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Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Quit ICC, Slam Court as Neo-Colonial Tool

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Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Quit ICC, Slam Court as Neo-Colonial Tool

 

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have jointly announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the tribunal of being an “instrument of neo-colonialist repression.”

 

In a statement on Tuesday, the three military-led governments said they would no longer recognise the authority of the UN-backed court in The Hague, citing its alleged failure to prosecute “proven war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression.”

 

“The ICC has proven itself incapable of handling such cases,” the leaders declared, insisting they would instead establish “indigenous mechanisms for the consolidation of peace and justice.”

 

The move adds to rising tensions between the Sahel states and Western powers.

 

All three countries, which are ruled by juntas after successive coups between 2020 and 2023, form the Confederation of Sahel States and have increasingly tilted toward Russia for political and military support.

 

The ICC, created in 2002 to prosecute the world’s most serious crimes, has faced frequent accusations of anti-African bias.

 

Out of 33 cases opened since inception, all but one have involved African nations.

 

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has previously criticised the court for what he described as its “selective justice.”

 

Under ICC rules, withdrawals take effect one year after formal notification to the United Nations. Until then, the court technically retains jurisdiction.

 

The latest announcement follows another coordinated decision by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger earlier this year to pull out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), rejecting demands to restore democratic governance.

 

Observers note that the withdrawal also shields the three juntas from potential ICC scrutiny, as their forces have been accused of atrocities against civilians in the fight against jihadist insurgents linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

 

Meanwhile, Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin was indicted by the ICC in 2023 for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, has consolidated ties with the Sahel trio, deepening their isolation from France and other Western partners.

 

At press time, the ICC has yet to issue an official response to the Sahel states’ withdrawal.

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CARICOM to Host Webinar on E-Waste Management in Renewable Energy Systems

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CARICOM to Host Webinar on E-Waste Management in Renewable Energy Systems

 

As part of activities marking CARICOM Energy Month 2025, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has announced the second session in its ongoing webinar series, focusing on “End-of-Life Electric Vehicle and Renewable Energy System E-Waste Management in the Caribbean.”

 

The virtual session, scheduled for Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. AST, will be presented by Angelica Zapata, Consultant and Project Manager at Blackforest Solutions GmbH.

 

According to CARICOM, the webinar aims to highlight how Caribbean countries are addressing the growing challenge of managing electronic waste and hazardous materials resulting from renewable energy and electric mobility systems.

 

The discussion will explore policy interventions, recycling solutions, and sustainable disposal practices to ensure environmental safety and circular economy growth within the region’s clean energy transition.

 

Stakeholders, policymakers, academics, and the general public have been encouraged to register and participate in the virtual event via bit.ly/CEMWEB2.

 

The e-waste session forms part of a month-long CARICOM Energy Month Webinar Series, which features thematic discussions on critical aspects of the region’s energy transition and resilience.

 

Upcoming sessions include:

 

November 13: Incentive Mechanisms for Electric Mobility – Grenada, Jamaica, and St. Lucia

 

November 18: Recommendations for a Sustainable Green Public Procurement Policy

 

November 25: Geothermal Energy: A Game Changer for Resilient Caribbean Energy Systems – How to Maximise Opportunities and Benefits

 

CARICOM Energy Month 2025, celebrated under the theme “Resilient Energy, Greener Future,” seeks to promote dialogue and regional collaboration on sustainable energy development, climate resilience, and energy security across member states.

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Trump Blasts ‘Corrupt Journalists’ After BBC Chief Resigns Over Documentary Scandal

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Trump Revamps US-Africa Relationship

Trump Blasts ‘Corrupt Journalists’ After BBC Chief Resigns Over Documentary Scandal

 

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday launched a scathing attack on what he described as “corrupt journalists” following the resignation of the BBC chief over a controversy surrounding the editing of a documentary about him.

 

Trump accused the journalists involved of being “very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election,” in reference to the 2020 U.S. election.

 

The controversy centres on clips from Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech, which critics claim were misrepresented in the BBC documentary.

 

The speech came days before the storming of the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump supporters, an incident that sought to challenge the certification of his re-election defeat.

 

While the BBC has faced internal scrutiny over its editorial decisions, Trump seized the moment to renew his criticism of mainstream media, which he has often labelled as biased against him.

 

“This is another example of the media trying to manipulate public perception,” Trump said, in remarks shared widely on social media.

 

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Typhoon Fung-wong Hits Philippines, Forces Mass Evacuations as Death Toll Rises

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Typhoon Fung-wong Hits Philippines, Forces Mass Evacuations as Death Toll Rises

 

Typhoon Fung-wong, locally known as Uwan, made landfall in the Philippines on Sunday, leaving a trail of destruction and forcing the evacuation of more than 900,000 people, officials said.

 

At least two deaths have been confirmed as the storm battered the country’s most populous island, Luzon, with sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) and gusts reaching 230 km/h (143 mph).

 

The storm’s eye struck Aurora Province at 21:10 local time (13:10 GMT), before weakening to a typhoon by 02:00 over La Union in western Luzon.

 

The country’s meteorological service warned of destructive winds and life-threatening storm surges, describing Fung-wong as “very intense” and urging residents in low-lying and coastal areas to seek higher ground.

 

This latest typhoon comes days after Typhoon Kalmaegi ravaged the country, leaving nearly 200 dead and more than 100 missing, highlighting the Philippines’ vulnerability to successive storms.

 

In preparation for the typhoon, residents in Catanduanes and other eastern coastal towns were evacuated, with hundreds seeking refuge in shelters such as sports centres.

 

In central Aurora, more than 200 evacuees arrived at temporary shelters, many of them parents protecting young children too small to remember the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which claimed over 6,000 lives.

 

“We felt very worried because of the strength of the typhoon, and we have young children to think of,” said Jessa Zurbano, one of the evacuees.

 

“Our house is made of wood and flimsy materials. We live close to the sea so we didn’t feel safe,” added Patry Azul.

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