United News of Bangladesh

Zambians began voting Thursday in a presidential election that is expected to gauge whether President Hakainde Hichilema’s economic reforms have eased widespread concerns over the rising cost of living. About 8 million of Zambia’s 22 million people are registered to vote in the one-day election. Voters are also electing members of Parliament and local government councilors. The electoral commission said results are expected Monday. Before dawn, voters wearing thick jackets against the morning cold formed long lines outside polling stations across Lusaka. Some gathered around small fires to keep warm as election officials set up ballot boxes, checked voter rolls and prepared polling stations. European Union election observers were present at one polling station in the capital. Hichilema is facing 13 other presidential candidates, with Brian Mundubile of an opposition alliance expected to pose the strongest challenge. The election is widely viewed as a referendum on Hichilema’s economic performance. He took office in 2021 and is seeking a second term, arguing that he inherited an economy in crisis. His government has overseen the restructuring of Zambia’s large foreign debt, maintained economic growth and attracted investment, Hichilema says. But many Zambians say they have yet to see the benefits of those measures, as unemployment, high food prices and unreliable electricity continue to put pressure on household finances. Hichilema says he needs another five-year term to create jobs, develop infrastructure and expand public services. The election is also being closely followed internationally because Zambia is a major copper producer and plans to significantly increase output of the metal, which is vital for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and power grids. China is Zambia’s largest foreign investor and has extensive interests in the country’s mining sector. The United States, meanwhile, has been seeking a larger role as it works to diversify supplies of critical minerals and reduce dependence on China. Hichilema has sought investment from both China and Western countries, including the United States, as he aims to raise Zambia’s annual copper production to 3 million metric tons by 2031. Security concerns and political tensions increased during the final days of the campaign. Police deployed additional personnel and warned against violence, disruptions at polling stations and the spread of fabricated election results. Opposition parties have accused Hichilema’s government of using state institutions to target political opponents, allegations rejected by the government. The Tonse Alliance said a police raid on its offices days before the election was politically motivated. Hichilema himself spent four months in prison on treason charges when he was an opposition leader under former President Edgar Lungu, whom he defeated in the 2021 election. Lungu remained a major political figure until his death in South Africa last year. A lengthy dispute between his family and the government over his funeral and burial further heightened tensions ahead of Thursday’s vote. A presidential candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote to win outright and avoid a runoff. Zambia has long been considered one of southern Africa’s more stable democracies, with a record of largely peaceful transfers of power. Hichilema’s 2021 victory marked the country’s third transfer of power to an opposition candidate since multiparty democracy was restored in 1991.

Zambia goes to the polls Thursday in an election that will determine whether President Hakainde Hichilema secures a second five-year term, with voters weighing his economic reforms against persistent concerns over the high cost of living.The southern African country, one of the world's leading copper producers, defaulted on sovereign debt in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Since taking office in 2021, Hichilema's government has restructured more than $12 billion in debt owed to foreign governments and private creditors, while reducing inflation and helping stabilize the national currency. Hichilema's long-term economic strategy includes increasing annual copper production to 3 million metric tons by 2031, more than three times current output. If achieved, the target could place Zambia ahead of the United States and China among major copper-producing nations. Main challenger Hichilema, 64, won the presidency in 2021 after losing five previous elections dating back to 2006. A former financial services executive and prominent cattle rancher, he has headed the United Party for National Development since 2006. He faces 13 other presidential candidates, with analysts identifying opposition leader Brian Mundubile as his strongest challenger. The 55-year-old lawyer heads the Tonse Alliance, an opposition coalition he took charge of in January following internal disputes. Key election issues Although inflation has fallen and the kwacha has strengthened, many Zambians continue to struggle with expensive food and energy. Economist Trevor Hambayi said the country's improved economic indicators had yet to translate into significant benefits for ordinary citizens. Hichilema has pledged to expand schools, healthcare facilities and roads and create more employment. His government has also faced criticism over alleged restrictions on political dissent. The Tonse Alliance on Tuesday accused the government of ordering a raid on its offices in which vehicles and communications equipment were seized, calling the action politically motivated. Authorities have not accepted the allegation. Dispute over former president's remains Political tensions between Hichilema and his predecessor, the late Edgar Lungu, have continued after Lungu's death in South Africa in June 2025. Lungu and Hichilema had a long-running political rivalry. In 2017, Hichilema was detained for four months on treason charges after Lungu accused his motorcade of failing to give way to the presidential convoy. After Lungu's death, his family and the government became embroiled in a dispute over his burial. The government sought a state funeral, while Lungu's family opposed a ceremony presided over by Hichilema. South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal eventually ruled in favor of the family, although burial arrangements remain unsettled. Interest from China and US China remains Zambia's largest foreign investor, with major interests in copper and cobalt, minerals considered essential for electronics, electric vehicles and other advanced technologies. The United States has also increased its interest in Zambia's critical minerals. Zambia has alleged that Washington linked access to the minerals with a proposed $2 billion health agreement, a claim rejected by the US. How voting works About 8 million Zambians are registered to vote in Thursday's election, which will also elect members of Parliament and local government representatives. A presidential candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote to win outright. If no candidate reaches that threshold, a second-round runoff will be held.  

