Greenland, Denmark, US to Sign Arctic Security Deal

By Al Mayadeen English

Greenland, Denmark, and the US are set to sign an Arctic and North Atlantic security agreement next week at the UN General Assembly.

Greenland, Denmark, and the United States expect to sign an agreement next week strengthening security in the Arctic and North Atlantic region, according to a statement from the Danish prime minister's office. The three governments are set to sign the deal on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, though it will still need to pass through parliamentary procedures before entering into force.

The agreement reportedly resolves a months-long diplomatic dispute triggered by US President Trump's repeated threats to take control of the mineral-rich Danish territory, which he argued was vulnerable to rivals including Russia and China given its strategic location.

Trump had at points threatened military action to seize Greenland, drawing sharp criticism from Denmark and other NATO members.

What each side says the deal includes

Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the agreement comes at "no cost to the United States" and grants Washington "permanent control over security, and all other needs" in Greenland.

He said it also bars any US adversary from maintaining a military presence or making sensitive investments in Greenland without Washington's express written approval.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen confirmed the deal would strengthen shared security across the Arctic and North Atlantic, benefiting both NATO and Europe, while stressing that it "recognizes the Kingdom's sovereignty and territorial integrity and the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination."

She did not directly address the specific US control Trump described in his social media post.

Greenland's government chairman, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said in a statement that "it is encouraging that we are close to concluding an agreement" that safeguards security for Greenland, Denmark, the US, and the broader Western alliance, adding that it reflects Greenland's interests and its place in international cooperation.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the agreement a "historic deal," saying it represents a major win for the United States and that it "permanently and completely addresses our national security concerns in Greenland."

Months of US threats strained NATO cohesion

Trump revived long-standing US interest in acquiring Greenland after taking office in January 2025, and the pressure escalated sharply roughly a year later. In December 2025, he appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy to Greenland, with Landry saying his goal was "to make Greenland a part of the US," a move Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called unacceptable, prompting Copenhagen to summon the US ambassador.

By early January 2026, Trump told reporters he wanted to revisit the matter "in 20 days," deepening fears in Copenhagen of an imminent US move. Frederiksen warned that any US military action against Greenland would represent an attack on a NATO ally, saying, "If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops."

On January 14, 2026, Trump wrote on Truth Social that "NATO should be leading the way for us to get it," adding that Greenland's incorporation into the US was needed for the "Golden Dome" missile defense program and that "anything less than that is unacceptable."

Days later, on January 17, he announced a 10% tariff on Denmark and seven other European countries. Trump repeatedly declined to rule out using military force to take the territory, prompting Denmark, the UK, France, and Germany to deploy additional troops to Greenland and to begin treating the United States as a potential security threat for the first time in the alliance's history.

Trump ultimately reversed course on January 21, 2026, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, pledging not to use force or tariffs to annex the territory.

44 Years on Sabra and Shatila: Activists Vow to Keep Resisting

By Rasha Reslan

As the sky wept over Sabra and Shatila, survivors, victims’ families, and international activists gathered in a heart-piercing vigil, refusing to let the memory of the massacre fade into history.

Four decades after the massacre, activists from Italy, Argentina and international solidarity movements gathered at the Sabra and Shatila cemetery, linking the memory of those killed to the harrowing genocide still unfolding across Palestine, Lebanon and the wider region.

Rain fell over the entrance of the Sabra and Shatila cemetery as mourners and activists made their way toward the graves, some weeping beneath the gray sky. The passage into the cemetery carried the weight of 44 years of memory, as if the people massacred here had never truly left the place.

Their names, their killings, and the grief of their families remain embedded in the site, where international activists joined Palestinians and Lebanese to mark the 44th anniversary of the massacre.

A memory inseparable from the present

But for those who traveled from abroad, the commemoration was not simply an act of looking back.

It was a declaration that memory remains inseparable from the present.

For Italian activist Caterina Mari, the responsibility to remember Sabra and Shatila has been passed from one generation to the next. She recalled Italian journalist Stefano Chiarini, who repeatedly visited Lebanon and helped bring attention to the cemetery and its victims.

"Now in Italy we take the testimony," Mari told Al Mayadeen English. "As young people we have the obligation to do that."

She said that obligation is also connected to the complicity of Western governments in supporting "Israel".

Same bloodied hands 

Mari argued that international activists gathering at Sabra and Shatila are not there to dictate how Palestinians should live, but to stand alongside those resisting oppression.

"The Palestinians and all the oppressed people in the world, they must choose by themselves," she told Al Mayadeen English. "We are not the people that come here and say how to live."

For Mari, the connection between Sabra and Shatila and the Israeli aggression across West Asia today is direct.

"The perpetrators are always the same," she said, pointing to Western governments that support "Israel".

"And the massacre here is the same massacre that happened today. Because it's the same hands."

She added that activists must go beyond commemorating the victims.

"We, as a testimony, have to stop all of this," Mari said. "Not only to march, but to stop all of this."

'More important than ever'

Eulalia Millaret, an Italian activist with the organization Don't Forget Sabra and Shatila, said the passage of time has made remembrance more urgent rather than less relevant.

"It's more important than ever right now," she stressed.

For Millaret, remembering Sabra and Shatila also means remembering the victims of subsequent massacres.

"We will never forget, not only Sabra and Shatila, but all the massacres that have been going on during all these years," she told Al Mayadeen English, referring to the Israeli genocide in Gaza as well as Israeli aggression in Lebanon, most notably in south Lebanon, Beirut and the capital's Southern Suburb.

"And we will never forget any of these massacres and any of the people that have lost their lives, any of the martyrs," she added.

A joint call for severing ties with 'Israel'

Millaret said international activists are also working in their own countries to pressure governments to sever relations with "Israel".

"We try to fight always with the same message, to pressure our governments to stop any kind of relationship with the genocidal state of Israel," she said.

She linked the continuation of aggression to the persistence of Israeli occupation.

"Because Israel still exists. That's the main problem. The occupation is still ongoing," Millaret emphasized.

In Millaret's view, activists would continue supporting resistance in both Palestine and Lebanon.

From Gaza to Sabra and Shatila

For Vincenzo Fullone, an Italian activist with the Freedom Flotilla, arriving at Sabra and Shatila was part of a wider effort to stand with Palestinians.

Fullone told Al Mayadeen English that he had participated in the latest Freedom Flotilla mission toward Gaza aboard the Conscience and was abducted by "Israel" for five days at Ketziot.

He recalled demanding the release of Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya and urged people not to forget Palestinian medical workers.

"Please, don't forget Hussam. Don't forget the doctors of the children," he pleaded.

Fullone added that when activists are prevented from reaching Gaza, their solidarity does not stop.

"We are in Lebanon today because if they block us toward Gaza, we arrive in Sabra Shatila because the Palestinian is here too," he said.

For him, the Palestinian presence in Lebanon is itself part of the story of forcible displacement and continuing occupation.

"The Palestinian is in a refugee camp," he said. "The Palestinian is under genocide in Lebanon."

"Free Palestine"

Asked what message international activists were sending by gathering at the cemetery, Fullone responded simply, "Free Palestine!"

He said activists should learn from Palestinian resistance rather than speak on behalf of Palestinians.

"We learn the resistance from Palestinian people," he said. "To learn the resistance because the West forgets the resistance."

Fullone also drew a direct line between the massacre commemorated at the cemetery and the current regional Israeli aggression unfolding today across West Asia.

"It's the same mind. The same terrorists," he stressed.

He pointed to the continued Israeli occupation and incursions in Palestinian cities and territories, as well as Lebanon, saying, "They occupy Palestine in Ramallah. They occupy Palestine in Jenin. They occupy Palestine in Gaza. They occupy Palestine in Lebanon."

Memory as an act of resistance

For Argentine activist Lissandro Brusco, the gathering was rooted in the idea that people retain the memory of massacres and transform that memory into political action.

