Government-Allied Forces Push to Retake More of Tigray as Mekelle Markets Reopen
Government-allied forces are working to expand their control in Ethiopia's Tigray region, backed by drone strikes, Tigray Peace Force commander Ermiyas Ababu said today, Tuesday, October 6, days after the TPLF pulled out of the regional capital, Mekelle. In Mekelle, residents say markets have partly reopened, and rickshaws are running again, though groceries are limited and a cash shortage is hurting daily life. Ermiyas also alleged Eritrean troops are in northern Tigray; the AP couldn't verify that or the drone strikes, and Eritrea denies backing the TPLF.
Egypt Denies Torture Claims by Detained Fact-Checking Journalists
Egypt's Interior Ministry today, Tuesday, October 6, called allegations that six detained journalists were tortured "baseless," saying they were an attempt to evade the charges against them. Lawyers for the journalists, who work for the fact-checking platform Matsadaash, say most reported beatings, forced stripping, and threats against them and their families. Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders are among dozens of groups urging their release.
UN Warns of Medicine Trafficking Threat in Central Africa
A new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the World Health Organization, and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) says trafficking in medicines is a major public health threat in six central African countries, driven by the gap between healthcare needs and access to safe, affordable drugs. At least 251 tons of medicines were seized in the region between 2020 and 2025, and in the Central African Republic, armed groups are earning money by looting health centers and "taxing" shipments. The report links the trade to treatment failures, poisonings, and avoidable deaths.
Separatists Withdraw From Mali's Kidal as Army Pushes Back
The Azawad Liberation Front says it is carrying out a "controlled withdrawal" from the northern Malian town of Kidal, which it seized six months ago, after airstrikes by Mali's military and its Russian backers. A security source said pro-government fighters, including Russians, re-entered the town Tuesday afternoon. Analyst Beverly Ochieng of Control Risks called the change "symbolic" rather than decisive in Mali's fight against insurgents.
US Envoy Meets Sudan's Army Chief in Egypt Over Ceasefire Push
US envoy Massad Boulos met Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in Egypt over the weekend, at a lunch hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as Washington pushes a 90-day humanitarian truce. The army insists the RSF must fully withdraw from every city it has captured since May 2023, a tougher demand than the US draft. The meeting follows the US decision to withhold Burhan's visa ahead of his planned UN address.
EU Suspends Namibian Beef Imports Over Foot-and-Mouth Outbreak
The European Union has temporarily suspended imports of fresh meat from cattle, sheep, and goats from Namibia after the country reported its first foot-and-mouth outbreak in its main commercial livestock zone in 60 years. The EU takes more than 80% of Namibia's beef exports, and EU ambassador Ana Beatriz Martins says a quarter of the 40,000 direct jobs tied to exports to Europe would be affected. The outbreak, declared September 22, has spread to 11 farms.
Zambia to Sign US Health Deal Without Data-Sharing Clauses
Zambia will sign a revised five-year health agreement with the US worth $3.6 billion in combined funding, Health Minister Roma Chilengi says, after removing the controversial clauses requiring it to share patient health data and specimens. Chilengi told state broadcaster ZNBC that the US would provide $1.5 billion of the total, and that the deal will be signed on Thursday. The US has already signed data- and specimen-sharing agreements with at least nine African nations, which require them to send data and specimens within five days of a request.