Firefighters in western Libya battled a huge blaze Tuesday caused by a drone strike on an oil facility a day earlier, as the Mediterranean coastal town came under a series of drone attacks targeting vital oil installations. The drone strikes continued Tuesday, hitting the town’s power plant and oil refinery, Libya’s state-run National Oil Corporation said. The attacks highlighted the fragile security situation surrounding Libya’s critical infrastructure. In the eastern city of Benghazi, meanwhile, a car bomb killed a senior military officer affiliated with a self-styled military force on Monday, in the latest bombing to hit the conflict-ridden North African country. No group has claimed responsibility for either the drone attacks in Zawiya, about 47 kilometers (30 miles) west of the capital, Tripoli, or the bombing in Benghazi. The first drone strike Monday sparked a major fire at a gasoline-storage tank at the refinery. The blaze continued through the night and into Tuesday afternoon, according to the Civil Defense agency. Health authorities reported no casualties. Local media footage showed huge flames and fireballs erupting from the storage tank, sending thick black and orange smoke into the sky as firefighters used what appeared to be foam or water to battle the fire. While firefighters were dealing with the blaze, another drone struck near a key oil tank but caused no casualties, the National Oil Corporation said. The tank, which contained 4.5 million liters of fuel when it was hit, collapsed, prompting the company to declare a state of maximum emergency at the facility. On Tuesday, two drones struck the town’s power plant. One damaged the facility’s firefighting system, while the other landed near its main fuel-storage area and started a fire. The national oil company said firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control and no one was injured. Zawiya’s oil infrastructure, which includes Libya’s largest refinery, an export terminal and a power plant, has frequently come under attack. Over the weekend, the national oil company said drones struck a fuel tank and a desalination plant connected to the oil facilities, damaging the tank. By late Tuesday, the National Oil Corporation said all the fires had been extinguished. The latest attacks come amid rising tensions between Libya’s western government and warlord Mohamed Bahroun, who controls Zawiya. Much of western Libya remains under the control of local militias that are loosely aligned with Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah’s government in Tripoli. Jalel Harchaoui, an analyst affiliated with the Royal United Services Institute in London, said the warlord has been increasingly cornered by the government and that his forces “are likely to resort to desperate measures.” The bombing in Benghazi on Monday evening killed a senior officer serving under powerful military commander Khalifa Hifter. Maj. Gen. Fawzy al-Mansouri, director of military intelligence for Hifter’s self-styled Libyan National Army, was killed when an explosives-laden vehicle detonated near his car in the Sayyida Aisha neighborhood of Benghazi, the LNA said. The LNA is allied with one of Libya’s two rival administrations, which controls much of the country’s eastern and southern regions. Libya has remained largely unstable since the 2011 uprising that developed into a civil war, ultimately overthrowing and later leading to the death of longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi. The prolonged turmoil allowed militias to expand their wealth and influence, particularly in Tripoli and western Libya. The country has for years been divided between rival administrations in the east and west, each supported by armed groups and foreign governments. Dbeibah’s government currently governs the west, while Prime Minister Ossama Hammad’s administration controls the east. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is scheduled to visit Libya this week, with plans to travel to both Tripoli and Benghazi.

