Car Batteries Killing Off African Town

Death no reprieve from violence for gay men in Senegal

(AP) - To the long list of abuse meted out to suspected homosexuals in Africa, Senegal has added a new form of degradation: the desecration of their bodies. Madieye Diallo's body had only been in the ground for a few hours when the mob descended on the cemetery with shovels. They yanked out the corpse, spit on its torso, dragged it away, and dumped it in front of the home of his parents. The scene of was filmed on a cell phone and the video spread, sowing panic among gay men who say they now feel like hunted animals. More»

(NEWSER) - Gay AIDS activists in Senegal are fleeing a mob that vows to turn them into "fish food," GlobalPost reports. Arrested late last year, the nine activists were sentenced to 8-year terms for “indecent acts against nature," but an appeals court freed them early this week. Now social conservatives plan to hunt them down. “In our society, homosexuality will never be accepted,” said one religious leader and lawmaker. More»

Relations between continents sour over human rights, Mugabe

(NEWSER) - European-African trade talks at a tense Lisbon summit collapsed in their final session yesterday. If a new agreement isn’t reached by year’s end, the European Union may levy higher tariffs on African exports, further exacerbating tensions between the continents. A new, controversial set of agreements would have dropped duty on most imports from Africa in exchange for granting Europe liberalized access to African markets. More»

Deluge triggers humanitarian crisis

(NEWSER) - Several of Africa's poorest countries have been devastated by a catastrophic deluge of rain, washing away lives, communities and crops. As many as 18 of the normally driest countries in the world, from Senegal, Mauritania, Mali and Burkina Faso in the west, to Kenya, Sudan and Ethiopia in the east, will be inundated with floods for weeks. More»

African nation faces rare unrest over leader's bid for third term

(NEWSER) - Protesters took to Senegal's streets last week after a court ruled that the country's president could serve a third term. Yesterday, paramilitary forces reportedly opened fire on demonstrators, killing two. It's an unusual moment of unrest in a West African democracy that's been largely stable, never having seen a military coup, the Los Angeles Times explains. Anger against Abdoulaye Wade has been mounting as he boosts presidential power—and perhaps tries to clear the way to have his son succeed him. More»