"Because the people have memory, because the people choose to resist," Brusco told Al Mayadeen English when asked why activists continue to gather at Sabra and Shatila 44 years later.

He described the gathering of Palestinians, Lebanese and international activists in Beirut as a refusal to forget the massacre or reconcile with those he holds responsible.

"We do not forget, we do not forgive, we do not reconcile," Brusco said.

His message extended beyond commemoration.

"The message for all of us is not to resign, to follow the path of the struggle," he said, pointing to Palestinians as well as people in Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon.

A struggle extending beyond Palestine

Brusco framed the present struggle as extending beyond Palestine, describing it as a confrontation involving North American imperialism and the Israeli colonial entity.

"Today is the message precisely of not forgetting to continue the struggle," he affirmed.

For him, the significance of the anniversary therefore lies not only in remembering those massacred in 1982, but in carrying their memory into the present.

"Not only to vindicate and make a commemorative act, but to continue this struggle," Brusco said.

Forty-four years later

As the rain continued around the cemetery, the anniversary brought together people whose lives and backgrounds stretch far beyond Beirut, activists from Italy, Argentina and international solidarity movements standing alongside Palestinians, Lebanese, Iranians, Iraqis and Yemenis.

Their political positions differ in language and emphasis, but their interviews converge on one point: Sabra and Shatila remains, for them, a living memory rather than a closed chapter.

The cemetery has become a place where remembrance meets activism, where the victims of 1982 are remembered alongside those killed in subsequent genocides.

Forty-four years on, Sabra and Shatila remains more than a memory for those who return each year. The voices of survivors, the memory of those killed, and the testimony of activists keep the massacre in the public record, drawing a line between a tragedy remembered and genocides still being documented today. For those gathered at the cemetery, remembrance is not an endpoint; it is a demand that the victims not be forgotten and that history not be allowed to repeat itself.

Saudi Airstrikes on Yemen Reach 300 This Week: Yemeni Armed Forces

By Al Mayadeen English

18 Sep 2026 22:49

Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Yahya Saree says Saudi warplanes carried out 26 airstrikes on Yemen in 24 hours, bringing the weekly total to 300.

Saudi warplanes carried out 26 airstrikes with F15 aircraft over the past 24 hours, spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced on Friday.

Saree said the strikes "took off from Khamis Mushait Air Base and targeted Taiz province" south of the capital, Sanaa, noting that the total number of airstrikes carried out this week reached 300, using F15 and Typhoon aircraft that took off from Khamis Mushait and Taif bases and targeted the provinces of Taiz, Hajjah, Marib, Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda, Amran, Al-Hudaydah, and Saada.

The Yemeni Saba News Agency reported that "Saudi forces carried out artillery shelling targeting the border districts of Shada and Al-Dhaher west of Saada province in northern Yemen."

Earlier on Friday, Saree announced "the foiling of criminal attempts in the capital, Sanaa, carried out by the Saudi enemy with a Daesh-style imprint," warning, "They will not pass without a response."

Sanaa is confronting the Saudi campaign, with the Yemeni Armed Forces engaging in clashes with Saudi-backed forces in several provinces after carrying out preemptive strikes against their field deployments, and also targeting vital facilities inside Saudi territory.

Saudi airstrikes kill and wound civilians across Yemen

Earlier, on September 17, Saudi warplanes carried out 37 airstrikes across Yemen within 24 hours, killing and wounding several civilians, Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced.

According to Saree, Saudi F-15 fighter jets took off from the Khamis Mushait Air Base before striking several locations in the governorates of Taiz and Hajjah.

Saba News Agency reported that two of the strikes hit the al-Barh Bridge in the Maqbana district, west of Taiz Governorate. Two other airstrikes targeted the city of Abs in Hajjah, damaging four vehicles.

The Saudi attacks also hit three telecommunications towers across Taiz Governorate. The targeted facilities were located in the al-Dhikra and al-Hawban areas of al-Taiziyah district and the al-Rahida area of Khadir district.

The strikes come amid a renewed Saudi military escalation against Yemen and ongoing confrontations between the Yemeni Armed Forces and Saudi-backed forces across several governorates.

Saudi Arabia seeks ceasefire with Yemen through Oman

A senior source told Al Mayadeen on September 17 that Saudi Arabia has asked Oman to approach Ansar Allah over a proposed two-week truce, during which talks would be held on resolving Yemen's humanitarian file.

According to the source, Riyadh indicated that an agreement addressing the humanitarian situation in Yemen would be announced during the proposed ceasefire period.

The development comes amid renewed military escalation in Yemen, as the Yemeni Armed Forces continue to confront Saudi-backed forces across several governorates.

Commenting on the development, Al Mayadeen's Yemen bureau chief Abdullah al-Farah said Saudi Arabia's move reflects Riyadh's resort to mediation after failing to establish alliances against Sanaa.

'Super El Niño' Deepens Hunger Crisis in South Sudan - WFP

Gabriela Vivacqua/WFP

Mothers receive nutritional supplements for their children at a refugee settlement in Northern Bahr el Ghazal in South Sudan.

15 September 2026

UN News Service

The already dire hunger crisis in South Sudan is becoming increasingly critical as violence, extreme weather and dwindling aid leave millions without enough food, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday.

Key points

7.8 million South Sudanese face high levels of acute food insecurity.

El Niño is already threatening farming output.

Sudan's war is driving more refugees and returnees into South Sudan.

Funding shortages and access constraints threaten life-saving food assistance.

"Conflict, displacement, economic hardship, climate shocks, and the situation in neighbouring Sudan are all converging to push millions of people deeper into vulnerability" just as humanitarian resources are starting to run out, said Matthew Hollingworth, WFP Assistant Executive Director for Programme Operations.

Some 7.8 million people, or more than half of the country's population, struggle to find enough food each day, while 2.2 million children and 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding mothers require urgent nutrition support, he told reporters in Geneva.

October deadline

A further million vulnerable people could lose access to life-saving food and nutrition assistance by October without additional resources.

After returning from a visit to the country last week, Mr. Hollingworth insisted that the impact of the "super El Niño" is already immediately clear in South Sudan; even the most fertile agricultural areas have been affected, with crops failing and low yields due to drought.

Beyond South Sudan itself, the regional impact of extreme weather is also being felt in neighbouring Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya, causing a "bigger effect on food security in the entire area", the WFP official warned.

El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern that typically occurs every two to seven years, when waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific become unusually warm, with impacts on rainfall and temperature patterns thousands of miles away. This year, El Niño is developing as the oceans are already exceptionally warm. Earlier this month UN chief António Guterres said that the phenomenon is "being supersized before our eyes".

War in Sudan

Over the border in Sudan, the proximity of what UN humanitarians have called the world's worst hunger and displacement crisis is making the dire situation even worse.

Each week, the country sees the influx of 3,000 refugees and South Sudanese who were formerly refugees in Sudan, "looking for safety, looking for food, looking for water, looking for shelter", Mr. Hollingworth said.

The WFP official spoke of meeting women, children and older people in Renk, Upper Nile State, South Sudan, last week, who had "travelled for days, sometimes weeks on foot" to escape fighting between Government and opposition forces, arriving exhausted and hungry "into communities that are already struggling significantly to feed themselves and look after themselves".

Access challenges continue to compound the crisis. Aid and commercial food transported along the River Nile "face illegal checkpoints and illegal taxation by soldiers across the entirety of the journeys that they take," increasing operational costs and slowing down the delivery of assistance.

Illegal levies

In Upper Nile State's capital Malakal, Mr. Hollingworth noted, "if a family is eating something other than tomatoes, okra, chilies and onions that are grown locally, anything else they are eating has been flown into Malakal" as it is too expensive to bring it in by road or by barge, including because of the illegal taxes that have to be paid along the way.

"This is starting not just to raise costs, it's starting to be a cost in terms of people's lives," he concluded.

