ANC and SACP Bilateral Statement

Johannesburg, 18 March 2025

The African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) held a bilateral meeting on Monday, 17 March 2025, to strengthen the decades-old relationship between the two principal political formations of our Alliance. The President of the ANC, comrade Cyril Ramaphosa, led the ANC National Officials and technical team, while the General Secretary of the SACP, comrade Solly Mapaila, led the SACP National Office Bearers and technical team.

We held robust yet very constructive discussions on how domestic, African continental and global developments impact the lives of the people of South Africa, especially the working class and poor as the majority. Within this context, we discussed the economic and broader social transformation and development of our country to overcome our nation’s challenges, solve our people’s problems and build shared prosperity, guided by the Freedom Charter. This strategic task requires a united, strong revolutionary movement.

Against this background, we discussed the implications for the Alliance and reviewed the state of the National Democratic Revolution – our shared strategy of the struggle for liberation and emancipation, through transformation and development. Based on both our previous bilateral discussion and our shared analysis of recent developments, we engaged in further reflections on the aftermath of the May 2024 election and the state of the Alliance, focusing on its reconfiguration and renewal to strengthen the national democratic revolutionary front in our country. This strategic task includes building the unity of revolutionary forces and the broader democratic movement.

The foundation of our constructive discussions is that the ANC and the SACP share common strategic objectives defined by the National Democratic Revolution and the need to defend, advance and deepen the revolution towards completing it. Because of this intersection of our strategic objectives, we are interdependent, even though we are also foundationally independent formations, each with its historical mission to accomplish.

The bilateral reaffirmed our unwavering collective commitment to the National Democratic Revolution and the Alliance. We agreed to strengthen the relationship between the ANC and the Communist Party, a relationship forged in over a century of national-revolutionary democratic struggles to achieve liberation and improve the quality of life of all South Africans towards social emancipation.

The meeting agreed to establish a structured process to reassert the imperative of moving the National Democratic Revolution into a second, more radical phase – as part of our strategic objectives to defend, advance and deepen the revolution. To this end, we agreed to set in motion joint Alliance consensus-seeking democratic consultation.

Convening Alliance Political Council Study Sessions on economic policy, including fiscal, monetary, trade and industrial policy, as well as social policy broadly understood, is an immediate task we have proposed the bilateral and Alliance Secretariat should implement. We have agreed that these Alliance Political Council Study Sessions must culminate in the Alliance Summit this year.

The agreement to set in motion joint Alliance consensus-seeking democratic consultation will cover – and thus take forward – the outcomes of our engagements on the reconfiguration and renewal of the Alliance. In addition, there are questions of electoral strategy and tactics for further and ongoing consideration not only by the ANC and the SACP but equally importantly also by the entire Alliance and broader movement.

Given the organisational and political thoroughness with which we want to build and ensure the success of our meeting outcomes on every issue we have discussed – including our exchanges on the national budget, we agreed to prioritise first reporting to our respective structures before we can communicate further details via the media. At the national level, these structures include the ANC’s National Working Committee and National Executive Committee, and the SACP’s Political Bureau and Central Committee. This process includes further engagements within the full complement of the Alliance in line with our commitment to set in motion joint Alliance consensus-seeking democratic consultation.

Finally, from our assessment of the unfolding international context, we reaffirmed our shared programme to consolidate unity and strengthen international solidarity to build a better Africa and world. This has become more critical amid the many risks of a resurgent and consolidating right-wing force across the globe, its domestic expression and the risks it poses to global peace and stability, as well as to the social and economic lives of the people. In this regard, the bilateral session also called for the unity of the revolutionary and progressive forces across the world, both in the Global South and North.

In our country, in particular, we are determined to build the widest possible patriotic unity and defend our democratic national sovereignty, thus securing our national independence and fundamental right to self-determination. We will not flinch or give any quarter to bullying. To this end, we will close ranks to defend and implement democratic transformation legislation towards a completely non-racial and non-sexist South Africa. This shall include tackling the imbalances and inequalities created by the racist systems of colonial and apartheid oppression. We are determined to build a nation characterised by equality and shared prosperity in line with the Freedom Charter.

Issued on behalf of the ANC and the SACP by the ANC Secretary-General comrade Fikile Mbalula and SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila.

African National Congress

Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri

National Spokesperson

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084 498 0105

South African Communist Party

Dr Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, Central Committee Member

National Spokesperson & Political Bureau Secretary for Policy and Research

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SACP Wishes Leila Khaled a Speedy Recovery, Reaffirms Solidarity With Palestine

Monday, 17 March 2025

The South African Communist Party (SACP) is deeply concerned to learn that Leila Khaled, a beloved Palestinian activist, revolutionary, and global symbol of resistance, was rushed to hospital in the early hours of Sunday after suffering an intracranial haemorrhage/stroke. At this critical moment, our thoughts and most profound solidarity are with Leila, her family, her comrades, and the people of Palestine, who continue to struggle under the yoke of Israeli apartheid and oppression.

We are relieved to know that Comrade Leila is receiving excellent medical care and is in the presence of her closest loved ones. She has dedicated her life to the fight for freedom, dignity, and justice – values that remain at the heart of the Palestinian liberation movement and the broader struggle against colonialism and imperialism. Now, as she undergoes treatment and recovery, we call on all comrades and supporters to respect the wishes of her family regarding visits and to allow her the necessary space to regain her strength.

For decades, Leila Khaled has stood as a towering figure in the Palestinian resistance, unyielding in the face of relentless Israeli aggression. Her commitment to the struggle for national liberation and her courage in confronting imperialist forces have made her an inspiration not only to the Palestinian people but also to millions across the globe who fight for justice and self-determination. In her, we see the embodiment of resistance against oppression – a fighter who has never wavered in the face of adversity.

Her hospitalisation comes at a time when the Palestinian people are enduring a continuation of brutal Israeli violence, with relentless bombings, displacement, and massacres targeting innocent civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and beyond. The apartheid Israeli regime, backed by imperialist powers, continues its genocidal assault on Palestinian people, seeking to extinguish the spirit of resistance that leaders like Leila Khaled have kept alive for generations. But as history has shown, neither military aggression nor occupation can break the will of a people determined to be free.

The SACP has always stood in unwavering solidarity with the people of Palestine, recognising their struggle as an extension of our own battle against apartheid and exploitation. As South Africans, we remember too well the horrors of racial oppression, state violence, and land dispossession. We also recognise the invaluable international solidarity that helped us defeat the apartheid regime. It is in that same spirit that we reaffirm our commitment to the Palestinian cause and to comrades like Leila Khaled, who have given everything in the fight for justice.

We remain hopeful that Leila Khaled will make a full and swift recovery. Her indomitable spirit, forged in decades of struggle, has carried her through many battles, and we are confident that she will emerge from this one stronger. We eagerly look forward to seeing her return to her vital work and continuing to be a guiding force in the Palestinian struggle.

The SACP stands firmly with Leila Khaled, her family, and the people of Palestine. Our fight is one, and we will not rest until victory is won!

Issued by the South African Communist Party,

Founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa.

Media, Communications & Information Department | MCID

Dr Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, Central Committee Member

National Spokesperson & Political Bureau Secretary for Policy and Research

FOR INTERVIEW ARRANGEMENTS, MEDIA LIAISON & CIRCULATION SERVICES

Hlengiwe Nkonyane

Media Liaison Officer & Digital Platforms Manager

Mobile: +27 66 473 4819

OFFICE & OTHER CONTACT DETAILS

Office: +2711 339 3621/2

Website: www.sacp.org.za

Facebook Page: South African Communist Party

Twitter: SACP1921

Sudan Junta Head El Burhan Defiant in Uncompromising Eid El Fitr Message

30/03/2025 08:02 

PORT SUDAN

The President of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council (TSC), Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Lt Gen General Abdelfattah El Burhan (Photo: SUNA)

The President of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council (TSC), Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Lt Gen General Abdelfattah El Burhan, has stated that “there will be no negotiations or compromise with those who violated the sanctity of the Sudanese people”. He affirmed that “the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their supporting forces will continue their battle to eliminate the rebellion and defeat the terrorist [Rapid Support Forces (RSF)] militia.”

