The current political instability in Bamako and the insecurity in northern Mali continue to trigger important influxes of refugees into the neighboring countries of Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Niger, says UNHCR. Altogether, the crisis has now displaced over 400,000 Malians.

Kenya's High Court lifted a ban on Wednesday on a separatist group demanding the secession of the country's coastal strip and famed tourist haven, the latest twist in a dispute that has unnerved investors and raised fears of violence. The Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) was outlawed by the Kenyan government in 2010 along with 33 entities described as 'organised criminal groups', but a Mombasa-based court ruled that the ban was unconstitutional.

From 12-14 July, the International Detention Coalition hosted the first Africa Regional Immigration Detention Workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa. 18 organizations from 10 countries participated, including representatives from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa and Senegal. Over the three days, participants had the opportunity to share detention related skills, experiences, challenges and opportunities, thereby building relationships, learning from each other and engaging on thematic issues including legal framework for detention, monitoring places of detention, working with vulnerable people in detention, self care and advocacy techniques.

Refugee rights organizations in Cape Town are breathing a sigh of relief following a high court judgement that will force the Department of Home Affairs to reverse a policy of not accepting new asylum-seeker applications at the region’s only Refugee Reception Office (RRO). Since the beginning of July, when the Maitland RRO in Cape Town moved to new premises, newly-arrived refugees trying to apply for asylum have been turned away and only those wanting to renew asylum seeker permits have been assisted. Maitland was the third RRO to be closed by Home Affairs in two years, leaving just three offices in Durban, Pretoria and Musina near the Zimbabwean border, where refugees can apply for asylum.

Soldiers loyal to Mali’s coup leader have forcibly disappeared at least 20 soldiers allegedly linked to an 30 April 2012 counter-coup, and committed torture and other abuses against dozens of others, Human Rights Watch said. The security forces of Capt. Amadou Sanogo, who led the 22 March coup against President Amadou Toumani Touré, have also engaged in a campaign of intimidation against journalists, family members of detained soldiers, and others deemed a threat.

The Arabic Network on Human Rights Information has denounced the continued presence of former members of Mubarak's regime in positions of power, such as universities. Ahmed Zaki Badr, former minister of education and now the president of Akhbar El-Youm Academy, arbitrarily fired six employees due to their participation in a demonstration calling for his dismissal. Mohamed Atwa, Nagla Ismail, Hossam Hosni, Yahia Zakaria and Mohamed Abdulaziz, were among those dismissed.

In a new report, 'Asset laundering and AIM: Congo, corporate misconduct and the market value of human rights', the business and human rights organisation Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) catalogues the inadequacies of the London Stock Exchange's regulatory framework. The Central African Mining and Exploration Company plc (CAMEC) was allowed to trade and flourish on London's junior Alternative Investment Market (AIM) despite its close links to Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party (Zimbabwe), the dubious provenance of its Congolese mining assets and the unsavoury reputation of key business associates.

Authorities in central Nigeria say floods triggered by heavy rains have killed at least 35 people and left several others missing. The flooding has also destroyed or damaged at least 200 homes in Jos city, the Red Cross said on Monday 23 July.

South Africa has abstained from voting on a United Nations Security Council resolution on Syria, claiming the resolution was worded in favour of one side of the conflict. Western nations were left perplexed and other onlookers were just as puzzled. Just where does South Africa stand on Syria? asks this article from The Daily Maverick.

The UN Secretary-General's Special Representative and head of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), Bert Koenders, has strongly condemned the attack carried out by some 300 individuals against a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Cote d'Ivoire, which resulted in seven deaths and injuries to 13 people.

Human rights groups under the umbrella of 'The Coalition for Human Rights in The Gambia' have called for an end to the 'reign of fear' in The Gambia. The call was made in a statement issued by the coalition and received by PANA in Dakar as the Gambian government marked the anniversary of the 22 July 1994 military takeover which it termed 'Freedom Day.' According to the coalition, the real situation of human rights in The Gambia 'is often subtly hidden' by the Yahya Jammeh administration on occasions like the celebration of the 22 July, which is a true 'black day' for human rights as it marks the seizure of power through 'a coup by the administration that has since then relentlessly engaged in several serious violations of fundamental human rights'.

Transnational organized crime activities, and the money they generate, appear to play a significant role in perpetuating the instability, lawlessness and violence, particularly in the East of the DRC. It is estimated that in the East of the DRC, there are still between 6,500 and 13,000 active members of armed groups who are benefiting from criminal activity. The Organized Crime and Instability in Central Africa threat assessment describes the interconnections between different criminal actors, outlines the various trafficking flows and identifies some possible options for intervention.

Madagascar’s army said Sunday 22 July it had put down a mutiny in a military camp Sunday, after clashes in which at least three people were killed. 'Mopping up operations are continuing,' said Rarasoa Ralailomady, the army's chief spokesman. 'A night operation has not been ruled out but the situation is under control.' The army also announced that they had neutralized the mutiny leader nicknamed 'Koto Mainty' aka Black Caporal.

Arbitrary arrests, kidnappings and torture by armed groups and government forces since the end of Côte d’Ivoire’s bloody 2010-2011 post-election unrest are stifling national reconciliation and causing fear and mistrust among civilians. A local human rights group estimates that around 200 supporters of ousted president Laurent Gbagbo have been detained, mostly in northern Côte d’Ivoire. In the western and central towns of Daloa and Issia, several civilians have been arrested and mistreated.

Mali has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate atrocities that have taken place in the country since January 2012, the chief prosecutor said. A mix of local and foreign Islamist fighters, including some fighters linked to al Qaeda, are in control of northern Mali after they hijacked a rebellion initially launched in January by secular Tuareg separatists. About 300,000 people have been displaced in a conflict marked by killings, rapes, torture, and attacks on cultural sites.

Unbeknownst to most Americans and people around the world, the US has been steadily increasing its military footprint in Africa.

Three lawyers were arrested in Nyala after they met with the government of South Darfur. During a meeting with the head of security and head of police they handed over a petition in which they demanded President Omar Al Bashir to stop the use of excessive violence against peaceful protesters.

Three guards who worked for the security firm G4S have been told they will not face manslaughter charges over the death of Jimmy Mubenga, an Angolan refugee who collapsed while being escorted on a flight from Heathrow airport in London 21 months ago. The men worked as guards for the firm, which was contracted to escort deportees for the Home Office when the incident occurred. Mubenga, 46, died after losing consciousness on British Airways flight 77 to Angola, as it waited to take off on the runway.

Nobel economics laureate Joseph Stiglitz warned in Maputo against following advice by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that would make the fight against inflation the number one priority of economic policy. Addressing an overflowing public meeting organised by the anti-corruption NGO, the Centre for Public Integrity (CIP), Stiglitz, who is also a former chief economist at he World Bank, said he had been 'appalled' to discover that the IMF wants to impose 'inflation targeting' on Mozambique. He argued that, while low inflation might be desirable (and he praised the Bank of Mozambique for its handling of inflation, currently at historically low levels), it could not be the main goal of economic policy, which should also take into account such considerations as growth and employment.

Sudanese refugees who fled fighting between rebels and Sudan's military are suffering in primitive camps without enough aid because the international community has not provided the needed funds to help, a top United Nations official said. Antonio Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, urged donor nations to ease 'the enormous humanitarian tragedy'. Sudanese troops are fighting rebels, who were once aligned with what is now South Sudan, in two states near the countries' shared border. Guterres said more than 200,000 refugees have fled the states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile and into neighboring Ethiopia and South Sudan.