Singer Davido paid an emotional tribute to his late son, Ifeanyi, and his late mother Veronica Imade Adeleke, during his show in Atlanta on Friday, November 21.
The singer rocked a jacket with Ifeanyi’s face imprinted on it. When Ifeanyi’s picture was shown on the screen on stage, an emotional Davido said;
‘’I love you son. I hope you are there. Tell my mum, Daddy is a superstar down here.”
Late Ifeanyi who was his first son, tragically passed away inside a pool accident on October 31, 2022.
TRUMP HAS BURIED UKRAINE ALIVE. Trump’s Secret 28-Point Peace Deal: The Concessions Ukraine Must Make for Putin.
This 28-point proposal, reportedly drafted by U.S. and Russian negotiators, demands significant territorial and military concessions from Ukraine in exchange for security guarantees. While not officially confirmed, the framework appears heavily tilted in Moscow’s favor: Ukraine would cede parts of its territory, reduce its armed forces dramatically, limit or give up long-range weapons, and accept cultural and political conditions. In return, the U.S. would offer security assurances for Ukraine and Europe. Analysts warn that such terms could leave Ukraine vulnerable and destabilize broader European security.
✅ 28 Key Points Note: These are based on the reported elements of the plan — the full official list is not public, but media confirms the framework contains 28 items.
1. Crimea remains under permanent Russian control.
2. Donbas territories officially handed to Russia.
3. Ukraine withdraws all troops from Donetsk and Luhansk.
4. Russia barred from deploying troops inside the demilitarized Donbas zone.
5. Kherson lines freeze along current battle positions
6. Zaporizhzhia lines freeze with no immediate territorial return.
7. Ukraine military reduced to about 400,000 troops.
8. Long-range missiles banned or heavily restricted.
9. Foreign brigades (international fighters) prohibited inside Ukraine.
10. Russian language gains formal protection inside Ukraine.
11. Russian Orthodox Church allowed special status or legal protection.
12. No NATO membership—Ukraine must commit to neutrality.
13. No U.S. bases or troops permanently stationed in Ukraine.
14. U.S. security guarantees provided to Ukraine for future defense.
15. Gaza-style framework used as the model for the ceasefire.
16. Long-range drones banned or restricted from striking Russia.
17. EU weapons supply reduced over time under the new arrangement.
19. Territorial negotiations pushed to future diplomatic rounds.
20. Defense capacity capped for long-term stability.
21. Mineral cooperation deal signed between Ukraine and the U.S.
22. Russian control in occupied territories accepted de facto.
23. No Western bases allowed in Ukrainian territory.
24. Cultural concessions including language + church arrangement.
25. European-led peacekeeping, not American, inside Ukraine.
26. European security guarantees added to protect the region.
27. U.S.–Russia relations reset under a structured framework.
28. Future territory returns possible only through new talks.
Analysis / Concern
Tilted toward Russia: Many analysts say the plan heavily favors Russia: giving up Crimea and Donbas, cutting Ukraine’s military, and restricting its future defensive capabilities would weaken Ukraine significantly.
Security guarantees unclear: While the plan promises U.S. guarantees, it’s not clear how strong or enforceable they would be, especially if Ukraine’s military is drastically reduced.
European reaction: The EU is skeptical — European leaders say any serious peace deal must include Ukraine and Europe, not just a U.S.–Russia deal.
Legitimacy and acceptance: According to reports, the plan hasn’t been formally announced, and Russia has played down the media coverage.
Ukraine’s red lines: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has rejected giving up territory as unconstitutional.
WHAT IS ARTICLE 61 (J) OF THE PATRIOTIC FRONT CONSTITUTION?
By Eugene Makai
The nation woke up to news that the Acting President of the Patriotic Front (PF) Given Lubinda has shuffled his cards at the helm of his party.
Mr. Lubinda says his actions have been informed and necessitated by Article 61 (j) of the PF Constitution.
So exactly what does this subsection of Article 61 (Powers and Functions of the Party) say?
The President of the Party shall: (j) TAKE A DECISION OR AN ACTION WHICH IN HIS OPINION IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE DEVELOPMENT OR SECURITY OF THE PARTY;
The pertinent questions therefore are, who is Mr. Lubinda protecting the Party from? How does he see the changes he has made as enhancing the development of the Party?
https://youtu.be/Pt6Luk2lEoY?si=i58ywNV5arE987v1
The PF have been in the grips of political drama and a roller-coaster ride leading up to next year’s General election.
Contending factions of the party have been vying for recognition and legitimacy since the passing of its former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu resulting in a multiplicity of court actions and litigation.
All that the nation can now do is sit, wait and watch as the former party in government and now supposedly the largest opposition political party cleans its house.
Patriotic Front First elected Member of Parliament and current Chairperson of the Party, Lupososhi MP, Hon. Emmanuel Musonda Mpankata has stated that the announcements by acting President, Given Lubinda to remove him and others were unfortunate, illegal and were null and void.
“The PF Constitution does NOT allow an Acting President to fire Central Committee members alone. Such decisions must be approved by the Central Committee or National Council. Structural positions like Chairperson, SG, and Deputy SG cannot be dissolved or reshuffled by one person.”he said.
“Courts have ruled before that PF decisions made without Central Committee ratification are invalid.”
“Therefore, the removed officials legally remain in office and must continue their duties as protected by the PF Constitution.”
Our members should stay calm as we embark on resolving this matter. This is not the time to have further divisions Stay firm. The Constitution is on your side.”he said.
“We will be holding a press conference since these matters were communicating directly to the nation. We hope that after this, we will resolve internal matters within the institutional mechanisms such as the Central Committee and not parade ourselves to the public gallery”he said.
In a dramatic turn of events, Patriotic Front Acting President Given Lubinda has with immediate removed Chairperson of the Party and Lupososhi MP, Hon. Emmanuel Mpankanta Musonda and Acting Secretary General, and Lundazi MP, Hon. Brenda Nyirenda from the Central Committee.
https://youtu.be/Pt6Luk2lEoY?si=FyySEJj75G8_w9ez
He has also dropped from the Central Committee Milanzi MP, Hon.Melessiana Phiri, former Secretary General Hon. Davies Mwila, and provincial Chairpersons, Chomba Chipili (Northern Province), Christopher Shakafuswa (Lusaka), Abyud Kawangu (North-Western), Tombi Tombi(Western Province). Further, Lubinda has appointed former Minister, Jean Kapata as Acting National Chairperson, Jean Kapata.
He has also appointed Matero MP, Miles Sampa and lawyer, Celestine Mukandila as Deputy Secretary General (Politics and Administration)
Earlier Lubinda cancelled the Central Committee Meeting scheduled for Saturday, 22nd November 2025.
The Meeting was planned to resolve outstanding issues such as the venue,mode of transport, approve the register of delegates, and the appointments of electoral commission for the General Conference.
He said he made the decision reluing on the provisions of Article 61(J) of the Patriotic Front.
THE BISHOP WHO READS THE BIBLE BACKWARDS: ALICK BANDA BELONGS IN A CADRE UNIFORM, NOT A CLERGY ROBE
I wish to state that it is commendable that the Zambia Police have made progress in apprehending those who ambushed Mr. Given Lubinda in Kabwe. Just a few days ago, we also witnessed another group of thugs stoning President Hakainde Hichilema in Chingola.
Shockingly, Bishop Alick Banda has now emerged with wild claims about what is happening in the country.
He says:
“When we reflect upon violence building up in our society, one wonders where we are headed to. It seems we are averse to peace. However, if measures are not taken to avert what we are seeing selective application of the rule of law, selective provision of security, and selective administration of justice I am afraid this may turn our society into strife, bloodbath, destruction of both lives and property.”
This selective commentary on serious national issues makes him a very peculiar figure within the body of Christ. Bishop Alick Banda seems to have only one eye an eye that sees only those he disagrees with. Even when the PF administration was killing citizens day and night, he remained silent. I truly don’t know which God he represents, because the God I know does not choose sides in injustice.
I will always respect leaders like Bishop Mpundu, who rose without fear or favour and denounced the criminality the PF was committing, while others were comfortably receiving gifts such as Hilux vehicles stolen from the government. If there are religious men who should critique the current government when it goes wrong, Bishop Mpundu is the right one and not Bishop Alick Banda who was eating on the same table with oppressors.
Bishop Alick Banda should not shy away from joining active politics, because that is clearly where he belongs not behind the religious gown he continues to abuse. He is among the men of God who never uttered a single word when the PF administration killed Mapenzi, Vespers, Nsama Nsama, Joseph Kaunda, Matapa, Kennedy Mudenda, Lawrence Banda, Frank Mugala, Kungo, Obex Bwalya and many others in cold blood.
Where was Bishop Alick Banda when the PF administration killed Lawrence Banda and hid his killer Shebby Chilekwa in the State House? His silence was louder than any sermon he has ever preached. A man of God who looks away when blood is spilled has no moral authority to speak today.
His silence when President Hakainde Hichilema was brutally stoned just weeks ago exposes his true nature more clearly than the toxic rhetoric he is spewing today over the Lubinda incident. A true shepherd defends every citizen, not only the ones who fit his political agenda. No thug or criminal should ever be tolerated for attacking another human being this is the message any honest leader should preach. But Bishop Alick Banda operates with a one-eyed gospel, condemning violence only when it suits his preferred camp.
https://youtu.be/Pt6Luk2lEoY?si=FyySEJj75G8_w9ez
That is not moral leadership; it is brazen bias hiding behind the altar. His behaviour is a stain on the very Church he claims to represent.