In an address to the Sudanese people on Saturday evening on the occasion of Eid El Fitr, El Burhan explained that “the armed forces stand at an equal distance from all citizens and do not side with any party at the expense of others.”

El Burhan places the blame for the war at the feet of the RSF, saying: “It has caused the worst possible warfare to the nation and its citizens. The atrocities committed against our people and the bitterness these criminals have inflicted upon them, their images, sounds, and renewed wounds, render the options for dealing with these criminals and their supporters zero. I say to them, in the voice of the displaced and exiled people, those whose wealth has been plundered, those under siege, the bereaved mothers, the orphaned children, and the martyrs, that we will not forgive, we will not compromise, we will not negotiate, and we will not break our covenant with the martyrs.”

He renews “the SAF pledge to the people that there will be no retreat from the defeat and crushing of the terrorist [RSF] militia”.

(Source: SUNA)

Sudan War Leaves 90% of Media Infrastructure in Ruins

30/03/2025 07:42

War damage to the headquarters of the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) in Khartoum (Photo: SUNA)

As the Sudanese Armed Forces have slowly regained control over much of Khartoum over the past days, reports are confirming that at least 90 per cent of media, including TV, radio, and neswpaper facilities have been completely destroyed during the hostilities, while looters have stripped any usable equipment and assets in the city that has always been Sudan’s main media hub.

In a report, the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate laments that the offices headquarters of more than 29 media institutions and press offices were subjected to invasion, complete destruction, and closure. In Khartoum state, 10 radio stations have ceased operations, while Sudanese Radio resumed broadcasting from Port Sudan. The fighting disrupted six TV stations in Khartoum state, while at least eight radio stations were suspended across the other states of Sudan.

No print newspapers

According to the syndicate, the war has led to the complete cessation of print newspapers for the first time in more than 120 years, leaving about 90 per cent of workers in the sector without work. They point out that Omdurman National Radio fell silent for a time, before it resumed broadcasting recently “which has not happened since its establishment in 1940.”

Newspaper offices Khartoum and the states, radio stations, local public and private TV stations, press training centres, production and media services, are still completely suspended, either because they are located in the midst of fighting areas, which makes access difficult, or because of looting, smuggling or occupation.

The headquarters of the state-owned Sudan News Agency (SUNA) in central Khartoum has been devastated by the hostilities, according to pictures emerging from the city. The building itself has suffered structural damage, while all offices and equipment were either destroyed or cleared by looters.  According to SUNA, the walls of the building were severely damaged by gunfire and shelling. The agency’s vehicles were burnt.

Radio is a lifeline

A report by Radio Dabanga published on the occasion of World Radio Day on February 13, highlights that radio remains a vital source of information worldwide, but in war torn Sudan, it is a lifeline. The role of independent broadcasters has never been more critical, especially in Sudan, as the war between the between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) now approaches its 22nd month.

For millions of Sudanese caught in the country’s ongoing conflict, Radio Dabanga is more than just a news outlet, it is a crucial source of verified, independent information.

Since its launch in 2008, the station has provided vital updates on displacement, human rights abuses, and humanitarian crises, cutting through censorship to amplify voices on the ground.

Despite expanding into satellite television, social media, and a bilingual website, radio remains at the core of its mission to deliver the truth.

In comments to mark Human Rights Day 2024, Kamal El Sadig, Editor-in-Chief of Radio Dabanga, highlighted the vital role of the station’s shortwave broadcasts, which are a lifeline for those in remote Sudan, refugees, and displaced people.

He said, “Threats, attacks, and abuses against journalists have escalated, making it extremely challenging for Dabanga’s correspondents, and most other media, to obtain and verify information that can sometimes mean the difference between life and death to our listeners in the war zone.

The war in Sudan has devastated the country’s media, destroying 90 per cent of its infrastructure and displacing around a thousand journalists, according to the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (SJS).

Many media outlets were looted, forcing journalists to flee or seek other work. At the SJS conference in Cairo in October last year, Eman Fadul, Secretary of Freedoms at the SJS, highlighted that 80 per cent of Sudan’s states were cut off from internet access, making it difficult to report on the conflict.

In the past 18 months, 445 journalists in Sudan have been killed, arrested, or tortured, with 20 facing charges for alleged links to the RSF.

Women journalists have been particularly vulnerable, with 11 assaulted and 54 disappeared or arrested, while many have faced gender-based violence or exploitation.

Displaced journalists also struggle with professional and legal challenges, including forced exile.

On World Radio Day, press freedom advocates are calling for greater support for independent journalism in Sudan.

Radio Dabanga, operating from exile, continues to broadcast against the odds. Its supporters say it plays an essential role in ensuring that Sudanese communities, especially those cut off by war, have access to reliable information.

Radio Dabanga has delivered accurate, independent, and verified Sudanese news since 2008. Since then, we’ve launched a satellite TV channel, expanded onto social media platforms, and created a website in both Arabic and English.

We are the information lifeline to millions of ordinary people within war-torn Sudan, giving them a platform to be heard and amplifying their voices to the world!

But we can’t do it without YOU. We need your support to stay on air and keep delivering the news that truly matters. Your donation helps us keep this vital work alive—donate now to keep Dabanga broadcasting strong!

Africa Advances Toward Financial Integration With New Currency Exchange Marketplace

By Afolake Oyinloye

20/03 - 17:30

Africa is making a significant stride toward financial integration with the launch of the Africa Currency Marketplace by the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS). This innovative platform is set to facilitate direct currency exchanges across the continent, reducing reliance on the US dollar and fostering a unified African capital market.

In an exclusive discussion on this development, Stan Zézé, CEO & Chairman of Bloomfield Investment, shared insights into the impact of this initiative on Africa’s financial landscape.

Zézé highlighted how the Africa Currency Marketplace could enhance liquidity and stabilize currencies within African markets. He also addressed the challenges associated with implementing such a system, citing the need for robust financial infrastructure and regulatory alignment among participating nations.

The initiative could also serve as a catalyst for the establishment of a unified African capital market. Zézé emphasized the crucial role of private rating agencies, such as Bloomfield, in providing credible assessments of financial risks and ensuring investor confidence. He argued that independent agencies offer unbiased ratings, contrasting with the African Union’s proposal for a publicly controlled agency, which might raise concerns over impartiality.

Zimbabwean Inventor Unveils Self-Powering Car

In what could be a revolutionary breakthrough in renewable energy, a Zimbabwean inventor claims to have developed a vehicle that generates its own electricity, eliminating the need for fuel or external charging. The technology reportedly harnesses the sun’s radio waves to produce power, a concept reminiscent of Nikola Tesla’s early vision.

While full technical details are yet to be disclosed, the invention has sparked excitement and curiosity in the scientific community. If proven viable, this innovation could significantly advance sustainable energy solutions, particularly in regions struggling with power shortages. Keith Baptist reports on the development, with experts calling for further research and investment to validate and potentially scale this technology.

Nigerians Spend 59% of Income on Food Amid Cost-of-Living Crisis

A new report by Picodi reveals that Nigerians are spending a staggering 59% of their household income on food, highlighting the country’s deepening economic crisis. Rising inflation, currency devaluation, and supply chain disruptions have contributed to soaring food prices, placing a heavy financial burden on citizens.

Economic analysts stress that addressing insecurity and supporting local farmers are key measures to reducing food costs. Many farmers face challenges such as banditry, poor infrastructure, and limited access to credit, all of which hinder production and distribution. Experts urge the Nigerian government to implement policies that promote agricultural investment and stabilize the nation’s economy.

