Burundi

Dozens of Burundian soldiers were reportedly arrested for refusing to be deployed in eastern Congo in the fight against the M23 rebel group advancing towards a major border town

The government adopted a bill to abolish prison sentences for journalists who file ethical complaints, but recommends fines of between $350 and $523 for media workers who have violated journalistic ethics

The average size of family farms is shrinking in rural areas due to population pressure, with fertility being lost due to over-exploitation and farmers seeking new areas, leading to weakening rivers such as the Ruzizi

The IMF expects Burundi's economy to expand by 4,3% this year from 2,7% in 2023; growth would be supported by strong agricultural production, productive investment and ongoing reforms

The diplomatic dispute between Burundi and Rwanda took on a new front as Burundi closed its borders with its neighbour 'until changed'; Burundi has accused Rwanda of financing rebel attacks

Homosexual marriage is an 'abominable practice', and gay couples to be 'stoned to death' because they have 'chosen the devil' and attract the divine 'curse', said Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye

Six of the ten handball players of the Burundi team, who fled from Rijeka, Croatia on 9 August while participating in the U-19 World Cup, had to return to Croatia after Belgium, where the youngsters had sought asylum, expelled them last week

The National Assembly should address the significant deficiencies in the historic 2016 law against gender-based violence and inconsistencies in other laws to ensure effective prevention, protection and justice for survivors, Amnesty International said

Human Rights Watch and the Initiative for Human Rights in Burundi issued a joint communication on the Independent National Commission for Human Rights in Burundi, the CNIDH, accusing it of a lack of independence; the CNIDH believes the opposite

Seven players of the Burundi national under-19 handball team were placed in a detention centre after being discovered in Belgium by immigration authorities

Burundi's former prime minister, Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni, has appeared in court to answer charges including an alleged attempt to kill the country's president

Burundi became the 100th country to implement the FIFA "Football for Schools" programme with a ceremony held at the Urunani Stadium in Buganda, on the outskirts of Bujumbura, in the presence of FIFA President Gianni Infantino