Bishop Alick Banda must be reminded that selective outrage is not prophecy it is political theatre. He kept holy silence when PF was beating, shooting, and tear-gassing innocent citizens, yet today he shouts the loudest as if he has suddenly discovered morality.
That is not courage; it is cowardice hiding behind the pulpit. A bishop who only condemns violence when it involves people he dislikes is not a messenger of God he is a partisan activist masquerading in a collar. If he wants to play politics, he should remove the cassock and face the people openly instead of weaponizing the altar for his personal biases.
The Catholic Church has long been a defender of human rights, but Bishop Alick Banda’s conduct belongs to a different world not the Catholic Church I know.
Sikaile C. Sikaile Independent Aspiring MP, Katombola Constituency 2026
⬆️ MONITOR | Lubinda’s Night of Long Knives Shakes PF Base
The Patriotic Front has entered Saturday morning in open shock. At exactly 22:37 hours on Friday, Acting PF President Given Lubinda issued a late night video statement that landed like a political grenade inside a party already torn by distrust. In one breath he fired senior members of the Central Committee, provincial chairpersons and long-time party heavyweights. In another, he unveiled new names, including former Lands Minister Jean Kapata and presidential aspirant Miles Sampa.
The timing is the first red flag. Only days ago, Lubinda and Acting Secretary General Brenda Nyirenda told the public that they had never been served with the contentious Kabwe High Court injunction blocking the PF convention. They dismissed the circulating documents as “social media material.”
But Nyirenda still filed an urgent application before the same Kabwe Court, seeking to challenge an injunction she claims the party had never formally received. The contradictions are now ammunition for factional camps that already accuse Lubinda of running ahead of internal consensus.
Lubinda’s purge targeted figures linked to the Mundubile axis. Those dropped include Musonda Mpankata, Brenda Nyirenda (Acting Secretary General), Melesiana Phiri, Davies Mwila, Tombi Tombi and Abuild Kawangu. He also removed two provincial chairpersons, Northern’s Chomba Chipili and Lusaka’s Christopher Shakafuswa.
The Makebi base, which has long suspected internal sabotage, insists this shows that “something serious has been happening behind closed doors.” The Mundubile wing believes it is a deliberate strike to cripple their ground structures.
Replacements came swiftly. Jean Kapata was appointed Acting National Chairperson. Two Deputy Secretary Generals were announced, one for politics, Miles Sampa, and one for administration, Celestine Mukandila.
Lubinda also directed that deputy provincial chairpersons in Lusaka and Northern serve in acting positions “until substantive appointments are made.” The mix of appointments and dismissals is what has confused the ground, because aspirants linked to different factions were both removed and elevated.
Reactions from the base show two competing narratives. Critics like McPherson Chanda called Lubinda’s move “autocratic” and warned that it risks weakening internal democracy ahead of the convention. Others countered that his choices cannot be factional because he has appointed figures like Sampa and Mukandila, who have visible ties to other camps.
Supporters of Lubinda argue the changes were triggered by “misconduct” and insist that “discipline is not selective.”
But party insiders are reading the ground more carefully. Several members dropped from the Central Committee still hold positions as MPs or elected officials. They will attend the convention with full voting rights. This means Lubinda’s reshuffle does not neutralise factional blocs and may instead deepen mistrust at a time when PF speaks openly about unity but moves like a party in silent rupture.
https://youtu.be/Pt6Luk2lEoY?si=FyySEJj75G8_w9ez
The deeper crisis sits under the headlines. As our reader Haggai Muzeya reminded us days ago, PF has never held a true elective convention in its twenty four year history. From the Michael Sata era to the Edgar Lungu transition, leaders were confirmed by voice vote under heavy cadre presence. PF has no institutional memory of transparent, competitive internal elections.
The longer the convention delays, the more entrenched factional identities become. No losing faction is likely to accept defeat.
Last night’s purge confirms this trajectory. Factions now believe Lubinda has revealed his hand. The Mundubile camp sees a hidden agenda. The Makebi camp believes the old guard had been undermining Lubinda. The Sampa wing see fresh political oxygen.
Meanwhile, ordinary members are watching a party bury itself in layers of suspicion, legal battles and improvised appointments.
The uncertainty now places more pressure on the convention. Every affidavit filed, every contradictory statement, every sudden reshuffle deepens the sense that PF is drifting toward a congress where legitimacy will not be settled by ballots but by courtrooms and backdoor alliances. The only rational path remains dialogue with the Chabinga side. PF still commands deep social authority in the northern circuit. Chiefs and elders can convene both sides and settle this dispute in days.
Courts will not do it in time for 2026.
For now, PF sits on a knife’s edge. Lubinda has made the boldest move yet. Whether it stabilises the party or triggers a final fracture will depend on whether PF remembers how to talk to itself before it tears itself apart.
If you want us to track reactions from each faction in detail, send them to editor.peoplesbrief@gmail.com.
ARCHDIOCESE OF LUSAKA STATEMENT AGAINST POLITICALLY INSTIGATED VIOLENCE “…all who live by the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52)
The recourse to violence is increasingly becoming the mainstream in Zambian politics lately. Jesus didn’t advocate violence or commit any violent acts except when he cleansed the temple, justly so.
He didn’t enjoy seeing the weak oppressed nor the innocent suffer. He denounced violence, even asking one of his disciples, Simon Peter to holster his sword rather than fight for His Lord. He was deeply aware that only love could conquer violence.
Love is what the people of Zambia need to see because it is what we don’t have in Zambian politics right now. We are everyday witnessing a culture of impunity in the public spheres of this country.
The Archdiocese of Lusaka expresses deep concern and condemnation of the violent attack on the acting president of the Patriotic Front (PF), Mr. Given Lubinda, in Kabwe, allegedly perpetrated by suspected United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres.
Violence, in any form and by any group, is a direct affront to the dignity of human life and the democratic values upon which our nation is founded on. It must never be condoned, normalized, or politicized.
We appeal to the conscience of the public, law enforcement agencies, and those in government to treat this matter with the seriousness it demands. Once violence is allowed to fester, it becomes increasingly difficult to contain.
The events in Kabwe and hardly a week after the stoning of the Republican President in Chingola, are not isolated incidences They reflect a troubling pattern that, if left unchecked, risks plunging our country into deeper divisions and polarization, especially as we approach the 2026 general elections. Truth be told the future of this nation is perilously hanging in the balance on account of political violence.
We therefore make the following appeals: To the Law-enforcement authorities: We urge a swift, transparent, and impartial investigation into the incident. All those involved must be brought to book, regardless of political affiliation. Selective application of justice undermines public trust and fuels further unrest. We further appeal to law enforcement agencies to engage in de-escalation techniques when in the line of duty and avoid all forms of overzealousness and pre-emption amidist rising national discontent in the country among disenchanted youth.
To the general public and the youth: We call upon all citizens to remain calm, reject violence, and denounce the culture of cadreism that continues to threaten our peace and unity. Even in the face of endemic unemployment which is exploited by politicians to champion violence among disenchanted youth, we call for self-restraint among youth, and to avoid being used for political expediency.
https://youtu.be/Pt6Luk2lEoY?si=FyySEJj75G8_w9ez
To the Government: We demand a detailed report on what transpired in Kabwe and Chingola, including the actions taken against the perpetrators. This is a matter of urgency and national interest. The public deserves to be informed.
To political leaders: We urge restraint and responsibility in public pronouncements. Statements such as those made by a named Member of Parliament, suggesting that cadreism is back, are deeply troubling and risk inciting further violence. Such rhetoric must be treated with the gravity it deserves. We call for integrity and honesty in how these matters are handled. The Archdiocese stands firm in its commitment to peace, justice, and the sanctity of human life. We will continue to speak out against any actions that threaten militate against the moral and social fabric of our nation.
Zambia belongs to all of us. We recommend that going ahead politics in Zambia must be one of constructive dialogue and engagement, accountability and transparency, and unity of purpose.
Patriotic Front Chairperson and Lupososhi MP Emmanuel Musonda Mpankanta has rejected Acting PF President Given Lubinda’s sweeping late-night purge, calling the decision “unfortunate, illegal and null and void,” in a direct challenge that pushes the party’s internal conflict into a sharper and more volatile phase.
In a statement released this morning, Mpankanta said the PF Constitution offers no authority for an Acting President to unilaterally dismiss Central Committee members or restructure senior party organs.
“The PF Constitution does not allow an Acting President to fire Central Committee members alone. Such decisions must be approved by the Central Committee or National Council,” he said. “Structural positions like Chairperson, SG and Deputy SG cannot be dissolved or reshuffled by one person.”
Mpankanta reminded members that courts have previously ruled against PF decisions made without full Central Committee ratification. “The removed officials legally remain in office and must continue their duties as protected by the PF Constitution,” he said, urging members to remain calm as they “embark on resolving this matter.”
He announced that he will hold a press conference to respond formally, emphasising that internal party disputes should no longer “parade themselves to the public gallery.”
Lubinda’s announcement, which came at 22:37 hours on Friday night, removed Mpankanta, Acting Secretary General Brenda Nyirenda, Milanzi MP Melessiana Phiri, former Secretary General Davies Mwila and four provincial chairpersons: Chomba Chipili of Northern, Christopher Shakafuswa of Lusaka, Abyud Kawangu of North Western and Tombi Tombi of Western Province.
