Desi Mag » Africa

Haiti capital earthquake death toll ‘tops 150,000′

Tash — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:27:25 +0000

Haiti’s devastating earthquake has risen above 150,000 in the Port-au-Prince area alone, a government minister has said.

Many more remain uncounted under rubble in the capital and elsewhere, including the towns of Jacmel and Leogane.

The search for survivors has officially ended and the focus has shifted to aid.

An estimated 1.5 million people have been left homeless.

Tash — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:49:02 +0000

LONDON, ENGLAND

Saharan activist faces court

Tash — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:01:05 +0000

Aminatou Haidar has been refusing food at Lanzarote’s airport since Sunday after being expelled by Morocco from the disputed territory.

She is protesting at Spain’s refusal to let her return to Western Sahara.

Morocco controls most of the Western Sahara but Algerian-based separatists want a vote on independence.

Ms Haidar was held by Moroccan authorities on Friday when she arrived in Western Sahara’s main city, Laayoune – where she lives – on a flight from the Canary Islands.

She was then sent back to the islands without her Moroccan passport.

She has accused Spain of holding her against her will by not letting her return to Western Sahara, but Spanish officials says she cannot leave without a passport.

They say she was allowed into Spain because she has a Spanish residency permit.

On Monday, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos urged her to be calm while Spain tried to resolve the issue.

Germany arrests top Rwanda rebels

Tash — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:55:18 +0000

Two Rwandan militia leaders on suspicion of crimes committed in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo have been arrested!

Ignace Murwanashyaka, the leader of the FDLR rebel group, and his aide Straton Musoni were held on suspicion of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

FDLR leaders fled to DR Congo after the Rwanda genocide in which some 800,000 people – mostly ethnic Tutsis – died.

The FDLR’s presence in DR Congo has been at the heart of years of unrest.

The arrests come as UN peacekeepers continue to help the Congolese army battle the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda).

The operation has been underway since January but the FDLR remains active.