Read the original article on UN News.

Nigeria: Veteran Actor Olu Jacobs Dies At 84

Premium Times

Legendary Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs dies.

16 September 2026

Vanguard (Lagos)

Veteran Nigerian actor and film executive, Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died at the age of 84.

His son, Olusoji Jacobs, announced his death in an Instagram post on Wednesday.

"It is with gratitude to God for a life well lived and fought, that we announce the passing of our dear husband, father, grandfather and uncle. The Lion of Lufodo," he wrote.

He added: "We call on all bloggers and social media influencers to respect our family's privacy at this time."

Olu Jacobs was one of Nigeria's most prominent veteran actors, with a career spanning theatre, television and film.

Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, Jacobs began his career in British television and later featured in several international productions before returning to Nigeria, where he became a major figure in the country's film industry.

He went on to star in numerous Nigerian films and became widely recognised for his commanding performances, earning several industry honours, including the Industry Merit Award at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Africa International Film Festival.

Jacobs was also a film executive and, alongside his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, was involved in the Lufodo Group and the development of performing arts in Nigeria.

Read the original article on Vanguard.

Hundreds Rally at Turkey’s Embassy in Uganda to Demand a Dissident’s Extradition

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA

9:04 AM EDT, September 18, 2026

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Hundreds of Ugandans demonstrated outside the Turkish Embassy on Friday to demand the extradition of a dissident whose online activities are seen by local authorities as anti-government propaganda.

The dissident, Fred Lumbuye, has lived for years in Turkey, but his legal status there is unclear. His posts about Ugandan politics are viewed by thousands, giving him a unique platform and influence not available to critics at home.

The rally outside the Turkish Embassy in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, was called by the Patriotic League of Uganda, a group whose chair is military chief Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

“We have gathered here today not as enemies of Turkish people but as patriots of Uganda who are deeply disappointed,” said Fadil Twalla, the group’s secretary-general. "(Lumbuye) is based in Turkey and has continued to use the territory to attack our national leadership.”

Lumbuye is wanted in Uganda over allegations relating to harmful propaganda, incitement and cybercrimes, Twalla said. It was not possible to get a comment from Lumbuye.

Kainerugaba, the eldest child of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has railed against Turkish authorities for months. His previous plans for a rally at the embassy were repeatedly postponed as diplomats tried to resolve the issue.

Kainerugaba, in posts on X, earlier this year demanded $1 billion from Turkish authorities as well as that country’s “most beautiful woman” to escape the threat of severing diplomatic ties or closing the embassy.

Kainerugaba has emerged in recent months as Uganda’s de facto leader, perhaps even more powerful than the 82-year-old Museveni. Kainerugaba says he will seek the presidency in 2031, when Museveni’s current term expires, and the Patriotic League of Uganda is currently mobilizing signatures of Ugandans in a symbolic show of support for Kainerugaba’s presidential ambitions.

Uganda’s issues with Turkey also extend to tensions in the Horn of Africa nation of Somalia, where Ugandan peacekeepers for years have backed the weak federal government against al-Shabab militants, said Angelo Izama, an analyst with the Uganda-based Fanaka Kwawote think tank.

Turkey has become more influential and a more desirable security partner for Somalia, Izama said. Uganda is expected to withdraw all its troops from Somalia by August 2027.

2 Suspects Killed in Shootout as Police Rescue Kidnapped British Woman in Malawi

9:35 AM EDT, September 18, 2026

BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) — Two suspects were fatally shot Thursday in a police operation in Malawi that rescued a British woman who was kidnapped last week, authorities said.

The woman, 47-year-old Nusrat Osman, is safe and has been reunited with her family in the southern African country, Malawian police said in a statement.

Police initially said Thursday that four suspects were killed in the operation. But Inspector General Richard Luhanga, the head of the Malawi police, said Friday that two suspects were killed. No explanation was given for the change, but police said they are still searching for two other suspects.

They said the suspected kidnappers, who were armed with an AK-47 rifle and a pistol, were killed in a shootout with police. A senior Malawian police officer was wounded and was in stable condition in a hospital, the Malawi Police Service said.

Osman, a mother of two young children who reportedly works for an auditing firm in Malawi, was abducted around lunchtime on Sept. 11 in the southern city of Blantyre. British media have reported that she is originally from the city of Leicester.

Malawi police said at the time they were looking for four men who had used a gray car to kidnap her.

Authorities had offered a reward of about $17,000 for information leading to Osman’s rescue and the arrest and conviction of the kidnappers. The motive was not clear, police said.

Nigerian Police Use Tear Gas During Protests over the Deaths in Custody of 37 Miners

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

3:27 PM EDT, September 18, 2026

MINNA, Nigeria (AP) — Police in central Nigeria fired tear gas Friday at crowds who gathered to protest the deaths of 37 miners while in custody on illegal mining charges, with activists disputing the official line that they may have died of a disease outbreak.

The deaths are under investigation. The civil defense corps said the miners, who were arrested earlier this week on suspicion of mining illegally, had died as a result of a suspected illness and that their bodies were sent to a hospital for examination. However, survivors told The Associated Press the detainees were packed in a poorly ventilated cell and suggested the victims died of suffocation.

The protesters claimed the miners were killed in retaliation for earlier attacks by some miners on officers. The government suspended the commandant of Niger state’s civil defense corps on Friday.

“It is an unfortunate incident,” Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said in a statement. “However, a full investigation will be conducted while the commandant under whose watch this happened remains suspended.”

The state government imposed a 12-hour curfew starting from 6 p.m. on Friday following attacks by some of the protesters on other residents.

Dozens of young people, including miners and their relatives, gathered near the civil defense corps’ office in Minna, the capital of Niger state. Police cordoned off the area and attempted to disperse the protesters by firing tear gas canisters.

“There will be no attempt to shield anyone found culpable. At the same time, we mustn’t prejudge the outcome of the investigation,” Minister of Information Mohammed Idris said.

Illegal mining is a serious problem in Nigeria, where analysts say it funds activities of armed groups, some of whom control the mines.

West African Scientists Warn of Weakening Health Systems and Urge Stronger Outbreak Detection

By ERICK KAGLAN

6:38 PM EDT, September 18, 2026

LOME, Togo (AP) — West African laboratory scientists called on governments Friday to strengthen capacity to detect disease outbreaks to avoid another major outbreak, saying health systems across the region are becoming weaker.

The scientists issued their warning in Togo’s capital, Lome, where they have gathered this week to discuss the region’s level of preparation for disease outbreaks and dependence on vaccines from Western countries.

They said governments in the region have to cooperate to strengthen disease detection and invest in diagnostic capacities, citing lessons from Ebola and COVID-19 outbreaks that the region has grappled with in the past decade.

Between 2014 and 2016, an Ebola outbreak killed at least 11,000 people across West Africa, overwhelmingly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

“We need to anticipate these outbreaks,” said Kossi Kabo, the head of the Association of Medical Biologists of Togo and a co-chair of the congress. “We shouldn’t wait for an epidemic to emerge somewhere before responding. By then, it would be too late.”

Africa as a whole remains at risk for outbreaks. The rare Bundibugyo virus has killed over 3,600 people among nearly 7,500 cases in Congo since mid-May, when Congolese authorities announced a fresh deadly Ebola outbreak. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the tolls are likely three times the official figures and the outbreak is already history’s fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak. The virus spread without detection for several weeks. Also, Hantavirus was detected on a cruise ship that docked in the Atlantic off Cape Verde in May.

Scientists are worried that in the absence of a major outbreak threatening the region, maintenance of the health systems has waned, leaving them unprepared for potential future epidemics.

How Africa’s Biggest Cities are Grappling with Mounting Waste and Shrinking Space

By MICHELLE GUMEDE

7:50 AM EDT, September 18, 2026

JOHANNEBURG (AP) — Two men sit on top of a hill at the end of a narrow road in Johannesburg ’s industrial suburb of Kya Sands. But the hill is no natural feature — it is a mountain of illegally dumped trash, piled so high it now swallows the road beyond.

