International

UN chief calls for restoration of constitutional order in Niger

Published

3 years ago

August 19, 2023

UN chief calls for restoration of constitutional order in Niger

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, on Friday, called for Niger’s democratically elected officials to be released at once, following their detention in the July coup.

Türk, in a statement, urged the generals to restore constitutional order immediately.

The UN rights chief, however, expressed grave concerns for the people of Niger.

“The people have already been through so much hardship over the years. Now, the very people who they elected to build a pathway to end their destitution have been removed by force,” he said.

Türk also raised concerns about the announced decision by Niger’s military leaders to prosecute President Mohamed Bazoum and others working with him for high treason.

“This decision is not only politically motivated against a democratically elected president but has no legal basis as the normal functioning of democratic institutions have been cast aside.

“The very notion of freedoms in Niger is at stake. Generals cannot take it upon themselves to defy – at a whim – the will of the people.

“Rule-by-gun has no place in today’s world,” said the High Commissioner.

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The message comes as the UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM) called for a humanitarian corridor out of Niger to be established urgently, for stranded migrants.

This call was echoed by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative on the ground, Stefano Savi.

He called for a reopening of the border so that humanitarian supplies and more urgently needed humanitarian staff could be admitted to meet rising needs.

He said it was imperative to allow in vaccines stranded at humanitarian hubs.

“We have the vaccines just awaiting the reopening of the airspace. You know, those vaccines are essential to carry out vaccine campaigns,” he said.

In the first half of 2023, more than 60,000 migrants travelled through Niger.

IOM said recent border and airspace closures had led to overcrowding in its centres, where thousands of migrants were hosted as many waited to return home.

According to the organisation, in 10 days, departures for over 1,000 migrants, primarily from Mali and the Republic of Guinea, were cancelled or postponed.

Meanwhile, around 1,800 migrants are awaiting assistance outside IOM transit centres, which host around 5,000 people at seven transit points strategically positioned along migration routes.

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From the UN human rights office, (OHCHR), spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani noted that Niger was one of the poorest countries in the world, with nearly half of the population living on less than 2.15 dollars a day and millions reliant on humanitarian assistance.

She deplored that the country’s people had been forced to endure “even more misery” following the coup, which had triggered border closures, trade interruptions and a surge in food prices.

Even before President Bazoum was seized by some of his guards in the 26 July power grab, over three million people were chronically food insecure, according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and close to half of all children under five were suffering from chronic malnutrition.

The OHCHR spokesperson reiterated Türk’s call for “full and free access for humanitarian assistance to allow critical food, medical and other relief supplies into the country.”

Shamdasani added that there had been a “very worrying” clampdown on civic space in Niger, which was impacting freedom of expression and public assembly.

This included allegations of intimidation against journalists and bans on international media outlets.

She also noted that recently there had been a “deeply troubling” pattern of unconstitutional changes in government by military forces across West Africa – the Niger putsch being the sixth in the region in the past three years.

UN chief calls for restoration of constitutional order in Niger

(NAN)

International

Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election

Published

11 hours ago

September 12, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election

US President Donald Trump has made an unusual appeal to his supporters ahead of the November 3 election, telling them to turn out with their families and friends while declaring that he would “cheat like hell.”

Trump made the comments during a Republican gathering in Dallas, Texas, where he led attendees through a mock pledge intended to encourage them to support him and participate in the election.

After asking the crowd to raise their right hands and repeat after him, Trump urged his supporters to help bring their relatives and friends to the polls.

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He then made the controversial remark while discussing voter registration, saying he was unconcerned about whether he was registered and accusing his political opponents of being bigger “cheaters.”

Trump went on to encourage supporters to vote either on November 3 or before election day, ending the pledge with an appeal to God.

The president also joked that supporters who failed to vote could face divine punishment, telling the crowd they would “go to hell” if they did not turn out.

The remarks came as Trump sought to energise Republican voters ahead of the election, in which control of Congress is also at stake.

