Dozens Killed in DR Congo Mine Disaster
At least 32 people have been killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) after a bridge at a copper and cobalt mine collapsed due to overcrowding. Unauthorised miners forced their way into the southern Kalando mine despite being banned from the site. Military personnel guarding the site then reportedly fired guns, causing the bridge to collapse after panicked miners rushed across it, government mining agency SAEMAPE said. The military has not responded to this allegation. The province's interior minister, Roy Kaumbe Mayonde, said that the miners rushing across the makeshift bridge, built to across a flooded trench, made it collapse. Mayonde called the collapse at the mine "tragic", adding that mining companies in DR Congo were "frequently victims of this type of invasion of their concessions by illegal miners". Congolese authorities urged artisanal miners to take up the government's offer of alternative training in agribusiness, to avoid the recurrence of such tragedies.
African Activists Demand Climate Reparations and Justice at COP30
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African activists in Belem, Brazil, joined the People's Summit to expose climate injustices and push for reparations. Nigerian activist OduduAbasi Asuquo joined activists from Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, and Togo outside the main COP venue to voice concerns about environmental devastation, displacement, and inequitable climate policies. Guinea-Bissau's Miguel de Barros emphasized the value of ancestral knowledge and civil society leadership, and Togo's Kwami Kpondzo criticised global conservation finance proposals that he believed ignored the root causes of the crisis. Together, the activists argued that the People's Summit revealed the limitations of formal COP processes and created a space where communities already living through climate impacts could finally be heard.
South Africa Rejects Further Palestinian Flights After Controversial Arrival
South Africa said it doesn't want to receive any more chartered flights carrying Palestinians after the arrival of 153 passengers from Gaza at OR Tambo International Airport. Many aspects of their arrival remain unclear and disputed. The passengers, initially refused entry due to missing departure stamps, were allowed to disembark after intervention from Gift of the Givers, with President Cyril Ramaphosa citing "empathy and compassion". Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola suggested the flight was part of a broader agenda to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, while the Palestinian embassy said an unregistered organization had exploited families to facilitate irregular travel. Israeli authorities confirmed South Africa had agreed to receive the group, and the matter is under investigation. South Africa has given longstanding support for the Palestinian cause and criticised Israel's military actions in Gaza.
Nigerian Govt Vows Swift Rescue After 25 Girls Kidnapped in Kebbi State
The Nigerian government vowed a swift rescue operation after 25 girls were kidnapped from the Maga Comprehensive Girls' Secondary School in Kebbi State. Armed bandits attacked around 4 a.m., abducting the students and killing a school official. Information Minister Mohammed Idris condemned the assault and said security and intelligence agencies had been directed to locate and safely recover the girls while ensuring the perpetrators faced justice. He said President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting all citizens, especially schoolchildren, as authorities strengthened internal security systems and expanded regional cooperation through ECOWAS, the African Union, and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). No group had claimed responsibility for the latest abduction.
Cabo Verde, Mauritius, and Seychelles Eliminate Measles and Rubella
Cabo Verde, Mauritius, and Seychelles became the first sub-Saharan African countries to eliminate measles and rubella. The three countries were verified by the African Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination, established by the World Health Organization (WHO). Their achievement placed them among the 94 and 133 countries globally that had eliminated measles and rubella, respectively. The milestone came after decades of high vaccination coverage: Cabo Verde has fully funded its immunization programme since 1998, Mauritius has reached 98% coverage by 2024, and Seychelles has maintained over 95% coverage since 1988. Three island states hailed the accomplishment as a testament to determination, strong health systems, and community engagement, and the WHO urged continued vigilance. Over the past decade, regional strategies implemented across Africa have helped reduce measles deaths by 79%, preventing nearly 21 million deaths by 2023. The success was built on regional strategies implemented since 2001, which helped reduce measles deaths by 79% and prevent nearly 21 million deaths across Africa by 2023.
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Zimbabwe Human Rights Watchdog Reports Over 2,500 Victims of Political Violence in October
The human rights watchdog Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) reported that at least 2,531 people were affected by political violence in October. The organisation recorded 116 incidents, which included threats of violence, restrictions on freedoms of assembly and expression, denial of access to social services, politically motivated assaults, displacement, unfair distribution of food aid, and arbitrary arrests. The watchdog identified the ruling Zanu PF as the primary perpetrator, followed by local authorities, police and traditional leaders. The report said that citizens were forced to relocate, assaulted based on political motivation, attacked based on hate, and threatened with violence, while their fundamental rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association were regularly curtailed. According to the watchdog, authorities should strengthen human rights protections, ensure that public services are delivered transparently, and establish safe reporting mechanisms that protect victims from retribution.
