Scores of South Africans retrenched by NGO processing Trump's Afrikaner ‘refugees’ dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-0… The whole sorry episode is becoming a farce. And the 'refugees' are hardly red carpeted on arrival in the US. Such grace period as there is ends shortly. They'll be back.

UK Ambassador Vowles to headline historic Zimbabwe Achievers Awards in Harare newzimbabwe.com/uk-ambassador-… Small but helpful signs of 're-engagement'? Yes, but far as yet from a love fest. But it's true to say the antagonisms of the past are being seen as the past.

Sent by a friend: part of the remodelled University of Dar es Salaam where every new building (many) is labelled as a Gift of China. Harare has a Parliament and a football stadium. Lusaka an airport. Dakar an opera house. The imprint is everywhere.

‘Natural’ Sex Drugs Are a Spreading Health Risk in West Africa nytimes.com/2025/08/20/wor… The problems are (1) they don't work (2) they make you sick or (3) they make you rigid for hours even when you need to go to work and in fact end up damaging the penis.

theguardian.com/us-news/2025/a… But it seems that talks did at least take place, as the US pursues its policy of human dumping. You become in US eyes a waste-ground in which 'worthless' people can be dumped.

theguardian.com/world/2025/aug… Well, his mouth was always too big, but he had to be included in the GNU. Where is is running the development of SA culture? They thought this was the safest job they could give him...

US suspends visa processing in Zimbabwe, embassy says reuters.com/world/africa/u… Rather than indicating any future lifting or easing of the suspension, the new indications are that Zimbabweans will not be allowed into the US for the indefinite future.

newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/open-h… Well, at least the Chinese didn't get their construction fingers on the giant new Mormon temple in Harare. But these temples also follow an international template. No original design mastery is coming to Harare from anyone.

theguardian.com/world/2025/aug… Finally, after the denials, some general sense of a deal is emerging. Uganda may ask for African deportees. The US will lap that up: Africans back to Africa. But someone from Guinea Bissau would feel as much a stranger as if he had been sent to Alaska.

theguardian.com/global-develop… In fact, in the early days of the pandemic (and a LOT of denial) it was Botswana & Uganda who told the lead. Only when Zambia's Kaunda said in public his own son had HIV were the masks of denial dropped throughout Africa. Now Botswana leads again.

South Africa’s ‘rhino baron’ accused of turning from breeder to smuggler ft.com/content/76ce27… via @ft This is a more complex case than meets the eye. Were the rhinos first killed - as a poacher has no choice but to do? A horn surgically removed from a sedated rhino grows back.

From my Southern African friend travelling there; Dar es Salaam by night: a vibrant mix of modern formal and motorised informal. I've always said Zimbabwean efforts to ban the informal sector were fruitless. Find ways to mix the two sectors in legal cooperation with each other.

Watch – From MK to ActionSA to the Patriotic Alliance, operating like personal fiefdoms dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-0… There SHOULD be at least a pretence at party democracy. But one personality dominating a party is not new. Look at the USA, the Republicans, and Trump.

US Visa Suspension in Zimbabwe: How It Affects Travellers and Tourism travelandtourworld.com/news/article/u… Well, nothing new here. We know all this. The point to emphasise is that Zimbabweans can still go to e.g. Zambia and seek a visa from the US consulate there.

Foreign minister departs for Zambia to inaugurate new embassy timesofisrael.com/foreign-minist… via @timesofisrael The Gulf states are expanding into Zambia - a new £1 billion deal with Qatar just now - but so is Israel. A balancing act may have to ensue.

youtu.be/lWsW2Nv222o?fe… Just out now although we recorded it some time ago. On the colonisation of Africa.