“When I started as a ward councilor in 2021, this mountain was very small. I could even drive my vehicle down this road,” municipal councilor Devon Steenkamp told The Associated Press. “It’s now quite a high, big mountain; there are always constant fumes.”

The mound is only the edge of a dumpsite that mushroomed after the municipal landfill reached capacity and closed in 2010. Adjacent to it, waves of waste spread across a valley as smoke rises and trucks unload more trash.

Johannesburg’s mounting waste problem reflects a broader challenge across Africa. Rapidly growing cities, including Lagos, Dakar, and Accra, are generating waste far faster than many municipalities can collect, recycle, or safely dispose of it.

Africa’s urban population is projected to double by 2050 to 1.4 billion people, according to a joint report last year by the OECD, African Development Bank, Cities Alliance and United Cities and Local Governments of Africa.

The United Nations Environment Program estimates that more than 90% of waste generated in Africa is disposed of at uncontrolled dumpsites and landfills, often with associated open burning. The World Bank projects that waste generation in sub-Saharan Africa will increase by 124% between now and 2050 — the fastest growth of any region.

Over 2,000 illegal dumping hot spots

In Johannesburg’s densely populated Alexandra township, goats forage through piles of household waste as residents navigate sidewalks strewn with plastic, food scraps, and construction debris.

Local resident Linda Makole, 75, is especially concerned about children, many of whom live in one-room homes and rely on sidewalks and a few parks for space to play.

“Small children can’t possibly be healthy living in this environment,” Makole told the AP. “Weekly, my landlord takes all his tenants’ garbage in a van and goes to dispose of it,” she said. “I don’t know where he dumps it.”

Pikitup, the city’s waste company, has identified more than 2,000 illegal dumping hot spots and allocated 115 million rand ($6.4 million) in 2025/26 to tackle the problem.

Some residents said their garbage went uncollected for up to four weeks. The Johannesburg Crisis Alliance has blamed the disruptions on labor disputes, financial constraints, and an aging fleet.

Unreliable waste collection has driven demand for informal waste haulers.

“If the municipality is not collecting the general waste, then of course people are going to phone anybody with a truck to come and collect,” said Carmen Jordaan, who co-runs Whole Earth Recycling.

Jordaan said that legal disposal required registration and landfill fees, prompting some informal haulers to dump waste illegally in areas like Kya Sands.

US Deportees to Equatorial Guinea Were Arrested and Beaten by Police, Lawyers Say

The Bamy Hotel, where migrants are held, is seen on April 22, 2026, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. (AP Photo/Monika Pronczuk, File)

By MONIKA PRONCZUK

3:51 PM EDT, September 18, 2026

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Two men deported by the United States to Equatorial Guinea were arbitrarily arrested after police covered their heads with a bag, beat them and held them at gunpoint in a hotel-turned-detention center, their lawyers and rights groups said on Friday.

Ahmed Soliman, an Egyptian national, and Samson Birhane from Eritrea are among over 40 people who have been deported by the United States to Equatorial Guinea, a small oil-rich state in central Africa. Lawyers said they believed their arbitrary arrests were retaliation for the men raising alarm about the conditions of their detention and the police violence they had endured.

The two men are being held in a hotel on the outskirts of Malabo that the country’s longtime President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has turned into a prison for asylum seekers sent from the U.S. under an opaque $7.5 million deal with the Trump administration. Earlier this year, The Associated Press obtained exclusive access to the hotel.

The Trump administration has deported thousands of people to nearly two dozen countries other than their own under a series of obscure agreements. Advocates say the transfers are part of a broader U.S. crackdown to deter immigration.

U.S. judges had protected most of those deported to Equatorial Guinea from being returned to their countries of origin. Nevertheless, 12 people have been sent back to their countries of origin, according to their lawyers, including four Ethiopians earlier this month.

Those who remain in detention at the Bamy Hotel have faced violence from authorities, who tried to confiscate everyone’s phones, their lawyers said.

“Over the past months, we have observed escalating cases of police violence,” said Isabella Mosselmans, director of the Global Strategic Litigation Council, an organization which is part of a coalition representing the individuals detained in Malabo. “On July 31, masked Equatorial Guinean police officers broke into a number of the hotel rooms of five people (...) and grabbed them by the neck and tackled them to the ground and handcuffed them and threatened them at gunpoint.”

The authorities tried to pressure Soliman and Birhane to agree to be returned to their countries, their lawyers said, and tried to take away their phones. Videos of Soliman protesting against the treatment by the authorities and being held at gunpoint by a police officer in the hotel have been published in international media.

Police arrested Soliman and Birhane on Sept. 11, accusing them of breaking a mirror. Officers later brought the men back to the hotel with bags over their heads and beat them in front of other detainees, according to the lawyers.

The lawyers for Soliman and Birhane said they have not been able to reach the two men since the authorities took them to La Luna police station. Both the men had lived in the United States for decades before being deported.

“Amnesty International believes that the police officers targeted them in reprisal for reporting the authorities’ violent threats to coerce them to agree to return to their countries of origin,” the rights group said in a statement on Friday. “Since then, the two men have been held in an overcrowded police cell, in inhumane conditions, unable to speak to their lawyer.”

Immigration lawyers say the Trump administration uses deportations to third countries as a legal loophole to indirectly force asylum seekers back to their countries of origin. Equatorial Guinea is one of at least eight African nations to have entered into such an agreement with the United States.

Equatorial Guinea is one of Africa’s richest countries because of its oil resources, but U.S. officials say it is also plagued by corruption and human rights abuses.

Critical voices are almost nonexistent in the country, where rights groups and the U.S. State Department have accused the government of detaining, torturing and even killing people who speak out.

U.S. companies are among the country’s largest foreign investors, and the military receives U.S. funding for training.

___

This version has been edited to correct the name of the Global Strategic Litigation Council.

Sudan Says It Does Not Want War With Ethiopia Amid Rising Tensions

A map showing Sudan and its neighbouring countries.

17 September 2026

Addis Standard (Addis Ababa)

Addis Ababa — Sudan does not want to go to war with Ethiopia despite what it describes as an increasingly "hostile position from Addis Abeba", Gen. Malik Agar, deputy head of Sudan's Sovereignty Council, said on Wednesday.

His remarks come amid heightened tensions along the Sudan-Ethiopia border and allegations from Sudanese military officials that Ethiopia has allowed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied forces to launch drones from its territory. Ethiopia has previously rejected such accusations as baseless.

Ethiopian election 2026 On Monday, Sudan's army chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Yasser al-Atta, accused Ethiopia of seeking to exploit Sudan's war to seize border territory and allowing RSF drones to operate from Ethiopian territory. The allegations followed drone attacks in Sudan's Blue Nile state, which borders Ethiopia.

The two countries have longstanding tensions over their border, including the disputed al-Fashaga agricultural area.

Amnesty International reports Agar said Sudan does not want the conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, to develop into a wider regional war. He stressed that preserving Sudan's territorial integrity and national unity remained a "red line."

He also said Sudan's war requires both political and military approaches, while reiterating the army-aligned government's position that the country should have a single national army.

Political commentary subscription Addis Standard has reported repeated accusations by Sudanese officials that Ethiopia has provided support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), allegations Addis Ababa has previously denied. Separate investigations by Reuters and the Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) have also reported evidence pointing to alleged Ethiopian support for the paramilitary group.

On 3 September 2026, Addis Standard reported, citing Sudan Tribune, that Abdelati Mohamed El Faki, commissioner of Kurmuk, accused the RSF of operating four training camps inside Ethiopian territory, allegedly with backing from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). El Faki claimed the camps were being used to train RSF fighters and foreign mercenaries, as well as support drone operations and logistical activities.