At least 14 artisanal miners were killed and eight others injured after the walls of an illicit mine collapsed in South Africa’s North West province, police said Tuesday. The accident occurred Monday night near Rustenburg, a major platinum-mining hub about 130 kilometers northwest of Johannesburg. North West provincial police commissioner Lt. Gen. Arthur Adams said rescue operations were continuing and authorities had yet to determine whether anyone else remained trapped underground. Sniffer dogs and specialized equipment were being used in the search. The miners were reportedly working illegally at the abandoned mine when the collapse occurred. Tens of thousands of artisanal miners operate illegally in South Africa, often working in disused gold and platinum mines or digging their own shafts in search of valuable deposits. Many work without adequate safety equipment and can remain underground for extended periods. Police said most of those killed appeared to be nationals of neighboring Lesotho. Of the eight injured miners, three were discharged from hospital and arrested on suspicion of illegal mining. The other five remained hospitalized under police guard, Adams said. Illegal mining remains a major problem in South Africa and authorities say it is often linked to organized criminal groups. Informal miners, commonly known as “zama zamas,” frequently operate in gangs and have been involved in violent clashes over mining areas. They have also been accused of intimidating and terrorizing nearby communities. The country has the world’s largest known platinum reserves, making abandoned and active mining areas particularly attractive to illegal miners. South Africa witnessed another major illegal mining disaster in late 2024, when hundreds of miners became trapped underground at a gold mine surrounded by police. The standoff continued for months and more than 80 miners died underground, according to authorities. Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa deployed soldiers in a yearlong operation aimed at tackling organized crime, with illegal mining among the main targets.

At least 10 police officers were killed in a gunbattle with armed rebels in northern Nigeria, authorities said Tuesday. The clash took place Monday in the Sakaba local government area of Kebbi state, near the border with Zamfara state, according to police spokesperson Bashir Usman. Two civilians and 17 rebels were also killed in the fighting, Usman said in a statement. He said security forces intercepted a group of heavily armed rebels traveling on motorcycles after they were spotted near the Zamfara border. The state is known as a stronghold for armed gangs that frequently raid villages and towns. “Tragically, we lost 10 gallant police personnel in the engagement,” Usman said, adding that two other officers were injured and are receiving medical treatment. The incident is the latest in a series of deadly attacks in northern Nigeria, where armed groups have been fighting for territory and control of natural resources while security forces struggle to contain the violence. Dozens of people have been killed in attacks across the region in recent weeks, with police and other security personnel increasingly becoming targets. The United States is providing military assistance to Nigeria under an agreement that Washington says is aimed at protecting Nigerian Christians. Much of the support, however, is focused on logistics and intelligence gathering related to the violence in the north.

At least 20 people were killed and several others sustained injuries on Friday evening after a diesel tanker overturned southwest of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. According to witnesses, the accident occurred when the speeding truck lost control and overturned. The vehicle struck several pedestrians during the incident, causing extensive damage to the surrounding area. While officials have not yet confirmed the final number of fatalities, the provisional death toll stands at 20. Those injured in the crash were rushed to various hospitals in Bangui for emergency treatment.

Militants linked to the Islamic State group attacked a village in eastern Congo near the Ugandan border early Saturday, killing at least 13 people and setting fire to and looting homes, local civil society officials said. The attack took place in Banana École, a suburb of Mambasa, the capital of the territory of the same name. Marie-Noelle Anotane, head of the New Civil Society of Congo/Mambasa, and local resident Sylvain Andali told The Associated Press that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) carried out the attack. According to the two, the assailants followed tactics commonly associated with the ADF. Anotane said the reported death toll of 13 remains provisional as many residents have not yet been reached and searches are continuing in nearby villages. The violence has forced residents to make difficult choices over whether to remain in the area or flee to other parts of Ituri province, where a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak is also causing concern. “I decided to leave Mambasa for Bunia because I fear repeated attacks by the ADF,” Andali said, adding that several of his neighbors had already been killed. The ADF originated in Uganda and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019. The group has operated for years in the border areas of Uganda and Congo and has repeatedly targeted civilians. In July 2025, the ADF killed 66 people in eastern Congo in an attack the United Nations described as a “bloodbath.” Congo is also grappling with violence involving around 100 armed groups. Among the most prominent is the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, which has captured several strategically important cities in the country's east. The continuing conflict has displaced large numbers of civilians and deepened the humanitarian crisis in the region.