As the crisis persists, many Nigerians are forced to make difficult financial choices, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable solutions to improve food security and overall economic stability.

China Says 3 Chinese Crew Members Suspected of Being Kidnapped From a Boat off Ghana Are Safe

By FRANCIS KOKUTSE

7:48 AM EDT, March 31, 2025

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Three Chinese nationals suspected of being kidnapped off Ghana’s coast are safe, China’s foreign ministry said Monday, without giving details.

Ghanaian authorities said Saturday they were investigating “a suspected pirate attack” on a Ghanaian-registered fishing vessel that left three Chinese crew members missing.

Ghana’s armed forces in a statement said that on Thursday evening, “reports indicated that seven armed individuals boarded the vessel and fired warning shots, prompting several crew members to seek cover in a safe area.”

The armed forces said the “pirates” stayed on board for about three hours after assembling everyone on deck and confiscating their phones. After the armed individuals left the ship, the crew discovered the missing members.

It said the MENGXIN 1 vessel was now docked.

Piracy is not uncommon in the Gulf of Guinea off West Africa.

Over the years, the Chinese have flown Ghanaian flags on their vessels to fish in Ghanaian waters, according to watchdogs.

China’s foreign ministry told reporters that all crew members were safe.

“China will continue to work with Ghana to effectively safeguard the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in Ghana,” ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.

___

Associated Press writer Emily Wang in Beijing contributed to this report.

Scientists Hope Hungry Weevils from Louisiana Can Tackle South Africa’s Invasive Water Plants

By MICHELLE GUMEDE

9:26 PM EDT, March 30, 2025

HARTBEESPOORT, South Africa (AP) — Dozens of tiny black weevils cling onto a fern plant as it is tossed onto a leafy green mat coating the surface of South Africa’s Crocodile River.

Those weevils aren’t tossed into the river by accident: scientists hope that the insects and their larvae will munch their way through the green mat, which is made up of an unwanted, invasive South American aquatic plant called Salvinia minima.

The plant is steadily taking over freshwater bodies in the northern region of South Africa, suffocating aquatic life, including on the Crocodile River and the Hartbeespoort Dam it flows into.

The weevils, which have been used effectively elsewhere in the world to fight water weeds, are now leading South Africa’s charge against the life-sucking plants threatening ecosystems in at least three northern provinces and creeping into neighboring countries.

After the weevils helped control the spread of salvinia in parts of the United States, scientists from both countries worked together on a project to gather a starter population in South Africa.

The 1-millimeter-long (0.03 inches) insects were brought over 8,700 miles from Louisiana. Rearing stations are being set up near several dams to grow the weevil population.

Once released at an infested site, the beetles make themselves at home on the salvinia, the only thing they eat, without damaging the local ecosystem, scientists say.

“They lay eggs on this plant, feed on this plant and die on this plant. If this plant dies, they will die as well,” said professor Julie Coetzee, the principal scientist at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. “They damage certain tissues, those tissues become waterlogged and then those plants sink to the bottom.”

A floating menace

Hartbeespoort Dam north of Johannesburg, the location for the pilot project, is an important source of irrigation for nearby farms and a popular recreation site.

“When we bought the property there was this beautiful little floating plant on the dam and I thought well that’s quite nice,” said 53-year-old resident and business operator Max Moller. “Little did I realize this little floating fern was an absolute menace.”

Moller, the owner of Mogi’s hiking trail, said the salvinia have clogged up and damaged boat engines and also hurt fishing communities over the nine years that he has lived in the area.

South Africa’s already vulnerable freshwater systems face a significant threat from salvinia, scientists say. The plants have had two major growth spurts in 2021 and 2022, surviving on the high nitrate contents in the water.

The plant initially surfaced more than a decade ago at the dam, which has also long been battling with a water hyacinth invasion, another problematic species.

“If you pull the hyacinth away, this plant is lurking,” said Coetzee. The invasive plants block out the sunlight, which means no oxygen in the water, she said.

“If there is no oxygen, there’s no fish, there’s no crab, there’s no insects and so you completely destroy or alter the aquatic ecosystem,” she said.

Salvinia has a rapid growth rate and its spread has been most notable across Gauteng province, where South Africa’s biggest city of Johannesburg and its capital, Pretoria, are located. The plant is compounding existing water supply problems by depleting the oxygen and sapping the supply in a country that’s already struggling with increasing demand and deteriorating water infrastructure.

Concerns over the weevils’ impact

While releasing the weevils will help combat salvinia, experts warn that there could be unintended side-effects.

Anthony Turton, a water expert and researcher at South Africa’s University of the Free State, cautioned that their introduction could turn rivers and dams into more suitable homes for bacteria and dangerous organism.

That includes poisonous blue-green algae, known as cyanobacteria, which flourish in nutrient-rich, contaminated waterways and already affect almost 60% of the nation’s dams.

“With more light and less competition for nutrients, those cyanobacteria will go into a condition known as a bloom,” he said. “This is exponential population growth that radically populates the entire water column.”

Turnton said simultaneous action to repair damaged sewage systems and limit agriculture fertilizer runoff are essential for a lasting solution.

“Unless there are efforts to reduce the inflow of nutrients from sewage flows, then we are only creating space for cyanobacteria to grow without competition from floating weeds,” he said.

Threat of spreading to other countries

The weevils aren’t the first insects to be introduced to curb an invasive threat in South Africa. The country brought in a bug in the 1930s to control the spread of a hardy cactus native to Mexico that was hurting ecosystems. That project was viewed as a success.

The speedy growth of the salvinia has put pressure on the government to act, particularly as researchers warn that neighboring countries also now face an invasion.

Coetzee said that salvinia was popping up on the confluence of the Crocodile and Limpopo rivers in the far north of South Africa.

“That now poses a huge threat to our neighbors because this plant has been transported by our rivers onto our borders,” she said. “It is likely to go all the way along the Limpopo, along Botswana and Zimbabwe’s borders and into Mozambique.”

“We really have a responsibility to control this plant,” she added.

Convicted DRC Rebel Leader Lubanga Announces New Group

By Sonia Rolley

March 31, 20258:02 AM EDT

March 31 (Reuters) - A convicted war criminal based in Uganda has announced a new rebel movement intent on toppling the government in eastern Congo's Ituri province, creating another potential security threat in the war-scarred region.

The formation of the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CPR) by Thomas Lubanga, an Ituri native, comes as Congo's army faces an unprecedented advance by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels elsewhere in eastern Congo.

The International Criminal Court secured its first conviction against Lubanga in 2012 on charges of recruiting child soldiers and sentenced him to 14 years in prison.

He was released in 2020 and President Felix Tshisekedi appointed him to a task force to bring peace to Ituri. But in 2022 he was taken hostage for two months by a rebel group, which he blames on the government, and is now based in Uganda.

In written responses to questions from Reuters, Lubanga said the CPR had both political and military elements, including armed men in three areas of Ituri.

Bringing peace to the area "requires an immediate change in governance and government," he said, though he added that the group has not launched military operations.

It is unclear how many combatants Lubanga might control. U.N. experts last year accused him of mobilising fighters to support a local militia and M23.

Congo's presidency did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Ituri has been rocked by violence by various armed groups for decades. Doctors Without Borders last week described "a renewed spike in atrocities" that had killed more than 200 civilians and displaced around 100,000 people since the beginning of the year.

Ugandan troops are present in Ituri to help the government fight the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which is affiliated with the Islamic State and stages brutal attacks on villages.

South African Rand Gains as Reports Say Coalition Partners Close to Budget Deal

March 31, 20259:06 AM EDT

JOHANNESBURG, March 31 (Reuters) - The South African rand strengthened on Monday as local news reports said the two biggest political parties in the ruling coalition government were close to an agreement that could end an impasse over the country's national budget.

