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Two UN peacekeepers were killed and seven others injured in an ambush in South Sudan's Jonglei state. The UN mission condemned the attack and said it may constitute war crimes, as fears grow of a return to civil war.
According to the Henley Passport Index, South African passport holders can travel to 101 destinations without a prior visa. The ranking places the country 50th or 96th globally, depending on the report, with regional highlights across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Caribbean.
Eleanor Patterson, Rose Davies and Jessica Hull all reached the podium at the Diamond League Silesia meet in Poland, with Hull posting a season's best in the 1500m. Lachlan Kennedy missed the 100m final, while Kurtis Marschall and Matthew Denny finished fifth and eighth respectively.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden handed Julien Alfred her first loss of the season, winning the women's 100m at the Silesia Diamond League in a season's best 10.78 seconds, while Oblique Seville stormed to victory in the men's sprint with a meet record 9.83. Alison Dos Santos produced the sixth-fastest 400m hurdles time ever, and Mondo Duplantis cleared 6.20m for pole vault gold.
A landfill collapse in Conakry, Guinea, has killed at least 30 people, according to the government, with heavy rains triggering the disaster at the Dar Es Salam dump. Rescuers are searching for survivors, and officials had planned to close the site the same day.
Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha set a new half marathon world record of 56 minutes 51 seconds at the Media Maratón Ciudad de Buenos Aires, shaving 29 seconds off Jacob Kiplimo's previous mark. The time is subject to World Athletics ratification, with Kiplimo's faster Barcelona run having been ruled ineligible. Kejelcha's compatriot Fotyen Tesfay won the women's race.
The BRICS Sports Ministers' Meeting 2026 concluded in Visakhapatnam with the adoption of a joint declaration, as India advanced initiatives on sports technology and manufacturing. Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also led a BRICS Friendship cycling event, promoting the Fit India Movement and urging fitness for a developed nation.
Chinese humanoid robots broke multiple human athletic records at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, including running the 100 meters faster than Usain Bolt's world record. The events showcase China's rapid robotics progress amid a US-China tech race, though experts note limitations in real-world deployment.
The 2026 Sydney Marathon finisher's medal incorrectly depicts Munich's Allianz Arena instead of Sydney's Allianz Stadium. Organisers acknowledge the error, vow not to replace the medals, and the Munich arena has responded with humour.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Russia on August 23-24, meeting President Vladimir Putin and conveying PM Modi's personal communication. Discussions covered economic cooperation, upcoming summits, and regional issues, with both sides highlighting growing ties and setting the stage for future engagements.
Two sources familiar with the matter say China is considering hosting the 2028 UN climate talks (COP33), though no final decision has been made. The move could bolster Beijing's climate leadership image and position it as a counterweight to the US, but also draws scrutiny given its emissions record.
Dangote Group has offered East African nations a combined 30% stake in its planned 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lamu, Kenya. Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda have expressed interest, with potential regional investment reaching $1.5 billion. The $20 billion project is slated for a September groundbreaking.
Prof Said Mohamed, Executive Secretary of NECTA, has been elected President of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA) for the 2026/2027 term, vowing to strengthen unity, transparency, and accountability. The election took place during the AEAA's 42nd Annual Conference in Arusha, Tanzania, where leaders also discussed the role of AI in education assessment.
The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warned that December's first national elections could reignite conflict and heighten the risk of atrocity crimes if held without essential safeguards. The commission cited converging risk factors, including renewed armed conflict, weakened institutions, and the unimplemented 2018 peace deal.
The UN reports that 907 aid workers were victims of violence in 2025, with 350 killed, as armed drones increasingly target humanitarian operations in conflict zones. Gaza remains the deadliest context for the third consecutive year, with 186 aid workers killed.
A drone strike on Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia's Tigray region, injured at least 13 people, including five children, according to Tigrayan authorities. The attack has heightened fears of renewed conflict, leading to the cancellation of the Ashenda festival and accusations against the federal government.
Tanzania has assumed the chairmanship of the Regional Technical Advisory Committee on Labour Mobility for East and Horn of Africa, succeeding Uganda. The handover in Dodoma signals a continued push for safe, orderly labour migration, with officials highlighting regional cooperation and worker protections.
Signatory States of the Djibouti Code of Conduct/Jeddah Amendment have agreed to set up a Combined DCoC Task Force to coordinate maritime operations against piracy in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden. The decision, endorsed at an extraordinary Steering Committee meeting in July and by National Focal Points in August, aims to complement existing international efforts while addressing the continued captivity of seafarers.
Egypt has renewed its opposition to Ethiopian plans for additional dams on the Blue Nile, with officials warning they will not allow construction that threatens downstream water security. The dispute, rooted in the uncompleted GERD agreement, now unfolds amid broader regional competition involving Red Sea interests and Middle Eastern powers.
Estonia has handed over 27 migrants to Latvia under a bilateral agreement, including 11 who were transferred this week. The migrants, from Somalia, Ethiopia, Morocco, and Eritrea, are reported to have entered illegally via Belarus and Latvia, with many aiming to reach other Schengen countries. Estonian authorities are also working to verify the ages of nearly half of the new arrivals who claim to be minors.