AFRICA

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In a shocking turn of events, hundreds of illegal miners, locally known as “zama zamas,” spent months trapped in the abandoned Buffelsfontein gold mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, in a situation that has since turned into a humanitarian crisis. The ordeal began in August 2024 when police initiated Operation Vala Umgodi-an operation meaning “Close the Hole”-to combat illegal mining activities. The police sealed the entry points and cut off food and water supplies, hoping the miners would surface. This strategy precipitated the most disastrous outcomes imaginable.

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At least 27 migrants have died after two boats capsized off the coast of Tunisia on Wednesday, according to Tunisia TV. The boats, carrying migrants from sub-Saharan African countries, sank about three miles off Alataya in Tunisia's Kerkennah Islands, where 83 survivors were rescued.

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A bold attack on Chad's presidential palace on Wednesday night left 18 assailants dead and six in custody, state media reported. President Mahamat Deby Itno was inside the palace at the time, but authorities quickly declared the situation under control.

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President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe has enacted legislation immediately abolishing the death penalty in the country. Amnesty International praised the decision as a positive step for the abolitionist movement in the region, while also noting concern that the death penalty could be reintroduced during a state of emergency.

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Uganda has made history as the first East African nation to officially become a BRICS partner. Joining Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, Uganda is among 13 new countries to formally align with the bloc. This move signals a significant shift in Uganda's approach to international trade and investment.