In the same breath, Lubinda appointed former minister Jean Kapata as Acting National Chairperson, and named Matero MP Miles Sampa and lawyer Celestine Mukandila as Deputy Secretaries General for Politics and Administration.
Lubinda said he invoked Article 61(J) of the PF Constitution to make the changes, the same provision he cited when cancelling the Central Committee meeting that had been scheduled for Saturday, November 22, 2025.
The meeting was expected to resolve the venue, approve the delegate register, settle transport logistics and appoint the electoral commission for the long-awaited general conference.
https://youtu.be/Pt6Luk2lEoY?si=FyySEJj75G8_w9ez
The timing has intensified suspicion across factional lines. Lubinda and Brenda Nyirenda have insisted for days that they were never served with the Kabwe High Court injunction restraining the PF from holding its convention. They dismissed circulating copies as “social media material,” yet Nyirenda still filed an urgent application in the same Kabwe court to challenge the injunction she said had not been formally received.
Mpankanta’s declaration now sets the stage for a direct constitutional showdown inside PF. His stance effectively instructs party structures to ignore Lubinda’s actions until the matter is settled by the Central Committee or National Council.
With the convention already clouded by injunctions, factional mistrust and long-standing grievances, Lubinda’s purge has deepened uncertainty.
We will continue monitoring reactions from all PF camps. Send verified statements and developments to editor.peoplesbrief@gmail.com.
LUBINDA ANNOUNCES SAMPA AND MUKANDILA AS NEW PF DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERALS
By:Thomas Afroman Mwale
Acting Patriotic Front (PF) faction president Given Lubinda has, with immediate effect, appointed Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa and lawyer Celestine Mukandila as Deputy Secretary General for Mobilisation and Politics and Deputy Secretary for Administration, respectively.
This development follows Mr. Lubinda’s decision to drop Acting PF Secretary General Brenda Nyirenda, PF National Chairperson Emmanuel Mpankata, Lusaka Province Chairperson Christopher Shakafuswa, and the Western Province Chairperson.
Former party Secretary General Davies Mwila has also been removed from the National Executive Committee after he declared Mr. Lubinda’s recent appointments illegal.
https://youtu.be/Pt6Luk2lEoY?si=FyySEJj75G8_w9ez
Mr. Lubinda has since appointed former Lands Minister Jean Kapata as the National PF Chairperson, while announcing that deputies in Lusaka and Western Provinces will assume chairperson roles for administrative purposes.
With 8 days remaining for the party to head to its elective convention it remains to be seen of how these changes will be received. #SunFmTvNews
EXPLAINER | TAZARA Revitalization Project: What You Must Know
The revitalisation of the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority is the most significant transport and industrial policy development in Southern Africa this year. It sits at the intersection of Africa’s infrastructure deficits, China’s mineral security strategy, and the global race for green transition metals. This explainer outlines what was signed, what the numbers mean, the risks involved, and why global powers are watching the corridor closely.
The new TAZARA agreement covers a full structural overhaul of the 1,860 kilometre railway that links Kapiri Mposhi to Dar es Salaam. The package is valued at about USD 1.4 billion and places China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation at the centre of a long concession period of about thirty years. Under this model, the operator will rehabilitate track, signalling systems, communications equipment, workshops, locomotives and wagons.
This trilateral deal involving China, Zambia and Tanzania shall inject USD 1.17 billion into heavy rehabilitation and USD 238 million into periodic maintenance to preserve commercial viability. This is the first major recapitalisation of the line since China funded and built it in the 1970s.
The expected capacity shift is substantial. TAZARA moved over one million tonnes of freight annually in its prime but collapsed to around one hundred thousand tonnes due to degraded infrastructure. The new concession targets 2.4 million tonnes a year once full rehabilitation is complete, with a long term ambition of five million tonnes as copper production expands in Zambia and eastern Congo.
Bloomberg notes that this level of throughput is commercially meaningful because it diversifies export routes away from dependence on the southern corridors.
Zambia is positioning the corridor as part of its wider industrialisation path. President Hakainde Hichilema told Premier Li Qiang that efficient transport is essential for agriculture, mining and energy development along the eastern axis.
He said no jobs will be lost in the transition and that the two hundred to three hundred workers being shifted to the concessionaire will receive full terminal benefits. His message was that the project must support communities along the line that have been economically stagnant for decades.
Local commerce collapsed when train frequency declined.
Tanzania sees the corridor as a strategic extension of its Indian Ocean gateway. Dar es Salaam Port has undergone expansions in the past five years but remained constrained by unreliable rail links. The package includes new locomotives, about seven hundred wagons, sixteen passenger coaches and a modern communication system.
Tanzanian officials describe the project as a commercial rebuild anchored on efficiency rather than nostalgia. Increased transit cargo is expected to lift port revenue and create new logistics clusters along the central corridor.
China’s motives are tied directly to mineral security. Zambia and Congo hold some of the world’s largest reserves of copper, cobalt and manganese used in electric vehicles and battery storage. China controls much of the processing capacity for these minerals and views TAZARA as a reliable route to secure supply chains.
Reuters reported this week that Beijing wants to demonstrate that Belt and Road assets can be restructured into commercially viable systems after a decade of criticism. Premier Li said in Lusaka that China is ready to “bolster cooperation and support Zambia’s modernisation drive,” signalling long term interest in the corridor.
The deal exposes a major tension in Africa’s development story. Global powers are investing heavily in transport routes that take minerals out of Africa but are reluctant to place processing plants, battery factories or higher level industrial facilities on African soil.
Southern Africa is attractive for its mineral wealth but is still missing large scale beneficiation investments. African economists warn that if transport improves without industrial policy enforcement, the region risks reinforcing a raw material export pattern.
Zambia wants value addition along the TAZARA belt, but the success of that ambition depends on policy consistency and investor appetite.
The geopolitics are unavoidable. Across the region, the United States and European Union are promoting the Lobito Corridor to move copper and cobalt to Atlantic ports. China’s revival of TAZARA provides a competing route to the Indian Ocean. Each corridor reflects the priorities of competing powers in the global economy.
Zambia and Tanzania sit between these visions and must extract the highest possible value from both. Rating agencies are watching because logistics corridors influence sovereign credit profiles, foreign direct investment, and growth projections.
There are risks too. Transparency will be critical. Concessions of this scale require clear revenue sharing models, safeguards against asset stripping, and protection against debt rollover pressures. Community impact assessments must be credible to avoid social conflict along the line.
Market analysts also warn that timelines must be realistic because delays can create political and financial strain. With a thirty year private operator model, regulatory oversight will be essential to prevent tariff manipulation or operational neglect.
What is clear is that the revitalised TAZARA sits at the heart of a new continental conversation on industrialisation, mineral strategy and infrastructure diplomacy. For Zambia and Tanzania it is a chance to restore an iconic corridor and reshape trade flows.
For China it is a hedge against competing Western backed routes. For Africa it raises the question of whether modern corridors will move minerals only, or also move the continent closer to building factories, battery plants and electric vehicle components at home.
This is the landscape against which the TAZARA revitalisation will be judged. The potential gains are large, but so are the expectations.
LUBINDA MOVES DECISIVELY TO RESTORE ORDER AND STRENGTHEN PF LEADERSHIP
Patriotic Front Acting President Given Lubinda takes firm action to restore discipline and reinforce leadership structures within the party, dismissing several senior officials with immediate effect.
In a bold reorganisation of the PF Central Committee, Lubinda removes Party Chairperson and Lupososhi MP Emmanuel Mpankanta Musonda, Acting Secretary General and Lundazi MP Brenda Nyirenda, Milanzi MP Melessiana Phiri, former Secretary General Davies Mwila, and four provincial chairpersons—Chomba Chipili (Northern), Christopher Shakafuswa (Lusaka), Abyud Kawangu (North-Western), and Tombi Tombi (Western).
https://youtu.be/Pt6Luk2lEoY?si=Sok_Kjy99xLaO3SX
As part of the restructuring, Lubinda appoints former minister Jean Kapata as Acting National Chairperson. He further strengthens the party’s administrative framework by naming Matero MP Miles Sampa and lawyer Celestine Mukandila as Deputy Secretary Generals for Politics and Administration.
Earlier in the day, Lubinda cancels the Central Committee meeting that had been set for Saturday, 22 November. The gathering was expected to finalise crucial preparations for the upcoming General Conference, including venue selection, transport arrangements, the delegates’ register, and the appointment of the conference electoral commission.
All decisions taken fall under the provisions of Article 61(J) of the Patriotic Front Constitution.
TENSION GROWS AFTER LUBINDA EMERGENCY EXIT FROM NDOLA
A concerned citizen from Ndola has raised alarm over the sudden evacuation of Patriotic Front acting President Given Lubinda and former Cabinet Minister Given Lubinda, who was flown out of Ndola under what are described as urgent security concerns. The citizen reports that the situation surrounding Lubinda’s departure has caused deep worry among some members of the public who fear for his safety.
According to the account shared, Lubinda left Ndola after sensing imminent danger following the recent Kabwe incident. His departure is described as a last-minute decision taken to preserve his safety, with the citizen claiming that his movements attracted unusual attention soon after leaving the city.
The concerned individual states that a group allegedly made up of political party supporters and other unidentified persons tailed Lubinda’s vehicle from Ndola toward Solwezi. The pursuers were reportedly travelling in a Land Cruiser that remained behind his vehicle throughout the journey, raising further fear and uncertainty.
https://youtu.be/Pt6Luk2lEoY?si=Sok_Kjy99xLaO3SX
The incident has prompted questions from members of the public who wonder why Lubinda appears to face such risks while other political figures are able to move freely, hold meetings, and interact with party structures without interference. These concerns have added to ongoing debates about political tolerance and safety for opposition leaders in the country.
