Saturday, August 15, 2026
Iran, Oman reach agreement on shipping traffic map in Strait of Hormuz
TEHRAN, Iran
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Saturday that Iran has reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route map for the Strait of Hormuz after weeks of technical negotiations.
Baghaei told Defa Press that Iran and Oman, the two coastal states bordering the strategic waterway, began intensive negotiations three months ago following the signing of the June 18 memorandum of understanding to establish safe navigation routes.
“Despite US obstruction, the talks have made positive progress over the past three weeks, and an agreement has been reached on the shipping route map,” he said.
Baghaei said the plan was the result of coordination led by the Foreign Ministry with the participation of Iran’s defense, security and environmental authorities.
He added that the two sides were still negotiating outstanding issues, including a statement to be issued by Tehran and Muscat, noting that exchanges between the two countries would continue until the process was finalized.
Baghaei stressed that the Iran-Oman arrangement was an independent agreement between the two coastal states aimed at ensuring the safe passage of ships through the strait, while preserving the sovereignty of both countries.
He said, however, that the full restoration of security in the strait and the resumption of normal commercial shipping depended on an end to what he described as illegal US actions, military threats and the naval blockade, as well as compensation for US breaches of commitments in the last two months.
The talks are part of technical negotiations launched under the Iran-US memorandum of understanding, which tasked Tehran and Muscat with developing a new navigation framework for the Strait of Hormuz.
While Iran and Oman have continued discussions on shipping routes, Tehran has repeatedly said any decision to reopen the strategic waterway remains contingent on the US fulfilling its obligations under the memorandum.
Powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake kills at least 38 in Indonesia
JAKARTA, Indonesia
At least 38 people have been killed after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia early on Saturday, the nation's disaster mitigation agency has said.
The official death toll has been rising as a search and rescue operation gets under way. The BNPB agency said several people had been injured to varying degrees.
Buildings in the region have been damaged by the quake and the dozens of aftershocks that followed.
The quake struck the island of Flores shortly before 05:00 local time on Saturday (22:00 GMT on Friday). It had a depth of 15km, Indonesia's meteorology and geophysics agency stated.
The shallower an earthquake is, the more destructive its effects on the surface tend to be.
Strong aftershocks were felt in the same area, including one with a magnitude of 6.1.
Video taken at the port in Maumere showed large chunks of concrete breaking off the terminal building onto passengers waiting to board an inter-island ferry. Some were thrown into the sea when the gangway to a ship collapsed.
Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, governor of East Nusa Tenggara province, told a news conference that they were killed in their sleep by collapsing rubble.
Arnold Welianto, who lives in Talibura, a village near the coastline in Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara, said he was awoken by the "very strong shaking", adding: "I was startled awake and immediately went to my child's room."
He told the correspondent that many people had already fled into the hills.
"Some other residents were standing along the roadside because the sea had also receded," he explained. "The water remained low for quite some time, so everyone panicked and ran - I went around to the community health centre, and the people there had already been evacuated."
A tsunami warning was issued but lifted around three hours after the initial jolt when no significant sea level rise was detected.
A stream of people could be seen moving inland on motorbikes after authorities issued a tsunami warning. BNPB said 2,000 people had evacuated or relocated on their own.
It said three fatalities had been recorded in Sikka province, six in Manggarai province, and five in East Manggarai province.
At least two others had been seriously injured and 11 slightly injured, the disaster agency added.
Welianto said many residents of Talibura were choosing to remain outdoors as the aftershocks meant they were afraid to return to their homes.
Yulian Juita Ekalia, a university lecturer from Ruteng, a city to the west of the epicentre, said she had dragged her stove outside and was cooking there for fear of further tremors.
"I have never felt an earthquake this big," she told news agency AFP. "It felt like we were on a trampoline - it was really scary."
It will take time to assess the full extent of the destruction in the region, which is remote and mountainous.
Preliminary reports indicated 54 houses had been severely damaged, as well as five healthcare facilities, three places of worship, six government buildings, an educational institution and a warehouse.
UN calls for negotiations to end the conflict in Mozambique
UNITED NATIONS, New York
A military victory over jihadist insurgents in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province does not appear imminent, according to a report by a United Nations special rapporteur released Friday.
