NPR News -Africa

White South African Afrikaner refugees arrive in U.S. on a government-chartered plane

White Afrikaaner South Africans demonstrate in support of U.S. President Donald Trump in front of the U.S. embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, Feb. 15.

Jerome Delay/AP

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Jerome Delay/AP

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa —A group of 59 white Afrikaners who have been given refugee status by the Trump administration arrived at Dulles airport outside Washington, D.C., on Monday on a charter flight paid for by the U.S. government.
Africa First Afrikaners granted refugee status due to arrive in U.S. The Afrikaners, descendants of mainly Dutch colonists, left Johannesburg on Sunday night. They were seen at the airport in Johannesburg with carts full of suitcases, but declined to speak to the media. They are being greeted by U.S. officials and are expected to give a news conference shortly.
One document seen by NPR said there would be food and “items for the children” upon arrival. It said the refugee services office of the Catholic diocese of Virginia would ..

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After two years of civil war, Sudan’s capital is a shell of its former self

May 9, 20256:23 PM ET
Enlarge this imagePeople walk down a road in Khartoum, 2024.

Faiz Abubakr/Faiz Abubakr

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Faiz Abubakr/Faiz Abubakr

People walk down a road in Khartoum, 2024.

Faiz Abubakr/Faiz Abubakr

It’s been more than two years since civil war exploded in Sudan.
By some estimates the conflict has killed as many as 150-thousand people, and displaced millions more.
In April, NPR International Correspondent Emmanuel Akinwotu gained rare access to the capital city, Khartoum. He reports on how the once vibrant city of 6 million has been ravaged by war.
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First Afrikaners granted refugee status due to arrive in U.S.

May 8, 202510:22 PM ET
Afrikaan South Africans supporting US President Donald Trump and South African and US tech billionaire Elon Musk gather in front of the US Embassy in Pretoria, on February 15, 2025 for a demonstration.

Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images

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Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — The U.S. government has officially granted 54 Afrikaans South Africans, white descendants of mainly Dutch colonizers, refugee status and they are expected to land in the U.S. on Monday May 12, three sources with knowledge of the matter have told NPR. The sources did not want to be named because they work for the U.S. government and fear for their careers.
U.S. authorities on Thursday were trying to arrange a charter flight that would bring the South Africans to Dulles Airport near Washington, D.C., on Monday morning, but it’s not clear if they will be allowed to land there. If that is not possible then they will be sent on ..

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Trump administration plans to deport migrants to Libya

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer prepares a Salvadoran immigrant without legal status for a deportation flight.

John Moore/Getty Images

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John Moore/Getty Images

The Trump administration is planning to deport migrants without legal status to Libya, a country long plagued by armed conflict, a U.S. official has confirmed to NPR.
However, Libyan officials — for both the factions controlling separate areas of the divided country — denied they were in talks with the U.S., according to Reuters.
The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the plans, but the news comes days after reports that Trump was eyeing the North African nation — as well as other African countries including Benin, Angola and Eswatini — as places to send deportees.

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Meantime, a federal judge ruled Wednesday that deporting noncitizens to Libya without due process would violate his existing court order. U.S. District Jud..

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Port Sudan was safe during the war. Now it’s been attacked by a group linked to UAE

Smoke billows after drone strikes by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted the northern port in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, on Tuesday.

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Sudan’s temporary capital city, Port Sudan, previously a safe haven during the country’s two-year civil war, has come under attack for the first time by a series of drone strikes for consecutive days.
World Sudan’s war is 2 years in and shows no signs of slowing, as talks take placeThe strikes, launched by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces for the third day, attacked a terminal at the city’s airport overnight on Tuesday. All flights have been grounded, local officials told NPR.
The popular Marina Hotel, opposite the newly built presidential palace, and the city went without power, eyewitnesses said. Possible casualty numbers were not immediately clear.
The strikes on Tuesday followed attacks on a military warehouse near the airport, civilian infrastructure and an oil depot on th..

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Rwanda says it’s in ‘early stages’ of talks with U.S. to take in deported migrants

May 6, 20254:26 AM ET
Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe speaks during a Declaration of Principles signing ceremony with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Congo’s Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner on April 25 at the State Department in Washington.

Jacquelyn Martin/AP

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Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehetold Rwandan state TV that his government was in “early talks” with Washington regarding taking in third-country nationals deported from the U.S.
Africa Rwanda faces growing pressure for role in Democratic Republic of Congo conflict”We are now in talks with the U.S. about a deal on migration,” he said, confirming days of rumors.
Nduhungirehe said plans weren’t concrete yet, but noted that Rwanda has experience in taking in migrants, saying, “it’s not the first time that we’d be engaging in such a kind of deal.”
Asked to confirm the comments, the U.S. State Department told NPR only that “ongoi..

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Here’s how the Trump administration has changed health policy in its first 100 days

April 30, 20253:00 AM ET
Enlarge this imagePeople hold handmade signs at a Stand up for Science rally protesting the Trump administration’s science policies and federal job cuts on Friday, March 7, 2025, in Chicago.

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People hold handmade signs at a Stand up for Science rally protesting the Trump administration’s science policies and federal job cuts on Friday, March 7, 2025, in Chicago.

Nam Y. Huh/AP News

In its first 100 days, the Trump administration — and specifically, the Department of Government Efficiency — shuttered agencies and slashed budgets pertaining to foreign aid, scientific research, food safety, and more.
How will this impact people’s health and well-being both in the U.S., and around the world?
To answer that question, we’re calling in our colleagues: global health correspondent Gabrielle Emmanuel and health policy reporter Selena Simmons-Duffin. They break down what cuts to sc..

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