At 1240 GMT, the rand traded at 18.38 against the dollar, 0.3% stronger than Friday's closing level after earlier trading up more than 1%.

Trade in the rand has been highly volatile as negotiations between the African National Congress (ANC) and Democratic Alliance (DA) over the deadlocked budget have dragged on for weeks. Apprehension over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff plans has added to the uncertainty.

South African news website News24 reported on Monday that the ANC and DA were close to an agreement that would see the budget being passed. The Business Day newspaper also said a deal was close after the DA submitted final amendments to proposals for a deal on Sunday.

A DA spokesperson told Reuters that the budget negotiations were continuing and the party was hopeful of reaching a deal. An ANC spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The budget was postponed last month because of disagreements between coalition partners over raising value-added tax (VAT) by 2 percentage points to 17%, before Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presented a revised budget with a 1-point VAT hike spread over two years.

The DA also rejected the revised budget, saying it put the future of the government at risk, but the DA and ANC have continued to talk behind the scenes.

Lawmakers are due to consider the fiscal framework and revenue proposals related to the budget on Wednesday.

On the Johannesburg Stock Exchange the Top-40 index (.JTOPI), opens new tab was last down about 0.6%.

South Africa's benchmark 2030 government bond was stronger, with the yield down 5.5 basis points to 9.1%.

US Airstrikes on Somalia Kills Many

By Al Mayadeen English

30 Mar 2025 10:34

The strike, coordinated with the Somali government, resulted in the deaths of several IS members, according to Africa Command (AFRICOM).

The US military launched an airstrike on Saturday targeting Islamic State (IS) operatives in Somalia's Puntland region, killing several members of the group, according to Africa Command (AFRICOM).

In a statement, the US military's European-based command confirmed that the strike, carried out in coordination with the Somali government, struck "multiple ISIS-Somalia targets."

While IS has a smaller presence in Somalia compared to the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, the group has been expanding its influence in the semi-autonomous Puntland region.

"The airstrike occurred southeast of Bosasso, Puntland, in Northeastern Somalia," AFRICOM stated, adding, "AFRICOM's initial assessment is that multiple ISIS-Somalia operatives were killed and no civilians were harmed."

This operation follows a similar strike two days earlier, which AFRICOM described as part of "a larger counter-terrorism initiative" in Somalia.

In February, US airstrikes targeted IS in Puntland, with local authorities reporting that "key figures" were killed, though they did not provide further details.

Somalia offers US control over ports to block Somaliland recognition

In a move to defend its territorial integrity and push back against foreign-engineered fragmentation, Somalia has reportedly offered the US exclusive control over key ports and airbases located in Somaliland and Puntland.

According to Semafor, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sent a letter to US President Donald Trump on March 16, offering Washington "exclusive operational control" over the Berbera port and airbase in Somaliland and the Bosaso port and airbase in Puntland.

Both facilities are strategically located along the Gulf of Aden, a maritime corridor of immense geopolitical value. Notably, the Somali federal government currently lacks de facto control over these sites.

Recognition bargain

The Somali government's offer appears to be a strategic response to growing signs that the United States may move toward recognizing Somaliland.

Media reports in March indicated that Washington has been in talks with Somaliland leadership, exploring what could be exchanged for such recognition—including the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi has previously declared that Somalia would categorically reject "any proposal or initiative, from any party, that would undermine the Palestinian people's right to live peacefully on their ancestral land."

Somaliland also denied being involved in such discussions. Its Foreign Minister, Abdirahman Dahir Adan, noted that the region's pursuit of recognition was grounded in its political history and self-governance—not in any quid pro quo involving the displacement of Palestinians.

Since the collapse of Siad Barre's government in 1991, Somalia has operated under a fractured political system.

While the internationally recognized federal government is based in Mogadishu, large parts of the country are controlled by autonomous regional authorities or armed factions.

Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991, has maintained its own government and military, though no country has recognized it as a sovereign state. 

US Stocks Tumble as Consumer Gloom Raises Stagflation Fears

Americans express rising alarm over economy and job prospects as Trump’s tariffs weigh on outlook

Consumer sentiment has darkened markedly in recent months, according to recent surveys © David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

Peter Wells in New York, Financial Times

MAR 28 2025, 16:49

Wall Street stocks dropped on Friday as signs of strain among American consumers added to worries the US is heading for a bout of stagflation.

A batch of data added fresh evidence that consumers are growing deeply concerned about how President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs will affect the world’s largest economy, while a separate report showed the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure rose in February.

The gloomy data comes at a time when investors are worried that Trump’s trade levies combined with a broader sense of uncertainty will hurt US economic growth while also increasing price pressures. The new reports sent investors rushing away from US equities and into havens.

Wall Street’s blue-chip S&P 500 dropped 2 per cent while the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite slid 2.7 per cent. US government debt rallied, pushing the 10-year Treasury yield down 0.11 percentage points to 4.26 per cent.

“US data is only inflaming stagflation fears,” said James Knightley, an economist at investment bank ING. “Hot inflation and cooling consumer spending are trends that are likely to be intensified by President Trump’s aggressive moves on tariffs and government spending cuts.”

A survey by the University of Michigan released on Friday showed that consumer sentiment plunged in March as Americans worried about their job prospects, inflation and income levels. Households also forecast inflation over the long term of 4.1 per cent, the highest since 1993.

“This month’s decline [in sentiment] reflects a clear consensus across all demographic and political affiliations,” the University of Michigan said.

It added: “Republicans joined independents and Democrats in expressing worsening expectations since February for their personal finances, business conditions, unemployment and inflation.”

Consumer spending, meanwhile, rose 0.4 per cent last month, a reversal from January’s 0.3 per cent decline, but not as strong as the 0.5 per cent increase economists forecast, a separate report from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis showed.

Pantheon Macroeconomics’ senior US economist Oliver Allen said the consumer spending data was “disappointing” and that an “underlying slowdown in demand growth also seems to be under way”.

Goldman Sachs cut its forecast for first-quarter GDP in response to the weak data, by 0.4 percentage points to an annualised growth rate of 0.6 per cent, citing “softer than expected” personal spending growth in February and a downward revision to January’s figure.

The Atlanta Fed also cut its running forecast for first-quarter GDP to show a contraction of 2.8 per cent on an annualised basis, compared with 1.8 per cent as recently as Wednesday. Its model has contrasted with Wall Street banks, which broadly still expect growth in early 2025.

The BEA’s report on Friday also showed that the core reading of the personal consumption expenditure price index was up 2.8 per cent in February from a year ago.

US inflation

Top Federal Reserve official says market angst over inflation would be ‘red flag’

Economists expected the index, a measure that is closely watched by the Fed which strips out food and energy, to be up 2.7 per cent, unchanged from January’s upwardly revised rate. The main PCE index rose 2.5 per cent last month, unchanged from January.

The Fed earlier this month boosted its forecast for inflation and cut its growth outlook. Fed chair Jay Powell said at the time that the US economy was still in good shape and the central bank did “not need to be in a hurry” to cut interest rates after reducing them by 1 percentage point last year.

However, the president of the Chicago branch of the Fed, Austan Goolsbee, told the Financial Times this week that the central bank was no longer on the “golden path” of 2023 and 2024 when inflation appeared to be returning to the 2 per cent target without derailing economic growth or lifting unemployment.

Russia’s War Economy Fuels Rustbelt Revival

Shops, restaurants and gyms are popping up in historically poor areas which serve as recruiting pools for Moscow’s army

Financial Times

Daria Mosolova in London

MAR 30 2025

Russian retailers are rushing to set up shop in the country’s rustbelt, tapping into new wealth flowing from soldiers’ bonuses and rampant military production.