The citizen concludes with a call for Zambians to remain vigilant in safeguarding democratic space and ensuring the safety of all political players, including Hon. Given Lubinda. The appeal reflects growing anxieties about political tension and the need to protect every individual’s right to participate in national affairs without intimidation.
UPND MP Says Load-shedding Linked to Drought, Not Poor Leadership
By: Thomas Afroman Mwale
UPND member of parliament for Kalomo Constituency, Harry Kamboni, has dismissed claims that the ongoing load-shedding, where some residential areas receive only three hours of electricity daily, is the result of poor leadership.
Mr. Kamboni explained that the current energy crisis stems from the drought the country experienced, which has disrupted key sectors of development, including power generation.
Speaking on Radio Phoenix’s Let the People Talk, he said Zambia has faced setbacks linked to climate change, stressing that President Hakainde Hichilema deserves recognition for the leadership shown during the crisis.
He noted that the President is planning ahead by investing in thermal energy, with 300 megawatts expected to be added to the national grid.
Mr. Kamboni expressed optimism that improved rainfall could restore water levels at Kariba Dam by March next year, while solar projects across the country are also being advanced. #SunFmTvNews
Museveni Clarifies his Indian Ocean Statement After East Africa Erupts in Debate
By: ChimReport
President Yoweri Museveni has issued a clarification following widespread debate and a wave of online satire over his recent remarks suggesting that Uganda is “entitled” to the Indian Ocean despite being landlocked.
While campaigning in Eastern Uganda, Museveni had argued that Uganda has a natural right to access the sea for both economic and security reasons. He criticized what he described as irrational colonial-era borders that left some African countries without direct access to the ocean
“Even if Uganda wanted to build a navy, how do you build it? We don’t have access to the sea,” Museveni said, lamenting the diplomatic hurdles Uganda faces when exporting products through neighbouring states.
“That [Indian] Ocean belongs to me. I am entitled to that ocean… Uganda is landlocked but where is my ocean? My ocean is the Indian Ocean.” He likened landlocked countries to occupants on the top floor of a block of flats, arguing that the “compound”—in this case the ocean—should belong to all.
The remarks ignited an unprecedented torrent of reactions across East Africa. Social media platforms were flooded with memes, redrawn maps, and comic skits imagining scenarios where Uganda suddenly acquires a coastline.
From Ugandans humorously “marching” to the ocean, to Kenyans jokingly reinforcing their borders, the speech became a regional trending topic for days. #SunFmTvNews
ZUMA BEGS RUSSIA TO BRING SOUTH AFRICANS HOME — “OUR CHILDREN WERE SENT TO WAR, NOT TRAINING!”
Former President Jacob Zuma has reportedly reached out to Russia’s Defence Minister in an urgent plea, demanding the safe return of 28 South Africans who were allegedly lured with promises of “training” and “private security jobs” — only to find themselves dumped on the frontline of a foreign war.
According to information circulating among families, these young men were untrained, poorly equipped, freezing in harsh conditions, and facing relentless drone attacks. Many of them believed they were signing up for bodyguard work, not to be used as foot soldiers in a conflict they know nothing about.
Zuma’s intervention comes as desperate families cry for answers, saying their sons left home seeking opportunities but were instead misled into a battlefield nightmare. Questions are now being raised about the recruiters, the companies involved, and how South Africans continue to be exploited by foreign forces.
Analysts warn that if the allegations are true, this could become a major diplomatic scandal, forcing South Africa and Russia into tense conversations over accountability, exploitation, and the safety of citizens abroad.
For now, families wait — hoping Zuma’s letter puts enough pressure on Moscow to send their loved ones back home alive.
The full 28-point Trump’s peace plan for Russia and Ukraine according to the Ukrainian media:
1. Ukraine’s sovereignty will be confirmed. 2. A non-aggression pact will be signed between Russia, Ukraine and Europe. 3. Russia will not invade neighbouring countries, in return NATO will no longer expand.
4. Russia-NATO dialogue will be held to de-escalate tensions. 5. US will offer Ukraine security guarantees post-war. 6. Ukraine’s military will be limited to 600,000 personnel (it’s currently at 850,000).
7. Ukraine will revise its constitution, declaring it will never join NATO. 8. NATO will not station troops in Ukraine. This does NOT include the UK-France led Coalition of the Willing peacekeepers plan – that is still on the table.
9. The UK and EU will station fighter jets in Poland (which they already do). 10. If Ukraine invades any Russian territory, it will lose US security guarantees. If Russia invades Ukraine, in addition to a US-Ukraine coordinated military response, all sanctions will be reinstated, and recognition of the new territories and all other benefits of this deal will be revoked.
11. Ukraine will be allowed to join the European Union. 12. The creation of a global-backed Ukraine Development Fund, which will help with post-war rehabilitation, reconstruction, industry development and rare earth minerals extraction.
13. Gradual lifting of sanctions off the Russian economy, to allow reintegration into the global economy, and Russia will be invited to rejoin the G8. 14. $100 billion of Russian frozen assets will be used to fund the reconstruction of Ukraine. The rest, mostly European, will be unfrozen.
15. A joint US-Russian line will be established to ensure the compliance of this agreement. 16. Russia will pass a law enforcing its non-aggression pact with Ukraine and Europe. 17. US-Russia to extend the START nuclear treaty.
18. Ukraine will not seek nuclear weapons. 19. The IAEA will take control of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (under Russian control currently), and power distributed will be divided equally 50/50 to Ukraine and Russia.
20. Both countries will implement educational programs in society promoting tolerance. All Nazi ideologies must be prohibited. 21. Ukraine will withdraw from the rest of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions. Zaporozhye and Kherson lines will be frozen. Russia will withdraw from all of Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk and Sumy. Russian forces will NOT be allowed to enter the Donetsk region currently under Ukrainian control – although the region will be recognized as Russian, it will remain an internationally recognized demilitarized buffer zone.
22. Neither nation will seek to change these territorial arrangements by force in the future. 23. Russia will not prevent Ukraine from using the Dnieper River for commercial activities.
24. A humanitarian committee will be established: An all-for-all civilian, prisoners of war, and deceased soldiers exchange will take place. 25. Ukraine will hold presidential elections within 100 days.
26. All parties involved in this conflict will receive full amnesty for their actions during the war. 27. The agreement will be legally binding, and monitored by the Peace Council headed by the US President.
28. Once both sides agree to the agreement, an immediate ceasefire will come into effect on land, air and sea. Both sides will begin a military retreat to agreed points.
France-backed Conflict in Cameroon: Ambazonia Seeks Support from BRICS Nations.
Southern Cameroon was formerly under British administration as a trust territory. In 1961, a UN-organized plebiscite led the region to join the Republic of Cameroon.
Over time, the central government gradually centralized power and reduced the autonomy of the English-speaking regions, which many locals perceive as forced control, giving rise to renewed calls for independence.
According to separatist claims, the conflict has been ongoing for about nine years. They allege that France, through the Cameroonian government, maintains influence over the region’s valuable mineral resources.
Local fighters reportedly use improvised explosives and small arms, as noted in limited reports by international human rights organizations.
These points reflect political claims and perspectives from the separatist side. Southern Cameroon is not internationally recognized as an independent state, but the historical grievances, ongoing conflict, and influence of France continue to be covered in international reporting.
WAR SEC HEGSETH IN NIGERIA: FROM TRUMP’S “GUNS BLAZING” THREAT TO TALKS ON SAVING CHRISTIANS
War Sec Hegseth wrapped a hush-hush sit-down at the Pentagon with Nigeria’s National Security Advisor Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and his crew.
Included? the defense chief, intel boss, and top cop.
The agenda? Hammering out the “horrific violence against Christians” that’s been ripping through northern Nigeria like wildfire
Hegseth:
“Yesterday, I met with Nigeria’s National Advisor and his team to discuss the horrific violence against Christians in their country.
Under the President’s leadership, DOW is working aggressively with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists.”
Nigeria’s scrambling, Tinubu dispatched Ribadu to D.C. pronto, and sources say they’re suddenly way more open to U.S. military muscle: joint ops, intel sharing, Africa Command embeds.
Watchdogs note Boko Haram’s butchered more Muslims than Christians; it’s a brutal insurgency, not pure religious pogroms.
The American “peace plan” contains phrases that were clearly written in Russian first
The Guardian reports that the U.S. “peace plan” includes several lines that were almost certainly drafted in Russian before being translated. In English they sound unnatural and out of place — as if the document was written or edited by people who think in Russian.
The clearest example is the third point: “Russia is expected not to invade neighbouring countries, and NATO is expected not to expand further.” The construction “it is expected” is unusual in English but is a direct calque from Russian.
The document also contains other Russian-style word choices — such as “ambiguities” and “to enshrine” — which look just as odd in this context.
All of this has fueled suspicions that at least some of the contributors to the text were linked to Moscow.
GERMANY ON TRUMP’S UKRAINE PEACE PLAN: “IT’S NOT A PLAN, IT’S A CONVERSATION STARTER”
Berlin says the US-backed framework to end the war in Ukraine isn’t final, just a list of “points to discuss” between Kyiv and Moscow.
FM Wadephul insists Europe still backs Ukraine, but wants talks to happen “from a position of strength.” Translation: we support you, just not all the way to the negotiating table.
