Malema Convicted for Gun Offence, Faces 15-Year Jail Term 

South Africa’s firebrand opposition politician, Julius Malema, on Monday suffered a major political blow as a regional court convicted him of unlawful possession of a firearm, firing it in public, and reckless endangerment — offences that carry a minimum sentence of 15 years.

Magistrate Twanet Olivier, after a three-day ruling, found the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader guilty over a 2018 incident where he was caught on video firing live rounds from a semi-automatic rifle into the air during his party’s anniversary rally in Eastern Cape.

The court, however, acquitted his former bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, who was charged alongside him.

Malema, known for his fiery rhetoric against South Africa’s white minority, was accused of firing between 14 and 15 live rounds before a crowd of 20,000 supporters.

He claimed the gun was not his, insisting he pulled the trigger only to excite the crowd — a defence the court dismissed.

The conviction adds to Malema’s mounting legal troubles, coming just weeks after a hate speech ruling against him for remarks deemed to incite violence against white farmers.

Unfazed by the judgment, Malema told cheering supporters outside the East London regional court: “Going to prison or death is a badge of honour. Whatever they want to do, they must know we will never retreat.”

He vowed to appeal the case up to the Constitutional Court.

The case, filed by Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum, has further polarised South Africa, with critics describing Malema’s conduct as reckless while supporters see him as a revolutionary voice of the oppressed.

Legal experts warn he could face time behind bars if he fails to persuade the court to impose a lesser sentence when hearing resumes in January 2026.

If upheld, the conviction could also cost Malema his seat in parliament, as South Africa’s constitution bars lawmakers sentenced to more than 12 months without an option of fine from holding office.

Again, US Govt Shuts Down!

For the first time in six years, the United States government has ground to a halt after lawmakers in Washington failed to agree on a funding bill before the midnight deadline.

The shutdown, which took effect at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, is already taking its toll, with about 750,000 federal workers facing furloughs and thousands of others ordered to work without pay.

President Donald Trump, who is under pressure from both Republicans and Democrats, warned of “irreversible” staffing cuts if the standoff drags on.

Major labour unions have since dragged the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management to court, describing the threats of mass layoffs as unlawful.

The Senate had attempted to push through rival spending bills on Tuesday night, but both collapsed.

Republicans stripped out provisions on healthcare programmes, including Medicaid and subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, while Democrats refused to back down, insisting the measures were non-negotiable.

The collapse of the bills left Washington staring at yet another shutdown, a familiar political crisis that analysts say could stretch for weeks.

Already, critical agencies are being hit.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that more than 11,000 workers have been sent home, while 13,000 air traffic controllers will remain on duty without pay to keep flights operational.

The White House insists that essential services, including defence and some healthcare operations, will continue.

But the ripple effects are expected to spread across government offices, airports, financial markets, and ordinary households.

The shutdown has also rattled Wall Street, with investor confidence taking a hit amid fears of prolonged instability.

Trump, who rode into power promising to “drain the swamp,” is now locked in a bruising battle with Congress. With both sides refusing to blink, the political showdown has once again left the world’s largest economy at the mercy of partisan gridlock.

Biya’s Daughter Urges Cameroonians to Reject Father’s Re-election Bid 

A major political storm has erupted in Cameroon after Brenda Biya, daughter of President Paul Biya, openly urged citizens not to return her father to power in the October 2025 presidential election.

In a TikTok live session that has since gone viral across Francophone Africa, Brenda accused the 92-year-old leader of presiding over decades of corruption, poverty, unemployment, and economic stagnation.

She declared that after more than four decades in office, Cameroonians “deserve better” and must vote for change.

“This regime has brought nothing but hardship. Cameroonians deserve better,” she said, in what many observers have described as an unprecedented political rebuke of an African strongman by his own child.

Paul Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, is Africa’s second-longest serving president and has consistently faced accusations of authoritarian rule, flawed elections, and entrenched corruption.

But the shock intervention by his daughter has further sharpened debate over his fitness to contest again.

The reactions have been deeply polarised. Supporters of Brenda hailed her courage, with some noting that her privileged vantage point abroad allowed her to speak freely against a regime that has stifled dissent at home.

“She can see more clearly than those within the circle. As for me, Brenda is right,” wrote one supporter online. Others described her comments as a patriotic call for generational change.

Critics, however, questioned her sincerity, pointing to her affluent lifestyle and alleged strained relations with her family.

They argued that her remarks may be less about empathy with suffering Cameroonians and more about personal grievances.

Despite the divided opinions, Brenda’s statement has injected a rare dimension into Cameroon’s political landscape.

Analysts say it could embolden opposition voices and international actors who have long called for democratic transition in Yaoundé.

As the October election draws closer, the unprecedented family rift has cast a long shadow over Biya’s re-election campaign.

For many Cameroonians, Brenda’s outburst has laid bare the fragility of a regime that, after 42 years, still struggles to answer the people’s basic demands for accountability, economic growth, and good governance.