United News of Bangladesh

At least 200 miners have died following the collapse of multiple shafts at coltan mines in Rubaya, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, a spokesperson for the March 23 Movement rebel group confirmed Friday. The majority of the victims were artisanal miners trapped underground, and the casualties also included women and children, the spokesperson added. The collapses took place on Wednesday and Thursday across several coltan mining sites in Rubaya, an area under rebel control since April 2024. At least 11 killed in minibus taxi-truck crash in South Africa Coltan, or columbite-tantalite, is a key source of tantalum, a rare metal essential for manufacturing advanced electronics. The United Nations estimates that Rubaya’s mines alone supply around 15 percent of the world’s tantalum.

At least 11 people, including a schoolchild, were killed in a collision between a minibus taxi and a truck in South Africa, officials said Thursday. The accident occurred in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. According to Siboniso Duma, a provincial transport department official, the fatalities were reported at the scene based on preliminary information. Garrith Jamieson, spokesperson for private paramedic service ALS Paramedics, confirmed that 11 people died and several others sustained critical injuries. The driver of the minibus was among those trapped in the wreckage. Read More: 13 children killed as school bus collides with truck in South Africa The deadly crash comes just over a week after a head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a truck killed 14 schoolchildren in the country.

An assault by an Islamic State-affiliated armed group in eastern Congo killed at least 25 people early Sunday, a local human rights organization said. The victims of the attack, blamed on the Allied Democratic Force (ADF), included 15 men who were burned to death inside a house and seven others who were shot dead in Apakulu village of Irumu territory in Ituri province. Three more people were killed in the Walese Vonkutu administrative area, according to the rights group. “This tragedy happened around 4am and claimed at least 25 lives. This ADF incursion amounts to a real massacre,” said Christophe Munyanderu, president of the Convention for the Respect of Human Rights, which is based in Ituri. There was no immediate response from the ADF regarding the reported attack. Eastern Congo has seen a surge in violence in recent months, with repeated assaults by armed groups, including the ADF and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The ADF operates along the porous border between Uganda and Congo and has been responsible for numerous deadly attacks on civilians. The group originated as an insurgent movement opposing Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni before being driven into Congo following military pressure. In July last year, a wave of ADF attacks killed more than 100 people. Ugandan and Congolese forces have been carrying out joint military operations aimed at dismantling the group.

Voting began Sunday in Myanmar’s final round of a three-stage general election, capping a monthlong process that has already ensured the military and its allies will retain control of the national legislature. Critics say the polls are neither free nor fair and are designed to legitimize the military after it ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government in February 2021. The army-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has already won most contested seats, while 25% of parliamentary seats are reserved for the military, guaranteeing its majority. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, head of the current military government, is widely expected to assume the presidency. Suu Kyi, now 80, is serving a 27-year prison term, and her party, the National League for Democracy, was dissolved in 2023. Opposition parties largely boycotted the polls, citing unfair conditions, while a new Election Protection Law has penalized public criticism of the vote. The election is being held in three phases due to ongoing armed conflicts, and voting was not held in one-fifth of townships. Early results show the USDP and military together already hold nearly 400 of the 586 active parliamentary seats, well above the 294 needed to form a government. Final results are expected later this week, with the new government set to take office in April.

Gunmen abducted more than 150 worshippers during coordinated attacks on three churches in northwest Nigeria, a state lawmaker said on Monday. The attacks took place on Sunday in Kurmin Wali, a community in Kaduna state’s Kajuru area, while services were underway at an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), a Cherubim and Seraphim church, and a Catholic church, according to Usman Danlami Stingo, who represents the area in the state parliament. “As of yesterday, 177 people were missing, and 11 have returned, leaving 168 still unaccounted for,” Stingo said. Kaduna state police have yet to comment, and no group has claimed responsibility. Attacks of this kind are common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, particularly in the northern region, where armed gangs and extremist groups frequently target remote communities with limited security. 13 children killed as school bus collides with truck in South Africa Similar church attacks have previously sparked claims of persecution of Christians by U.S. officials, including former President Donald Trump. The U.S. carried out military strikes in Sokoto on December 25, reportedly targeting Islamic State operatives. The Nigerian government has rejected the term “Christian genocide” to describe the ongoing security crisis.

At least 13 schoolchildren were killed on Monday after a truck crashed into a school minibus in South Africa’s Gauteng province, police and emergency officials said. Initial reports indicated that 11 children died at the scene, while two others later succumbed to their injuries at hospital. The privately operated minibus was carrying pupils to several primary and secondary schools in the southwest of Johannesburg when the crash occurred at around 7:00 am. According to witnesses, the minibus was attempting to overtake stationary vehicles when it collided head-on with the truck. Police said an investigation has been launched into the incident and the truck driver will be questioned. Read More: South Africa declares national disaster after deadly floods and severe weather Gauteng Emergency Services said five injured passengers were taken to Sebokeng Hospital, while two others were transported to Kopanong Hospital for further treatment. The minibus driver was also injured and among those admitted to hospital. President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, saying national and provincial authorities would provide affected families and schools with psychosocial support. “Our children are the nation’s most precious assets, and we must do everything possible - from obeying road rules to ensuring the quality and safety of school transport services - to protect learners,” Ramaphosa said. Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube said many school transport accidents are linked to driver negligence and urged the Department of Transport to ensure vehicles used to carry schoolchildren meet roadworthiness standards.

