At the end of the 2027 academic year, the expansive boarding school campus near Johannesburg is to be handed over to local education authorities as per the original agreement, her statement says.

Students enrolled at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) who will not have graduated when it closes will be offered full scholarships elsewhere.

More than 1,000 girls have graduated from the school aimed at those from under-privileged backgrounds and inspired after Winfrey met anti-apartheid icon and former South African President Nelson Mandela in 2002.

Since opening its doors, the elite school – built at a cost of $40m (£20m) and located in the village of Henley-on-Klip south of Johannesburg – has not been without scandal, sparking rumours about the reason for its closure.

But a PR consultant working for the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation denied online speculation it was closing because of mismanagement

The foundation said Winfrey intended to continue with her education project by funding in a scholarship programme for academically talented girls from communities across the country to go to leading schools.

“The dream was never simply to build a school,” Winfrey, 72, explained in a statement.

“It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women. That mission doesn’t end with one campus. It continues in every girl whose future can be transformed through education.

“I’m excited that this next chapter will allow us to reach even more young women across South Africa and continue the promise that began more than 20 years ago.”

It is not known what the OWLAG campus will be used for once it is returned to the local authorities, but Gauteng province’s education department says it is “committed to preserving and advancing the academy’s legacy”.

“We will ensure that this exceptional institution continues to serve the people of Gauteng while honouring the vision upon which it was established,” it said.

When the school opened in 2007, some commentators criticised its lavish campus – it reportedly had two theatres, a yoga studio and a beauty salon.

They questioned whether the money spent on it could have been better used to help more students around the country.

Then months after OWLAG opened, some students accused a former staff member of abuse. She was later cleared on all charges.

There are currently 281 students enrolled at the school.

According to the US star’s Oprah Daily website, many of the school’s graduates have become doctors, lawyers, engineers, artists, executives and entrepreneurs.

It quotes Andronica Klaas, a graduate of 2012 and now a senior engineering lead at tech giant Meta, as saying: “Every corner of the campus was filled with so much love and care and detail.

“OWLAG convinced me that preparation, character and purpose mattered more than where I came from.”

The unidentified object caused a 10m-wide (33ft) crater a short distance from the village of Tarnawa Kolonia, about 100km (62 miles) from the border with Ukraine, during a Russian attack on the city of Lviv.

“All the indications are that it was a Russian Kh-101 ballistic missile, but we want to be 100% certain about the type of missile and who launched it,” Tusk said during a specially convened meeting in nearby Lublin.

Ukraine’s acting Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said earlier on Thursday that a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile had “crossed into Poland as part of Russia’s massive strike against Ukraine, violating Nato airspace”.

Tusk said he was in contact with fellow European leaders before heading to the scene of Thursday’s incident.

There were no reports of casualties in Thursday’s incident, he said, but it was being treated as serious. There was no immediate threat as it had not landed in a built-up area, Tusk added: “We were prepared to shoot it down if had continued its flight.”

A number of Russian drones and one unarmed Russian missile have landed in Poland since Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine began in February 2022.

Two Polish farmers were killed by a missile that landed just over the border from Ukraine in November 2022, but that was believed to have been a Ukrainian air defence missile responding to a Russian attack.

Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said about 20 objects were seen close to Polish airspace overnight and pyrotechnical analysis was being carried out to determine the identity of the object that fell near Tarnawa Kolonia.

Poland’s military detected the object at about 03:40 on Thursday (01:40 GMT) and sent an F-16 fighter jet to intercept it before it disappeared minutes later from radar systems. A military helicopter was then sent to search the area.

Air raid sirens blared in Lublin and Krasnystaw further to the south-east because of the Russian airstrikes that killed eight people in neighbouring Ukraine. Residents in Tarnawa Kolonia reported hearing a loud bang at about 04:00 and police found the crash site about an hour later.

The Polish leader had met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Lublin the previous evening as Zelensky was returning from talks with US President Donald Trump.

She is desperately searching for somewhere to live after Israel moved yellow concrete blocks that mark out where it controls in the Gaza Strip.

