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Lesotho

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Lesotho. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Maseru

Head of State

King Letsie III

Head of Government

Prime Minister Sam Matekane

Kenyan workers at an export processing zone prepare garments for shipping. With the future of a long-standing US trade pact in doubt, African countries are looking to China as they reassess commercial ties. Photo: Reuters

China-Africa relations

Demise of US trade deal AGOA pushes Africa further into China’s orbit

Lapse of African Growth and Opportunity Act deals tariff blow to continent and ‘creates fertile ground’ for Beijing to expand its clout.

7 Oct 2025 - 10:00AMvideocam

China-Africa relations

China-Africa trade makes ‘moderate’ gains despite US tariffs, currency weakness

21 Apr 2025 - 5:28PMvideocam

Royalty

Who is Princess Senate Seeiso, the royal who hosted Prince Harry for lunch?

8 Oct 2024 - 5:00AM

Celebrity children

Who are Julian Assange’s children – Daniel, Gabriel and Max?

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is finally free to be a normal dad after he pleaded guilty to violating US espionage law, returning home to Australia last week – here’s what we know about his family

8 Jul 2024 - 1:21PM

Julian Assange is finally free to reunite with his wife Stella and two young children, Gabriel and Max. Photos: AP, @MoreBirths/X

Roger Federer

What is Roger Federer up to in retirement? From his Uniqlo deal to charity

Besides launching his first fashion collection with Loewe’s Jonathan Anderson, Federer has attended the Met Gala, performed with Coldplay, and supported the Springboks at the 2023 Rugby World Cup

10 Mar 2024 - 7:00PM

Japan

Japan’s gender gap the widest among OECD countries, World Bank study shows

Japan is ranked 73rd out of 190 countries surveyed in an assessment of equality between genders, below the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Nepal and Lesotho.

8 Mar 2024 - 8:00AMvideocam

Lunar New Year

6 Chinese New Year-themed outerwear lines to stay cosy in as the mercury dips

Kenzo has dragon embroidery on a bomber jacket and denim jacket, while Canada Goose keeps things understated with just a hint of red in its Heirloom Mystique parka – great for a skiing holiday

29 Jan 2024 - 10:00AM

With Chinese New Year just around the corner, brands including Canada Goose are drawing inspiration from the dragon. Photos: Handouts

High Jewellery

Pink diamonds: what are they and why are they worth so much?

Most of these elusive stones come from a single mine in Australia … which just closed – no wonder celebs from Blake Lively to Lady Eliza Spencer are fans

13 Jan 2024 - 2:00PM

United Nations

Opinion | Rich are getting richer but more people are going hungry. Why?

The triple whammy of Covid-19, climate change and the war in Ukraine has intensified food insecurities worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

18 Oct 2023 - 8:30PMvideocam

India

India-Canada row challenges US ‘united front’ in region: analysts

The United States faces a delicate balancing act as it seeks to avoid alienating India over the dispute at a time of growing Chinese influence in the region.

6 Oct 2023 - 9:30AMvideocam

Protesters rally outside the Indian High Commission in Ottawa on September 25, 2023. Photo: The Canadian Press via AP

TV shows and streaming video

Review | French and Japanese wine experts compete in Apple TV+ drama Drops of God

French-Japanese production Drops of God is a taut tale of wine world drama, while comedians just about escape dying – in both senses of the word – on camera in World’s Most Dangerous Roads.

3 Jun 2023 - 12:12PM

Taut Apple TV+ drama Drops of God uncorks French wine snobbery in a tasting competition in Japan. Fleur Geffrier as French wine expert Camille (right) in a still from the series. Photo: Apple TV+

China-Africa relations

How China is expanding its law enforcement activities across Africa

Beijing has signed public security and law enforcement agreements with some 40 African nations, according to report.

30 May 2023 - 6:00AMvideocam

China-Africa relations

Why food is the new focus for China’s ties with Africa

A growing number of African products are in high demand in China after President Xi Jinping promised to boost non-resource imports to US$300 billion by 2025.

19 Mar 2023 - 6:00PMvideocam

Coronavirus pandemic

Opinion | End pandemic austerity plans that benefit only the few

More than 140 governments will cut spending in 2023, affecting more than 6.7 billion people – or 85 per cent of the world population. Unless this policy contagion is contained, the coming years will be even more painful than the era following the 2008 financial crisis.

9 Dec 2022 - 12:23PM

A person wrapped in plastic walks outside the headquarters of the International Monetary Fund during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in Washington on April 15, 2020. Photo: AFP

China-Africa relations

China on course for Africa trade boost, as duty-free access list grows

Policy covers nearly 8,800 items, as China seeks to boost African imports to US$300 billion by 2025.

22 Nov 2022 - 2:26PMvideocam

China-Africa relations

‘A great friend’: China strengthens ties with Africa through military aid

Study says China has provided nearly all African countries with millions of dollars’ worth of security force assistance as Beijing seeks to strengthen relations with the continent and protect its economic interests.

15 Nov 2022 - 4:29PMvideocam

Britain

‘Deeply touched’: King Charles thanks public before queen’s funeral

Britain’s King Charles said that he had been ‘moved beyond measure’ by the outpouring of public sympathy following the death of his mother.

