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South Africa Puts Money on Regional Rail Boom With $210M Freight Investment

Posted on August 15, 2026 by Archak Mitra

With the intention to bring its freight rail transport system back to life, South Africa is going to make its largest ever investment in the field. The private railway company Traxtion will invest 3.4 billion rand, or approximately $210 million, in 46 locomotives and 920 freight cars, being sure that the changes made in the […]

Zambia

Zambia Election Tensions Rise as Opposition Claims Victory Amid Vote Counting Dispute

Posted on August 15, 2026 by Archak Mitra

Zambia’s presidential election in turmoil days after polls closed. Opposition leader Brian Mundubile has claimed victory, but the Electoral Commission of Zambia has suspended vote counting around the country amid allegations of violence and ballot theft. For South Africans watching an economy in a neighboring SADC state, the argument is bigger than politics. It affects […]

50 million

How a $50 Million Ransom Payout Bankrolled Al-Qaeda’s Mali Offensive: What South Africans Should Know

Posted on August 15, 2026 by Archak Mitra

A troubling new United Nations finding has turned attention to a record ransom payment. UN monitors say an estimated $50 million ransom paid to free a hostage kidnapped in Mali in late 2025 has since helped fuel a wider al-Qaeda offensive across West Africa. This story matters for South Africans watching events unfold on the […]

A Pardon in Bamako

A Pardon in Bamako: How One Frenchman’s Release Could Reshape Mali-France Relations

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Archak Mitra

A Pardon has changed the trajectory of a diplomatic dispute that had strained Mali-France relations for more than a year. The case of Yann Vézilier had hung over an already battered relationship between Mali and France. On August 13, 2026, it took an unexpected turn when Mali’s military ruler, Président Assimi Goïta, granted the French […]

DR Congo

DR Congo Ebola Crisis Could Become Deadliest Outbreak in History, WHO Warns

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Archak Mitra

DR Congo Ebola Crisis: There’s a real chance the Ebola outbreak tearing through the Democratic Republic of Congo could become the worst the world has ever seen. That’s not exaggeration, it’s the warning coming straight from the World Health Organization , as the virus pushes into a sixth province and case numbers climb faster than […]

South Africa's Water Crisis

South Africa’s Water Crisis Could Become Worse Due to a Combination of Drought and Aging Infrastructure

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Archak Mitra

South Africa’s water crisis seems to become even more severe, with ageing infrastructure, lack of funding, water losses, and the malfunctioning of wastewater systems making it difficult for people to access clean water. Thus, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is now urging the government to declare a national disaster. As Commissioner Dr Henk […]

Zambia Election

Election 2026 in Zambia: Impacts on Copper, China, and Africa

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Archak Mitra

It is not only about the re-election of the current president, as the next year’s election may have great consequences for the biggest copper producer in Africa, its relations with China, and its growing strategic importance for the United States. The president of Zambia, who managed to become president in 2021 after failing several times, […]

South Arica

South Africa Halts Nigeria’s World Cup Dream in WAFCON Play-off

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Archak Mitra

South Africa saw the Super Falcons of Nigeria fail to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup after they succumbed to 2-1 in a WAFCON play-off in Casablanca. This is a monumental blow to Nigeria since they participated in all the Women’s World Cups since its inception in 1991. Nigeria is the most successful […]

Interfaith Forum

Interfaith Forum is Formed in Nigeria Due to Religious Conflicts Before 2027 Elections

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Archak Mitra

Interfaith Forum has emerged as a key peace initiative in Nigeria as over 50 well-known Muslim and Christian leaders signed a new framework intended to reduce religious conflicts and ensure national cohesion before the 2027 general elections. The peace pact was signed on August 12, 2026, in Abuja, Nigeria, at a high-level forum organized in […]

Egypt Heightens

Egypt Heightens Ports Security Alerts Following Damietta Attack by Drone

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Archak Mitra

Egypt Heightens Security has been enhanced around Egypt’s ports following an attack on two gas ships in Damietta, increasing fears for the safety of the Red Sea and Suez Canal. The latest attack is one more reason to be concerned about commercial ship sailing and energy routes amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East […]