Families living in al-Tuffah in northern Gaza woke on Monday to find the blocks had been moved westwards into the centre of Salah al-Din road, a key north-south route through Gaza.

Nearby, an Israeli flag was flying on top of an earth barrier around 3m (10ft) tall.

The al-Shawish family home was destroyed during the war. On Sunday, they had to flee again after the Israeli military called to warn of an attack on a nearby building. Their only shelter was a tent, which was torn apart by the strike.

“We are going to die here,” Mohammed al-Shawish said. “Death is better than humiliation. No-one is standing with us.”

Under the terms of the US-brokered ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas last October, Israel agreed to withdraw its forces from across Gaza to a designated demarcation – the Yellow Line.

The deal was meant to leave Israel in temporary control of the area behind the Yellow Line – equating to 53% of Gaza’s territory. However, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) controlled more than 60%. In May, he said publicly that his “directive” was to move to 70%.

Hamas accuses Israel of violating the October ceasefire agreement by moving the Yellow Line westwards. A senior Israeli government official said Israel rejected Hamas’s claims outright. The BBC was told: “IDF deployments and security lines are operational measures taken to protect Israeli citizens and prevent Hamas from rebuilding its terror army. Israel will continue to act against any ceasefire violations.”

The Israeli military initially marked the Yellow Line with concrete blocks, before moving some markers further into Gaza. But Israel has now constructed a network of barriers, having started soon after the ceasefire. The barriers now stretch more than 42km (26 miles) and cover 85% of Israel’s Yellow Line, with the longest section already 13.8km (8.5 miles).

Experts have told the BBC that the earthworks suggest Israel is planning for a long occupation of the strip. In some areas the earth barrier effectively moves the de facto “border” – the Yellow Line – deeper into Gaza, further increasing the deadly no-go zone for Gazans.

One section of the embankment near the al-Mawasi camp is more than 1.5km beyond where the Yellow Line was originally mapped. Another section in Khan Younis is positioned more than 500m over it.

0:46Huge earth berm and trench near al-Mawasi, southern Gaza

The IDF says it is working to “clearly and visually mark the location of the Yellow Line on the ground” to “reduce friction”. It has previously rejected “all claims that the Yellow Line has been moved or its crossing by IDF troops”.

Other incidents of displacement have been reported in Gaza in recent months as the army has moved yellow blocks further into the territory into areas where Palestinians have been living during the ceasefire.

On 18 July, dozens of families hurriedly piled motorcycles with mattresses and any belongings they could manage as they fled the Zeitoun area, east of Gaza City. The IDF had issued an order to leave, and Gazans said they assumed this was a sign that the Yellow Line was being moved again. Some simply left empty-handed in their hurry to evacuate.

Locals described shooting from Israeli military vehicles, quadcopter drones and artillery shelling.

“The war is not over. That’s a big lie. Every day there are strikes, displacement and evictions,” declared Ismail Kashko. He said his family feared being hit by Israeli fire as troops approached: “We are living in tents, not in houses. There’s no concrete to protect us.”

According to the UN’s humanitarian office, OCHA, some 30 families lost their tents in Zeitoun and had to be helped with basic supplies. Satellite imagery shows scores of temporary shelters disappearing from the area in July.

Residents of Zeitoun say that to the east, they have seen Israeli bulldozers and heavy machinery where the army has been building a new base and earth banks.

The Israeli military told the BBC their “defensive posture” includes “a security zone, a physical barrier, intelligence capabilities, technological means, and operational activity by IDF troops”.

It said: “These measures are intended to prevent infiltrations and hostile activity, and to protect both the troops and surrounding communities. For operational security reasons, we will not provide further details regarding the components of the deployment, the route of the barrier, or its extent.”

To the east of the central city of Deir al-Balah, families living on farmland told the BBC they were given two days’ notice by the Israeli military before the area was razed. Satellite images show tank tracks and destroyed structures in the area, with an olive grove more than 500m beyond the Yellow Line apparently torn down. Verified video shows three yellow blocks recently placed there, the furthest of which is more than 300m from the Yellow Line mapped after the ceasefire.

