Heightened security at anti-immigrant hotspots in South Africa

"There is heightened security at anti-immigrant hotspots in the South African cities of Johannesburg and Durban following a second day of violent protests targeting foreign nationals.

Demonstrators torched cars, attacked foreigners, and looted shops, and threw bricks and bottles again on Friday, as police fired tear gas and stun grenades to try to disperse them.
The protests erupted following widespread misinformation about a Home Affairs directive on implementing a Constitutional Court ruling on the processing of asylum seekers.
It said asylum seekers must be allowed to submit applications even if they entered the country without the required documents, prompting hundreds of people to gather at refugee reception centers.
This fuelled anger among anti-immigrant campaigners amid false claims that undocumented migrants would automatically be granted legal status." AfricaNews

5.2 Earthquake - Prince Edward Islands Region

"A strong magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean 223 km (139 mi) from South Africa in the late afternoon at 6.41 pm local time (GMT +2). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow. The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so)." VD

5.7 Earthquake - South of Africa

"A strong magnitude 5.7 earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean 595 km (370 mi) from South Africa around noon at 12.13 pm local time (GMT +2). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow. The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so)." VD

South Africa Expresses 'Heartfelt Gratitude' For Putin Returning 17 Citizens Trapped In Warzone

"BRICS allies Russia and South Africa are taking steps to heal tensions related to the Ukraine war and allegations that groups of South African men were 'lured' to fight on behalf of Moscow.
Last December, a Reuters investigation documented that South Africans were being recruited into the Russian armed forces under false pretenses. People were allegedly promised high-

level jobs and elite training in Russia, only to find out they unwittingly joined the Russian military, and eventually found themselves fighting in Ukraine soon after documents were hastily signed. In these cases the implication is that these South African individuals are in desperate financial straits.
The South African government had first confirmed in November its officials had received "distress calls" from 17 men who were trapped on the front line in Ukraine's Donbas, after in some instances having mistakenly joined mercenary groups.
But the saga is coming to a close and with some diplomatic healing as Russia has promptly returned the 17 men. South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday issued a statement of "heartfelt gratitude" to President Vladimir Putin for resolving the issue quickly.
"President Ramaphosa has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Vladimir Putin, who responded positively to his call to support the process of returning the men home," the presidency said in a statement." ZH

5.2 Earthquake - Prince Edward Islands Region

"A strong magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean 226 km (140 mi) from
South Africa in the early afternoon at 2.03 pm local time (GMT +3). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow.
The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so)." VD

Over 200 killed by heavy rains, flooding and storms across Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe

"More than 200 people have died in weeks of torrential rain and severe flooding across
southern Africa, with Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe bearing the worst impacts. The prolonged La Niña pattern has intensified the region’s rainy season, leaving widespread damage to homes, roads, crops and public infrastructure." W

Russia joins China, Iran for naval drills in South Africa

"South Africa

held on Jan. 10 the opening ceremony for Chinese-led naval exercises taking
place in South African waters until Jan. 16., Bloomberg reported.
Russia, Iran, China and South Africa are participating in the drills, called "Will for Peace 2026," with Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia joining as observers." KI

5.7 Earthquake - Indian Ocean, 364 km north of Prince Edward Island, South Africa

"A strong magnitude 5.7 earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean 361 km (224 mi) from  South Africa in the afternoon at 4.07 pm local time (GMT +3). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow.

The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so)." VD

Israel intercepts Gaza flotilla with Greta Thunberg

"Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla of around 40 boats carrying aid and over 400 activists,

including Greta Thunberg, to Gaza.The activists, including Thunberg, were detained and are expected to be expelled from Israel.
The interception drew international condemnation from Turkey and South Africa criticizing the action.
Organizers said the flotilla was a non-violent humanitarian mission, while Israel described it as a provocation and a breach of its blockade." USAToday

Widespread flooding across Cape Town, South Africa

"Motorists across Cape Town are being urged to proceed with extreme caution as a powerful

cold front that made landfall early morning has led to flooding and hazardous road conditions throughout the metro. The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for disruptive rainfall, in effect and a Yellow Level 4 warning for damaging coastal waves." msn

Trump Slashes ALL South Africa Aid, Cites Anti-White Government Policy

 "The communists who’ve run South Africa into the dirt since the end of apartheid — increasingly brazen in their genocidal anti-white rhetoric and deeds — may have not expected any real

pushback on their illiberal racism.
On March 7, Trump announced the total ban on all foreign aid flowing to South Africa via Truth Social:
"South Africa is being terrible, plus, to long time Farmers in the country. They are confiscating their LAND and FARMS, and MUCH WORSE THAN THAT. A bad place to be right now, and we are stopping all Federal Funding. To go a step further, any Farmer (with family!) from South Africa, seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety, will be invited into the United States of America with a rapid pathway to Citizenship. This process will begin immediately!" PJMedia

South African President Ramaphosa Attacks Trump, Vows to Arrest Netanyahu

"South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attacked U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday in an article in which he criticized the U.S. for its sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), and also viciously attacked Israel.