India and Southern Africa Resume

India and Southern Africa Resume Preferential Trade Agreement Talks After 16-Year Break

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Archak Mitra

India and Southern Africa Talks on India’s preferential trade agreement with the five-nation Southern African Customs Union (SACU) have been resumed by India and SACU, ending a 16-year hiatus in their relations. India and SACU, which includes South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini, signed the terms of reference on August 12, 2026, bringing preferential […]

South Africa

Death Toll Rises to 14 as South Africa Mine Dump Collapses Killing Illegal Miners: Facts

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Know Afrika

Fourteen suspected illegal miners have lost their lives as a result of a South African mine dump collapse. It has been revealed that more miners could be entombed. This happened on Monday night, when the mine was legally owned by a mining company. Another eight miners sustained injuries in the process and are currently undergoing […]

Zimbabwe Lake Kariba ferry disaster

Zimbabwe Lake Kariba Ferry Disaster: Death Toll Climbs to 44

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Archak Mitra

Zimbabwe Lake Kariba ferry disaster: Forty-four people have perished following a ferry capsize on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe after it was reportedly overloaded. The incident occurred on Tuesday when the ferry capsized on the huge lake separating Zimbabwe from Zambia, causing a massive rescue effort and sparking debates regarding ferry passenger safety, ferry loading capacity, […]

Somali Humanitarian

Somali Humanitarian Situation As Drought And Aid Reductions Threaten People

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Archak Mitra

Somali Humanitarian crisis is ongoing in Somalia, where drought and massive international funding cuts have left millions of people going hungry. Approximately 6.5 million people in Somalia are facing acute food insecurity, and there has been more than an 80% reduction in funding for the severe acute malnutrition programs, according to humanitarian organizations. This has […]

Zambia Votes Today

Zambia Votes Today: Hichilema Seeks Second Term as Cost of Living Issues Take Center Stage

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Archak Mitra

Zambia Votes Today: The people of Zambia go to the polls today in a Presidential election which will be used to find out whether President Hakainde Hichilema’s economic policies have been satisfactory enough to see him through to his second term in office.The people of Zambia go to the polls today in a Presidential election […]

South Sudan Liberates Detained Whistleblower after Two Months in Custody

South Sudan Liberates Detained Whistleblower after Two Months in Custody

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Archak Mitra

A South Sudanese whistleblower who was kidnapped in Kenya and taken to South Sudan in June has been freed after being in custody for almost two months, his relatives have revealed. The whistleblower, Athorbey Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit, who is also a Kenyan citizen, returned to Nairobi last Saturday and is currently receiving medical care after his health […]

Unemployment Rate in South Africa

Unemployment Rate in South Africa Reaches 33.6%: How does it Affect Workers?

Posted on August 12, 2026 by Know Afrika

Unemployment Rate in South Africa has climbed sharply to 33.6% in Q2 2026, highlighting growing pressure on workers, businesses, and the country’s economy. South Africa is witnessing a greater level of unemployment, with the rate rising from 32.7% in the previous quarter, according to recent labour market data. From the above numbers, one can see […]

WAFCON 2026 teams still contending

WAFCON 2026: Who are the Teams that are Still Contending for the African Women’s Football Trophy?

Posted on August 12, 2026 by Know Afrika

WAFCON 2026 teams still contending for the African Women’s Football Trophy have now been reduced to four nations as Morocco, Cameroon, Algeria and Malawi continue their impressive run in the tournament. This year’s edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is nearing its climax, and the semi-finals have produced a major surprise after […]

Cameroon military leadership shake-up

Cameroon President Paul Biya Has Done a Shake-Up Within the Country’s Military Leadership

Posted on August 12, 2026 by Archak Mitra

Cameroon President Paul Biya has carried out a significant military leadership shake-up, making several changes within the country’s armed forces. The shake-up has been done via presidential decrees, and it comes after the return of the president, who was on a long-term absence. The shake-up has affected the commanders of various military regions in the […]