Shops, restaurants and gym chains have opened up in Russia’s most deprived regions, which serve as recruiting pools for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The country’s war economy has also created jobs, increased salaries for factory workers and injected unprecedented sums of money into historically poor towns and cities.

“The war is in a way a big equaliser,” said Janis Kluge, an expert on Russia’s economy with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. “It gives a lot of money to the people who in peace time don’t have a lot of prospects, people who don’t have an education and are living in deprived regions.”

As the war in Ukraine drags into its fourth year, state orders to supply the army with weapons and clothes have given well-paid factory jobs to residents of Russia’s poorer industrial towns. Conscripts — who tend to come from disadvantaged areas — get high bonuses for joining the army, and their families receive payouts if they die.

“Demand is popping up in new areas where it wasn’t before, because people were simply too poor to go to some big retail store,” Kluge said.

Russian retailers and leisure companies have caught on to the trend, launching an expansion drive at a time when western sanctions and skyrocketing domestic interest rates were meant to damp business activity.

The X5 Group, which owns some of Russia’s most prominent supermarket chains, said it was expanding in the country’s far east, a region recently boosted by Russia’s import partners seeking alternative trading routes that circumvent western sanctions.

The number of retail and hospitality jobs advertised in the southeastern Khabarovsk region almost doubled in the year to January 2025, according to Financial Times analysis of vacancies posted by a sample of Russian businesses.

Supermarket Pyaterochka, fast-food chain Rostic’s and electronics retailer M.Video-Eldorado are among Russian businesses recruiting new employees.

M.Video-Eldorado last year opened 100 shops entering 25 new locations such as Kachkanar, Solikamsk, Volzhsk — all towns with less than 100,000 inhabitants in the central Russian industrial heartland.

Russia’s unemployment rate fell to 2.4 per cent in winter 2024, from 4.3 per cent in the same period of 2021, as the state poured money into new vacancies in the country’s booming defence sector as well as auxiliary industrial sites making clothing, food and fuel for the army.

Salaries have also gone up in unrelated industries, as the already tight labour market came under strain from workers being recruited to the army or fleeing abroad to avoid conscription — though those wage increases are being undermined by high inflation.

The central Russian republic of Mari El offers Rbs3mn ($35,600) as starting bonus for new army recruits, which is more than three times the annual salary in the region. Nominal incomes in the traditionally disadvantaged republic have grown by almost 80 per cent from December 2021 to 2024, compared to a roughly 60 per cent increase in Moscow, according to Rosstat, the Russian state statistics agency.

“The [army] payouts are gigantic, so those who wouldn’t even think to buy a high-end smartphone before can do it easily now,” said Sergei Polovnikov, the head of Russia’s Content Review, a market analysis group.

One local person of the central Russian city of Cheboksary, who asked not to be named, told the FT he saw a marked difference in the number of people getting takeaway coffee in his town.

“These days, you can spend half an hour in a queue at a fast-food chain,” he said. “In some nicer restaurants you need to book a table a week in advance, which was definitely not the case here before.”

He noted the rise in disposable income was compounded by the fact that loans for big ticket purchases still felt out of reach for many Russians, at a time when the country’s central bank increased interest rates to 21 per cent in efforts to bring down stubborn inflation. Russian consumer prices rose 9.5 per cent last year, up from 7.4 per cent in 2023, official statistical data shows.

“I have a good income, but I can’t buy an apartment or a car, so I spend on maybe getting a slightly better quality of groceries, and eat out a bit more often,” he added.

One woman from the neighbouring town of Shumerlya, which has a population of less than 30,000 people, noticed more beauty salons opening in her neighbourhood: “Almost all women get manicures now [ . . .] There are more nail specialists around, and places that offer hardware cosmetology or even some basic injections.”

“We even got a private dog grooming service in our town, now that’s a real indicator,” she said.

Larger regional cities have begun to attract businesses that were previously confined to the remits of Moscow. Spirit Fitness, a gym chain where a monthly membership costs up to $70, last year opened a branch in the Ural city of Chelyabinsk.

“People now have money to spend on themselves,” said Mikhail Rychagov, spokesperson for Russia’s Shopping Centres Association. “They can pay more for maintaining their health, and growth of the fitness industry confirms that.”

Payouts for fallen soldiers were another factor driving up household incomes. One widow shared on Instagram that she bought property in Vladivostok with the money she received for the death of her husband. “How much does a life cost? . . . 12 million roubles,” she wrote — or little more than $140,000.

Laura Solanko, of the Bank of Finland’s Institute for Economies in Transition, predicted soldiers will be the first to lose their incomes with the end of Russia’s war, but some shifts in the country’s regional economy will remain.

“Regions that benefit from the changes in the geography of foreign trade will not disappear fast,” she said. “As well as those with increased production and military industry enterprises, as Russia will need to re-arm for many years going forward.”

Additional reporting by Chris Cook

Trump Threatens Secondary Tariffs on Russian Oil if No Deal on Ukraine

US president says he is ‘pissed off’ with Vladimir Putin for dragging feet in ceasefire talks

Donald Trump also chided his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, right, for attacking Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s legitimacy as Ukraine’s leader © AFP/Getty Images

Trump threatens secondary tariffs on Russian oil if no deal on Ukraine on x (opens in a new window)

James Politi in Washington, Ben Hall in London and Christopher Miller in Kyiv

Donald Trump has said he is “pissed off” with Vladimir Putin for foot-dragging in talks over a ceasefire with Ukraine and has threatened secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian oil if no deal is done.

Trump’s comments on Sunday revealed the frustration at the White House with the Russian president as negotiations over a settlement of the war in Ukraine continued without a clear breakthrough.

The new threat to hit imports from countries that purchase Russian oil comes as Trump prepares to impose tariffs on goods from many of America’s largest trading partners on Wednesday.

The president has proclaimed the moment “liberation day”, but the plan has caused turmoil in markets and anxiety among businesses and governments worldwide.

Trump’s outburst at Moscow is a shift in tone for the US president, who for weeks blamed Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, for being reluctant to strike a deal.

The US president chided Putin for attacking Zelenskyy’s legitimacy as Kyiv’s leader.

“If we’re in the midst of a negotiation, you could say that I was very angry, pissed off . . . when Putin started getting into Zelenskyy’s credibility,” Trump told NBC News. “That’s not going in the right location, you understand?”

Later on Air Force One, as he returned to Washington from Florida, the US president took his own swipe at Zelenskyy, accusing him of rejecting a deal for US access to Ukraine’s critical minerals after Washington submitted an expanded agreement to Kyiv last week.

“I think Zelenskyy, by the way, I see he’s trying to back out of the rare earth deal. And if he does that he’s got some problems. We made a deal on rare earth and now he’s saying: ‘Well, you know, I want to renegotiate the deal.’ He wants to be a member of Nato. Well, he was never going to be a member of Nato. He understands that,” Trump said.

While Ukraine has agreed to US demands for a full 30-day ceasefire, Russia has rebuffed the plan and conceded only to a truce regarding energy infrastructure targets and maritime operations in the Black Sea — and only if the west first lifts sanctions on some agricultural goods.

Zelenskyy has accused Russia of breaking the energy ceasefire at least twice since it was agreed. “Russia must be forced into peace,” he said this weekend. “Only pressure will work.”

Finland’s president Alexander Stubb, who spent seven hours with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday including a round of golf, told the Financial Times the US president was “running out of patience” with Putin over the ceasefire.

“I think we’re moving in the right direction,” said Stubb on a visit to London where he will on Monday brief UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on his discussions with Trump.

In a phone call on Sunday evening, the UK leader updated the US president on discussions between more than 30 nations supporting Kyiv in Paris this week.

“The leaders agreed on the need to keep up the collective pressure on Putin,” said a Downing Street spokesperson. Trump and Starmer also discussed negotiations on an economic deal between the two nations.