As usual, Germany shows up to the peace process with vague statements and no clear spine.
TRUMP DRILLS AHEAD: OIL EXPLORATION RETURNS TO CALIFORNIA AND FLORIDA WATERS
For the first time in decades, the U.S. will open up new offshore areas near California and Florida for oil drilling, because if there’s crude under the sea, Trump’s going after it.
California hasn’t seen a federal lease since the 1980s. Florida? Off-limits since 1995. That ends now.
Gavin Newsom called the plan “reckless” and vowed to block it. Spoiler: drill bits don’t wait for permission.
Environmental groups are furious, but the message is clear, more oil, less dependence, and no time to waste.
Nigerian Afrobeats star Yemi Alade (36) has opened up about her unpleasant experiences at the hands of music executives during the early days of her career.
Speaking during a podcast interview with Adesope Olajide on Swift Conversations hosted on OkayAfrica, the singer says she was sexually harassed by music executives, often during business meetings and studio sessions.
Alade claimed that on countless incidents she was subjected to inappropriate touching and advances from older men who had powerful positions.
She said: “In those beginning days, all I thought I needed was just my talent because that’s what I have. I didn’t have a bank account full of money I could use to sponsor myself.
“I just had a talent and a zeal, and a promise that I made to myself and a promise I believed God made to me. So, I always tried to show up. I was told that I needed to work harder and so I worked harder, and it wasn’t enough.
“There were doors I needed to walk up to and when I walked up to the doors, they didn’t want my talent, they wanted something else.
“Many times from business meetings to studio sessions to even winning certain awards and you meet maybe the managing director or any other executive and they are trying to rub your thighs under the table. And I was just a teen.
“My grandpa is rubbing my legs and I can’t speak because I’m in shock. We are having an actual business meeting. Why are you rubbing my thighs? I had to speak to myself and decided if music was what I wanted to do because the sexual harassment was becoming too rampant.
“But something in me told me to keep pushing my talent. So, I still showed up. If door was left open for me, I would walk in. If it was shut in my face, I would walk away.”
She said the experiences led her to a turning point where she realised that she needed to take control of her own destiny and “stop walking through the doors” and instead “break down the walls” that stood in her way.
A woman has claimed that some of the rich ‘sniper tourists’ who allegedly paid large sums to travel to war-torn Sarajevo killed her six-year-old son.
Shocking claims resurfaced, with Italian journalist Ezio Gavazzeni suggesting that affluent tourists would pay sums of up to €100,000 (£88,000) in today’s money to shoot and kill civilians in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the early 1990s.
More than 11,000 people died during a four-year siege on Sarajevo, which saw Yugoslavia torn apart as Serbian forces surrounded the capital city, but it now appears as if some of those deaths can be attributed to rich foreigners who travelled to the country with the sole intention of taking the lives of innocent people.
The public prosecutor’s office in Milan has since opened an investigation into the claims, which also reportedly saw the sick ‘sniper tourists’ pay extra to shoot at children, in scenes similar to those in twisted TV series or films such as Squid Game or The Hunger Games.
During the war, ‘sniper alley’ became one of the bloodiest locations, as it saw Serbian snipers shoot down at the street from above, and Gavazzeni has suggested that they were not alone, as he says many Italians, Germans, French and English nationals paid eye-watering sums to commit murder.
“People from all western countries who paid large sums of money to be taken there to shoot civilians,” Gavazzeni said of the case.
“There were no political or religious motivations. They were rich people who went there for fun and personal satisfaction. We are talking about people who love guns who perhaps go to shooting ranges or on safari in Africa.”
Local Fatima Popovac has been grieving the loss of her six-year-old son Adnan for over 30 years now and after the allegations first surfaced, she has come out and claimed that the sniper tourists were responsible for her child’s death.
She said: “I cannot understand how someone could kill a child for amusement. What harm could a 6-year-old child possibly have done to anyone?
“I cannot even imagine that those who carried these out could be in human form. I wish I could see that monster—what they look like, what they resemble. Do they carry no humanity at all?”
Dzemil Hodzic, founded an organisation which looks into crimes committed during the siege, after he lost his 16-year-old brother.
He added: “As long as I live, I will fight for the truth. And I won’t stop. They won’t sleep comfortably.”
A former US marine who volunteered during the Bosnian War has also testified that he witnessed some sniper tourists present in Sarajevo.
He said: “I had witnessed on more than one occasion personnel who did not appear to me to be locals by their dress, by the weapons they carried, by the way they were being handled, i.e., guided around by the locals.”
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has thrown his support behind the US peace plan for ending the war in Ukraine, describing the proposals as a workable foundation for a final settlement.
His endorsement comes as Washington pushes Kyiv to accept the terms, with President Donald Trump saying next Thursday — Thanksgiving — is an appropriate deadline for Ukraine to agree.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking in an address outside the presidential palace in Kyiv, said the country was facing one of the most difficult moments in its modern history and risks losing the United States as a key strategic partner if it rejects the latest proposals.
Zelensky said he was working “round the clock” with US officials to ensure any final agreement preserves Ukraine’s dignity and its fundamental interests.
He acknowledged that parts of the plan include concessions previously ruled out by Kyiv, including relinquishing control of some territory and abandoning aspirations to join NATO.
The Ukrainian leader confirmed that he held a call lasting just under one hour with US Vice President JD Vance on Friday to discuss what he described as “a lot of details of the American side’s proposals for ending the war.”
Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, who met Zelensky earlier in the week, also participated in the discussions.
“Ukraine has always respected and continues to respect President Donald Trump’s desire to end the bloodshed, and we view every realistic proposal positively,” Zelensky said, adding that the government was working to ensure “a dignified and truly effective path toward a lasting peace.”
Putin, addressing Russia’s Security Council in Moscow, said the US plan had been previously discussed during his meeting with Trump in Alaska in August.
He claimed the current proposal was a “modernised” version of ideas that had already been presented to both sides earlier in the year.
“In the course of that discussion, the American side asked us to make certain compromises and show flexibility,” Putin said. “Despite certain complex issues and difficulties for us, we confirmed that we agree with those proposals.”
He added that Ukraine had initially refused the earlier version of the plan, prompting Washington to draft the updated 28-point document.
“We have its text,” Putin said. “I believe that it, too, can form the basis of a final peace settlement.”
The leaked plan circulating in Western media reflects several long-standing Russian demands, including territorial concessions and limits on Ukraine’s future security partnerships. Zelensky has not publicly confirmed which elements remain under negotiation.
With the Thursday deadline approaching, both Kyiv and Moscow appear to be signalling openness to continued talks, while tensions grow over whether Ukraine may be forced into choices its leadership has long resisted.
Zelensky warns Ukraine risks losing US support over White House peace plan
(BBC) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Kyiv risks losing US support over a White House plan on how to end the war with Russia.
Addressing the nation on Friday, Zelensky said Ukraine “might face a very difficult choice: either losing dignity, or risk losing a key partner”, adding that “today is one of the most difficult moments in our history”.
The widely leaked US peace plan includes proposals that Kyiv had previously ruled out: ceding eastern areas it now controls, significantly cutting its army size, and pledging not to join Nato.
These provisions are seen as heavily slanted towards Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin said the plan could be a “basis” for peace settlement.
At Friday’s meeting with his security cabinet, Putin said Moscow had received the plan, which had not been discussed with the Kremlin in detail. He said Russia was willing to “show flexibility” but was also prepared to fight on.
Later in the day, US President Donald Trump said Zelensky would “have to like” the plan, adding that otherwise Ukraine and Russia would continue fighting.
Ukraine is critically dependent on deliveries of US-made advanced weaponry, including air defence systems to repel deadly Russian air assaults, as well as intelligence provided by Washington.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In his 10-minute address in front of the presidential office in Kyiv, Zelensky warned that Ukraine would face “a lot of pressure… to weaken us, to divide us”, adding that “the enemy is not sleeping”.
Urging Ukrainians to stay united, he stressed that the country’s “national interest must be taken into account”.
“We’re not making loud statements,” he went on, “we’ll be calmly working with America and all the partners… offering alternatives” to the proposed peace plan.
Zelensky also said he had been reassured of continuous support during a phone call with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Sir Keir said late on Friday that Ukraine’s allies remained committed to securing “a just and lasting peace once and for all”.
Ahead of the G20 summit, which begins on Saturday in South Africa, the prime minister said he and other world leaders would “discuss the current proposal on the table, and in support of President Trump’s push for peace, look at how we can strengthen this plan for the next phase of negotiations”.
Trump is not attending the gathering over widely discredited claims that white people are being persecuted in the country.
Separately, Zelensky said he had spoken “for almost an hour” with US Vice-President JD Vance and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, adding that Ukraine “always respected” Trump’s efforts to end the war.
In Washington, Trump warned that Ukraine would lose more territory to Russia “in a short amount of time”.
He said it was “appropriate” to give Ukraine until 27 November – Thanksgiving in the US – to agree to the peace deal, but added deadlines could be extended if things were “going well”.
BREAKING: HALLELUJAH! Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene just announced she is RESIGNING FROM CONGRESS!
WOW. In a shocking turn of events, the firebrand MAGA zealot who has recently become a prominent critic of her own party over their defense of the Epstein files, is now turning in the towel and resigning from Congress, according to a statement she put out on Twitter
She roundly blasted her own party, writing:
“I’ve always represented the common American man and woman as a member of the House of Representatives which is why I’ve always been despised in Washington DC and never fit in. Americans are used by the Political Industrial Complex of both Political Parties, election cycle after election cycle, in order to elect whichever side can convince Americans to hate the other side more.