South Africa on Sunday declared a national disaster following torrential rains and flooding that have killed at least 30 people in the country’s northern regions and caused widespread damage to homes, roads, and bridges. The declaration, made by the head of the National Disaster Management Centre, enables the national government to coordinate relief and response efforts. The hardest-hit areas are the northern provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, though at least three other provinces have also been affected, the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said. Heavy rains have persisted across South Africa and neighboring Mozambique and Zimbabwe for weeks, resulting in severe flooding. Since late last year, more than 100 people have died across the three countries due to the extreme weather. Uganda’s Museveni wins seventh presidential term with 71.65% of vote In northern South Africa, the floods forced the closure of Kruger National Park and the evacuation of hundreds of tourists and staff from inundated camps. The Limpopo provincial premier estimated damages in the province at around $240 million, with numerous homes and buildings washed away. South Africa has faced repeated flooding in recent years, including more than 100 deaths in the Eastern Cape last year and over 400 fatalities in KwaZulu-Natal in 2022.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has secured a seventh term in office, winning 71.65% of the vote, according to official results released Saturday. Museveni defeated his youthful challenger, musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine, who campaigned for change after four decades of Museveni’s rule. Bobi Wine, whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, received 24.72% of the votes. Wine is expected to reject the official outcome, denouncing the election as unfair and alleging an internet blackout, heavy military presence, and the abduction of his polling agents. On Friday, he dismissed provisional results as “fake.” The election was also marred by technical issues with biometric voter identification machines, which failed in several urban areas, including opposition strongholds like the capital Kampala. Voting had to proceed using manual voter registers, a move critics say could fuel legal challenges against the official results. Delays plague voting in Uganda's presidential election Museveni, 81, has maintained power over the years by amending the constitution to remove term and age limits, and by sidelining or jailing potential rivals. Observers say the opposition was fragmented, giving Museveni a decisive advantage, while he retained strong control over his party and the armed forces. Security forces were heavily deployed during the campaign. Wine said he faced constant surveillance and harassment, including the use of tear gas against his supporters, and often campaigned wearing a flak jacket and helmet for protection. Reports emerged on Friday that Wine had been detained by the military, but police clarified on Saturday that he was not under arrest, though access to his residence was “controlled” to prevent potential unrest. At least 46 killed in multi-vehicle crash in western Uganda Uganda has not seen a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence six decades ago. Veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, remains in prison on treason charges filed in February 2025. This election highlights the enduring dominance of Museveni, whose long tenure continues to raise concerns about democratic governance and political freedom in Uganda.

Torrential rains and widespread flooding have claimed more than 100 lives across South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, with authorities warning of more severe weather in southern Africa. In South Africa, at least 19 people have died in the northern Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces after heavy rains last month triggered severe floods. Helicopters evacuated tourists and staff from flooded camps in Kruger National Park, which remains closed due to submerged roads and bridges, the national parks agency said. Mozambique’s Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction reported 103 deaths during an unusually intense rainy season since late last year. Causes included lightning strikes, drowning, infrastructure collapse, and cholera. Central and southern regions have been hardest hit, with more than 200,000 people affected and thousands of homes damaged, the World Food Program said. Zimbabwe has recorded 70 deaths and destruction of over 1,000 homes due to heavy rains since early January, while roads, schools, and bridges have collapsed, the country’s disaster management agency reported. Floods have also affected Madagascar, Malawi, and Zambia. In Madagascar, 11 people have died in floods since late November. The U.S. Famine Early Warning System noted that flooding is ongoing or expected in at least seven southern African countries, possibly linked to the La Niña phenomenon. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited flood-hit areas in Limpopo on Thursday, reporting that one district had received roughly 400 millimeters of rain in under a week. “There are 36 houses that have just been wiped away … everything is gone — roofs, walls, fences,” he said. The South African Weather Service issued a red-level 10 alert for parts of the country Friday, warning of life-threatening floods and infrastructure damage. Helicopters have rescued residents trapped on rooftops or in trees, including border and police officers stranded at a flooded South Africa-Zimbabwe checkpoint. Kruger National Park, covering around 22,000 square kilometers across Limpopo and Mpumalanga, has evacuated roughly 600 tourists and staff to higher ground. No deaths or injuries have been reported there, authorities said. Southern Africa has faced extreme weather in recent years, including cyclones and severe droughts, intensifying food insecurity. In Mozambique, over 70,000 hectares of crops, including rice and corn, have been submerged, affecting thousands of small-scale farmers, the World Food Program said.

Zambia has decided not to extend its current International Monetary Fund (IMF)-supported Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program for one year, and will instead pursue a new full program, senior officials said Thursday. Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane told a press briefing that after careful review and consultations, the government chose to conclude the sixth and final review of the current arrangement and negotiate a successor program. He emphasized that the decision does not signal disengagement from the IMF or a reduction in reform efforts, but reflects the completion of the ongoing program and the transition to a new, comprehensive plan. The successor program will continue addressing Zambia’s debt restructuring obligations while considering evolving economic priorities, including growth targets and medium-term development needs. Since entering the IMF-supported ECF in 2022, Zambia has successfully completed all reviews and consistently met quantitative performance criteria and structural benchmarks. A staff-level agreement on the sixth review was reached last month. Originally scheduled to end in November 2025, the program will now formally conclude by the end of January 2026. The brief extension was purely technical, designed to allow sufficient time for evaluating program performance as of October 2025.