Mozambique is fighting an insurgency in the northern province of Cabo Delgado linked to the Islamic State group.
The conflict has seen attacks on civilians and security forces, including beheadings, and has displaced thousands of people.
"The frequency, severity and scale of attacks against civilians have increased over the past year," said UN Special Rapporteur Ben Saul, after visiting Mozambique from August 4 to 14 to assess the consistency of its counter-terrorism laws, policies and practices.
UN experts are independent figures mandated by the Human Rights Council to report their findings and do not speak for the United Nations itself.
Cabo Delgado has enormous reserves of gas, which have attracted the attention of energy giants including France's TotalEnergies, Italy's ENI and US company ExxonMobil.
Rwandan forces have been deployed to the area since 2021 to assist Mozambique's army in an operation backed by the EU.
But despite Rwanda's support, the report said the current military posture is "offensive defence" rather than actively pursuing the non-state armed group.
"While this dampens hostilities, it risks enabling the group to rebuild," it said.
The conflict has resulted in the deaths of 6,632 people including 2,772 civilians since 2017 to mid-2026, the report said, citing figures from Acled, an organisation that compiles data on conflict zones.
About 1.5 million people have been displaced, it said, and 1,7 million required humanitarian assistance in 2026.
Other impacts have included loss of land, livelihoods, property, access to services and family separation.
"$50 million ransom fueled Al-Qaeda offensive in Mali" - UN
NEW YORK, United States
The United Nations said a ransom of about 50 million dollars, paid in late 2025 for the release of a hostage in Mali, helped finance Al-Qaeda-linked militants and their offensive across West Africa.
According to a new UN report, most of the money was redistributed to fighters in the Sahel, while some was passed on to Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the Arabian Peninsula and to the group’s central command.
The report does not name the hostage or confirm who made the payment, though regional sources say the United Arab Emirates paid the ransom.
Those same sources say an Emirati citizen, along with two other foreign hostages, were released after the deal. The UAE did not comment on the specific case, but said it remains committed to fighting extremism and terrorism.
The UN says kidnappings are both a funding source and a way for militants to weaken trust in the state. It adds that the Mali-based JNIM coalition now has between 7,000 and 8,000 fighters across the Sahel, half of them in Mali.
The report warns that ransom money is helping militants buy weapons, support logistics, and expand their insurgency across the region.
Mali has been gripped by a security crisis since 2012, fuelled notably by violence from groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State jihadist group, as well as local criminal gangs and separatists.
Since two successive coups in 2020 and 2021, the country has been ruled by the military, which came to power on the promise of restoring security, so far without success.
Friday, August 14, 2026
Zambia resumes vote counting after a nationwide suspension over election-related violence
LUSAKA, Zambia
Zambia has resumed vote counting after a nationwide suspension over election-related violence, with the Electoral Commission saying security threats have been contained. The first presidential results are expected at 10:00 p.m. local time, or 2000 GMT.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia lifted the suspension after consultations with law enforcement agencies and a review of the security situation.
Commission chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis said the threat to the electoral process had been contained and measures were in place for counting to continue.
The commission had suspended counting on Friday after reports of violence targeting election staff and the theft of marked ballot papers from ballot boxes.
President Hakainde Hichilema, seeking a second five-year term, said his campaign was receiving “encouraging results” and urged supporters to remain peaceful and patient.
His main challenger, Brian Mundubile, meanwhile claimed victory in the presidential race and said his alliance had also won a majority of parliamentary seats.
Official results will determine whether Hichilema can secure another term or whether the opposition can force a change of power in the copper-rich country.
About 8.7 million voters were registered for Thursday’s election, which also included parliamentary and local contests. Counting for parliamentary seats was suspended alongside the presidential tally.
The vote was held against a backdrop of concerns over political freedoms, arrests and tensions between the government and opposition.
Authorities also arrested several people accused of attempting to disrupt the electoral system, including former senior government officials
The election has also put Hichilema’s economic record under scrutiny. His government has secured a major debt restructuring agreement, restored an IMF programme and returned the economy to growth after Zambia defaulted on its sovereign debt under the previous administration.
