Writtten By Lisa Murimi

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have escalated once again, with Ukraine reporting an incident involving a sea drone hitting a Russian oil tanker in the Black Sea.

This development has raised the international alarm and further complicated the ongoing conflict between the two neighbouring countries.

The attack on the Russian oil tanker adds to the complexity of the situation, with both sides engaging in aggressive actions that could have far-reaching consequences for regional stability.

Ukraine officials have not yet released specific details about the sea drone attack, but it has deepened the rift between the nations and raised questions about the potential involvement of unmanned military technology.

Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions have become even more critical, with the international community calling for restraint and a peaceful resolution to avoid further escalation.

The fluid and unpredictable situation in the region requires efforts to prevent further violence and find a path towards peaceful negotiations.

A stable and peaceful resolution is essential for Ukraine and Russia, as well as global peace and security.

The international community must continue to engage with both parties to find a way forward and prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.

At least 16 people were killed and dozens were missing after a landslide at a resort town in northwestern Georgia, officials said Saturday.

The landslide took place on Thursday in Shovi, a small resort town in Georgia’s mountainous northwest famed for its vast forests and mineral water springs.

“Sixteen bodies have been found in the disaster area and their identification is underway,” said Teimuraz Mghebrishvili, from the interior ministry.

Images showed rescue workers picking through debris partially buried by earth, while teams worked to shift the soil.

“An iron bridge over the river was organised, which will allow us to bring all the necessary equipment into the disaster area,” Mghebrishvili said.

More than 200 people were evacuated from the area, officials said Friday, as helicopters and rescue dogs were dispatched to help with the search efforts.

Shovi, located in a remote valley about 140 kilometres (87 miles) northwest of the capital Tbilisi, lies on the confluence of two rivers.

The Red Cross said bridges and roads in the area had been destroyed.

One survivor said she spent two hours half-buried in the landslide.

“We suddenly heard a dreadful rumble, and trees began to fall around us,” Mariam Berianidze, a 25-year-old student, told AFP.

She said in an earlier post on social media that she saw three people swept away before her eyes.

Merab Gaprindashvili, a geologist from Georgia’s National Environmental Agency, said Thursday’s landslide was caused by a combination of factors and was unlikely to happen again.

“In particular, there are two glaciers in the headwaters of the river, which are intensively melting. This was accompanied by heavy rainfall,” he said in a televised interview.

Russia’s Patriarch Kirill expressed “his deepest condolences in connection to the tragedy” to the head of the Georgian Orthodox church, Patriarch Ilia II.

“I grieve together with the people of fraternal Iveria and hope that the search and rescue operations… will bring good news to everyone who is worried about the fate of their loved ones,” Kirill said.

Heavy rains and flooding are fairly common in Georgia, where steep slopes pose a risk of landslides.

In 2008, six people were killed by a landslide in the southern Black Sea region of Adjara.

UNITA, a former rebel group turned political movement that lost a disputed election last year, has said it wants to initiate a parliamentary process to remove Lourenco from office, accusing the 69-year-old of being authoritarian.

“Someone is responsible for famine, unemployment and the jailing of demonstrators. Who is he?” UNITA leader Adalberto Costa Junior asked a crowd of supporters waving red and green flags — the party colours — in Luanda.

“Joao Lourenco!” came the reply.

The demonstration was organised to celebrate the birthday of former UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi, whose death at the hands of the army in 2002 marked the end of a 27-year civil war between UNITA and Lourenco’s ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).

But it was used to pile pressure on the government amid popular discontent at poverty, corruption and a shaky economy.

“UNITA is trying to capitalise on the widespread social discontent in society,” said independent analyst Marisa Lourenco, who is not a relative of the president’s.

The oil-rich southern African nation has experienced a wave of protests since the government cut subsidies for petrol in June.

The move was aimed at curbing government spending, as the economy suffers from a slide in oil prices that has weakened the local currency, the kwanza. But it resulted in unpopular sharp fuel price hikes.

“We have a government that does not deserve Angolans,” Costa Junior said.

“Down with the robbers, down,” chanted the crowd.

Under Angola’s constitution, the president can be removed from office if he is considered to have committed acts that threaten democracy.

But UNITA is yet to say when it intends to initiate proceedings and has been scant on details over the specific charges against Lourenco.

The opposition might be hoping to exploit divisions within the ruling party via a secret ballot but observers say the initiative is unlikely to succeed.

Removing the president requires a two-thirds majority vote in parliament and support from the courts. The MPLA, in power since 1975, controls both, said Lourenco, the analyst.

The MPLA has dismissed UNITA’s efforts to remove the president as “unserious” and “undemocratic”.