President Samia takes oath after disputed, violent Tanzania vote
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been sworn in for a second term following a highly disputed election marred by violent protests, mass arrests, and a nationwide internet blackout. The swearing-in ceremony, held under tight security at a military parade ground in Dodoma, was closed to the public but broadcast live on state-run TBC. The […]
South Sudan orders 70% UNMISS reduction, closes bases, POCs
The government of South Sudan has demanded a significant drawdown of UNMISS forces, including base closures and halting aerial operations, according to a diplomatic note obtained by Standard Zone News. The note, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 28th October 2025, represents the most significant challenge to the UN peacekeeping mission in South […]
UN tells General Assembly: South Sudan’s peace agreement at risk of total collapse
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan has warned the UN General Assembly that the country’s fragile peace process is in serious jeopardy, amid escalating armed conflict, political detentions, and widespread human rights violations. Speaking to the Assembly’s Third Committee, Commissioner Barney Afako said that South Sudan’s 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement once […]
Brains, not power: How Mancala became South Sudan’s timeless sport
Under the shade of an old tamarind tree in Juba’s St. Kizito neighborhood, a circle of elders leans over a wooden board, pebbles clicking softly as they move from hole to hole. Laughter and silence trade places in pace yet this is no idle pastime. This is Mancala, locally known as ‘Mungola’ a centuries-old […]
Freedom for sale: How Juba parents pay to free their sons
In the dim corridors of Juba’s police stations, freedom has become a transaction. Mothers whisper of officers demanding money, fathers sell goats and land, and families live in fear that one day, their sons will not come home. It begins with an accusation: “gang member.” No proof. No paperwork. Just an arrest. What follows is […]
Army chief declares Bor Red Belt vigilantes ‘criminals and enemies of the State’
The Chief of Defence Forces of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), Gen. Dr. Paul Nang Majok (PhD, Postdoc), has officially declared the Bor-based Red Belt Movement a rebel group, branding its members as criminals and enemies of the state. In an emergency directive issued to all organized forces, Gen. Majok instructed Lt. Gen. […]
South Sudan’s children still trapped in the fires of war
Despite repeated commitments to protect children from recruitment into armed groups, South Sudan’s young generation remains entangled in the country’s enduring cycle of violence, crisis that activists say threatens the very soul of the nation. Lawmaker Samuel Buhori Lotti, Deputy Chairperson of the Specialized Committee on National Security and Public Order, has sounded the alarm […]
South Sudan blind footballers shine bright in debut tournament
In their first-ever appearance at an international championship, South Sudan’s Men’s Blind Football Team has announced its arrival in spectacular fashion, delivering two impressive wins at the African Division 2 Blind Football Championship in Kampala, Uganda. Playing under the bright lights of Hamz Stadium, the South Sudanese debutants stunned host nation Uganda with a commanding […]
Tense courtroom drama as Dr. Machar trial adjourned to Oct 31
The 15th session of the high-profile trial of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused SPLM/A-IO members ended Monday amid intense courtroom exchanges, with proceedings adjourned to Friday, October 31. The session saw a fiery cross-examination of lead investigator Basilo Wani by Head Defense Advocate Kur Lual, exposing inconsistencies and procedural gaps that […]
Cameroon’s 92-year-old leader Biya wins eighth presidential term
Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, 92, has been officially re-elected for an eighth term, extending his more than four-decade rule, according to results announced Monday by the Constitutional Council. “Hereby proclaimed President-elect: the candidate Biya Paul,” declared Clement Atangana, president of the Constitutional Council, as the official results were read on state television. Biya, who first […]
