South African Ramaphosa Warns Against Violence Ahead of Anti-Migrant Protest Deadline
President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged people taking part in anti-migrant protests to demonstrate peacefully. He warned that intimidation, threats and violence will not be tolerated ahead of the unofficial deadline for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa. Ramaphosa acknowledged the need for immigration reform, saying that foreign nationals living legally in the country are protected by the Constitution. The protests have prompted thousands of migrants to seek refuge in temporary camps or voluntarily return to their home countries, with more than 3,500 leaving through repatriation efforts. Authorities have authorised demonstrations in several cities but have warned organisers against violence, as concerns grow over renewed xenophobic tensions that have previously turned deadly.
DR Congo Bans Mass Gatherings Over Ebola Fears
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Mass gatherings have been banned in the Democratic Republic of Congo capital, Kinshasa, and three other provinces, Tshopo, Haut-Uele and Bas-Uele, to halt the spread of Ebola. The current outbreak of the deadly disease has so far been detected in three provinces in the east, some 1,800 km from Kinshasa, but the authorities fear it spreading to the city of 18 million people. No cases have been confirmed in the capital. However, officials fear the disease could spread from the affected eastern provinces, where infections have risen to 1,274 and deaths to 360. The move has drawn criticism from opposition groups, which accuse the government of using public health measures to block a planned protest against a proposed law. Critics said that it could allow President Felix Tshisekedi to remain in power beyond the constitutional limit. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola for which there is no approved vaccine, has also spread to Uganda, while health authorities warn that conflict in eastern Congo is complicating containment efforts.
Investigation Exposes Libya-UAE Arms Network Fueling Sudan War
A joint investigation by Lighthouse Reports, Evident, Der Spiegel, and Sudan War Monitor has uncovered a sprawling, covert network of military bases, complex logistics, and weapons trafficking routes operating out of eastern Libya that has been exposed as a central artery sustaining the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the ongoing war in Sudan. Investigators traced the supply chain from the United Arab Emirates through territory controlled by Libyan National Army leader Khalifa Haftar to staging areas near the Sudan border using open-source intelligence and field reporting. The investigation uncovered the RSF's unknown training camps, the presence of Colombian mercenaries and Russian personnel, and evidence of the UAE's involvement in supplying military equipment. Libyan and RSF officials denied the claims despite one RSF spokesperson acknowledging Emirati support. The findings highlight how the external supply network has fuelled Sudan's conflict, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the violence, displacement and human rights abuses.
DR Congo Court Sentences Army Colonel and Militants to Death Over UN Killings
The Democratic Republic of Congo's High Military Court in Kinshasa, the capital, has convicted on appeal the Congolese army Colonel Jean de Dieu Mambweni of the war crime of murder for orchestrating the assassinations of Zaida Catalán and Michael J. Sharp. The United Nations experts were abducted and executed in March 2017 while investigating mass killings in Kasai Central province. Mambweni and 53 alleged members of the Kamuina Nsapu militia were sentenced to death. Congo has not carried out executions since 2003 despite lifting a de facto moratorium in 2024. Human Rights Watch welcomed progress in the case but renewed its opposition to the death penalty. It called for its abolition and deeper accountability up the chain of command. Families of the victims also said they support continued investigations, stressing that key questions remain about higher-level responsibility and the fate of missing Congolese colleagues who were with the UN investigators.
Sudan Signs Deal with China to Cancel $50m Debt
Sudan's Ministry of Finance has signed an agreement with China to cancel part of the country's external debt. Beijing has agreed to write off four interest-free loans worth around $50 million. The deal was signed in Port Sudan by Finance Minister Dr Jibril Ibrahim and China's chargé d'affaires Xu Jian. Under the agreement, the protocol takes effect immediately upon signature. The Central Bank of Sudan and the China Development Bank will carry out the procedures required to settle the accounts relating to the cancelled loans. Both sides praised long-standing economic cooperation, with China also reaffirming support for Sudan through grants, training for civil servants, and projects in energy, water and agriculture. The agreement comes shortly after new US sanctions targeting Sudanese actors and restricting non-humanitarian financial assistance. This highlights growing geopolitical tension over international engagement with Sudan.
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Lesotho Council Admits Illegally Awarding Dumpsite Contract
The Maseru City Council has admitted before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee that it awarded a M27-million consultancy contract for the rehabilitation of the Tšosane dumpsite. The contract with consultancy SSL Joint Venture was to oversee the rehabilitation of the Tšosane dumpsite and to develop a new landfill. Town Clerk Moea Makhakhe told MPs that the relationship with the consultant had broken down. He said that the agreement was "void from the beginning." The dispute with SSL Joint Venture has stalled the project, with the council claiming the consultant failed to fully deliver on its obligations. It also acknowledged that it had already approved payment for initial work before questioning the contract's legality. MPs criticised the council's handling of the matter, saying it should have followed proper procurement procedures and cannot rely on its own errors to terminate an obligation. The unresolved dispute has left the hazardous dumpsite rehabilitation on hold, delaying implementation of a High Court order aimed at protecting nearby communities.
