Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
simon allisonlatest news & developments
Mourned: Iranians gather during the final stage of funeral processions for the country’s powerful general

US-Iran crisis raises global tensions

EXPLAINER: What’s happening in the Middle East — and what does it mean for Africa?

Five alleged al-Shabab militants have been arrested

Al-Shabab sends ‘a message’ to US with Kenya attack

The deadly attack on Camp Simba comes in response to a dramatic escalation in US drone strikes against the Islamist militant group

Samantha Kureya is a household name in some parts of Zimbabwe. (Paul Botes/M&G)

“You are too young to mock the government”: Zimbabwean comedian relives her abduction

Samantha Kureya, aka Gonyeti, did not quite understand the power of her jokes — until she was abducted and tortured for them

Former president Thabo Mbeki. (AFP)

Mbeki on SA’s foreign policy failures

The former president has laid out to a to-do list for the department of international relations

There is currently no national opposition with a credibility to mount a serious challenge for Hage Geingob’s Swapo

The enduring appeal of liberation movements

Liberation movements attracted more than half of the popular vote in their most recent parliamentary elections in many African countries

Imposing beast: The Ford Ranger XLT is too large to make it through the reviewer’s garage door. But it comes into its own on the open road

The Ford Ranger XLT: A tough car for tough guys

It’s tough, capable and ready to work for you … if you can fit it into a parking space, that is

Former president Thabo Mbeki’s concerns were not limited to Africa. (Oupa Nkosi/M&G)

Mbeki on South Africa’s foreign policy shortcomings — and his brush with neo-Nazis

The former president says that South Africa needs clearer foreign policy positions on a range of continental and global issues

Burna Boy’s fifth studio album, ‘Twice as Tall’, extends beyond the hype to reveal the Afrobeats star’s vulnerability.  (Joseph Okpako/Wire Image)

AKA, Burna Boy and the African unity concert that wasn’t

The two musicians once billed themselves as pan-African pin-ups. What does their ugly spat say about the state of continental unity?

Big brother is watching: Surveillance cameras, such as these at Tiananmen square in Beijing, China, are run by ‘algorithms of repression’ that allow governments to easily wield restrictive powers over their citizens. (AFP)

‘Our cameras will make you safe’

Huawei’s pitch to African mayors ignores concerns that its Smart Cities technology can be abused

Former party leader Mmusi Maimane said that he holds no bitterness towards the DA, but has instead learnt from his experiences. (David Harrison/M&G)

Maimane’s next move: starting the ‘Uber’ of politics

“Unemployed” former DA leader announces return to politics at Oppenheimer-backed conference

Britain’s Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, helps a schoolboy to plant a tree at the Chobe National Park, on day four of the royal tour of Africa, in Botswana. (Dominic Lipinski/Pool via Reuters)

The trouble with indiscriminate tree-planting in Africa

Planting trees in Africa is proposed by some as a quick fix for climate change. But local experts disagree — and say their voices are being sidelined

Menacing: This Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-160 ‘Blackjack’ is one of two supersonic bombers parked on the tarmac at the Waterkloof Air force Base. (Emmanuel Croset/AFP)

Russia in Africa: Soft power comes with hard edges

Amid diplomatic niceties at the Russia-Africa summit in Sochi, Moscow has sent two of its nuclear-capable bombers to Waterkloof

Tanzanian President John Magufuli focused his ire on one particular company, Acacia Gold, which he accused of dodging tax and exporting more gold than they declared. (AFP)

Tanzania’s mining dispute ends – but at what cost?

Government’s settlement with Acacia Gold may be a short-term victory that scares off new investors

Unwelcome: This abandoned school became a home for more than 200 refugees and asylum seekers, before they were evicted by the police and the entrance bricked up.

Refugees in Greece face rising hostility

A new government is getting ‘tough’ on immigration – but local organisations provide crucial support

Ivor Ichikowitz is the founder and executive chairman of the Paramount Group, the largest private arms manufacturer in Africa.(Craig Nieuwenhuizen/Foto24/Gallo)

An arms dealer’s guide to philanthropy

Selling weapons systems to Saudi Arabia is not incompatible with charity work, argues Ivor Ichikowitz

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed  (Eduardo Soteras/AFP)
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Abiy Ahmed is a worthy Nobel Peace Prize winner

In just 18 months the prime minister has transformed his country and the region

Mozambique’s ruling Frelimo party has chosen a relatively unknown regional governor, Daniel Chapo, as its new leader, which will make him the successor to President Filipe Nyusi if the party wins this year’s elections.

Mozambique braces for high stakes poll

High levels of violence are expected in the run-up to the October 15 general elections

Towering: The Leornado looms over the suburb of Sandton, itself an elite centre of wealth. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

After 45 years, Africa has a new tallest building

It’s taken decades to knock Jo’burg’s Carlton Centre off its perch. Why did it take so long?

Roxanne Joseph lied about having cancer for nine months in 2015-16. She has admitted to this, and undergone therapy for a serious mental illness. (Twitter)

Beyond betrayal: Is redemption possible for a journalist who lived a lie?

A young reporter lied about having cancer. Did her well-connected father cross the line protecting her? And does it endanger trust in journalism?

(Mike Hutchings/ Reuters)

Even superpowers can’t handle superstorms

Before we get to the response to Cyclone Idai, it is worth reminding ourselves about how richer countries respond to similar natural disasters.