Cameroonian President Paul Biya has been out of the country for two months, fueling concerns over his health and criticism from opposition leaders over what they describe as a growing leadership vacuum in the Central African nation. Biya, 93, the world's oldest serving president, has ruled Cameroon since 1982. He began his eighth term in November after winning a disputed presidential election in October. He left Cameroon on June 7 for what the presidency described as a "brief private stay in Europe," but the trip has become one of his longest overseas absences. The government later confirmed that he is in Switzerland. The veteran leader's health has long been the subject of speculation as he frequently spends extended periods in Europe, particularly in France and Switzerland, while senior ruling party figures and family members oversee day-to-day affairs. Although Cameroon's constitution does not bar the president from remaining abroad for an extended period, the absence of a vice president has prompted opposition figures to argue that the country is effectively operating on "autopilot." Opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who finished second in last year's presidential election and was once a close ally of Biya, said many Cameroonians believe "all is not well" with the president. Speaking from exile in The Gambia, he said Biya's prolonged stay in Switzerland has further undermined his legitimacy and intensified concerns over his continued grip on power. Biya's more than four decades in office have seen mixed results. Cameroon continues to face security challenges from Boko Haram insurgents in the north and separatist groups in the English-speaking western regions, while economic stagnation has left many young people frustrated. Wilson Tamfuh, a professor of public and international law at the University of Dschang, said the country's leadership has suffered as Biya's health appears to have affected his ability to govern. He also criticized repeated Cabinet reshuffles, saying they have largely involved moving the same officials between ministries without meaningful reform. Biya's reelection in 2025 triggered protests that left at least four people dead, highlighting tensions between the country's predominantly young population and its long-serving leader. Earlier this week, Biya reshuffled Cameroon's senior military leadership, replacing commanders in four of the country's five joint military regions and promoting several senior officers. Officials did not explain the changes, although one commander had died and another had retired. Biya assumed office in 1982 after the resignation of Cameroon's first president, Ahmadou Ahidjo. A 2008 constitutional amendment removed presidential term limits, allowing him to remain in power. More than 70% of Cameroon's nearly 30 million people are under the age of 35, meaning Biya has governed longer than most citizens have been alive. If he completes his current term, he will leave office at nearly 100 years of age.

At least 12 people have been killed in road accidents ahead of Senegal's annual Grand Magal pilgrimage in the central city of Touba, the National Fire Brigade said on Saturday. The fatalities have been recorded since the brigade launched its emergency operation on July 28, Lieutenant Djily Diouf, communications officer for the contingent deployed for the pilgrimage, was quoted as saying by the Senegalese Press Agency. As of 8:00 am local time on Saturday, firefighters had responded to 182 emergency incidents involving 304 people, Diouf said. Among those operations, 133 were road accidents involving 286 people. Firefighters provided assistance to 274 victims, while 12 people were confirmed dead. To support the large influx of pilgrims, the brigade has also supplied 281 cubic metres of water in Touba to help meet increased demand and avert potential shortages. For this year's pilgrimage, the National Fire Brigade has deployed 563 personnel along with 91 emergency and support vehicles to provide rescue, firefighting and medical services. The Grand Magal, scheduled to take place on Sunday, is one of Senegal's largest annual religious gatherings. Organised by the Mouride Muslim brotherhood, the event commemorates the 1895 exile of its founder, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, by the French colonial authorities.

At least 20 children and one adult were killed after a school bus carrying primary school students overturned in eastern Uganda while returning from an educational trip, police said Friday. The accident occurred Thursday night in Kapchorwa District as the bus was transporting students back to Kampala after visiting the scenic Sipi Falls, according to the Uganda Police Force. Several survivors, including three adults and a number of children, were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Police did not immediately disclose the total number of injured passengers. Uganda's Minister of Local Government, Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, said at least nine children remained in critical condition. He added that the adult killed in the crash appeared to be the founder and head of the school. Residents of the nearby village were the first to respond, helping rescue victims from the wreckage and transporting the injured to hospitals before emergency services arrived. Police identified the vehicle as belonging to King David Junior School, a primary school based in the capital, Kampala. Preliminary investigations indicate that the driver lost control of the bus, which veered off the road, struck a rock and overturned. Authorities said the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation. Images released by police showed the bus lying on its side with its roof torn off, exposing damaged seats. Personal belongings, including luggage and clothing, were scattered across the road. Road accidents are common in Uganda, where authorities frequently cite speeding, poor vehicle maintenance and inadequate road infrastructure as major causes of crashes. Earlier this month, at least 14 people were killed when a bus collided with a truck in northern Uganda. According to the World Health Organization and the United Nations, Africa records the world's highest road fatality rate, with more than 300,000 road deaths annually, highlighting persistent road safety challenges across the continent.