A five-year study in South Africa found that 11 elephants, rewilded after years in captivity, successfully adapted to natural environments, exhibiting behavior and stress levels similar to wild elephants. This research provides strong evidence for the resilience and adaptability of captive elephants.
Two Russian men, Lev Lakshtanov and Igor Ratchin, received 8 and 11-year sentences in Angola for terrorism and spying. Accused of coup planning and organizing deadly 2025 protests, they denied charges. Prosecutors linked them to Russia's Africa Politology network, part of the Wagner group, amid Angola's shifting alliances.
The desert rain frog (Breviceps macrops), native to South Africa and Namibia, is now classified as vulnerable by the IUCN due to habitat destruction from mining and development. Concerns also arise from its increasing popularity in the pet trade.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office compared President Lai Ching-te to a 'rat crossing the street' after he secretly boarded an Eswatini government aircraft to complete an unannounced state visit to the small African kingdom. The visit, originally scheduled for late April, was disrupted when Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked overflight permits – which Taipei blamed on Chinese pressure. Eswatini remains one of only 12 countries with formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Beijing accused Lai of abandoning island residents after a major earthquake to pursue 'diplomatic achievements' that are 'nothing but trickery and a laughing stock.'
