South Africa, India, Niger
Today's three stories you should know
South Africa
More than 900 people were arrested during anti-immigrant marches in South Africa this week, the police said. Though Deputy National Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikili told a news conference that only 12 of 120 demonstrations held across the country turned violent, shops were looted and one person was shot dead. The marches were held to mark a deadline set by far-right groups for undocumented immigrants to leave South Africa. Ahead of the marches, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that while people who have issues with immigration deserve to be heard, “taking the law into one’s own hands is vigilantism and has no place in our constitutional democracy.”
More from Al Jazeera here.
Episode 5 of The Proximities Podcast, a conversation with journalist and author Sally Hayden, is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Coming this week: How archaeology is weaponized in the West Bank.
India
India said it will send its deputy foreign minister Pabitra Margherita and a state governor, Syed Ata Hasnain, to represent the country at the state funeral of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. India has recently deepened ties with the United Arab Emirates, which Tehran attacked with missiles during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. New Delhi is discussing a significant arms deal with the Gulf country. "The high-level representation in the ceremony underscores the importance of civilizational ties, including people-to-people connection, between the two countries, providing a robust foundation to political and economic engagements," India’s foreign ministry said of the Iran delegation.
More from Reuters here.
Niger
Niger has arrested 16 more people after it introduced draconian new anti-homosexuality laws in February. The arrested men included high-ranking military officials, according to reports. Sexual relations with a person of the same sex are now punishable by prison terms of up to 20 years and fines of up to $180,000. “With the recent witch-hunt, and these arrests that are taking place, the climate here is truly toxic,” LGBT rights activists, who wanted to remain anonymous out of fear for their safety, told the Guardian, adding they had lost contact with members of the LGBT community, with many going into hiding.
More from the Guardian here.