, who has since taken a powerful role in parliament. The reshuffle comes as Senegal faces a financial crisis linked to misreported debt and ongoing negotiations with the IMF, adding further uncertainty to the country's political and economic outlook.
Sudanese Women Bear Heavy Burden as War Deepens, Says UNFPA
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has described parts of the capital, Khartoum, as a "ghost town" teeming with burnt buildings and darkness; however, people are coming back to it because no one wants to stay indefinitely inside displacement camps. UNFPA deputy executive director for management, Andrew Saperton, said that during his recent visit to Sudan, he saw "a country trying to come back to life, even as the war continues." He said that Sudanese women continue to "carry their homeland on their shoulders" as they seek to secure a decent life for themselves and their children, despite the ongoing war and insecurity that hang over the country. Recent violence has left thousands of women and adolescent girls without access to emergency obstetric care and clinical care for rape cases. In March, UNFPA supported 83 health facilities in 16 states, providing sexual and reproductive health services to 62,200 people and GBV prevention and protection services to more than 102,000 individuals. UNFPA has appealed for $129.2 million. To date, only 29 per cent of the required funding has been secured, leaving a $92 million funding gap to meet urgent health and protection needs across Sudan.
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Zimbabwe Wins Non-Permanent Seat on UN Security Council
Zimbabwe has won a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council after securing 182 votes out of 191 cast during elections at the UN General Assembly. The country will serve a two-year term from January 2027 alongside Trinidad and Tobago, Portugal and Austria. The Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, including conflict resolution and peacekeeping operations. Zimbabwe's election is being seen as a major diplomatic success, reflecting strong international support for its role in global peace and security discussions. As a non-permanent member, Zimbabwe will help shape debates and decisions on international crises, although it will not have veto power.
