Kingdom landlocked inside South Africa, with a recent spotlight on textile trade and regional stability.
Lesotho’s Afriski Mountain Resort, perched at 3,200 metres in the Maluti Mountains, is Africa’s only full-scale ski area. It relies on artificial snow to stay open through winter, drawing mainly South African visitors and contributing about 7% to Lesotho’s GDP as ski tourism expands in southern Africa.
Since late May more than 160,000 foreign nationals have returned or been repatriated from South Africa, with governments reporting 115,000 back to Zimbabwe and 56,000 to Malawi; many returns have followed protests that have targeted migrants, sparked violent attacks and diplomatic rows across Africa. Petitioners have asked the ICC to examine whether the violence and state failures constitute crimes against humanity.
Uganda’s Aziz Abdul has been disqualified in the Glasgow boxing event after a third-round headbutt on Damar Thomas, drawing accusations of national bias. Officials maintain a fair playing field as African nations secure multiple medals; coverage is split between broadcasters.
South Africa faces a sustained outflow of migrants amid protests and policy clashes. Officials report hundreds of thousands returning to neighboring countries as tensions rise over undocumented migration and xenophobia. The flow is reshaping regional labor markets and prompting calls for policy clarity.