Ethiopian news updates Sudan Tribune said it could not independently verify the allegations. Ethiopia has previously rejected accusations that it facilitates arms transfers or training for the RSF, while the UAE has repeatedly denied providing military support to the group.

On 24 August, Addis Standard reported that Sudan's Defense Ministry said it had shot down a "hostile" drone over the Kurmuk area of Blue Nile State, near the Ethiopian border, alleging that it had been launched from Ethiopian territory. Ethiopian authorities did not immediately respond to the allegation at the time.

Ethiopian election 2026 The reports come amid intensified fighting across Sudan, including in Blue Nile, Darfur and Kordofan, as the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) continue their conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Sudanese authorities have repeatedly accused the RSF of carrying out drone attacks against military positions and civilian infrastructure. The RSF has generally rejected such accusations, saying its forces are acting to protect civilians.

Amnesty International reports The Blue Nile region, particularly areas around Kurmuk near the Ethiopian border, has witnessed renewed fighting as the conflict spreads across Sudan. The latest allegation also adds to previous claims by Sudanese officials linking alleged RSF drone operations to Ethiopian territory.

Earlier, on 9 April 2026, Addis Standard reported on findings by Yale HRL alleging Ethiopian military support to the RSF. The report, published on 8 April and based on satellite imagery and open-source data collected between late December 2025 and late March 2026, said it had found "high confidence" evidence of activity consistent with military assistance by Ethiopia to the RSF at an Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) base in Asosa, Benishangul-Gumuz.

Ethiopian news updates According to Yale HRL, the findings constituted visual evidence that the RSF was basing attacks on Sudan's Blue Nile State from inside Ethiopian sovereign territory. The report also said the alleged activity was taking place within an active ENDF installation and involved an armed group it described as being credibly accused of genocide, raising concerns over possible violations of UN Security Council Resolution 1591, which imposes an arms embargo in relation to the Darfur conflict.

Ethiopian election 2026 In February 2026, Reuters reported that Ethiopia was allegedly hosting a training camp for fighters linked to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), citing multiple diplomatic, security, and government sources--claims that pointed to a possible deepening of regional involvement in Sudan's ongoing civil war. Ethiopian authorities have not publicly responded to the allegations.

The Reuters investigation based on interviews with 15 sources--including Ethiopian officials, diplomats, and security personnel--as well as satellite imagery analysis, said the camp was located in the remote Benishangul-Gumuz region near the Sudan border. According to the report, the facility could serve as a recruitment and training site for RSF fighters as hostilities continue in Sudan.

Reuters further reported that eight sources, including a senior Ethiopian government official, alleged that the United Arab Emirates financed the construction of the site and provided logistical and training support. However, the news agency said it could not independently verify the UAE's involvement. In response, the UAE's foreign ministry denied any role in the conflict, stating that it was not a party to hostilities in Sudan.

Read the original article on Addis Standard.

Congo-Brazzaville: Congo's Ebola Epidemic May Have Gone Undetected for Months

WHO Africa

Democratic Republic of the Congo declares Ebola virus disease outbreak in Kasai Province

18 September 2026

Deutsche Welle (Bonn)

By Jean-Michel Bos

The deadliest Ebola outbreak on record in the Democratic Republic of Congo may have begun months before it was first declared in May.

The Democratic Republic of Congo officially declared the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo variant on May 15. However, the first infections likely occurred much earlier.

Just how far back the start of the epidemic actually goes is still a matter of debate. But one thing is certain: Congolese authorities did not respond in the best possible way, with several international organizations highlighting delays in the initial response.

Congo is no stranger to crisis response. The country experiences Ebola outbreaks on a regular basis, and has in the past been praised for its expertise in combating the disease.

Early warnings came from WHO, Africa CDC 

A good starting point for tracing the origins of the outbreak is the timeline provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

According to their data, the first known case, identified retrospectively, was a health worker from Mongbwalu in northeastern Ituri Province. The person, sources said, developed symptoms characteristic of Ebola around April 24 or 25.

They died at a medical center in Bunia, the capital of Ituri. To date, 80% of all cases have been reported in the province.

It wasn't until May 5 that the WHO said  it had been informed of "an unknown illness with high mortality reported in Mongbwalu Health Zone." The global health body then issued its first warning.

Congo's delayed response questioned as Ebola spread

Ten days later, on May 15, the Congolese government announced the Ebola outbreak.

Tests conducted by the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa had confirmed the presence of the rare Bundibugyo type of Ebola.

Three days later, the Africa CDC raised concerns about the speed of Congo's response.

About three weeks had passed between the onset of the first symptoms in the suspected index case and the laboratory confirmation — even though the fatality was a health worker.

"This significant delay [...] highlights a critically low initial index of clinical suspicion among local healthcare providers, which facilitated wider geographic spread prior to the initiation of containment efforts," the Africa CDC concluded.

According to reports gathered by DW, residents of Mongbwalu had already reported suspicious deaths as early as the end of April.

"Several deaths were reported following high fevers, and the victims often showed traces of blood around various body orifices," said Dieudonne Lossa Dekhana, the provincial coordinator for civil society in Ituri.

Red Cross reported 'widespread' public fear 'since March 30'

There were other indications that Ebola was already circulating long before the emergence of this first confirmed case.

A May 16 report by the Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo stated: "Since March 30, 2026, there has been widespread fear among the population of the Mongbwalu Health Zone following a series of deaths."

Here, too, the symptoms matched those of Ebola: high fever, chest pain, severe exhaustion, persistent cough, nosebleeds, vomiting, loss of consciousness, a comatose state and ultimately death.

The Red Cross report said the trigger was believed to have been the body of a Mongbwalu resident "who died and was placed in a coffin purchased in Bunia, which was then replaced by another in Mongbwalu."

US researchers: February outbreak is plausible

The funeral that brought various people into direct contact with the body and the contaminated coffin is believed to have been the cause of a rising number of infections and deaths that were subsequently observed in Mongbwalu and Bunia.

But from the data available, it is not possible to confirm without doubt that these deaths were related to the Bundibugyo virus. However, they show that an unusual health phenomenon had already been observed more than six weeks before the outbreak was officially declared on May 15.

In addition, investigations since May 15 have come to support the thesis that Ebola might have been circulating even earlier than that.

In a study published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on June 11, a team of researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reconstructed the early course of the epidemic.

An initial transmission from an animal to a human, or spillover, between mid- and late February is "plausible," the researchers concluded.  A late-April spillover, on the other hand, would be difficult to reconcile with the scale the epidemic had already reached at the time of the study.

WHO: Genome sequencing suggests February outbreak

On August 10, Mohamed Janabi, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, said genome sequencing analyses suggested the outbreak likely began "as early as February 2026."

Several early infections were mistakenly attributed to diseases that were far more common in the region, particularly malaria and typhus, he said.

In an August interview, Janabi told DW that there was a significant gap in case reporting. "The Ebola situation is catastrophic... In three months, we only had access to one-third of the patients," he said.

Could 'pig Ebola' shed some light on the matter?

Jules Villa, a researcher in the anthropology and ecology of disease emergence at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, points to a phenomenon observed in the connection with previous Ebola epidemics.

Villa's study does not encompass the 2026 outbreak, but takes stock of local reports collected during earlier Ebola outbreaks in northeastern Congo.

Villa shows that livestock farmers, veterinarians and residents had reported unusually high animal mortality even before the outbreak of at least two Ebola epidemics in humans.

In 2017, several witnesses reported on what they called "pig Ebola" — a high mortality among pigs, which was ultimately attributed to swine fever.

According to Villa's research, monitoring livestock in the general population could provide the first useful warning signs long before an outbreak is confirmed by a laboratory.

This article was originally written in French.

