South Africa faces a diplomatic setback as key partners scale back participation in SA-led forums, weakening Pretoria’s multilateral influence and investment drive ( image source ) President Cyril Ramaphosa’s international diplomacy has encountered a setback after reports that major partners will scale back participation in forums hosted or championed by South Africa, a development analysts say undermines Pretoria’s ability to shape multilateral outcomes and attract investmen

The UAE’s media campaign on Sudan faces scrutiny as investigations link Dubai-based firms to RSF conflict-gold networks, raising questions of accountability and reform ( image source ) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched a well-funded media campaign including diplomatic statements, paid social-media posts and high-profile outreach to recast its role in the conflict in Sudan as primarily humanitarian. Yet that messaging is colliding with increasingly detailed investiga

A drone identified at Wadi Seidna military base was 6.5m long and had a wingspan of 10m ( image source ) The United Arab Emirates has been implicated in covert arms transfers to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) through a network of cargo flights and re-exported Chinese weaponry, a flow investigators say has fuelled atrocities on the ground. Abu Dhabi’s role is documented in a confidential United Nations expert report that tracked a pattern of military-linked cargo flights f

Zimbabwean innovator John Arufandika was honoured with the Emerging Technologies Impact Award at The List Awards 2025 for developing a regional AI language model that champions African innovation, language inclusion, and digital transformation The List Awards were held at a glittering ceremony in Harare earlier this November. Organized by Identities Media Holdings, the awards are now in their second edition and celebrate “Unsung Heroes” — individuals whose quiet, consistent w

From Kwekwe to Cape Town, Zimbabwean drummer and vocalist Simba Saini has recorded over 124 albums, blending sungura, jazz, and Afro-fusion to keep Zimbabwe’s music alive across borders ( image source ) From Kwekwe to Cape Town, Zimbabwe-born drummer, vocalist, and band leader Simba Saini has crafted a remarkable musical journey that spans continents, genres, and hundreds of albums. Known affectionately as “Samanyanga,” Saini blends traditional Shona sensibilities with groove

Hundreds of Africans are being lured into the Russia–Ukraine war through fake job offers, with rights groups warning of human trafficking and mercenary networks ( image source ) HARARE / CAPE TOWN — When a group of 17 South African men sent desperate voice notes home from eastern Ukraine in early November, claiming they had been “tricked into a war,” the story jolted Pretoria into action. Promised construction or security work, they say they were instead pressed into frontlin

Zimbabweans are being lured into trafficking networks and forced-labour cyber-fraud centres in Myanmar, as online recruitment scams expose gaps in regulation, enforcement and victim protection ( image source ) A surge in online recruitment scams is drawing desperate Zimbabweans into transnational trafficking networks, with victims reportedly being lured as far as Myanmar and trapped in forced-labour cyber-fraud compounds. Rights groups say recruiters are becoming increasingly

Aliko Dangote is expected in Zimbabwe to finalise a US$1 billion industrial investment deal covering cement production, coal mining and power generation ( image source ) Nigerian billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote is expected in Harare this week to finalise a proposed US$1 billion industrial package that spans cement production, coal mining and power generation, according to senior government and business sources. The deal is being described as one of the largest private

Job Sikhala’s arrest in Pretoria over alleged explosives has sparked controversy, with his lawyers claiming a political setup ( image source ) The arrest of former MP Job Sikhala in Pretoria has raised fresh questions after South African police claimed explosives were found in the vehicle he was travelling in — an allegation his legal team strongly disputes. Images of Sikhala in handcuffs circulating widely on social media have fuelled outrage and speculation in both Zimbabwe

AU observers say Tanzania’s election fell short of democratic standards, citing ballot-stuffing, internet shutdowns, detentions and transparency failures ( image source ) DAR ES SALAAM — The African Union’s election observation mission has concluded that Tanzania’s recent general election did not meet the bloc’s democratic principles and fell short of international standards. In a preliminary report released Wednesday, the mission said widespread irregularities undermined the

