A well-known satirical cartoonist in Tunisia, Tawfiq Omrane, has been released after several hours of questioning by the police.
The family of Tawfiq Omrane says that he has been told he must attend a court hearing in Tunis next week.
BBC had earlier reported that Mr Omrane was detained on Thursday for allegedly insulting the Tunisian prime minister, Ahmed Hachani in his cartoons.
Mr Hachani was appointed by President Kais Saied, who seized almost all executive powers in Tunisia just over two years ago.
Mr Omrane has been highly critical of the president in his cartoons.
Opposition activists see his detention as the latest attack on free speech.
Missing Nigerian journalist found dead
A veteran Nigerian radio journalist, Hamisu Danjibga, has been found dead in north-west Zamfara State three days after he was declared missing.
Danjibga worked with the Voice of Nigeria or VON for many years, where he reported extensively on the widespread insecurity in Zamfara.
He was declared missing early Monday, 18th September 2023, before his body was found in a pit behind his house, BBC reports.
The VON in a statement, said the journalist had been kidnapped by “terrorists”, describing his death as murder.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists and other press organisations have condemned the alleged killing of Danjibga.
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has ordered security agencies to investigate the incident.
Fellow journalists said Danjibga’s broadcast voice gave him an edge over others during his decades-long career as a reporter.
Stop lecturing us, Guinea junta leader tells West
Guinea’s junta leader, Col Mamady Doumbouya, has said the Western model of democracy does not work in Africa, as he defended the use of military intervention.
He told the UN General Assembly in New York that the continent was suffering from a “model of governance that has been imposed on us” and which was “having trouble adapting to our reality”.
“It is time to stop lecturing us and stop treating us with condescension like children,” he added.
Col Doumbouya took power in a coup in 2021, ousting President Alpha Condé.
He defended taking that action to the UN assembly, saying it was “to save our country from complete chaos”.
At the time, news of the coup was greeted by excited crowds in the capital, Conakry, as many were relieved that President Condé had been deposed.
But the country was suspended from the regional group, Ecowas, in the wake of the military takeover, with regional leaders calling for a return to civilian rule.
Last year, Col Doumbouya did give a timetable for a transition to elected government after talks with Ecowas but there has been little progress in organising a vote, the Reuters news agency reports.
Guinea is among a number of countries in western and central Africa that have seen coups in recent years including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Gabon.
The coups have been strongly condemned by Ecowas, the African Union and the UN.
Sudan army chief warns war could spill over into neighbours
Sudan’s de facto leader has warned the UN that his country’s war could spill over into neighbouring African nations.
In a speech, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan also urged the international community to designate his opponents, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a terrorist group.
Meanwhile, RSF leader Hamdan Dagalo said he was prepared for a ceasefire.
Since April, Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war that has killed thousands of people.
Back in 2021, the two generals staged a coup, but in recent months a power struggle between them has led to their men taking up arms against each other.
Speaking to the UN on Thursday, Gen Burhan said his party was open to peace talks, and wanted to “put an end to this war and to alleviate the suffering of our people”, but said the RSF refused.
However, in a rare video message to the UN, his opponent, Gen Dagalo – also known as Hemedti – said he was ready to engage in talks.
Sudan’s civil war erupted in April when members of the RSF were deployed around the country in a move the army, led by Gen Burhan, saw as a threat.
It is disputed who fired the first shot but the fighting swiftly escalated in different parts of the country. BBC report that the fighting has killed at least 7,500 people according to NGO Acled and displaced millions.
Central African Republic ex-leader Bozizé handed life sentence for conspiracy, rebellion
Bozizé, 76, who was in exile in Chad until March when he moved to Guinea Bissau, heads an alliance of rebel groups called the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), formed in December 2020.
The ex-president, who seized power in the CAR in 2003 but was toppled a decade later, was sentenced on Thursday, according to a judgement sent to AFP by the justice ministry.
Two of Bozizé’s sons and 20 other co-accused, who included rebel leaders, were also handed the same sentence in absentia.
They were also convicted of compromising the internal security of the State and “murders”, according to the judgement by an appeals court in the capital Bangui.
The judgement gave no details on the time period concerned or the crimes.
Civil conflict has torn CAR, one of the world’s poorest countries, since 2013 when Muslim-dominated armed groups ousted Bozizé.
Bozizé set up armed militias known as the anti-Balakas, who were mainly Christian, to try to regain power.
The conflict lost intensity from 2018, but the country still suffers bouts of violence and remains deeply poor.
Peace Day: women described as peace promoters
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu says First ladies of African countries play a pivotal role in promoting peace in the region.
She was speaking in New York, at the commemoration of the International Day of Peace organised by the African First ladies Peace Mission.
The First Lady pointed out that women in general have the capacity to deal with conflict without violence.
“Every individual, regardless of their gender, should be able to thrive in an environment free from violence and discrimination.
“The journey towards lasting peace requires dialogue, the engagement and empowerment of all members of the society, in particular, women in leadership roles.
“Women bring unique perspectives, qualities, compassion and experiences to the table, which can play a transformative role in conflict resolution, peace building, and sustainable development,”Voice Of Nigeria quoted her as saying
Mrs Tinubu urged other First Ladies, religious leaders, women activists and female leaders of thought to promote gender equity, support other women in leadership, end violence against women and engage men as allies.
“I would like to end my address with this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson ‘Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.’As women, it is time we bring peace to ourselves and to our world,” she said.
Also speaking at the event were the First Ladies of Burundi and the Bahamas who both emphasised that peace in the continent and the world would not come except everyone makes it happen.
During the event, Mrs Tinubu had an opportunity to ring the bell of peace.
She was the 517th person to do so in the world.
The event was an opportunity for the First Ladies from other nations of the world and other distinguished personalities to celebrate the First Lady of the federal Republic of Nigeria who turned 63 years old on Thursday.
The event was the Africa First Ladies Peace Mission high level forum for 2023 United Nations Day of Peace at the 78th session of UNGA.
Tunisia's famous satirical cartoonist, Tawfiq Omrane, was released after police questioning for allegedly insulting Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani in his cartoons. He must attend a court hearing next week. Opposition activists view this as an attack on free speech.
Nigerian journalist Hamisu Danjibga was found dead in Zamfara State, days after being reported missing. His death has been condemned by various press organizations, and an investigation has been ordered by the state governor.
Guinea’s junta leader, Col Mamady Doumbouya, criticized the Western model of democracy, stating it doesn't fit Africa's reality, during a speech at the UN General Assembly. He defended the 2021 coup as a necessary action to prevent chaos but has faced calls for a return to civilian rule.
Sudan’s army chief, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, warned the UN that the civil war could spill over into neighboring nations and urged the international community to label the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist group. Despite ongoing violence, there are conflicting indications of willingness for peace talks from both sides.
Former Central African Republic leader François Bozizé was sentenced to life for conspiracy and rebellion. He led a coalition of rebel groups and was convicted along with others for compromising state security and other crimes.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, highlighted the pivotal role of African First Ladies in promoting peace during an International Day of Peace event in New York. She emphasized the capacity of women to resolve conflicts non-violently and urged for gender equity and support for women in leadership.