Russia Immediately Declared in 2022 That Events in Bucha Were Provocations — MFA

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova recalled that after the falsification, Bucha became a "place of pilgrimage" for Western leaders, heads of international organizations and Western journalists

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Sergey Bulkin/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Sergey Bulkin/TASS

MOSCOW, September 17. /TASS/. Russia in 2022 immediately declared that the events in Bucha were a provocation and disinformation, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

She recalled that after the falsification, Bucha became a "place of pilgrimage" for Western leaders, heads of international organizations and Western journalists.

"Russia immediately stated that this is a provocation, that this is a false, misleading story, when obvious fakes are being spread," she said at a TASS press conference devoted to the presentation of the report of the International Public Tribunal on the crimes of Ukrainian neo-Nazis, which exposes the falsification of events in Bucha.

As Zakharova noted, Moscow immediately contacted international organizations to report the provocation and to state outright that it was clearly orchestrated and was evolving into a full-blown information campaign.

On March 30, 2022, as a gesture of goodwill amidst negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, the Russian Armed Forces withdrew from the area around Kiev, including Bucha. The head of the local administration confirmed this on camera on March 31. Several days later, though, Western television outlets released footage showing – in contrast to earlier recordings – bodies lying on the streets, allegedly of people killed by Russian troops. In Russia, a criminal case has been opened regarding the provocation, specifically concerning the dissemination of knowingly false information about the Russian Armed Forces.

Russian diplomatic missions do everything to ensure security at polling stations abroad

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, staff are in contact "literally in real time" with "the center and, first and foremost, the Central Election Commission"

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Russian foreign Ministry press service/TASS

MOSCOW, September 18. /TASS/. Staff at Russian diplomatic missions are doing everything necessary to ensure security at polling stations abroad, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS.

"Our teams abroad are currently doing everything to organize the work of the headquarters set up at our diplomatic missions, including the security component. They have received all the relevant instructions," the diplomat said.

According to her, staff are in contact "literally in real time" with "the center and, first and foremost, the Central Election Commission." "Therefore, we are doing everything to ensure that Russian citizens have the opportunity to exercise their right, as well as their duty," Zakharova stressed.

US, Allies Boost Potential for Nuclear War — North Korea’s Deputy Defense Minister

Kim Kang Il made this statement during the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on security

© South Korea Defense Ministry via AP, archive

BEIJING, September 17. /TASS/. Together with its allies, the United States is gradually building up potential for a nuclear war, North Korea's Vice Defense Minister Kim Kang Il said.

"The main reason why the situation on the Korean Peninsula remains stuck in the vicious circle of confrontation and escalation lies in the reckless political and military provocations on the part of the United States and its henchmen, who have pursued a hostile policy toward the DPRK for 80 years, gradually building up potential for a nuclear war," he told the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on security.

Kim Kang Il went on to say that such actions on the part of the United States and its allies, who continue to boost their nuclear potential, give North Korea "enough reason to create a strong nuclear shield."

"Our nuclear strategy has been adopted on the basis of a precise analysis of national security threats, both existing and potential," the North Korean official added.

The Beijing Xiangshan Forum has been held regularly since 2006 and is organized by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Academy of Military Sciences. The annual event in Beijing focuses on security cooperation both in the Asia-Pacific region and on a global scale. The main principles of this important platform for promoting military dialogue are equality, transparency, tolerance, and exchange of experience. This year, the forum brings together around 2,000 delegates representing around 100 countries, regions and international organizations.

Russia Viewed Positively by 95% of Participants in International Festival of Youth

According to Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration and chairman of the festival’s organizing committee, almost 70% speak about their attitude in excellent terms

© Sofya Sandurskaya/TASS Photo Hosting Agency for the International Festival of Youth

YEKATERINBURG, September 17. /TASS/. As many as 95% of participants in the International Festival of Youth have a positive view of Russia after participating in the event in the country, Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration and chairman of the festival’s organizing committee, said.

"After taking part in the festival, 95% are positive about Russia, while almost 70% speak about their attitude in excellent terms, that is, are very or extremely positive or as positive as possible. Notably, the share of those who express a ‘very positive’ attitude rose by 25% in the past five years," he pointed out at a press conference summing up the festival.

Top Russian Diplomat on West Preparing for War, Moscow’s Response to Challenges

Europe’s support for the Nazi regime in Kiev is a disgrace, Sergey Lavrov said

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

MOSCOW, September 17. /TASS/. Western countries are actively preparing for a war against Moscow while spreading the myth of an alleged Russian threat, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the opening session of the Sixth Congress of the International Russophile Movement.

He also stressed that Russia will find ways to adequately respond to external security challenges.

TASS has compiled the key statements by the top Russian diplomat.

West preparing for war with Russia

Western countries are actively preparing for a war against Moscow while spreading the myth of an alleged Russian threat: "Today, ruling elites in most Western countries seek to spread the myth of a threat coming from Russia as they are actively preparing for a war against our countries. They also accuse us of undermining European values, but we can see what these values really are."

The so-called "European values" meant only one thing: "Europe once again stands ready to support Nazism."

Russia’s response to challenges

Russia will adequately respond to external security challenges: "Russia will undoubtedly find a way <…> to provide an adequate response to external challenges facing security, development, and the well-being of its citizens."

"Their initiators will, of course, bear responsibility for the consequences of reckless anti-Russian actions."

‘Metastases of Nazism’ in Europe

"Metastases of Nazism" are visible in Europe itself, including Germany: "The fact that, in addition to supporting the openly Nazi regime in Ukraine, the metastases of Nazism are already visible in Europe itself, including Germany, is, of course, a very serious warning."

Europe’s support for the Nazi regime in Kiev is a disgrace: "The fact that the West proudly speaks about European values defended by Ukraine is a disgrace for the West."

Dialogue with the US

Representatives of the United States are ready to talk: "The United States differs significantly from European elites. They are willing to talk. Even with positions that are radically opposed, that is always important."

"We always talk to those who want to do so seriously. [It is worth coming] not for the sake of repeating into a microphone what they [in the West] say publicly every day condemning Russia. There is no need to come just to condemn. But we are always open to serious dialogue. And this is exactly how the United States deals with us."

Despite the existence of a dialogue between Russia and the US, "there has been and is not expected any material effect in terms of restoring ties between our countries."

Information offensive against Russia

Moscow is countering a major wave of aggressive Western propaganda due to the upcoming State Duma elections: "A massive wave of primitive aggressive propaganda is currently being directed at us in connection with the upcoming State Duma elections."

Rights of Russian-speaking people

A settlement of the Ukrainian crisis cannot involve any bargaining over the rights of Russian-speaking people: ‘There can be no bargaining over the obligations that everyone has undertaken and is obliged to fulfil. But the West forgives the Kiev regime for everything."

In addition to the principle of territorial integrity, which "is the only one supported by the West from the United Nations Charter, there is much more, including the right to self-determination": "And including, in the very first article, the guarantees that all members of the United Nations must provide when signing the Charter: respect for human rights, regardless of race, sex, language and religion."

Putin Outlines Russia's 2027 Federal Budget Priorities

"An absolute priority for the federal budget must be the fulfillment of the state's social obligations, ensuring the safety of citizens, and strengthening Russia's defense capabilities," the Russia leader noted

© Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, September 17. /TASS/. Fulfilling social obligations, ensuring citizen safety, and strengthening national defense capabilities must remain the absolute priorities for Russia's 2027 federal budget, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

Speaking at a meeting on economic issues, the head of state emphasized that the upcoming budget must also continue to serve as the primary instrument for achieving the country's national development goals.

"An absolute priority for the federal budget must be the fulfillment of the state's social obligations, ensuring the safety of citizens, and strengthening Russia's defense capabilities," Putin noted. "Today, we will discuss certain issues, decisions, and approaches in this regard."

Ukraine Loses About 1,260 Troops in Special Military Op Zone in Past Day — Top Brass

The Russian army struck three dry cargo ships and a ferry used to deliver military cargo to Ukrainian troops in the port of Chernomorsk in the Odessa Region, the Defense Ministry reported

© Alexander Reka/TASS

MOSCOW, September 17. /TASS/. Ukraine lost about 1,260 troops in the special military operation zone in the past day, according to Russian Defense Ministry data.

