🇸🇳SenegalWest Africa
Trump administration abandons controversial justice system weaponization fund
via SeneNews6 min read
The Trump administration has announced it is abandoning its controversial "anti-weaponization" justice fund, a project that had been criticized by opponents as a "slush fund." Interim Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed that the fund was never operational, stating, "We are not pursuing the creation of this fund." Blanche, a former personal lawyer for Donald Trump, made the announcement during a House of Representatives committee hearing. He clarified that the fund had not been established, no members had been appointed, and no compensation claims had been submitted. The administration acknowledged a judicial decision that temporarily froze the nearly $1.8 billion fund, indicating its potential abandonment due to opposition from both Democrats and some Republican officials. The Justice Department had previously stated the fund was open to anyone who had been a victim of justice system weaponization, regardless of political affiliation, and expressed "profound disagreement" with the judicial decision while vowing to respect it. The fund was created on May 18 to address what the Trump administration described as the weaponization of the justice system against Donald Trump's supporters under his predecessor, Joe Biden. Democrats, however, denounced it as a "slush fund" intended to compensate Trump supporters, including individuals convicted in the January 6, 2021, Capitol assault. The fund's creation was legally challenged by a former federal prosecutor, police officers who d
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Must ReadFormer Prime Minister and leading Gabonese opposition figure Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze remains in detention after the Libreville Court of Appeal rejected his request to nullify the proceedings. His lawyer, Arthur Vercken, stated that Bilie-By-Nze, president of the Together for Gabon party, has been incarcerated since April 16 as part of an investigation into alleged breach of trust and fraud dating back to 2008. His lawyers argue that the statute of limitations applied in 2011 and denounce the procedure as flawed and the detention as arbitrary, asserting that the alleged facts lack serious criminal qualification. Vercken stated that this situation constitutes a serious violation of Gabonese law, fundamental guarantees of a fair trial, and Gabon's international commitments, demanding his immediate release from Libreville central prison. According to his party, Bilie-By-Nze was apprehended under "brutal, irregular, and contrary to the elementary principles of the rule of law" conditions, then "held incommunicado for 24 hours, without access to his lawyers," before being placed under a committal order. Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema, in an interview on France 24, defended the independence of the judiciary and denied any executive intervention in the case. Bilie-By-Nze, who served as Prime Minister under Ali Bongo from 2009 to 2023 and was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2025 presidential election against Oligui Nguema, was arrested after speaking out against the suspens
Each year, millions of sheep are sacrificed in Senegal for Tabaski, a ritual that, despite its sacred nature, leads to a disastrous management of organic waste. This mismanagement highlights structural underdevelopment and significant economic losses. Following Tabaski, urban centers in Senegal are often littered with thousands of abandoned skins, decomposing offal creating a foul odor, and clogged sewage systems. This issue, often seen as a temporary nuisance, is an environmental crime and an industrial disaster costing billions. Senegal's population of approximately 19 million, with over 96% being Muslim, results in a social fabric of about 2.1 million families. While some families cannot afford an animal, wealthier households often sacrifice multiple sheep. Official figures from the Ministry of Livestock indicate a national need of 800,000 to 1,000,000 sheep for the holiday. Within 24 hours, over 4,000 tons of skins and vast quantities of paunch residues accumulate in public spaces. Citizen strategies for disposal range from burying remains, which merely displaces the problem, to abandoning skins or dumping offal directly into the ocean or sewage systems. The anaerobic decomposition of this biomass generates greenhouse gases. Each abandoned sheep contributes to pollution, with the degradation of its rumen and uneaten offal releasing 2 to 4 cubic meters of biogas, nearly 60% pure methane. Methane has a global warming potential 25 times greater than carbon dioxide. Across a
Must ReadThe government of Maputo has reported that five Mozambican nationals were killed in xenophobic violence in South Africa over the weekend. This makes Mozambique the first foreign government to confirm fatalities linked to the recent wave of anti-immigrant protests and actions. Approximately 800 Mozambicans were affected by the violence that erupted in the port city of Mossel Bay on Friday. According to a statement released by Maputo on Monday evening, seven Mozambicans died, with five deaths directly resulting from xenophobic attacks and two from a car accident while returning to Mozambique. The situation prompted 300 Mozambicans to return home independently on Saturday, and the remaining 500 have since found refuge in a safe location in the Western Cape province, with their repatriation already underway. On Sunday, South African police stated they were investigating the deaths of two men in a Mossel Bay township, a city about 400 kilometers east of Cape Town, where xenophobic violence was reported. However, the South African police had not linked these deaths to the violence or clarified the nationality of the two victims. Mayor Dirk Kotze, however, expressed "deep concern and dismay at the xenophobic violence that led to the murders of people, burned houses, and displaced families." The region has experienced anti-immigrant demonstrations similar to gatherings observed in recent weeks in Johannesburg, Durban, and the Eastern Cape province, ahead of local elections in Novembe
Senegal, led by veteran Sadio Mané, is targeting the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, aiming to match their best result from 2002. In 2002, the Lions of Teranga, captained by Aliou Cissé, famously defeated reigning world champions France 1-0 in the opening match before losing to Turkey in the quarterfinals. Mané's teammates are set to face France again on June 16 at Metlife Stadium in New York for their opening match. An former Senegalese captain, close to the current squad, believes this is a new generation and a different football, but hopes they can challenge France as they did in 2002. The 2026 Lions of Teranga have strong credentials, having won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat against host nation Morocco. However, their title was later revoked in March by the Confederation of African Football CAF appeals jury due to temporarily leaving the field, and they are awaiting a decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS. Despite this, Senegal remains the most consistent African nation over the last decade. Benjamin Moukandjo, former Cameroon captain and now a consultant for beIn Sports, believes Senegal is best positioned among African teams to go far in the World Cup. The team boasts a golden generation, including goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, defender Kalidou Koulibaly, midfielder Idrissa Gueye, and Sadio Mané, who form the backbone of the team. Coach Pape Thiaw has also integrated young talents like 18-year-old Paris SG forward Ibrahim Mbaye, Lyon defender M