“And the results are always the same. No matter which way the political pendulum swings, Republican or Democrat, nothing ever gets better for the common American man or woman.”
“However with almost one year into our majority, the legislature has been mostly sidelined, we endured an 8 week shut down wrongly resulting in the House not working for the entire time, and we are entering campaign season which means all courage leaves and only safe campaign re-election mode is turned on.”
“During the longest shutdown in our nation’s history, I raged against my own Speaker and my own party for refusing to proactively work diligently to pass a plan to save American healthcare and protect Americans from outrageous overpriced and unaffordable health insurance policies. The House should have been in session working everyday to fix this disaster, but instead America was forced fed disgusting political drama once again from both sides of the aisle.”
“Many common Americans are no longer easily convinced by paid political propaganda spokespersons and consultants on TV and paid shills on social media obediently serving with cult-like conviction to force others to swallow the political party talking points.”
“My only goal and desire has ever been to hold the Republican Party accountable for the promises it makes to the American people and put America First…If I am cast aside by MAGA Inc and replaced by Neocons, Big Pharma, Big Tech, Military Industrial War Complex, foreign leaders, and the elite donor class that can’t even relate to real Americans, then many common Americans have been cast aside and replaced as well.”
“When the common American people finally realize and understand that the Political Industrial Complex of both parties is ripping this country apart, that not one elected leader like me is able to stop Washington’s machine from gradually destroying our country, and instead the reality is that they, common Americans, The People, possess the real power over Washington, then I’ll be here by their side to rebuild it.”
“Until then I’m going back to the people I love, to live life to the fullest as I always have, and look forward to a new path ahead.”
“I will be resigning from office with my last day being January 5, 2026.”
We have been waiting for this day for SO LONG, and it’s finally here. Go aim your Jewish space lasers somewhere else, you crazy racist dingbat!
Donald Trump’s travel ban, which forbids citizens of a dozen countries from entering the US, threatens to wreak havoc on the 2026 World Cup.
Given that the majority of matches will be played in the United States, as well as Canada and Mexico, this could prove quite a problem for people from nations on the list.
The preparations for next year’s World Cup are already in full swing, but a host of football fans don’t yet know whether they’re coming or going.
So, let’s take a look at what on earth is going on here – and what could happen between now and June next year.
Who is affected by Trump’s travel ban? Back in June, the US President announced that he would introduce ‘common sense restrictions’ on travel to the US that would ‘protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors’.
In a bid to stop an influx of foreign nationals who had not been ‘properly vetted’ from entering the country, he explained that citizens of 12 nations would no longer be allowed in.
The travel ban impacts people from the following countries:
Afghanistan
Myanmar
Chad
Congo-Brazzaville
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Haiti
Iran
Libya
Somalia
Sudan
Yemen
As well as this, partial travel restrictions were also imposed on travellers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
What will happen to countries that qualified for the 2026 World Cup? Out of these 19 nations, two of them have qualified for the 2026 World Cup – but fans of the teams might not be able to watch them compete in person.
For the seventh time ever, Iran has earned itself a spot in the coveted tournament after topping their group with 23 points. Haiti, which is also subject to Trump’s travel ban, also sealed their second World Cup qualification after a 51-year drought.
Although this should be a celebratory time for both countries, supporters aren’t too chuffed, as it appears those who want to cheer on their players in person might be unable to.
The sports stars who will be competing on the pitch are set to be permitted entry, though, thanks to an exemption.
It states that ‘any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State’ are allowed in – but this doesn’t apply to fans.
However, FIFA president Gianni Infantino previously said that the US will ‘welcome the world’ when the World Cup kicks off.
“Everyone who wants to come here to enjoy, to have fun and to celebrate the game will be able to do that,” he said – but as it stands, fans from countries on the list don’t have a way into the US.
What happened during the previous travel ban? Although Iran and Haiti’s players are protected from the travel ban under the exemption, this hasn’t always been the case while Trump has been in office.
During his first term in 2017, people from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen were forbidden from entering the US – but thankfully, there wasn’t a global sporting event taking place there at the time.
However, the president’s power to veto the entrance of certain citizens was wielded that year. Members of the Tibetan women’s football team were refused visas to attend the 2017 Dallas Cup in Texas, with the captain explaining it was because they ‘don’t have strong reasons’ to go there, The Guardian reported.
Despite being invited by the organisers and told they could stay with local players, the team were forced to pull out.
Two years later, at least nine young lads who were part of the Guatemalan under-15 football team were also denied visas, according to the country’s football federation.
Although they had ‘all the documents required to support their applications’, they were still rejected from entering the country, where they had intended to compete in the Concacaf Championship in Florida.
Cuba’s captain, Yordan Santa Cruz, had his visa denied entry to the US in the same year, meaning he was unable to participate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Before the United States was confirmed as one of the hosts of the 2026 World Cup, the president of FIFA had warned Trump that his travel bans could hinder his country’s bid for it.
Infantino said in 2017, as per the BBC: “It’s obvious when it comes to Fifa competitions, any team, including the supporters and officials of that team, who qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup. The requirements will be clear.”
Anthony Joshua has slammed Tyson Fury’s proposed $1million wager on his fight with Jake Paul as ‘betting nonsense’.
The pair are set to get in the ring together for a heavyweight bout on 19 December – and fellow sportsman Fury reckons he could earn a few quid out of it.
Before the clash was confirmed, Fury said in August that he would ‘put a million pounds on’ Paul beating the Brit boxing star.
“I think that AJ is a spent force, and I think Jake Paul is on the rise,” he said. “I like his new heavyweight look, he is a bit chubby, a bit bulky, he is getting there.”
And earlier this week, the Gypsy King took to Instagram to declare that he reckons he will put his opponent down ‘by KO’.
However, his dad, Big John and younger brother Tommy have much different opinions, as both have said that Joshua could knock Paul out ‘with his d**k’.
During a press conference on Friday (21 November), Joshua and Paul discussed the buzz around their scrap – and Fury’s earlier comments. When asked if he takes his opponent seriously, Joshua slipped a jab in about his sporting foe, Fury.
“He’s a conquerer, his mentality is solid,” he said of Paul. “He’s better than Tyson Fury – he’s actually sitting here. I take him seriously, I give him the respect he deserves.”
The conversation then turned to the proposed $1 million Fury has promised to put on the line.
“I’m not worried about what Tyson Fury’s got to say,” Joshua hit back. “It ain’t even about the money. I’m betting on myself, I’m focusing on myself.
“I ain’t worried about what anyone has got to say. I’m not here for any of that betting or nonsense – I’m here to fight, and that’s all it is.
“Once I get the job done, collect my cheque, cash it, and I’m going to focus on the next one. My bet is on me doing a number on [Paul], that’s all there is to it.”
Joshua will face off against the YouTuber in a bout in Miami on 19 December, which will be streamed live on Netflix at 1am UK time on the 20th.
It will be the London-born star’s first fight since his damning defeat while taking on Daniel Dubois over a year ago. Although the final details are still being ironed out, a prize pot of around £140 million has already been mooted for the bout.
During the press conference, Paul claimed he would knock his opponent out ‘in round four or five’ when they step into the ring next month.
He bizarrely declared he is ‘ready to die’ to conquer Joshua during the fight.
In response to being asked whether he could beat a behemoth of British boxing like Joshua, he said: “Without a shadow of a doubt.”
A new White House plan for the end of the war in Ukraine has been revealed with terms seen a not favorable to Ukraine and Europe.
The new plan would see Kyiv cede territory to Russia, include US “de facto” recognition of Crimea and other Ukrainian territory forcibly seized by the Kremlin as Russian, and impose limits on the size of Ukraine’s military.
According to a draft of the 28-point plan, which US President Donald Trump has reviewed and supports, many of the ideas put forward have been rejected in previous negotiations by Ukraine and European officials and would be seen as major concessions to Moscow. US officials insist the plan is still being developed and that any final agreement would require concessions from both sides. During a Thursday afternoon briefing, the White House press secretary said the plan remains “in flux.”
The draft proposal outlines several stunning reversals of longstanding US policy to acknowledge Ukraine’s territorial integrity. It would require the US to recognize Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk “as de facto Russian.”
For the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, the borders would be frozen along the line of contact, which would constitute de facto recognition along that line. In exchange, Russia would relinquish other agreed territories it currently controls outside these five regions.
A particularly contentious provision calls for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the parts of Donetsk that they currently control. This withdrawal area would then be considered a neutral, demilitarized buffer zone, internationally recognized as territory belonging to the Russian Federation. The two countries would commit not to change the agreed-upon territorial arrangements by force.
The plan also includes a commitment that Ukraine will not join NATO, that NATO will not station troops in Ukraine, and that European fighter jets be stationed in Poland. It limits the size of the Ukrainian armed forces to 600,000 personnel and calls for Ukrainian elections within 100 days.
The implementation of the plan would be “monitored and guaranteed by the Peace Council, headed by President Donald J. Trump,” with sanctions imposed for violations. While security guarantees for Ukraine are noted, they are not detailed in the draft, though it states the US will receive compensation for its guarantee.
The proposal includes penalties for both sides: if Russia invades Ukraine again, global sanctions will be reinstated, and the recognition of new territory will be revoked. Conversely, if Ukraine launches an unprovoked missile at Moscow or St. Petersburg, the security guarantee will be deemed invalid.