In particular, the Ukrainian army lost up to 220 troops in the area of responsibility of Russia’s Battlegroup North, over 200 troops in the area of responsibility of Battlegroup West, up to 170 troops in the area of responsibility of Battlegroup South, more than 400 troops in the area of responsibility of Battlegroup Center, over 240 troops in the area of responsibility of Battlegroup East, and up to 30 troops in the area of responsibility of Battlegroup Dnepr.

Russian forces strike metallurgical enterprises, Ukraine’s energy facilities

Russian forces launched a massive overnight strike on enterprises of Ukraine’s metallurgical and radio-electronics industries, the country’s defense industry, and energy infrastructure facilities in Kiev, Zaporozhye and the Odessa Region, the Defense Ministry said.

"Tonight, Russian forces, in a massive strike using high-precision weapons based on land, sea and air, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, hit enterprises of the metallurgical and radio-electronics industries, Ukraine’s military-industrial complex, and energy and transport infrastructure facilities in Kiev, Zaporozhye and the Odessa Region," the ministry said. Vessels being used in the interests of the Ukrainian military were also hit.

Russian forces hit three Ukrainian dry cargo ships, ferry at Chernomorsk port

The Russian army struck three dry cargo ships and a ferry used to deliver military cargo to Ukrainian troops in the port of Chernomorsk in the Odessa Region, the Defense Ministry reported.

"Footage shows Russian forces striking three dry cargo ships and a ro-ro ferry used to deliver military cargo to the Ukrainian army with Geran-4 Seeker drones at the port of Chernomorsk in the Odessa Region," the report reads.

Russian aviation destroys Ukrainian troop positions in Kharkov Region, DPR

Russian forces struck temporary deployment sites of Ukrainian units in the Kharkov Region and the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) with guided aerial bombs, the Defense Ministry said.

"Video footage shows strikes on the temporary deployment site of the 4th Border Guard Detachment in the settlement of Fyodorovka in the Kharkov Region, using four FAB-500 aerial bombs equipped with a universal glide and guidance module, and on the temporary deployment site of the Ukrainian army’s 100th Separate Mechanized Brigade in the settlement of Druzhkovka in the DPR, using five FAB-500 aerial bombs equipped with a universal glide and guidance module. All targets were destroyed," the ministry said.

Russian forces strike major data center supporting Ukraine’s military

The Russian Armed Forces have struck Ukraine’s major data center, which supported servers used for military purposes, the Defense Ministry reported.

"The strike targeted the De Novo Data Center, a major facility supporting server equipment used for military purposes, as well as for the processing, transmission, and storage of data, including intelligence data, for the Ukrainian armed forces," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian forces hit drone production facilities in Kiev, surrounding region

Russian forces struck facilities used to produce and store drones in Kiev and the surrounding region, the Defense Ministry said.

"The strike hit the following facilities in Kiev and the Kiev Region: a facility for producing and storing various types of unmanned aerial vehicles, including RAX-2X medium-range UAVs; a facility operated by Pegasus Arms LLC for producing and storing long-and medium-range fixed-wing UAVs; and an industrial facility producing components for long-and medium-range UAVs and preparing ground-based robotic systems for deployment," the ministry said.

Russian forces strike dry cargo ship with cargo for Ukrainian military at Chernomorsk port

Russian forces struck a dry cargo ship delivering military supplies to the Ukrainian armed forces troops at the port of Chernomorsk, Odessa Region, the Defense Ministry reported.

"In the Odessa Region, a dry cargo ship carrying military supplies was struck at the Chernomorsk port, the Artsiz electrical substation, powering the Izmail port, was hit, and two road bridges across the Dniester River in the area of Mayaki, used for the transit of military cargo from Romania and the port of Izmail, were also struck," the ministry stated.

Russian forces hit Brovary energy storage facility supplying military sites in Kiev Region

Russian forces struck the Brovary energy storage facility, which supplied electricity to military sites in the Kiev Region, the Defense Ministry said.

"The strike hit the Brovary energy storage facility, which ensures uninterrupted operation of military sites in the Kiev Region," the Defense Ministry said.

Russian forces strike two road bridges across Dniester River in Odessa Region

Russian forces have struck two road bridges across the Dniester River in the Odessa Region that were used to transport military supplies, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"Two road bridges across the Dniester River, which were used to transport military supplies from Romania and the port of Izmail, [were hit in the Odessa Region] near Mayaki," the statement reads.

Russian Armed Forces strike Zaporozhstal metallurgical complex in Ukraine

The Russian Armed Forces have struck the Zaporozhstal steel mill in the Zaporozhye Region, which produces steel for defense enterprises in Ukraine and Europe, as well as an electronic industry assembly facility, the Defense Ministry reported.

"In the Zaporozhye Region [the following have been struck]: the Zaporozhstal steel mill, a key enterprise of Ukraine’s metallurgical industry that produces cast iron and rolled steel used by defense enterprises in Ukraine and Europe; the Zaporozhye electronic assembly facility (the state-owned enterprise Iskra Research and Production Complex), which manufactures radio engineering reconnaissance equipment and electronic warfare systems for the Ukrainian armed forces, as well as components for anti-aircraft missiles," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian air defenses down 956 Ukrainian drones in 24 hours

Russian air defenses shot down 8 guided aerial bombs and 956 fixed-wing drones belonging to the Ukrainian armed forces over the past 24 hours, the Defense Ministry has said.

According to the ministry, since the start of the special military operation, a total of 674 aircraft, 284 helicopters, 237,803 unmanned aerial vehicles, 672 surface-to-air missile systems, 30,941 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,778 multiple rocket launcher vehicles, 36,480 field artillery guns and mortars, and 72,091 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed.

Ukraine loses 40 soldiers, self-propelled gun encircled in Kharkov Region in 24 hours

Over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian troops trapped in the Kharkov Region have lost up to 40 soldiers and a self-propelled artillery piece.

"Over the past 24 hours, losses among Ukrainian armed formations within the encirclement amounted to up to 40 military personnel, one armored combat vehicle, and one self-propelled artillery unit," the Defense Ministry said in a news release.

The ministry noted that, in total since the beginning of September, over 650 troops, 16 armored combat vehicles, 9 motor vehicles, 13 quad bikes, and 25 ground-based robotic systems have been destroyed within the encirclement.

Russian forces take control of Malaya Volchya, liberate Rozovka

Units of Russia’s Battlegroup North have taken control of Malaya Volchya in the Kharkov Region, while service members from Battlegroup East have liberated Rozovka in the Zaporozhye Region, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"Battlegroup North units operating in the Kharkov Region continue to tighten the encirclement and expand their external control zone. Through active operations, Russian forces took control of the settlement of Malaya Volchya in the Kharkov Region. <...> Units of the Battlegroup East moved deeper into enemy defenses and liberated the settlement of Rozovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the statement reads.

Russian army thwarts trapped Ukrainian troops' attempts in Kharkov Region to break out

Over the past 24 hours, the Russian Armed Forces have thwarted all attempts by Ukrainian units to break out of encirclement in the Kharkov Region.

"Enemy personnel sustained losses in the areas of Khripuny and Buzovo in the Kharkov Region. All attempts by Ukrainian units to break out of encirclement were thwarted," the Defense Ministry said in a news release.

Russian forces strike Ukrainian army’s infrastructure sites, ammo depots

Russian forces struck infrastructure facilities used by Ukraine for military purposes, as well as ammunition depots and drone assembly sites, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"Russia’s tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile forces and artillery units struck Ukraine’s energy and transport facilities used by the Ukrainian armed forces, ammunition and supply depots, as well as assembly and storage sites for drones and their components, along with the temporary deployment points of Ukrainian formations and foreign mercenaries in 152 areas," the statement reads.