19 Sep 2022 - 10:50AM

US-China relations

US ‘provocations’ over Taiwan must get fit response, Beijing says

China must exercise legitimate right to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Wang Yi tells Asian and African envoys to UN via video link.

16 Aug 2022 - 7:30PMvideocam

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen meets Senator Ed Markey and other members of the US congressional delegation at the presidential office in Taipei. Photo: Handout via Reuters

China-Africa relations

China slashes African infrastructure loans but ICT funding holds firm

Data shows 11 deals worth US$1.9 billion were signed in eight countries in 2020, a 78 per cent drop on the previous year.

27 Apr 2022 - 11:00AM

Fame and celebrity

Who is Julian Assange’s wife, Stella Moris – who he just married in prison?

Julian Assange has maintained his relationship with Stella Moris despite being detained in a London prison, and now the couple have made it official – but just who is the WikiLeaks founder’s new wife?

25 Mar 2022 - 10:31PMvideocam

Royalty

13 celebrities with British royals for best friends … and not just Meghan

The Duchess of Sussex has plenty of Hollywood connections of course, but what about Elton John’s close connection with Princess Diana? Or Becks calling William and Harry ‘easy to get along with’?

18 Jan 2022 - 6:00AM

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Lesotho

Demise of US trade deal AGOA pushes Africa further into China’s orbit

Lapse of African Growth and Opportunity Act deals tariff blow to continent and ‘creates fertile ground’ for Beijing to expand its clout.

China-Africa trade makes ‘moderate’ gains despite US tariffs, currency weakness

Who is Princess Senate Seeiso, the royal who hosted Prince Harry for lunch?

Who are Julian Assange’s children – Daniel, Gabriel and Max?

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is finally free to be a normal dad after he pleaded guilty to violating US espionage law, returning home to Australia last week – here’s what we know about his family

What is Roger Federer up to in retirement? From his Uniqlo deal to charity

Besides launching his first fashion collection with Loewe’s Jonathan Anderson, Federer has attended the Met Gala, performed with Coldplay, and supported the Springboks at the 2023 Rugby World Cup

Japan’s gender gap the widest among OECD countries, World Bank study shows

Japan is ranked 73rd out of 190 countries surveyed in an assessment of equality between genders, below the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Nepal and Lesotho.

6 Chinese New Year-themed outerwear lines to stay cosy in as the mercury dips

Kenzo has dragon embroidery on a bomber jacket and denim jacket, while Canada Goose keeps things understated with just a hint of red in its Heirloom Mystique parka – great for a skiing holiday

Pink diamonds: what are they and why are they worth so much?

Most of these elusive stones come from a single mine in Australia … which just closed – no wonder celebs from Blake Lively to Lady Eliza Spencer are fans

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | Rich are getting richer but more people are going hungry. Why?

The triple whammy of Covid-19, climate change and the war in Ukraine has intensified food insecurities worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

India-Canada row challenges US ‘united front’ in region: analysts

The United States faces a delicate balancing act as it seeks to avoid alienating India over the dispute at a time of growing Chinese influence in the region.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Review | French and Japanese wine experts compete in Apple TV+ drama Drops of God

French-Japanese production Drops of God is a taut tale of wine world drama, while comedians just about escape dying – in both senses of the word – on camera in World’s Most Dangerous Roads.

How China is expanding its law enforcement activities across Africa

Beijing has signed public security and law enforcement agreements with some 40 African nations, according to report.

Why food is the new focus for China’s ties with Africa

A growing number of African products are in high demand in China after President Xi Jinping promised to boost non-resource imports to US$300 billion by 2025.

Opinion | End pandemic austerity plans that benefit only the few

More than 140 governments will cut spending in 2023, affecting more than 6.7 billion people – or 85 per cent of the world population. Unless this policy contagion is contained, the coming years will be even more painful than the era following the 2008 financial crisis.

China on course for Africa trade boost, as duty-free access list grows

Policy covers nearly 8,800 items, as China seeks to boost African imports to US$300 billion by 2025.

‘A great friend’: China strengthens ties with Africa through military aid

Study says China has provided nearly all African countries with millions of dollars’ worth of security force assistance as Beijing seeks to strengthen relations with the continent and protect its economic interests.

‘Deeply touched’: King Charles thanks public before queen’s funeral

Britain’s King Charles said that he had been ‘moved beyond measure’ by the outpouring of public sympathy following the death of his mother.

US ‘provocations’ over Taiwan must get fit response, Beijing says

China must exercise legitimate right to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Wang Yi tells Asian and African envoys to UN via video link.

China slashes African infrastructure loans but ICT funding holds firm

Data shows 11 deals worth US$1.9 billion were signed in eight countries in 2020, a 78 per cent drop on the previous year.

Who is Julian Assange’s wife, Stella Moris – who he just married in prison?

Julian Assange has maintained his relationship with Stella Moris despite being detained in a London prison, and now the couple have made it official – but just who is the WikiLeaks founder’s new wife?

13 celebrities with British royals for best friends … and not just Meghan

The Duchess of Sussex has plenty of Hollywood connections of course, but what about Elton John’s close connection with Princess Diana? Or Becks calling William and Harry ‘easy to get along with’?

Opinion | Rich are getting richer but more people are going hungry. Why?

Review | French and Japanese wine experts compete in Apple TV+ drama Drops of God