The draft outlines the return of Russia into the global community, including the lifting of sanctions and an invitation to rejoin the G8. It calls for “all parties” in the war to receive full amnesty for their actions during the war and agree not to make any future claims—a point that contrasts with the International Criminal Court warrant for President Vladimir Putin regarding the forcible deportation of Ukrainian children.
The plan also calls for the return of all civilian detainees, hostages, children, and the exchange of all prisoners of war and bodies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to work with the administration on the plan after meeting a top US military official in Kyiv, saying he was prepared for “constructive, honest and swift work.” However, a Russian journalist cited a Kremlin spokesperson as saying Moscow had not yet been informed that Zelensky was ready to discuss the plan.
European and Ukrainian officials have been critical, noting the plan appears to repeat many of Moscow’s maximalist demands from earlier in the war.
A European diplomat described the effort as reminding them of “Groundhog Day,” calling the territorial demands a non-starter and stating it would be “political suicide” for any Ukrainian leader to accept. European officials emphasized that for any plan to work, it must involve both Ukrainians and Europeans.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is facing intense scrutiny following the Harambee Stars’ humiliating 8–0 defeat to Senegal.
The defeat goes down as McCarthy’s worst coaching defeat and Kenya’s second worst loss since 1965.
Fans Criticise Tactics — But Was McCarthy Set Up to Fail? The crushing defeat immediately triggered backlash from Kenyan fans, who questioned McCarthy’s tactics, selection, and readiness for such a high-profile opponent.
However, emerging details suggest that the South African legend may have been blindsided by FKF’s last-minute fixture changes, Afrik-Foot reveals.
Technical Team Says Senegal Match Was Not Initially Planned According to McCarthy’s assistant coach, Vasili Manousakis, the technical team had spent weeks preparing for entirely different opponents — Comoros and Madagascar — only to be handed a completely new schedule after squad selection had already been finalised.
“We don’t know how, or who agreed to the fixture. We were discussing playing Comoros and Madagascar… then we got Equatorial Guinea, and later Senegal was added. We don’t know quite how it happened, but it happened,” Manousakis told Kenyan media.
Young Squad Forced to Face Top African Giants McCarthy had deliberately left out several first-choice players for the November friendlies, aiming to test young talent against less intimidating opposition.
But after the fixture list changed unexpectedly, the inexperienced squad found themselves up against Equatorial Guinea — who beat them 1–0 — and then continental powerhouse Senegal.
The late switch meant McCarthy and his technical team had no time to readjust their plans, leaving their youthful lineup exposed against one of Africa’s strongest teams.
BULLY-PROOF! RAMAPHOSA STANDS FIRM AS U.S. TURNS UP THE HEAT
President Cyril Ramaphosa has come out swinging, declaring that South Africa “will not be bullied” after the United States reportedly warned Pretoria against backing a proposed G20 declaration.
The dramatic standoff has sparked a diplomatic storm, with the White House said to be leaning heavily on South Africa over its position in the global grouping.
Ramaphosa, however, insists the country will not bow to outside pressure, stressing that South Africa’s foreign policy is guided by its own national interests not by the demands of powerful Western nations.
The fiery exchange has sent shockwaves through international circles, raising questions about Washington’s influence and South Africa’s growing assertiveness on the world stage. As tensions simmer, all eyes are now on the G20 table, where Pretoria appears ready to hold its ground, no matter who tries to twist its arm.
Al-Nassr star, Sadio Mané has disclosed that he made the decision to turn down an offer to play for Manchester United because of the wealth of attacking talent already at the disposal of former Red Devils manager Louis van Gaal.
The Senegal international went on to become a Premier League icon during his time with the Reds, securing his move to Merseyside in 2016. He netted 120 goals in 269 games for Liverpool across six years before departing for Bayern Munich in 2022.
In a recent chat with ESPN, Mané recalled the pivotal moment in 2016 when he nearly signed for Manchester United from Southampton, a move that was ultimately preempted by a phone call from Jürgen Klopp which secured his signature for Liverpool.
Detailing the exchange with van Gaal, Mané explained his rationale:
“Manchester United called me that time, I was talking to Van Gaal. Rooney was there. And Di María was there. And… (Memphis) Depay was there. When they failed to get me, they bought (Anthony) Martial. Van Gaal called me and he said, ‘Mané, how are you? What are you doing?’ He said, ‘I want you to come to Manchester United.’ I said, ‘Really?’”
Mané explained his core concern centered on playing time: “OK, so my question: you have Depay, you have Rooney, you have Di María, you have Van Persie, I think the same. ‘So where am I going to play?’ That was my question, because me, I want to play.”
While van Gaal assured him that good performance in training would guarantee him a spot, Mané admitted he was not convinced by the explanation.
“I was not convinced about his explanation. I talked to the coach, but he told me that I will play if I’m good; if not. But at the time, me, I was not ready, I can say. I was young. I still needed someone to help me more. And one or two more years to become what I want to be. Because I was still in Southampton; I was not consistent. And then we said, ‘OK, we’ll see’.”
Ultimately, Mané opted for the environment he felt would best support his development, paving the way for his hugely successful move to Liverpool.
Leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, has stated that both Christians and Muslims “have been slaughtered” in Nigeria, linking the violence to extremist activities as well as economic and land-related tensions.
The Pope’s remarks came weeks after US President said that there is a Christian genocide going on in Nigeria.
The Pope made the comments in a video that went viral on Friday, as recorded during an interview on Tuesday in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, according to the Catholic News Agency.
Responding to a question on whether Christians are safe in Nigeria in light of recent allegations of genocide, he said
“I think in Nigeria, in certain areas, there is certainly a danger for Christians, but for all people. Christians and Muslims have been slaughtered.”
He explained that the violence has multiple drivers.
“There’s a question of terrorism. There’s a question that has to do a lot with economics, if you will, and control of the lands that they have,” he added
Pope Leo XIV also urged the Nigerian government to take stronger action to protect all citizens.
“Unfortunately, many Christians have died, and I think it’s important to seek a way for the government, with all peoples, to promote authentic religious freedom,” he said.
Late actor Chadwick Boseman, best known for his iconic role as Marvel’s Black Panther, was posthumously honoured with the 2,828th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday, November 20.
Boseman, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 43 after a private battle with colon cancer, was remembered in an emotional ceremony.
“We love you, we miss you”, said his wife, Simone Ledward-Boseman, as she paid tribute to the actor’s legacy.
Thursday was also declared “Chadwick Boseman Day” in Hollywood, and his “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” costar Viola Davis, his “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler, and Boseman’s widow Taylor Simone Ledward Boseman spoke during the emotional ceremony.
“I have to believe that Chadwick is still alive,” Davis said. “I can’t use the word ‘gone’ or ‘death’ really when thinking about him.”
Davis noted that they worked on their Oscar-winning movie “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” just before he passed, and said Boseman “was always trying to engage me on the set” talking about the “cap of success” and having the types of conversations that she believes people have when they know they “possibly are transitioning.”
Davis noted that they worked on their Oscar-winning movie “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” just before he passed, and said Boseman “was always trying to engage me on the set” talking about the “cap of success” and having the types of conversations that she believes people have when they know they “possibly are transitioning.”
“This star, as beautiful as it is on the Walk of Fame, shines a whole lot less brighter than Chadwick is in heaven,” she concluded her speech.
Coogler, Boseman’s friend who directed him in the “Black Panther” Marvel film, asked for attendees’ understanding as he emotionally talked about the late star.
“When I think of Chadwick Boseman I think of three things: leadership, teaching and generosity,” Coogler said. “He was an incredible leader.”
The famed “Sinners” director said Boseman was “ageless,” and joked he didn’t know his age until he went to one of his birthday parties. He also told a story about Boseman sneaking past stars like Sylvestor Stallone, Michael B. Jordan (who was present at Thursday’s ceremony) and others to get into Coogler’s hotel room during a big press tour for the 2015 film “Creed.”
Boseman, Coogler said, wanted to meet with him to talk about working together on “Black Panther” and managed to evade even the press that were present.
“I was so impressed by that and I asked him how he got past everybody and he smiled and said, ‘That was the Panther,’” Coogler said, chuckling.
Boseman’s wife was the last to take the podium, and had a heartfelt message for her late husband.
“Chad, today we recognize a lifetime of artistry. We recognize your skill and your devotion and we cement your legacy as a hero and icon,” she said. “You lived with honor and you walked in truth. You were as brilliant as you were beautiful and as courageous as you were kind. We love you, we miss you and we thank you.”
She then invited her husband’s brothers, Derrick and Kevin Boseman, to help with the unveiling of the star.
Six Democratic lawmakers are now receiving round-the-clock protection from the Capitol Police after President Donald Trump accused them of “seditious behavior” that he claimed should be “punishable by DEATH.”
The lawmakers, Senators Elissa Slotkin (Michigan) and Mark Kelly (Arizona); and Representatives Jason Crow (Colorado), Maggie Goodlander (New Hampshire), Chrissy Houlahan (Pennsylvania), and Chris DeLuzio (Pennsylvania) were targeted by Trump following the release of a video in which they advised members of the military that they “can refuse illegal orders” and “must refuse illegal orders.”
Trump issued a furious response on his Truth Social platform, where he called their action “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” The President posted multiple follow-up demands for their arrest and even reposted a comment from another account that stated, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!”