But poverty, unemployment and rising food prices remain major concerns for many voters, with more than 70 percent of the population living on less than $3 a day, according to the World Bank.
Zambia has traditionally enjoyed peaceful transfers of power since the return to multiparty democracy in 1991, making the handling of the vote and the final result closely watched.
Trump says he'll declare Strait of Hormuz a US territory when Iran war ends
GARDEN CITY, United States
United States President, Donald Trump, said he wants to declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory when the war with Iran ends.
Trump's comments come as the U.S. remains engaged in its conflict with Iran -- and as control and access to the Strait of Hormuz have emerged as central issues in negotiations.
Iran has sought concessions related to the waterway as part of broader negotiations with the U.S., while Trump and his administration emphasized maintaining freedom of navigation and preventing Tehran from controlling commercial shipping.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a critical route for global oil and natural gas shipments.
Trump did not elaborate on how the U.S. Would claim the waterway or whether his comments reflected a formal administration proposal. The move would raise significant questions under international law.
Zambia's opposition leader expresses 'grave concern' as vote count suspended
LUSAKA, Zambia
Zambia’s opposition presidential candidate Brian Mundubile has raised “grave concern” after the country’s electoral commission suspended vote counting nationwide amid reports of violence.
Mundubile said his party’s Parallel Voter Tabulation, based on results collected from polling stations and tallying centres across the country, indicated that he had won the presidential election and secured a majority of seats in parliament.
He called for the immediate publication and verification of the official results, warning that delays could create opportunities for interference or manipulation.
“The will of the Zambian people” must be independently verified, Mundubile said, calling for all stakeholders to have access to relevant electoral records.
Zambians went to the polls on Thursday in an election dominated by concerns over economic hardship. President Hakainde Hichilema, who has been in power since 2021, faced Mundubile, a former minister in the previous Patriotic Front government.
Around 8.7 million people were registered to vote. Voters were also choosing members of parliament, with the legislature expanded from 156 to 226 seats.
Official presidential results were expected on Monday.
The election comes as Zambia, a major copper producer in southern Africa, continues to grapple with economic challenges, making the outcome closely watched both at home and abroad.
Thursday, August 13, 2026
Zimbabwe's Kariba ferry disaster victims honoured as death toll reaches 44
KARIBA, Zimbabwe
Hundreds gathered for a memorial service in northern Zimbabwe on Thursday to honour victims of the Lake Kariba ferry disaster, which killed at least 44 people.
Survivors recalled a desperate struggle for life as the vessel capsized in rough waters.
Grieving families and survivors gathered in Kariba to remember those who died when a government passenger ferry overturned on the vast lake.
Among the survivors was Anymore Chambate, who said heavy winds caused water to flood the ferry’s engines, leaving only one still operating as the vessel began to sink.
“I tried to give life jackets to people on the ferry and I managed to only give not more than ten,” he recalled.
Another survivor, Norah Chadenga, described clinging to a window as the ferry went down.
She said she struggled in the water despite being unable to swim, drowning several times before a young man pulled her to safety.
The vessel was carrying 114 adult passengers and five crew members, exceeding its stated capacity of 90 people. The number of children aboard remained unclear.
Survivors said passengers had urged the driver to turn back as the weather deteriorated, but the ferry continued across the lake.
Witnesses reported seeing bodies and debris in the water after the vessel overturned.
The Civil Protection Unit initially said 77 people had been rescued and 15 bodies recovered. Police later raised the confirmed death toll to 44.
Rescue teams involving the army, divers, local boats and a helicopter continued searching the waters around the wreck.
The ferry served as a crucial link between the lakeside town of Kariba and surrounding islands and fishing communities, transporting villagers and traders across one of Africa’s largest reservoirs.
The disaster is among the deadliest passenger boat accidents recorded on Lake Kariba, which straddles the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the ferry disaster a national tragedy and called for urgent improvements to maritime safety and rescue capabilities.
“This tragedy has exposed serious deficiencies in our maritime capabilities,” Mnangagwa said, warning that recreational and transport sites must not become “death traps”.
As families mourn, questions are likely to focus on why the ferry sailed in dangerous conditions, whether it was adequately equipped and how safety regulations were enforced.
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