His comments are likely to attract attention because of the language he used during an event aimed at mobilising voters, particularly his reference to cheating and his claims about the conduct of his opponents.

Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election

International

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

Published

17 hours ago

September 12, 2026

Trends Admin

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

At least 44 people were injured after a passenger train carrying 186 people derailed in northwestern France on Friday evening, with an 18-year-old woman among those injured and reported to be in critical condition.

The Rouen-Caen regional train derailed at about 7:45 p.m. local time near Cléon, in the Seine-Maritime department of Normandy, while travelling between the cities of Rouen and Caen.

The incident triggered a major emergency response, with authorities deploying about 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 emergency vehicles to the scene.

A mass-casualty emergency plan was activated to coordinate the rescue operation and treatment of those injured.

According to Rouen prosecutor Sébastien Gallois, 44 passengers were injured in the France train derailment, including the 18-year-old woman who was airlifted to Rouen University Hospital in critical condition.

The other 43 injured passengers were treated for less serious injuries.

The initial estimate of the number of injured passengers was lower, but the figure was revised to 44 after emergency teams completed their assessment of passengers at the scene.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the train was travelling between Rouen and Caen when the accident occurred.

A passenger identified as 24-year-old Louis described the moments before the train accident in France as frightening.

He said the train first experienced several jolts before the movement became increasingly violent.

“Suddenly there were a few jolts, and then after about three seconds it got stronger and stronger,” he told ICI Normandie radio.

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“I couldn’t stay in my seat any more. The windows partially shattered; the stones from the track came into the carriage. It was really shocking. I’m still shaking,” he said.

A police source said the train may have struck an unidentified object shortly before it derailed. However, authorities have not established whether the object was responsible for the accident.

The cause of the Cléon train derailment therefore remains under investigation.

The Rouen prosecutor said drug and alcohol tests conducted on the train driver were negative.

Police and railway investigators have begun examining the train, the railway infrastructure and the circumstances surrounding the derailment to determine what caused the accident.

The railway operator, SNCF Réseau, suspended traffic on the affected line and switched off electricity to the tracks to allow emergency workers to operate safely.

“The priority is to care for the passengers and then to restore safe operating conditions,” SNCF Réseau said.

The disruption affected rail services along the Rouen-Caen route, while other services connecting Caen with Le Havre were also affected.

Rail authorities worked to arrange alternative transport for passengers whose journeys were disrupted while emergency and investigative operations continued at the accident scene.

Passengers who were not seriously injured were moved away from the crash site as emergency teams attended to those requiring medical attention.

The prefecture urged members of the public to stay away from the affected area to allow rescue workers and investigators to carry out their duties.

The accident caused significant disruption to rail services across the region, with authorities prioritising the safety of passengers and the restoration of the affected railway line.

The investigation is expected to establish whether the train’s contact with the unidentified object, a problem with the railway infrastructure or another factor contributed to the derailment.

As of the latest reports, there were no fatalities recorded in the accident, while the 18-year-old woman remained in critical condition and the other injured passengers were receiving medical attention.

Authorities said investigations into the France train accident were continuing.

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

International

Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland

Published

1 day ago

September 11, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland

A holiday trip in Switzerland has ended in tragedy after a coach carrying 45 Dutch adults overturned in the eastern part of the country, killing five people and injuring the remaining passengers.

The crash occurred on Thursday afternoon on the road linking Susch and Zernez in the Graubünden region. Police said the vehicle went off the roadway while passing through an area where construction work was taking place before overturning.

Three of those injured are in serious condition, while another 37 people sustained less severe injuries. The driver, who is also Dutch, survived the crash but was among those taken for medical treatment.

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Authorities have begun investigating the incident and are working to establish what caused the coach to leave the road.

Tour operator Oad said the company was devastated by the deaths and described the incident as a deeply shocking tragedy.

The crash took place close to Zernez, a popular gateway to Switzerland’s National Park, a large Alpine nature reserve in the Engadine valley.