Capitol Police immediately placed the six lawmakers, all of whom are veterans or former national security officials, under full 24/7 protection due to the nature and severity of the threats. Senator Slotkin, a CIA veteran, stated that she received hundreds of threats immediately after Trump’s statement was made public. “If the president is saying you should be hanged, then we shouldn’t be surprised when folks on the ground are going to follow suit and say even worse,” she said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned Trump’s remarks as “disgusting and dangerous death threats,” confirming that Democratic leadership was in direct contact with law enforcement to ensure the safety of the Members and their families.
The targeted Democrats remained resolute, releasing a joint statement defending their actions: “We are veterans and national security professionals who love this country and swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. That oath lasts a lifetime, and we intend to keep it. No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us from that sacred obligation.”
They also highlighted the legal basis of their video: “What’s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law. Our service members should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders.”
Senator Mark Kelly, a 25-year Navy combat pilot and former astronaut whose wife, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, survived an assassination attempt in 2012, criticized the President directly: “I never thought I’d see a President call for my execution. Trump doesn’t understand the Constitution, and we’re all less safe for it.”
The video, which featured lawmakers from the CIA, Air Force, Army, and Navy, reminded military and intelligence community members that their oath is to the Constitution, not any single individual, and that they must refuse any order that violates the law. They concluded the message with the historic naval phrase: “Don’t give up the ship.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt argued that the lawmakers were encouraging troops to defy “lawful orders,” which she called a “very, very dangerous message.” However, military law experts generally agree that the Uniform Code of Military Justice requires service members to disobey orders that are “manifestly illegal.”
The video’s release occurred amid scrutiny over the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops in US cities and its use of lethal military strikes on alleged narco-terrorist boats in the Caribbean, operations that have faced legal and international questions.
former Harvard president Larry Summers reportedly spent his honeymoon on Jeffrey Epstein’s notorious private island, Little Saint James. According to flight records, Summers and his wife, Elisa F. New, flew from Massachusetts on the convicted financier’s private jet, accompanied by Ghislaine Maxwell.
Summers and New flew to Saint James, which critics dubbed “Pedo Island,” shortly after their December 11, 2005, wedding in Cambridge. The disgraced financier’s madam, Maxwell, who was later convicted on s3x trafficking charges, accompanied the couple, The Harvard Crimson reported.
A spokesperson for Summers confirmed the visit but minimized its duration and connection to Epstein’s crimes: “Mr. Summers and Ms. New spent their honeymoon in St. John and Jamaica in December 2005, which was long before Mr. Epstein was arrested for the first time,” the spokesperson told the outlet. “As part of that trip, they made a brief visit of less than a day to Mr. Epstein’s island.”
The island getaway occurred six months after Palm Beach police had already begun investigating Epstein for the r@pe of a 14-year-old girl. Flight logs indicate that Summers flew on Epstein’s jet, often referred to as the “Lolita Express,” three other times after the honeymoon trip. Three of the four flights occurred while Summers was serving as Harvard’s president.
The revelation is fueling the ongoing backlash against Summers’ connections to the disgraced billionaire. Summers, who served as Bill Clinton’s former Treasury secretary and helmed Harvard between 2001 and 2006, resigned from the board of OpenAI (the company behind ChatGPT) on Wednesday amid the growing firestorm.
Hours later, Summers also went on leave from his tenured economics teaching role and his post as head of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Mossavar-Rahmani Center.
Two other affiliated institutions, the Yale Budget Lab and the Center for American Progress, also announced he was no longer associated with them.
The fallout follows the release of over 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. These documents show Summers and Epstein exchanged thousands of emails between 2013 and 2019, with correspondence continuing until the day before Epstein’s 2019 arrest. Epstein was convicted of sex trafficking minors in 2008 and died by su!cide in jail awaiting trial in 2019.
A Peruvian court has issued an international arrest warrant for former prime minister Betssy Chávez, who is accused of taking part in the failed 2022 coup attempt led by ex-President Pedro Castillo.
Chávez has been staying inside the Mexican embassy in Lima after seeking asylum earlier this month. She served as prime minister under Castillo, who was removed from office in December 2022 after attempting to dissolve Congress during a prolonged political standoff, an action that has widely been classified as an attempted coup d’état.
Relations between Peru and Mexico deteriorated sharply after Castillo’s ouster. The former president, described by supporters as Peru’s “first poor president,” was on his way to the Mexican embassy with his family to request asylum when he was arrested and charged with rebellion and abuse of authority.
Chávez was charged alongside him, and both went on trial in March. Castillo has been held in preventive detention since his impeachment, while Chávez was released on bail before later requesting asylum at the Mexican ambassador’s residence. Peruvian authorities are currently assessing Mexico’s request for safe passage for her.
Lima has since severed diplomatic relations with Mexico, accusing it of interfering in its internal affairs by granting Chávez asylum. Prosecutors are seeking a 25-year prison sentence for Chávez, alleging she played a role in Castillo’s plan, while they are pushing for a 34-year sentence for Castillo himself.
Along with issuing the international arrest warrant, Friday’s court ruling also ordered five months of pretrial detention for Chávez once she is apprehended.
MUTSVANGWA BLASTS CHIWENGA & TAGWIREI – ‘SEND THEM BACK TO SCHOOL!’”
Zanu PF’s internal wars exploded again this week as party spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa launched a fresh, blistering assault on his rivals boldly declaring that Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and business tycoon–cum–Central Committee member Kudakwashe Tagwirei need to be sent back for ideological re-education.
Mutsvangwa said the two heavyweights should report to the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology, the ruling party’s controversial training institution known for drilling party cadres in official doctrine, political discipline and the party’s preferred version of Zimbabwe’s past and future.
Named after liberation icon Herbert Chitepo, the school teaches Zanu PF’s self-styled ideological pillars: socialism, militant anti-imperialism, Pan-Africanism and the values of the armed struggle.
His remarks signal a dramatic escalation in the factional battles gripping the ruling party with Mutsvangwa effectively accusing Chiwenga and Tagwirei of straying from the movement’s ideological line.
“RAMAPHOSA STANDS TALL — SOUTH AFRICA REFUSES TO BOW TO THE USA”
President Cyril Ramaphosa has once again reminded the world that South Africa is not a junior partner to global powers — and certainly not anyone’s puppet.
This week, Ramaphosa made it clear that the G20 summit will continue with or without the United States, sending a firm message that Africa will no longer operate under pressure, threats or political intimidation. According to him, South Africa will not beg the USA for attendance, and the days of foreign powers dictating the continent’s direction “are over.”
Ramaphosa’s message is simple: Africa is rising South Africa has its own voice We are not inferior to any nation
At the same time, Ramaphosa is pushing ahead with the controversial Expropriation of Land Without Compensation, signalling that his government will not slow down transformative policies just because certain world powers are uncomfortable.
For him, land reform is an African issue, not an American one — and no foreign leader has the authority to interfere with South Africa’s internal decisions.
Many South Africans say this is the strongest leadership they’ve seen from him in years: ⚡ Standing firm against foreign pressure ⚡ Defending Africa’s dignity ⚡ Refusing to let the USA undermine South Africa’s seat at the global table
Whether people agree or disagree with his policies, one thing is certain: Ramaphosa has drawn a clear line — Africa deserves respect.
Morgan Tsvangirai was a prominent trade unionist turned politician who became Zimbabwe’s leading opposition figure against Robert Mugabe’s rule.
Tsvangirai is remembered as a symbol of democratic resistance in Zimbabwe, though criticized by some for compromises in the power-sharing deal.
1952: Born on March 10 in Gutu, Masvingo Province (then Southern Rhodesia), as the eldest of nine children in a poor family. He left school early to support his siblings.
1974–1980s: Began working in the mining industry, starting at Trojan Nickel Mine. Rose through the ranks to become a foreman and joined trade union activities during Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.
1988: Elected Secretary-General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), transforming it into a powerful voice against government policies and economic mismanagement.
1997–1998: Led nationwide strikes and protests against rising taxes and living costs, marking the ZCTU’s shift toward political opposition and earning Tsvangirai national prominence.
1999: Founded the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, uniting labor, civil society, and urban voters against ZANU-PF’s one-party dominance.
2000: Led the MDC to a strong showing in parliamentary elections (57 of 120 contested seats) and spearheaded the successful “No” campaign in a constitutional referendum, delivering Mugabe’s first major electoral defeat.
2002: Ran as MDC presidential candidate against Mugabe; officially lost amid widespread allegations of vote-rigging, violence, and intimidation. Charged with treason (later acquitted).
2005: MDC split over Senate election participation; Tsvangirai opposed boycotting, leading to the formation of a breakaway faction (MDC-Mutambara). His faction (MDC-T) remained the main opposition.
2008: Won the first round of the presidential election (47.9% vs. Mugabe’s 43.2%), but withdrew from the runoff citing state-sponsored violence that killed over 200 MDC supporters. Forced into a power-sharing government as Prime Minister (2009–2013) under the Global Political Agreement
2009–2013: Served as Prime Minister in the uneasy unity government, pushing for economic reforms, constitutional changes, and the 2013 constitution referendum (adopted with 94% approval).
2013: Lost the presidential election to Mugabe (34% vs. 61%), amid claims of fraud; challenged results in court but case was dismissed.
2017: Helped form the MDC Alliance coalition to challenge ZANU-PF in the 2018 elections.
Diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016; health deteriorated.
2018: Died on February 14 in Johannesburg, South Africa, at age 65. His funeral drew massive crowds in Harare, symbolizing enduring opposition to authoritarian rule.
