The Catalonian leader Carles Puigdemont and four associates have turned themselves into Belgian police. It follows an international arrest warrant issued by spain for sedition, rebellion, misuse of public funds and breach of trust in relation to Catalonia’s independence campaign. A spokesman for the prosecutor, Gilles Dejemeppe said the five handed themselves in to the authorities at the main police …

A British woman has been imprisoned in Egypt after flying into the country with painkillers. Laura Plummer, from Hull, was arrested at an Egyptian airport after authorities found 290 tramadol tablets and some naproxen for her husband’s sore back. It is understood she signed her name below a 38-page statement in Arabic, believing she would be able to leave the …

What happens when officials refuse an applicant’s request for asylum? In Germany, applicants have recourse to administrative courts and can even approach the European Court of Human Rights. Here is a short explanation. Types of rejection The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees or BAMF can reject applications for asylum if its officials believe that the individual concerned does not …

Thousands of people have sought refuge in Nigeria after fleeing the Anglophone regions of Cameroon due to new violence there, according to UN Refugee Agency UNHCR. The UNHCR is collaborating with local authorities in Nigeria to “provide assistance to asylum and protection seekers from Cameroon, who have arrived in Southeastern Nigeria in the past month”. “Thousands have fled to Nigeria …

Within a few years, the Sahel has become a region characterized by a dangerous entanglement of fundamentalist religion, terrorism and politics. From 13 – 19 November, the tenth edition of AFRIKAMERA – Latest Cinema from Africa presents a selection of current feature and documentary films addressing the political and societal challenges of the region in West Africa against this socio-political …

The work of Aka Teraka, a Nigerian poet living in Germany, is an eclectic mix of music, poetry and novellas. Aka Teraka writes in three languages, English, Igbo and German, simultaneously projecting three– different paced and distinct voices in his work. This conflict is aptly captured in the poem Language from the artist’s anthology, Softly, it Rained. In a foreign …

The signatories to the landmark Paris climate treaty will meet for two weeks in Germany beginning tomorrow to prepare discussions on how to implement their promises. The 2017 UN Climate Change Conference opens on Monday (6 November) in the western German city of Bonn, with the aim of launching nations towards the next level of ambition needed to tackle global …

Nigerian militant group Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) said on Friday its ceasefire on attacks in the country’s southern oil-rich region was at an end. “We can assure you that every oil installation in our region will feel the warmth of the wrath of the Niger Delta Avengers,” the group said in a statement on its website. The NDA took the …

Eritreans living abroad have staged protests decrying the human rights situation back home. The protests held on Friday were originally planned for Washington, London and Stockholm. It comes in the wake of Tuesday’s rare protest in the streets of the capital Asmara against the government. Security forces used gunfire to disperse students who reportedly demanded the release of a school …

Liberia’s apex court has reserved ruling on the challenge to the presidential run-off election for Monday after listening to submissions by aspirant and leader of the Liberty Party, Charles Brumskine. Brumskine, who finished third in the 10 October poll, petitioned the court alleging fraud in the conduct of the election. His party said widespread fraud had marred the outcome of …

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has rejected the result of the presidential election rerun of 26 October, which gave a landslide victory to President Uhuru Kenyatta. The veteran politician has vowed to challenge the legitimacy of Kenyatta’s presidency. Sekou Toure Otondi of the University of Nairobi argues that Odinga’s resistance to the government could in the long run benefit democratic development …

The German government has admitted that it does not always know the whereabouts of rejected asylum seekers, but argues that the number doesn’t tell the whole truth. The government’s asylum agency faces a file backlog. Ben Knight reports. Around 30,000 rejected asylum seekers have simply disappeared from Germany’s records, a German newspaper has claimed, though the government and refugee organizations …

German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Brigitte Zypries opened the Start-up Night! Africa on 26 October in Berlin. The Start-up Night! Africa is the latest event to take place as part of the successful series of Start-up Nights!, a string of business-matching events hosted by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs designed to bring young businesses and established companies …

The second edition of the Design Market by Dabira, a seasonal event to showcase contemporary design in Africa, will open its doors on 4-5 November in the Ghanaian capital city. The Design Market is a premier, seasonal market that features talented designers, artists and makers from across the African continent. The second edition will take place on November 4th and …

The Pan-African Ahmadiyya Muslim Association (PAAMA) UK hosted its first ever Africa Peace Symposium on Saturday 21 October at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in London under the guidance and tutelage of His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Worldwide Spiritual and Administrative Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The event which had Unity in Diversity as its theme and was …

Unemployment and poverty are serious concerns for the continent, where more than 70% of the working age population is unemployed or has no job security, prompting the UN to declare 2016-2025 as the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III). African leaders deliberated in New York on how to industrialise the continent in a socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable manner to …

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has been declared winner of last week’s rerun presidential election which was boycotted by main opposition leader Raila Odinga. Kenyatta garnered 7,483,895 votes representing 98.26%, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chairman Wafula Chebukati announced on Monday. National Super Alliance (NASA) candidate, Odinga, garnered only 0.96% of the vote despite his boycott. Total valid votes were …

Europe is suffering from “dramatic sterility,” the pope has said, urging Christians to preserve their moral values and “revitalize” a continent that is increasingly being characterised by a plurality of cultures and religions. Pope Francis on Saturday decried low birth rates in Europe and urged more help for young people preparing their future path in society. “A Europe that rediscovers …

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who was fired by the Spanish government over the region’s declaration of independence, has called on the people to non-violently resist Madrid’s takeover bid. In a televised address on Saturday, Puigdemont said Madrid’s decision to suspend the autonomy of the province and appoint Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria as Catalonia’s provisional head goes …

Anthony Joshua stopped a resilient Carlos Takam in the 10th round to successfully defend his IBF and WBA heavyweight world titles in Cardiff on Saturday. Takam is Joshua’s 20th consecutive knockout victim in a fourth defence of his IBF belt and first of his WBA title. Joshua, a British-Nigerian, had injured his nose from a headbutt from the Cameroon-born boxer …