Ghanaian community advocate Gladys Otae Addo Osei wins the Global Excellence Award in Namibia for her leadership in youth empowerment, governance advocacy and community development ( image source ) WINDHOEK — Ghanaian community development advocate and governance activist Gladys Otae Addo Osei has received the Global Excellence Award for Change Maker in Leadership and People’s Development at the 2025 Leaders Without Borders International Forum in Windhoek, Namibia. Osei, foun

A Cuban migrant deported to Eswatini has launched a hunger strike over prolonged detention ( image source ) MBABANE — A Cuban national deported from the United States to Eswatini in July has begun an indefinite hunger strike to protest his prolonged detention, his U.S.-based lawyer said. The man, identified as Roberto Mosquera del Peral, has reportedly been held for months without formal charges, access to independent legal counsel or clear information about his legal status.

EU envoy Johan Borgström has urged armed groups in eastern DRC to allow humanitarian corridors amid intensifying conflict ( image source ) KINSHASA — The European Union’s special representative to the Great Lakes region has called on all armed actors in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to allow the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors to reach civilians trapped by escalating fighting, warning that continued obstruction of aid operations risks a deepening huma

Nigeria rejects US claims of Christian persecution after remarks by Ted Cruz and Donald Trump spark diplomatic tension ( image source ) Tensions between Nigeria and the United States have flared after senior American politicians, including Senator Ted Cruz and former US President Donald Trump, made sharp accusations of religious persecution against Christians in Nigeria — claims that Abuja has strongly rejected as politically charged and misleading. Senator Cruz commended rec

The Republic of Congo is negotiating a debt-for-nature swap with European partners to fund conservation of the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest rainforest ( image source ) The Republic of Congo is pursuing a debt-for-nature swap with European partners as part of efforts to make its public debt more sustainable while preserving the Congo Basin — the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest and a critical global carbon sink. Finance Minister Christian Yoka, speaking at

Fears of ethnic cleansing mount in El-Fasher after Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces capture the North Darfur capital, with reports of mass killings, famine, and mass graves ( image source ) EL-FASHER — Reports of mass atrocities and ethnically targeted killings have surged after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, late last month, raising fears of a repeat of past Darfur genocides and prompting urgent calls for independent investigation

Tanzanians are sharing harrowing images online after internet access was restored following post-election unrest ( image source ) DAR ES SALAAM — Grief and outrage swept across Tanzania on Monday as heartbreaking photographs and videos flooded social media following the partial restoration of internet services that had been blocked for nearly a week after violent post-election unrest. The sudden surge of user-generated content has exposed the human toll of clashes between pro

Drones are redefining the Ukraine-Russia war, enabling low-cost long-range strikes, decentralised warfare, and rapid tactical shifts ( image source ) KYIV — Unmanned aerial systems have become a central pillar of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, reshaping tactics, stretching air defences, and bringing long-range, low-cost strike options into the forefront of modern warfare. What began as a force multiplier for reconnaissance and small-scale attacks has evolved into co

President Mnangagwa is in Doha for the UN’s Second World Summit for Social Development, where Zimbabwe seeks partnerships to strengthen social protection, reduce poverty and boost youth employment ( image source ) HARARE — President Emmerson Mnangagwa arrived in Doha on Monday to attend the Second World Summit for Social Development, a United Nations-led conference focused on renewing global commitments to poverty reduction, employment creation and social inclusion. The summi

Nigerians slammed Donald Trump’s talk of possible US military action, with social media and officials warning such a move would provoke fierce resistance and diplomatic fallout ( image source ) LAGOS — Nigerians on social media reacted angrily after former US president Donald Trump said he had ordered the Pentagon to prepare for possible action over alleged large-scale attacks on Christians in Nigeria. Many users ridiculed the suggestion and insisted American forces would fac