WORLD - The African Mirror

Jul

03

2025

TRUMP VS MUSK: The Titans’ War

WORLD

Chapter 1: The Breaking Point THE marble halls of the Capitol had witnessed many betrayals, but few as spectacular as what was about to unfold between two men who once called each other allies. Elon Musk stood in his Austin office, his fingers dancing across multiple screens as the markets closed. Outside, the Texas sunset painted the sky in shades of amber, but inside, storm clouds were gathering. The richest man in the world was about to declare war on the most powerful politician in America. "Sir," his aide ventured carefully, "the President's people are calling. They want to know…

Jul

03

2025

By The African Mirror

Northern hemisphere heatwave underscores value of early-warning alerts

WORLD

THE blistering early-summer heatwave that’s brought life-threatening temperatures across much of the northern hemisphere is a worrying sign of things to come, UN weather experts said. Three days after Spain’s national weather service confirmed a record 46°C reading in the southern town of El Granado, there has been little let-up in stifling day and night temperatures across the continent and beyond. In Barcelona, a road sweeper reportedly died on Saturday after completing her shift, prompting an investigation and widespread public appeals to keep out of the sun wherever possible. “Everybody is at risk,” insisted Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World…

Jul

03

2025

By MARIKA SOSNOWSKI

Trump demands an end to the war in Gaza – could a ceasefire be close?

WORLD

HOPES are rising that Israel and Hamas could be inching closer to a ceasefire in the 20-month war in Gaza. US President Donald Trump is urging progress, taking to social media to demand: MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!! Trump further raised expectations, saying there could be an agreement between Israel and Hamas “within the next week”. But what are the prospects for a genuine, lasting ceasefire in Gaza? Ceasefires are generally complicated to negotiate because they need to take into account competing demands and pressures. They usually (but not always) require both sides to compromise. Gaza…

Jul

02

2025

By The African Mirror

Iran crisis: 627 dead as UN reveals scale of destruction from 12-day war with Israel

WORLD

THE full extent of Iran's humanitarian crisis is beginning to emerge following a devastating 12-day conflict with Israel that left 627 people dead and nearly 5,000 injured, according to the United Nations' top official in the country. Stefan Priesner, UN Resident Coordinator in Iran, provided the first comprehensive assessment of the crisis during a briefing to journalists in Geneva on Tuesday, revealing the scale of destruction that has gripped the Islamic Republic since hostilities began on June 13. "In the early morning hours of 13 June, a number of attacks took place in Tehran and other parts of Iran," Priesner…

Jul

02

2025

By CHABELI CARRAZANA

Hollywood actors demand answers from Amazon on its treatment of pregnant workers

WORLD

This story was originally reported by Chabeli Carrazana of The 19th. Meet Chabeli and read more of her reporting on gender, politics and policy. A group of Hollywood actors is calling on Amazon to respond to allegations from pregnant workers that the company is failing to offer them accommodations in its warehouses, leading to severe health complications and even miscarriages. Jane Fonda, Rosario Dawson, Cynthia Nixon, Sally Field, Lilly Tomlin, Chelsea Handler and Pamela Adlon signed onto the letter, which was sent Friday to Edith Cooper, the chair of Amazon’s Leadership Development and Compensation Committee. The actors signed onto the…

Jul

02

2025

By SUNG-AE LEE

Streaming giants have helped bring Korean dramas to the world – but much is lost in translation

WORLD

IN less than a decade, Korean TV dramas (K-dramas) have transmuted from a regional industry to a global phenomenon – partly a consequence of the rise of streaming giants. But foreign audiences may not realise the K-dramas they’ve seen on Netflix don’t accurately represent the broader Korean TV landscape, which is much wider and richer than these select offerings. At the same time, there are many challenges in bringing this wide array of content to the rest of the world. The rise of hallyu Korean media was transformed during the 1990s. The end of the military dictatorship led to the…

Jul

01

2025

By LEONIE FLEISCHMANN

Chaotic new aid system means getting food in Gaza has become a matter of life – and often death

WORLD

WITH all eyes on the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, which came into effect 12 days after Israel launched a major attack on Iran’s nuclear and military structure, attention towards Gaza has waned. This is at a time when attempting to gain access to food under a new model of aid distribution has been described by the United Nations as a “death trap”. According to the UN World Food Programme, more than 470,000 people are facing “catastrophic” hunger, and the entire population is experiencing “acute” food insecurity. This was exacerbated when Israel imposed a blockade on the Strip in mid-March…

Jul

01

2025

By The African Mirror

THE RECKONING: Sean “Diddy” Combs and the trial that shook an empire

WORLD

THE fluorescent lights of the Manhattan federal courthouse hummed with an electric tension that had nothing to do with the building's ageing electrical system. For six weeks, the world had watched as one of hip-hop's most towering figures sat at the defendant's table, his empire of music, fashion, and influence crumbling like ancient stone under the weight of testimony that would have been unthinkable just years before. Sean "Diddy" Combs - the man who had once commanded stages from New York to London to Lagos, whose beats had soundtracked a generation's dreams - now faced a jury of twelve strangers…

Jul

01

2025

By STEFAN WOLFF

Why experts expect Russian interference in upcoming election on Ukraine’s borders

WORLD

WHEN Moldovans go to the polls in parliamentary elections on September 28, it will be the third time in less than a year – after a referendum on future EU membership and presidential elections last autumn. In both of the recent elections, pro-European forces scraped to victory, thanks to a strong turnout among Moldovan diaspora voters, primarily in Western Europe and North America. And in both elections, Russian interference was a significant factor. This is unlikely to change in the upcoming parliamentary vote. Moldova is too important a battleground in Russia’s campaign to rebuild a Soviet-style sphere of influence in…

Jun

30

2025

By NOUR ELASSY

Israel is arming gangs to fracture Gaza’s society from the inside

WORLD

This story was originally published by The New Humanitarian.By Nour ElAssy ARMED criminal gangs have been unleashed on the Gaza Strip by Israeli policy. On 5 June, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly confirmed that Israel is arming these criminal factions and clans, admitting something we in Gaza already knew to be true. The goal? To reduce the number of casualties among Israeli soldiers – and to further fracture Palestinian society from the inside. The results have been catastrophic. The presence of these gangs, many of whose members were imprisoned before this war for crimes against their own people, has added…