Stubb said he had proposed setting a deadline of April 20 — which marks three months since Trump returned to the White House — to accept a 30-day unconditional truce on land, sea and in the air. Both western and eastern Christian churches will celebrate Easter on April 20 this year, a rare calendar alignment.

“The Russians are stalling, they’re coming up with new conditions,” Stubb said. “Let’s call Putin’s bluff for what it is. Russia at this stage does not want peace. So we need to force peace on Russia.”

Stubb shared details of his meeting with Trump in a telephone call with Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president said on Sunday evening.

“We need to engage more with America, find ways to force Russia into peace and work on security guarantees, which must become our next step after the ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia continues looking for excuses to drag this war out even further. Putin is playing the same game he has since 2014.”

Trump had previously threatened Russia with new tariffs and sanctions if it resisted an agreement, but expanding the trade bluster to buyers of Russian oil in other countries will add more pressure on Putin.

“If a deal isn’t made, and if I think it was Russia’s fault, I’m going to put secondary sanctions on Russia,” Trump told NBC.

Trump did not offer a clear explanation of what the plan would involve. He said “anybody buying oil from Russia will not be able to sell their product, any product, not just oil, into the United States”, but also said there would be a “25- to 50-point tariff on all oil”.

The US president added that he would slap “secondary tariffs” on Iran if it failed to make a deal on its nuclear programme, as he renewed his threat of “bombing” Tehran if it did not strike an agreement.

Additional reporting by Jim Pickard in London

INTERVIEW: Russia Against Peacekeepers From Countries Supporting Kiev in Ukraine — Envoy

Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of International Organizations Kirill Logvinov also recalled that it was the "arrogant unwillingness of Westerners to hear" Moscow's position that led to the conflict

© Sofia Sandurskaya/TASS

YALTA, March 31. /TASS/. Russia is saying a resolute no to the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine by countries which have been supplying Kiev with weapons, Kirill Logvinov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of International Organizations, told TASS in an interview.

"They (Europeans - TASS) are turning an absolutely deaf ear to warnings that we categorically oppose the very idea of putting boots of those countries which continue to send weapons to Kiev on the ground in Ukraine," the Russian diplomat said.

Exactly what Loginov called the Westerners’ arrogant refusal to listen to Russia’s position had led to the Ukraine conflict, he emphasized.

On March 27, Paris hosted a summit of the coalition of the willing where representatives of some 30 countries discussed potential post-conflict security guarantees for Kiev. While the United States did not attend the gathering, a number of countries said they are willing to take part in a potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine only with Washington’s support.

On March 12, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that a potential deployment of NATO troops under any flag and in any capacity on Ukrainian soil would pose a threat to Russia which would not "under any conditions" tolerate the presence of NATO troops as peacekeepers on Ukrainian soil.

Denmark Hits Back at US Attacks Over Greenland

Vice President JD Vance arrived at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, March 28, 2025

THE Danish foreign minister has hit back at the administration of US President Donald Trump for its “tone” in criticising Denmark and Greenland.

Lars Lokke Rasmussen said his country is already investing more into Arctic security and remains open to more co-operation with the US.

Mr Rasmussen made the remarks in a social media post after US Vice-President JD Vance’s visit to the strategic island.

But later on Saturday, Mr Trump maintained an aggressive tone, telling NBC News that “I never take military force off the table” in regards to acquiring Greenland.

Mr Rasmussen said: “Many accusations and many allegations have been made. And of course we are open to criticism.

“But let me be completely honest: we do not appreciate the tone in which it is being delivered. This is not how you speak to your close allies.”

Greenland is a territory of Denmark, which is a Nato ally of the US.

Mr Trump wants to take over the territory, claiming it’s needed for national security purposes.

In Saturday’s interview, Mr Trump said: “I think there’s a good possibility that we could do it without military force.”

Hundreds of protesters demonstrated Saturday outside the US embassy in the Danish capital Copenhagen with some lifting signs saying, “Back off, USA,” Danish broadcaster TV2 reported.

Women Teachers in Scotland Facing More Classroom Violence Than Male Colleagues, Says Union

A teacher and students in a classroom

FEMALE teachers in Scotland are more than a third more likely to be attacked than their male counterparts, according to a new trade union report.

The NASUWT’s Behaviour in Schools survey found nearly half — 49 per cent — of female teachers had suffered physical abuse or violence in the classroom over the last year compared with 36 per cent of males.

The report also found that 27 per cent of female teachers had been hit or punched and one in five had been kicked compared with rates of 13 and 8 per cent respectively for their male counterparts.

And 12 per cent of female teachers reported being spat at by pupils, three times the rate of their male colleagues.

One in 20 women teachers had be subjected to sexual abuse from students, compared with one in 50 of their male colleagues, a final statistic showing the need to tackle the growing scourge of misogyny directed at female teachers and pupils alike, says the union.

NASUWT national official in Scotland Mike Corbett said: “Women members have reported appalling sexist and misogynistic abuse, which in some cases is also spilling over into physical violence against them.

“What women are experiencing in schools is a reflection of a wider societal culture in which violence and misogyny against women and girls is seeing a resurgence. This is why it cannot be left to schools alone to tackle this issue.

“Local authorities and the Scottish government need to make schools a central plank of strategies to eradicate gender-based violence.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said it had “published guidance on responding to gender-based violence in schools,” adding: “Violence or abusive behaviour in our schools is completely unacceptable.”

‘The More You Try to Appease the Right, the More Power You Give Them’

Campaigns hit out as Cooper tub thumps on migrant family life with public threat to human rights act

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper during a visit to Staffordshire Police, February 18, 2025

THE government was accused of adopting far-right policies demonising refugees today, after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed it is reviewing how international human rights laws apply to migration cases.

Speaking ahead of a 40-nation summit in London today and tomorrow, Ms Cooper said ministers are examining the application of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which protects the right to family life.

Article 8 has been used in legal challenges to prevent the deportation of migrants.

Reports have suggested in recent weeks that Britain may follow Denmark’s lead by taking a tougher stance on how the right to family life is applied.

Asked if she could confirm reports by BBC programme Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Ms Cooper said: “Well, we continue to support international law.

“That is really important, and it’s because we support international law that we’ve managed to get new agreements with France and Germany.

“There have been some cases that do raise some real significant concerns, and that is also about the way in which the immigration asylum system operates.”

But she said that the application of international law was relevant, “including of Article 8.”

“So we are reviewing all of this area to make sure that, really, the immigration asylum system works effectively in the way that Parliament meant it to and make sure that there is a sort of proper sense of control in the system,” she said.

A spokesperson for left Labour campaign Momentum said: “This is another outrageous example of the Labour government adopting the policies of the far right, demonising refugees and migrants and riding roughshod over human rights and due process.”

Social media commentators questioned how much lower could Labour go, with one X user saying: “Labour are questioning human rights now!”

Professor Stephen Whittle, of campaign group Press for Change, wrote: “History tells us that the more you try to appease the right, the more power you give them.”

Another user wrote: “Politicians picking and choosing who gets to have human rights is the start of a government sliding into something (even more) appalling.

“They have to apply universally or they’re pointless.”

The summit will bring together ministers and enforcement staff from countries including Albania, Vietnam and Iraq — many linked to major migration routes into Britain.

Discussions will focus on people-smuggling supply chains, criminal finances and online adverts for smuggling services.

A record number of people have arrived in Britain after crossing the English Channel so far this year.

The government is also expanding right-to-work checks to cover casual, temporary workers in amendments to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.

The legislation is continuing through Parliament, with plans to introduce new criminal offences and hand counter-terror-style powers to police and enforcement agencies to crack down on people-smuggling gangs.

Campaigners have previously condemned the use of such powers against vulnerable migrants fleeing for their lives.

The addition announced today would widen the right-to-work scheme for gig economy workers not currently covered by existing laws.

