Africa

• South Africa secured a historic 1-0 victory over South Korea on Day 14 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, impacting the standings for several other nations. • Brazil, Morocco, and Bosnia have officially advanced to the knockout stages, joining a list of qualified teams that includes the USA, Germany, France, Argentina, and Colombia. • In other match action, Switzerland managed to hold on for a result against Canada, while a Qatar player received a five-game ban.

• India and South Africa are facing off in the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. • The match is being broadcast and tracked via live scores, ball-by-ball commentary, and video highlights for viewers in the USA and Canada. • This championship match determines the global T20 cricket champion for 2024, marking a high-stakes conclusion to the tournament.

• South Africa currently holds a lead over South Korea in the second half of their match during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. • The expanded 48-team tournament spans 39 days across three host countries and is projected to generate approximately $8.9 billion. • The event is overshadowed by geopolitical tensions, specifically the United States' ongoing war with Iran, which has created an uneven playing field for participants.

• Head coach Hong Myung-bo has named the starting lineup for South Korea's final Group A match against South Africa in the 2026 CONCACAF World Cup. • Striker Oh Hyun-kyu and Hwang Hee-chan will start the match, while star players Son Heung-min and Lee Jae-sung have been placed on the bench. • The game takes place on June 25 at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, and is described as a decisive encounter for the team's group stage standing.

• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to formally end its hantavirus response, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing acting director Jay Bhattacharya. • The decision follows a cruise ship outbreak that occurred nearly two months prior, which resulted in three fatalities. • This wind-down signifies the conclusion of the official public health emergency response to this specific cluster of infections.

• England played to a surprise 0-0 draw against Ghana in their second World Cup group stage match. • Despite creating several late scoring opportunities, the Three Lions failed to convert, resulting in a single point for the game. • This result follows a dominant 4-2 opening victory over Croatia featuring goals from Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Marcus Rashford.

• UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on major AI companies on June 23 to publicly disclose the full environmental costs of their data centers. • The initiative demands that these firms transition to renewable power to mitigate the high energy and water consumption required to fuel the AI revolution. • This push follows increasing scrutiny from environmental groups regarding the lack of transparency surrounding the ecological footprint of global data center expansion.

• The US Administration is restructuring the systems supporting PEPFAR and global health security, shifting its engagement strategy toward regulatory influence over long-term public health partnerships. • Concerns are rising that increased political oversight and the deconstruction of international collaborations may undermine the NIH's scientific infrastructure and its history of HIV research and vaccine development. • In a move toward regulatory cooperation, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the African Medicines Agency (AMA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a shared framework for information sharing.

• South Africa Women defeated India Women in the 5th T20I of the 2026 tour, posting a total of 155/6. • India Women struggled in their chase, ending the match at 132/8 after 20 overs. • Richa Ghosh was a key contributor for India with 25 runs off 15 balls, though the team fell short of the target.

‘Mastermind’ Dawie Groenewald given fine of 2m rand or four-year jail term almost 16 years after arrestTwo rhino-horn traffickers have been sentenced by a South African court in what police said was the world’s largest such case, partly bringing to an end an almost two-decade legal saga.Dawie Groenewald and Tielman Erasmus had faced more than 1,700 charges ranging from illegally hunting and dehorning rhinos, to racketeering and money laundering. Continue reading...

• South Africa Women (RSAW) have reached a score of 127/8 after 16.5 overs in their Group A clash against Pakistan Women (PAKW) during the 11th match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. • Pakistan Women previously posted a total of 126/9, leaving South Africa needing only a few more runs to secure a victory. • The match is currently in its final stages, with Ayabonga Khaka and Shabnim Ismail at the crease for South Africa.

About 150 jobs have already been lost in Bolton as company reports 145% rise in profits and hands £20m to shareholdersBusiness live – latest updatesThe online electrical goods seller AO World has revealed it is outsourcing up to 200 UK call centre roles to South Africa blaming rising labour costs, as it handed £20m to shareholders.As the retailer reported a jump in profits, it said it was shifting the majority of call centre jobs overseas “in response to ongoing inflationary cost pressures, and particularly rising employment costs”. It expects to save about £4m a year as a result of the change. Continue reading...

• The head of Africa's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention warned on Tuesday, June 16, that the current Ebola outbreak in Congo could become the worst on record. • A critical failure in containment has occurred, with tens of thousands of individuals who were in contact with infected patients remaining untraced. • This lack of contact tracing significantly increases the risk of uncontrolled community transmission and a larger-scale health crisis.

• Mexico's World Cup opening match against South Africa attracted 7.1 million viewers in the United States. • This figure marks a new record for the most-watched opening match of the tournament for an English-language broadcast. • The high viewership underscores the significant growth and popularity of soccer within the U.S. market.

• Zee Entertainment has officially acquired the broadcasting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India. • The deal ensures that Indian football fans can access all tournament matches through a variety of television and mobile platforms. • This announcement ends weeks of speculation regarding which network would secure the rights to the global event.

