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Namibia sends troops and helicopters as fire devours a third of Etosha National Park Wind-driven flames have ripped through roughly one-third of Etosha National Park, one of southern Africa’s most important wildlife reserves, prompting Namibia to deploy helicopters and hundreds of additional troops to bolster firefighting efforts. The blaze — believed to have started at a charcoal production site outside the park — has killed wildlife, shredded grazing and breeding ground, and prompted sharp criticism of the government’s…

Long-acting HIV injection at $40 could reshape prevention — if the world can deliver it A potentially seismic shift in HIV prevention is quietly taking shape: a twice-yearly injectable drug, lenacapavir, has won backing from global health partners and is slated to be available to more than 100 low- and middle-income countries within the next two years — at a price that would make it accessible to millions. Under an agreement brokered by the Clinton Health Access Initiative with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates…

Nicolas Sarkozy Sentenced to Five Years in Landmark Libyan Funding Case PARIS — A French court on Thursday handed former president Nicolas Sarkozy a five-year prison sentence after finding him guilty of criminal conspiracy in a case tied to millions of euros of illicit funds allegedly originating from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Judge Nathalie Gavarino said prosecutors proved that Sarkozy allowed aides to approach Libyan officials for financial backing during his successful 2007 presidential bid. At the same…

A threatened lifeline: Harare’s fight to save Lake Chivero For residents of Harare, Lake Chivero is more than a body of water on a map. It is the city’s primary source of drinking water, a place where families once picnicked, where anglers made a living and where the surrounding wetlands buffered floods. Today, people who live along the Upper Manyame Catchment speak of algae-streaked shores, foul odours after rains and an uneasy sense that a vital lifeline is slipping away. At the launch this month of the Save Lake Chivero…

As AGOA’s clock runs out, U.S. influence in Africa faces a test After a quarter-century as the marquee U.S. trade tool for sub-Saharan Africa, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is poised to expire on September 30 — and with Congress preoccupied and polarized, the chances of a last-minute renewal look slim. The prospect is more than a technical lapse: it is a moment that forces a choice about how Washington wants to engage with a continent where other powers are already deepening economic ties. What AGOA has…

Mnangagwa’s shake-up in Zanu-PF: a bid for control or a sign of deeper fractures? President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent overhaul of Zanu-PF’s Politburo — described by the party as a constitutional exercise to “reorganise” its leadership — has stirred fresh questions about who will ultimately succeed him and how the long-dominant party will navigate the next era. Christopher Mutsvangwa, the party spokesperson, framed the changes as stabilising: the reshuffle “led to the elevation of trusted lieutenants” and the redeployment…

Alaa Abdel Fattah’s pardon: a relief that raises bigger questions about Egypt’s politics President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s decision to pardon the prominent British‑Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah after six years behind bars marked an emotional turning point for a generation of Egyptians who once filled Tahrir Square with hope. But the gesture — long demanded by rights groups and the British government — offers relief more than resolution, and leaves unanswered questions about rule of law, diplomacy and the costs of…

Malawi Awaits Election Results as Tallying Continues; Calls for Calm Grow Louder Malawi is holding its breath as the Electoral Commission continues to collate votes from last week’s presidential and parliamentary elections, with preliminary figures showing former president Peter Mutharika edging ahead of incumbent Lazarus Chakwera. The slow, painstaking work of validating and consolidating tallies across the country has produced a mix of anxiety and cautious appeals for calm from political leaders and the electoral…

Five Years of Silence: The Unfolding Legacy of Cameroon’s Protest Crackdown As Cameroon approaches the presidential elections scheduled for October 12, the shadows of repression linger longer than ever. This month marks five years since the violent crackdown on protests led by the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC) in September 2020—an event that has left a lasting scar on the nation’s collective conscience. A Dark Chapter in Cameroon’s History The protests, which erupted in response to long-standing grievances regarding…

Cycling Through the Heart of Africa: Rwanda's Historic Championship In an exciting inaugural event for the continent, Rwanda is hosting the prestigious annual cycling championship, organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Running from September 21 to 28 in the vibrant capital of Kigali, this championship is a significant milestone, not just for the nation but for Africa’s visibility on the global sports stage. As the "Land of a Thousand Hills" welcomes elite cyclists and fans from around the world, the event…