Liable businesses could be fined up to £60,000, or face closures, director disqualifications and even up to five years in prison, if checks are not carried out.

Ms Cooper told the BBC employers need to “take action that prevents the illegal working in the first place.”

She said: “We’ve had a 40 per cent increase in illegal working raids since the election.

“So some of the changes that we’ve made that are having an impact already is a 20 per cent increase in returns, over 19,000 people returned who have no right to be in the UK, and then also a nearly 40 per cent increase in illegal working raids and arrests.

“But we need to do more because this is not reaching the gig economy where employers don’t have to do eligibility for work checks. You can end up with criminal gangs promising people illegal work, just as they then take their money.”

Speaking to The Times newspaper, Ms Cooper also signalled she wanted to crack down on the number of people who have arrived in Britain on a student or work visa who have since claimed asylum.

DRC Eid al-Fitr in Goma: A Call for Unity and Peace

Worshippers gather in Goma for Eid

Malaika Élysée

Africa News

Under the morning sun, hundreds of Muslim worshippers gathered in Goma this Sunday to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. For the Muslims in this city, which is currently under the occupation of the M23 rebel group, the day holds profound significance. Beyond the traditional religious rituals, it serves as a moment of unity, hope, and a heartfelt plea for peace.

Yasin Hamad, a local worshipper, expressed the collective sentiment, saying, "We want to be united, all of us. We pray that God helps us achieve peace. That there will be no more divisions among Muslims; we ask God to help us with that."

As thousands of men, women, and children gathered to pray, their hearts were filled with spirituality and a deep sense of hope for a better future. Their voices rose together in prayer, calling for peace and security to return to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Nadia Moustapha, another worshipper, shared her belief in the power of their prayers, stating, "We have faith that, given the sacred month we have just completed today, our prayers will be heard before God and we will live in peace. We want to live in peace like before."

Imams, too, used the occasion to remind worshippers of the importance of solidarity and prayer in these turbulent times. Shieh Djaffar Al Katanty, an imam, emphasised the unity demonstrated during the prayer, saying, "Here, we prayed together, side by side, without considering our linguistic, physical, cultural, or ethnic differences. And we want this message to serve as a lesson for the leaders of the DRC, the conflict protagonists, including the DRC government and the AFC/M23."

Despite the hardships, Goma's Muslim community gathered with devotion and joy, reinforcing the importance of unity in the face of adversity. Their collective prayers echoed not just for peace, but for a restoration of harmony across the region, and a return to normality for all.

Clash Between Nigerian Security Forces and Members of Pro-Palestinian Group Kill 6

By DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN

3:05 PM EDT, March 29, 2025

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Soldiers and members of a Shiite Muslim group clashed in Nigeria’s capital Abuja, killing six people, police said Saturday.

One security force and five members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria were killed in the violence Friday, a police spokesperson said.

Members of the religious group were marching in solidarity with Palestinians in their conflict with Israel. The demonstration took place on International Quds Day, which is held on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in solidarity with Palestinians worldwide.

It is common for the Islamic Movement of Nigeria to embark on demonstrations that often turn violent, leading to loss of life and property. Demonstrations by the group were intense in 2015 after the military cracked down on the group and had its leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, arrested.

Despite his release, the group has continued to embark on demonstrations nationwide.

The Islamic Movement of Nigeria is a Shiite sect that represents around 5% of Nigeria’s 100 million Muslims, most of whom are Sunni. Its creation was inspired by the Islamic Revolution in Iran with the goal of forming an Islamic State in Nigeria through peaceful means. However, the Nigerian government banned the group in 2019 following deadly protests and alleged extremist ties.

Sidi Munir Sokoto, a spokesperson of the group, said they marched peacefully and did not do anything to warrant an alleged attack on their procession by the army which led to the death of five of its members.

“This incident is the latest in a series of similar events, where security forces have been abusing their power by targeting innocent civilians who are exercising their legal rights,” Sokoto said in a statement.

However, the police said members of the group were armed with firearms, short swords and catapults and upon responding to a distress call they came under “intense gunfire” that led to “serious injury” of three security forces and the death of another.

Nineteen people were arrested in connection with the incident, Josephine Adeh, spokesperson for the police in Abuja, said. “Investigations are ongoing to ensure that all perpetrators are brought to justice,” she said.

Rights group Amnesty International accused the Nigerian military of using tactics designed to kill when dealing with gatherings of the group.

Firearms should never be used as a tactical tool for managing demonstrations, and Nigerian authorities are obligated under international law to conduct a full, independent investigation into the deaths, the rights group said.

Chair of African Charity Prince Harry Co-founded Says the Royal Orchestrated a Bullying Campaign

By BRIAN MELLEY

8:19 PM EDT, March 30, 2025

LONDON (AP) — The chairperson of an African charity co-founded by Prince Harry accused the royal on Sunday of orchestrating a bullying and harassment campaign to try to force her out as she pushed back following his abrupt resignation from the organization.

Sophie Chandauka, the Sentebale chair, took several shots at Harry on Sky News in which she described how the prince’s Netflix deal interfered with a scheduled fundraiser and how an incident with his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, became a source of friction.

The Duke of Sussex cited a breakdown in the relationship between board members and Chandauka when he resigned Tuesday as a patron of the charity he co-founded nearly 20 years ago in memory of his late mother, Princess Diana.

Harry and co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho said in a joint statement that they quit “with heavy hearts” as patrons in support of the trustees in their dispute with Chandauka.

“It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation,” the princes said. “In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.”

Chandauka said she reported Sentebale’s trustees to the Charity Commission in the U.K. and filed papers in a British court to prevent her removal.

She alleged there was misconduct at the charity without naming anyone or offering any details in a statement Tuesday. It said she had tried to blow the whistle on “abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny and misogynoir,” the latter word referring to a combination of racism and misogyny directed toward Black women.

Chandauka told Sky that Harry’s resignation had caught her blindsided and was “an example of harassment and bullying at scale.” She said he also had interfered with her whistleblower complaint.

“So it’s a cover-up, and the prince is involved,” she said.

Chandauka said there was a significant drop in donors after Harry and Meghan left official royal duties in January 2020, and eventually settled in California.

The charity, whose name means “don’t forget me” in the Sesotho language of Lesotho and South Africa, was founded to help youths affected by AIDS in the small mountainous nation and in Botswana. But it is now moving to address youth health, wealth and climate resilience in southern Africa.

The biggest risk to the charity was the “toxicity of its lead patron’s brand,” Chandauka told the Financial Times.

A person close to the charity’s patrons and trustees and familiar with events countered Chandauka’s claims. The person, who requested anonymity because the allegations are under scrutiny by the Charity Commission, said Harry and Seeiso had sent a resignation letter to the chair on March 10 — two weeks before they went public with the news.

The person said the trustees and patrons were firm in their decision to leave and had collectively decided to resign with the expectation Chandauka would pull such a publicity stunt after their departure.

In the Sky interview, she said that a polo fundraiser scheduled in Miami last year almost fell apart when Harry asked to bring a camera crew along that was filming him for a Netflix series on the sport.

The cost of the venue skyrocketed when it became a commercial venture and they scrambled to find another host, which Harry arranged through his connections, she said.

Meghan’s surprise appearance at the event led to an awkward moment during the trophy presentation after the match, Chandauka said.

In a video clip circulated on social media, Chandauka tried to pose next to the duke as he held the trophy in one hand and had his other wrapped around Meghan. But the duchess appeared to gesture that Chandauka move farther from Harry, forcing her to duck under the silver cup to get into the photo.

“The international press captured this, and there was a lot of talk about the duchess and the choreography on stage and whether she should have been there and her treatment of me,” Chandauka said.

She said she rejected Harry’s request that she issue a statement in support of Meghan, because “we cannot be an extension of the Sussexes.”

