No warning, just decrees: Kiir keeps the country guessing
President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Thursday evening issued a fresh series of presidential decrees that triggered significant changes across South Sudan’s security, academic, and civil service institutions, once again keeping the public and political observers guessing about the direction of governance and power dynamics in the country. The most notable change came within the powerful […]
Warrap, NBG, WBG convene in Wau for cattle movement talks
Delegations from Warrap State, Northern Bahr El Ghazal (NBeG) State, and Western Bahr El Ghazal (WBeG) State have convened in Wau for the Annual State Pre-Seasonal Cattle Movement Conference. The three-day forum aimed at promoting peaceful cattle migration and strengthening coexistence among pastoralists, farmers, and host communities across the Greater Bahr El Ghazal region. Opening […]
Information minister warns hate speech threatens national unity
South Sudan has convened a three-day national conference aimed at combating hate speech and strengthening social cohesion, bringing together leaders from all 10 states, the three administrative areas, civil society, media practitioners, and international partners. Held under the theme “Beyond the Painful Divides,” the event is organized by the Media Authority in collaboration with Journalists […]
Wau residents urge action as cost of living continues to climb
Residents of Wau are increasingly struggling to cope with the rising cost of living as prices of basic commodities continue to surge in local markets, raising fresh concerns about the country’s fragile economic situation. Interviews conducted by Standard Zone News reveal that households are finding it difficult to meet daily needs, with many saying their […]
Two suspects arrested in killing of MP Luka Mathen in Juba
Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the killing of Council of States member Luka Mathen, who was shot dead on Tuesday night at his residence in Juba’s Gudele neighborhood. According to security sources, unidentified gunmen stormed Mathen’s home and shot him inside his own compound, killing him on the spot. The attackers fled […]
Magwi commissioner bans tramadol sales, charcoal export
Magwi County Commissioner Pole-pole Benjamin Olum has issued two sweeping local orders banning the sale of Tramadol and the export of charcoal, in a move aimed at curbing rising drug abuse among youth and halting widespread illegal logging in the area. The directives, signed on 8 December 2025, impose strict penalties on pharmacies, drug shops, […]
Health ministry backs KCBDI as model for national blood safety
The National Ministry of Health has thrown its weight behind the Kajo-Keji Community Blood Donors’ Initiative (KCBDI), praising it as a model that could transform South Sudan’s fragile blood supply system and help avert preventable deaths across the country. The endorsement came on Sunday during KCBDI’s Second Annual Meet-and-Greet at Epatha Primary and Secondary School, […]
Paramilitary forces take control of Sudanese largest oil hub
Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reportedly seized control of the country’s largest oil hub, the Heglig field, on Monday, forcing all staff to evacuate across the border into South Sudan, according to an engineer at the facility. The Heglig field, located in the southern Kordofan region, is a vital processing and export hub for […]
Tramadol’s deadly comfort: Inside the drug epidemic swallowing youth
Nelson Mandela (not his real name) holds the handlebars of his boda boda, his eyes focused but distant. At 26, he is one of many young men in Juba battling not just the brutal competition of the city’s transport sector, but a growing addiction to Tramadol. For Nelson, the drug isn’t merely about getting high, […]
‘When I woke up, they were gone’: Nyabol’s desperate search for lost family in Sudan War
Nyabol Alor Chola, a 33-year-old South Sudanese mother, endured a horrific ordeal during a violent raid targeting foreign nationals in Khartoum. Her husband and two eldest sons were forcibly taken. When she attempted to resist, armed forces shot her twice in the legs and struck her head with a gun. She was unconscious for hours. […]