Decision comes as the museum in Charleston says it faces a ‘shift in the political and funding environment’ The International African American Museum (IAAM) in Charleston, South Carolina, announced on Wednesday that, beginning in July and lasting through 31 December, all of its staff will be furloughed. The 20-daylong furlough will be staggered over the months and impact all levels of staff, including the museum’s leadership. The museum will remain fully operational, museum officials said.The decision comes as the museum faces “financial pressure”, the IAAM said in a statement. Continue reading...

The accomplished musician, who recorded over 70 albums in his career, died peacefully in Germany after a short illnessSouth African jazz composer and pianist Abdullah Ibrahim has died at the age of 91.His family announced his death in a statement released Monday. Continue reading...

• The FCM M&E 2026 Trends Report indicates that MICE planners continue to prioritize face-to-face meetings despite a heightened focus on risk management and logistics. • Safety and flexibility have become primary drivers in decision-making, with planners implementing stricter oversight of event security and operational agility. • There is a significant shift toward ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals, with an emphasis on environmentally conscious venues, waste management, and positive community impact.

• Mexico defeated South Africa in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup held in Mexico City. • The opening ceremony featured a star-studded lineup of performers, including Shakira, Tyla, Alejandro Fernández, Burna Boy, Mana, J Balvin, Andrea Bocelli, and Ejae. • This tournament marks a historic expansion of the event, growing from 32 to 48 participating nations, with Canada, the United States, and Mexico serving as joint hosts.

• On June 2, 2026, the CDC issued a travel alert for seven Sub-Saharan African countries—Chad, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, and Somalia—following a severe diphtheria outbreak. • The alert follows alarming 2025 WHO data documenting 20,412 suspected cases and 1,252 deaths across Africa, highlighting a critical public health crisis. • The warning serves as a vital notice for travelers and unvaccinated Americans to ensure proper immunization before visiting the affected regions.

• Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 on Thursday in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup. • The game was characterized by a high number of red cards and a perceived mismatch in skill levels between the two teams. • While the victory is a positive start, some local residents noted a contrast in atmosphere compared to the 1986 tournament due to ongoing city protests.

• The FIFA World Cup 2026 has officially commenced in Mexico City with an opening ceremony and the start of group stage gameplay. • Mexico secured a victory against South Africa in the tournament's opening match, while the fixture between South Korea and Czechia is currently underway. • This event marks the beginning of a massive global tournament, with analysts and media outlets like NBC News focusing on the key players expected to dominate the competition.

• Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, and Czechia. • Czechia qualified for the tournament after winning UEFA Playoff Path D, securing penalty shootout victories against both the Republic of Ireland and Denmark. • The group stage represents a critical opportunity for Czechia to overcome a historical struggle in knockout football, having won only one major tournament knockout match in two decades.

African migrants say legal status offers little protection as rallies against illegal immigration gain momentumAfrican migrants in South Africa say they are living in fear after a series of marches calling for illegal immigrants to leave reignited long-held xenophobic sentiment in the country.March & March, a campaign group at the forefront of recent protests, has given people living illegally in the country until 30 June to leave, without specifying what will happen to those who do not. Continue reading...

Modelling from US CDC shows Ebola spread could be on ‘dangerous trajectory’, but experts warn outbreaks can be very hard to predictCentral Africa’s Ebola outbreak could spread to be similar in scale to the worst outbreak in history, west Africa’s 2014-2016 outbreak that killed more than 11,000 people, according to a new analysis by US health officials.The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday published a range of scenarios generated by computer models, from 10,000 cases to more than 20,000. In the west Africa outbreak, more than 28,000 cases were reported. Continue reading...

• The Africa CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) have launched a joint continental response plan to combat an Ebola outbreak. • Running from June to November 2026, the initiative seeks to raise US$ 518 million to fund rapid detection, clinical care, and emergency coordination. • The "One Response" approach integrates governments and partners to strengthen disease surveillance, laboratory testing, and community engagement across affected regions.

Draft treaty claims sexual and reproductive health and rights are an existential threat to the African familyAn African treaty that rejects longstanding international human rights obligations moved a step closer to becoming policy this week as governments across the continent met in Ghana.The draft African charter on family, sovereignty and values, seen by the Guardian, asserts that African values and culture are under attack from “foreign ideologies” and urges states to withdraw from any agreements that do not align with the principles of the charter, including the 2003 Maputo protocol, which promotes gender equality and protects the reproductive and health rights of women and girls. Continue reading...

About 800 Mozambicans said to be caught up in violence in Mossel Bay as anti-immigration protests sweep countryFive Mozambique nationals were killed in “xenophobic attacks” in South Africa at the weekend, the Mozambican government said – the first deaths officially linked to protests against illegal immigration sweeping the country.About 800 Mozambican nationals were caught up in violence that broke out in the southern coastal city of Mossel Bay on Friday, a government statement said. Continue reading...