Russian aviation strikes Ukrainian troop concentrations in forest belts in Kharkov Region

Russian aviation carried out airstrikes on Ukrainian troop concentrations in forest belts near the community of Serdobino in the Kharkov Region, the Defense Ministry said.

"During reconnaissance operations, Russian forces detected concealed positions of Ukrainian personnel in forest belts near the community of Serdobino in the Kharkov Region. Russia’s Aerospace Forces crews conducted airstrikes on the identified targets using FAB aerial bombs equipped with universal glide and guidance modules. Live recording footage confirmed that the designated targets were successfully struck," the ministry said.

Trump Attacks His Own Supreme Court Over Decision Upholding Mail-in Ballots

President Trump says the ruling was a personal betrayal of his objectives to limit access to the franchise while opinion polls reveal that the “Make America Great Again” Republican tendency has proven to be extremely unpopular

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday September 16, 2026

Political Review

It has become quite obvious that there is massive opposition to the domestic and foreign policies of the current White House, House of Representatives and the Senate.

Compounding this alienation from the MAGA Republican establishment is what is perceived by many within the public that the nine-member United States Supreme Court serves as a mechanism to “rubber stamp” the program of President Donald Trump. 

There have been rulings in recent years which have struck down Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) within the higher educational system along with the 2022 decision which reversed Roe v. Wade making it much more difficult for women to control their reproductive rights. Another ruling on tariffs imposed by the White House says they were illegally enacted yet, utilizing other methods, the president continues to slap these measures on Canada and other states.

In the most recent decision related to the rules governing the distribution and collection of mail-in ballots, the Supreme Court rejected the executive order handed down by Trump which could have resulted in the nullification of millions of votes in the upcoming midterm elections in early November. The MAGA grouping has over the last decade made unsubstantiated claims that there is massive voter fraud in the US.

Trump and his MAGA base disputed the outcomes of the 2020 elections fostering false accusations that the election of former President Joe Biden and the Democratic majority in the House and Senate was the direct result of corruption. The administration and its backers have repeatedly suggested that undocumented people are being allowed to vote in congressional and presidential elections.

The accusations of widespread voter fraud in 2020 outraged and energized the MAGA constituency to the level of igniting an insurrection on January 6, 2021. On that fateful day where several thousands Trump supporters sought to seize control of Capitol Hill demanding that the Congress and Vice-President Mike Pence refuse to certify the electoral votes which would bring about a Biden presidency. 

This effort inevitably failed although it was reported that five law-enforcement officers died and 174 were injured, including 15 being hospitalized. Four of the insurrectionists died during the attacks which lasted several hours. In the aftermath of the failed coup, over 1,500 of the insurrectionists were charged and convicted of federal crimes. Nonetheless, those convicted of crimes related to January 6 were pardoned by Trump in the immediate aftermath of being sworn in for his second non-consecutive term in January 2025.

In the months leading up to the January 6 incident, the Trump campaign hired former lawyer and New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to go around the US seeking to discredit electors committed to vote for the Democratic contender Joe Biden. There were efforts made to spread slander and falsehoods about election commissioners and volunteers to make it appear as if they were either incompetent or corrupt.

Consequently, it is not surprising that the MAGA President and his allies would repeat similar shenanigans in 2026 in light of the abysmal performance of the administration since January 2025. There has been a precipitous decline in the economy while the launching of an unprovoked war along with Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran has further damaged the potential for the Republican lawmakers to maintain control of the House of Representatives and Senate in the aftermath of November 3. 

The Supreme Court Decision on Mail-in Voting

Although millions of people of all races, classes and ages vote by mail, it is clear that the motivation for these attacks on this long-held method of casting ballots is to create the conditions for the disenfranchisement of millions of people. Therefore, in any threat to the dominance of MAGA in the Congress can be prevented by simply tossing out the votes of those individuals who are deemed to be unqualified. 

These are by no means new tactics in voter suppression. During the period of Federal Reconstruction in the aftermath of the Civil War (1861-1865), the formerly enslaved Africans won the right to the franchise through several bills and measures enacted by the Congress. The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution along with several Civil Acts passed between 1865-1875 were designed to prevent the resurrection of the Confederacy in the South.

Yet by 1877, Federal Reconstruction had been abandoned and the same political forces which had led the insurrection beginning in 1860-1861 to maintain African enslavement reemerged as the dominant authorities in the former Confederate states. It would take nearly another 90 years to force the government to pass legislation that would guarantee African Americans the right to the franchise. 

During the 1950s and 1960s mass struggles to end Jim Crow segregation and the suppression of voting rights were waged by the African American people and their allies. These popular and legal movements won the passage of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts of 1964-1965. 

Nonetheless, these political gains have never been accepted as legitimate by large sections of the US population. The emergence of several white supremacist tendencies has levelled attacks on the rights of African Americans and other nationally oppressed groups over the decades since the 1970s. 

The MAGA grouping now controlling the White House and Congress have been instrumental in this suppression of the political rights of the oppressed. However, people have been utilizing various tactics to overcome these attempted reversals of the advancements made over the last seven decades. 

As the SCOTUS has handed down rulings which facilitate the redrawing Congressional maps during early 2026 in several key states within the South, African Americans have mobilized to challenge these undemocratic measures. This arbitrary redistricting is aimed at the further disempowerment of the oppressed peoples. 

As it relates to the latest SCOTUS decision, the Washington Post wrote on September 15 that it was not clear what the count was among members of the court. This can be the situation when it involves an “emergency docket.” 

In a report written by Isaac Arnsdorf and Laura Meckler for the Washington Post, noted that:

“President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted the Supreme Court justices he appointed after they ruled against him on mail ballots, tariffs and birthright citizenship, portraying their decisions as a personal betrayal…. Although Trump blamed all three of his appointees for ruling against him, the court’s ruling did not specify a vote count, leaving some question about precisely how many justices were in the majority…. Meanwhile, voting rights groups — who have warned for months about the chaos Trump’s new mail ballot rules would bring — celebrated the Supreme Court ruling. But many also pointed out the legal fight will likely leave some voters confused about whether it is possible or safe to vote by mail.” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/15/trump-slams-supreme-court-ruling-mail-ballots-personal-betrayal/)

The actions of the Court on September 15 still left more than six weeks until the election day on November 3. Whether this issue is settled for the midterms will largely depend upon the administration which will continue its efforts to secure a continued majority in Congress. 

A Pattern of Repression

The suppression of voting rights for African Americans and other constituencies which may not agree with the MAGA project is just one aspect of repressive policies of the current administration. Attacks on migrants which have created the conditions for a police state in many cities, towns and rural areas of the US have implications on a much broader level within society.

There has also been the targeted prosecution of activists that strongly disagree with the Trump program within the areas of immigration enforcement, Palestine solidarity and imperialist wars in various geopolitical regions of the world. Judging from the MAGA attempts to overturn the 2020 national elections, it would not be out of character to witness another push in the same direction before or after November 3. 

People committed to bourgeois democratic principles in the US will remain vigilant during the remaining two years of the current administration. Although the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution restricts presidents to two terms, Trump and his supporters have broached the notion of another four years for the administration. 

Therefore, there are calls for mass demonstrations and days of action leading up to the November 3 vote. Another “No Kings Day” is scheduled for late October to bring out millions across the country to protest against the dictatorial policies of the Trump White House and Congress. 

If the administration continues its present political trajectory, more militant and sustainable efforts could be required. Many have raised the prospects for a nationwide general strike to prevent a coup directed by the White House and Pentagon. 

Irrespective of the outcome of the elections, the underlying crisis of US capitalism will not be resolved. Discussions, debates and organizing activities need to occur aimed at building a movement aimed at the total transformation of society which would bring about the complete emancipation of oppressed and working people in the US.