Hezbollah to Resort to Alternatives if 'Israel' Escalates: Sheikh Naim

By Al Mayadeen English

29 Mar 2025 21:56

Sheikh Naim Qassem reiterates Hezbollah's solidarity with Palestine, addressing local and regional developments.

International Quds Day is a day of confrontation of the oppressed against the arrogant, Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said in a speech on Saturday. 

Sheikh Qassem reaffirmed the steadfastness of the Palestinian Resistance, emphasizing that it remains deeply rooted in the people. He declared that reversing course is not an option, as the region undergoes a significant transformation with direct and tangible effects.

Hezbollah's leader also explicitly announced the movement's unwavering commitment to al-Quds and support for the cause, which has been demonstrated through sacrifices, including the martyrdom of its key leaders, particularly the Ummah's martyr, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

"We believe that the Palestinian cause is that of justice, we stand firm in our commitment, and we believe in the liberation of the holy sites," Qassem stressed, affirming that Lebanon’s best interests lie in standing with the oppressed and supporting Palestine.

He warned that "Israel" is an expansionist enemy with no boundaries, determined to surpass all limits. However, he maintained that Resistance remains a legitimate and natural response to these plots and ambitions.

"The Israeli enemy, with the support of ruthless US tyranny, has set goals for itself: Expansion, ending the Resistance, and controlling the future of Lebanon," the Hebzollah chief stressed, stating that the Lebanese state bears the responsibility of stepping out of the diplomatic paradigm in certain instances to confront the occupation.

Dismissing Israeli pretexts for the resumption of its aggression on Lebanon as meaningless, he insisted that Lebanon and its Resistance have remained committed to the ceasefire agreement, while "Israel" continues its assault. "There must be an end to this assault; we cannot accept that this approach continues," he said, urging the Lebanese state to take a firm stance.

Sheikh Qassem reiterated that Hezbollah has fully adhered to the agreement, yet "Israel" has neither withdrawn nor ceased its daily violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty. He emphasized that Hezbollah is both a resistance force and a partner in nation-building, "Lebanon can only rise with all its people, and on this basis, its stability is ensured."

Addressing recent security developments, Qassem denied Hezbollah’s involvement in incidents along the Lebanese-Syrian border and inside Syria, dismissing any connection to those events.

Lebanese pillars reject normalization

Sheikh Naim Qassem also reaffirmed the Resistance movement’s firm stance against Israeli expansion and its attempts to normalize relations. "We cannot accept normalization or political paths through which Israel achieves what it could not through war," he emphasized.

"The leaders of the Lebanese state are on a path of rejecting normalization," he added, underscoring that Lebanon’s commitment to resisting Israeli assaults remains unwavering.

He also strongly rejected "Israel’s" attempts to shift the balance of power in the region, stating that any such actions would be met with resolute opposition. 

Further addressing "Israel’s" continued aggression, Sheikh Qassem made it clear that the Lebanese state must act decisively to protect its sovereignty.

"If Israel thinks it can establish a new equation by attacking the southern suburbs, the south, and the Bekaa, this will not be accepted," he said, warning that Hezbollah would not tolerate any Israeli actions aimed at destabilizing Lebanon.

Sheikh Qassem also urged the Lebanese government to prioritize reconstruction, pledging that Hezbollah would fully support the state in these efforts. "The government must begin discussions on reconstruction, and we, as Hezbollah, will stand by the Lebanese state," he stated, emphasizing the importance of unity in rebuilding Lebanon.

Hamas Chief Announces New Agreement to Halt War on Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English

29 Mar 2025 23:55

In a speech commemorating Eid al-Fitr, the head of Hamas in Gaza emphasized his movement's adherence to the ceasefire agreement amid a brutal Israeli offensive on the enclave.

Hamas agreed to a new ceasefire proposal to halt the current war on Gaza, the head of the movement in Gaza Khalil al-Hayya said. while affirming that the Resistance's arms remains a "red line", in an address published on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr on Saturday.

Al-Hayya stressed the rejection of humiliation and oppression for the Palestinian people—"No displacement, no expulsion." To those who bet on Hamas and Resistance factions abandoning their responsibilities or surrendering their people to an unknown fate dictated by the occupation, he declared. "You are deluded."

Hamas agrees to new ceasefire proposal

Regarding ceasefire proposals, Al-Hayya stated that Hamas and the Palestinian Resistance factions have engaged in a year and a half of negotiations with the occupation, mediated by third parties.

They set clear objectives for these talks, primarily focusing on ending the aggression against Gaza, upholding the rights of the Palestinian people to their land and homeland, and securing the release of prisoners from the occupation's jails.

He emphasized that the Palestinian Resistance is receiving all ceasefire proposals with responsibility and optimism, intending to end the war on Gaza for the safety of its people.

In this context, Al-Hayya stated that Hamas "received, two days ago, a proposal from mediators," announcing that it was positively met and the Palestinian faction "agreed to it," hoping that "Israel" does not obstruct it and foil the efforts of mediators.

Talks are reaching an advanced stage

In addition, Al-Hayya emphasized that Hamas "has taken steps to advance Palestinian unity, traveling to Russia and China twice, and secured a clear agreement that reflects a consensus among all factions to form a national unity government of technocrats."

"[Hamas] accepted the Egyptian proposal to form a civil oversight committee made up of independent national figures to fully administer the sector in all areas. The committee would assume its responsibilities immediately upon agreement to prevent any propaganda efforts by the enemy," Al-Hayya added.

He noted that talks regarding this topic have reached an "advanced stage", where the movement put forward a list of people who are qualified to oversee the committee to finalize its formation, hoping that mediators will expedite the formation of the committee with the support of Arab and Islamic nations.

He explained that these actions stemmed from Hamas's strategic vision developed early in the war under martyred leader Ismail Haniyeh.

This vision centered on three key objectives: first, ending Israeli aggression; second, unifying Palestinians to build on the gains of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation; and third, coordinating with all Palestinian factions to achieve their fundamental rights - including establishing a fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital and guaranteeing refugees' right of return.

Netanyahu blocked all ceasefire efforts

On the topic of "Israel", al-Hayya said that the Israeli Occupation was "True to form, it stalled and evaded any agreement, aiming to prolong the war and keep its government in power as long as possible."

Al-Hayya added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "sabotaged all mediation efforts to secure a comprehensive ceasefire and full withdrawal from Gaza," stressing that an agreement had indeed been reached on January 19, achieved through "our persistence, flexibility, and sense of responsibility."

The Resistance "fully adhered to all terms of the agreement, despite Israel's failure to honor its commitments in the first phase. We worked with mediators to hold the occupation accountable, but they completely abandoned the agreement after the initial phase ended," the Hamas Chief added.

He emphasized that "Israel" refused to hold negotiations regarding the second phase of the ceasefire agreement as previously agreed upon, and rejected withdrawal from the Philadelphi Axis, instead opting for restarting the war and imposing a brutal siege on humanitarian aid.

"Nonetheless, Hamas and the Palestinian resistance maintained a clear position: full adherence to the agreement. They communicated to the international community that they sought no new terms—only respect for the signed agreement, its guarantees, and the terms endorsed by the international community," al-Hayya emphasized.

Israeli crimes threaten the future of the Palestinian cause

Al-Hayya also addressed the Arab and Islamic nations, emphasizing that the suffering of the Palestinian people—in Gaza, the West Bank, occupied Al-Quds, and the territories occupied since 1948—along with the refugees' prolonged wait to return to their homeland, is all unfolding under what he described as "a deeply suspicious global silence."

He noted that "Israel's" crimes are being treated as if they were something normal, warning that these crimes are a disaster that poses a threat to the future of the Palestinian cause, calling for serious mobilization to stop the occupation's atrocities and its plans "with any and all methods."