Trump restored sanctions on the ICC earlier this month, which had been reversed by President Joe Biden. Trump had sanctioned the ICC in his first term for “illegitimate assertions of jurisdiction over personnel of the United States and certain of its allies.”
Biden revoked Trump’s sanctions while stating that the U.S. “continues to object to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) assertions of jurisdiction over personnel of such non-States Parties as the United States and its allies.”
Trump slapped the sanctions back into place earlier this month, citing “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”
South African leaders had been scrambling for a way to respond to Trump’s criticisms, with several delegations to the U.S. already under way.
Ramaphosa appears to have decided on confrontation with Trump, rather than compromise." Breitbart

US State Secretary Rubio to skip G20 summit in South Africa, cites national interests

"U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not attend the G20 summit scheduled for Feb. 20-21 in Johannesburg, South Africa, he announced in a post on X.
“I will NOT attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg,” Rubio said.
“South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote ‘solidarity, equality, & sustainability’. In other words: DEI and climate change.”
He added that his role is to advance U.S. national interests, "not waste taxpayer money or coddle anti-Americanism." NV

Kenyan & Uganda and other Embassies in DRC Attacked

"The Kenyan embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been attacked.

According to Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’oei, the embassy staff was also attacked in the melee.
Further, the PS indicated that other embassies in Kinshasa were also attacked including the Uganda and South African Embassies.
Moreover, Sing’oei has explained that the attack was orchestrated by protesters who are against the violence in the Eastern part of DRC.

The embassies of France, the United States, Rwanda, and Kenya were also targeted by the protesters." MS

Illegal miners trapped in South Africa claim they are eating human flesh amid food shortage

"In a desperate attempt to survive, illegal miners in Stilfontein claim they have resorted to

eating human flesh of those who died underground.
The details were contained in a recent letter which was hoisted to the surface on Christmas Eve.
The letter written in broken isiZulu and a mix of isiXosha, claimed that some of the miners have disappeared after they tried to exit using shaft 10 and some are weak and sick.
After the letter, Stilfontein Solidarity Committee working together with the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA), took food supplies including water to the illegal miners." RT

Lithuania may send fire engines intended for Zimbabwe to Ukraine

"Lithuania is exploring the option of sending 17 fire engines to Ukraine. These vehicles were impounded in Klaipėda last year due to sanctions and were initially destined for Zimbabwe. Last week, South African state-owned news website The Herald urged Lithuania to hand over 17 vehicles purchased by Zimbabwe from Belarus last year.

The vehicles were detained at the Klaipėda seaport in March last year, according to Zimbabwe's attorney general." Pravada

Global confidence in Zelensky has ‘declined significantly’ – poll

"Some 46% of respondents have “not too much” trust in the Ukrainian leader or “none at all,” Pew Research has found. According to Pew, the results were mixed but only 40% of

respondents reported having at least “some” confidence in Zelensky regarding world affairs. The reported levels of trust were the highest in Sweden (80%), the UK (72%), the Netherlands (66%), Canada (64%), and Japan (63%).
At the same time, Hungary (83%), Greece (72%), Tunisia (69%), Mexico (67%), Malaysia (61%), Italy (60%) were the most skeptical of Zelensky.
In many places a large portion of respondents – including 45% in India and 38% in South Africa and Sri Lanka – did not express any opinion of Zelensky whatsoever. Asked about their nation’s level of military and other support to Kiev, some 24% of Americans said it was “not enough,” while 31% said that Washington was providing “too much.” " RT

South Africa Says Its Citizens Serving In Israel's Military Will Be Arrested

"Many American, British, European and other foreign-born men and women have long served

in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and often they are dual citizens. As an example, earlier this week Israel announced the death of 19-year old Sgt. Itay Chen, a dual US-Israeli citizen who had been serving in the IDF, at the hands of Hamas.
But South Africa has issued a new declaration forbidding its citizens from joining or assisting in any way with the Israeli military." ZH

South Africa’s Malema: We Will Arm Hamas When We Take Power

"Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), one of South Africa’s larger opposition parties, has vowed that he will send weapons to the Hamas terrorist organization if his party forms part of his country’s next governing coalition." Breitbart

Tourists killed in Uganda

"The army announced the capture of Abdul Rashid Kyoto, also known as Njovu, and the death

of six other members of the commando group accused of murdering a British and a South African honeymooner and their guide in Queen Elizabeth Park. The ADF rebels, affiliated to the jihadist group Islamic State, have previously been accused by the Ugandan authorities of attacking a school in the western town of Mpondwe in which 42 people were killed, and another in Kasindi, in eastern DRC, in which four people were killed, including two Ugandan soldiers." AfricanNews