Further to the south, near al-Mawasi, Palestinians say other blocks to mark the Yellow Line have moved closer to their camps. They describe daily movements of Israeli tanks, recurrent gunfire and the construction of tall sand embankments.

The founder of intelligence analysis firm MAIAR, Tony Reeves, analysed satellite images and estimated that one section of the embankments in Gaza was up to 7m tall.

Verified videos and satellite images show land and roads have been churned up and some buildings flattened to make way for the earth barriers, while Israel has continued its demolition campaign across Gaza since the ceasefire.

In June, days before beginning construction of the barrier near the southernmost city of Rafah, Israeli troops destroyed structures and rows of greenhouses in its path, satellite images show. ​​In nearby Khan Younis, IDF drone footage showed a controlled demolition of a cluster of buildings beyond the Yellow Line. By July a barrier had been constructed nearby and many more buildings were destroyed.

In July alone, satellite imagery shows scores more buildings had been destroyed beyond the Yellow Line in Khan Younis, Deir al-Balah, Zeitoun, and in the northern towns of Jabalia and Beit Lahia.

The military has also built dozens of bases, outposts and staging areas behind the barrier along the Yellow Line. Fourteen new positions have been established since the October ceasefire, including two currently under construction, while a further seven set up before the ceasefire have been paved or extended.

The IDF did not directly respond when asked about demolition activity beyond the Yellow Line. “IDF troops under the Southern Command are deployed in the area of the Yellow Line in accordance with the ceasefire agreement,” it said.

Retired Israeli brigadier general Assaf Orion, a senior researcher at Israel’s Institute of National Security Studies (INSS), said the construction of barriers and bases suggests “the IDF is preparing for a long stay along the Yellow Line, as little (if any) progress has been made in disarming Hamas”.

Dr Andreas Krieg, a security expert from King’s College London, said the BBC’s findings indicate that “Israel is turning the Yellow Line from a temporary withdrawal boundary into a de facto internal border”.

People in Gaza say the Yellow Line is already having a devastating effect, squeezing the population of more than two million into an ever-smaller space amid dire humanitarian conditions. “The Yellow Line keeps moving day by day,” said Abu Kamel Hamami who is displaced in Gaza City.

“We’re constantly moving from one street to another. Everywhere is overcrowded with people, tents and displacement camps.”

The oil giant’s profits for the April-to-June period reached $9.84bn (£7.37bn) – up from $4.26bn at the same point last year.=

The price of oil has soared since the outbreak of the US-Israel war with Iran due to major disruption to global supplies of oil and liquid natural gas (LNG) through the Strait of Hormuz.

Shell chief executive Wael Sawan said the company’s “operational performance enabled very strong results during another quarter of severe disruption in global energy markets”.

Together with its profits of $6.92bn for the first three months of the year it means Shell has seen a 70% surge in first-half earnings.

Shell and other energy giants such as BP and Norway’s Equinor have seen bumper profits this year, partly down to trading on oil price swings.

Before the conflict began, the price of Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, was around $73 a barrel.

Since then, it has peaked above $120 but also fallen back below $100 as speculation has swirled over when the Strait of Hormuz will reopen.

These big movements in the oil price can widen the gap between buying and selling prices which typically enables traders to make bigger profits.

Brent futures fell $1.29, or 1.42%, to $89.45 a ‌barrel as of 0110 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 56 cents, or 0.66%, to $83.90 a barrel.

Brent settled up 7.91% in the previous session and WTI up 6.56% in one of the sharpest spikes of the Iran war, reversing ​a 5% plunge on Tuesday after a pause in hostilities in the five-month conflict.

Thirty-nine commodity ​ships passed through the Bab el-Mandeb strait into the Red Sea on Tuesday, the highest ⁠number since July 19, with only a few transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, preliminary shipping data ​showed.

“While overall volumes are reduced, oil continues to leak out of the region through multiple channels, and additional ​workarounds are being explored. The longer this situation persists, the more these alternative routes and methods will erode Iran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz,” IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said in a note.

The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most ​important oil shipping route, through which around a fifth of global oil and gas flows previously passed. ​It has been largely blocked since the start of the U.S.-Iran war in February despite efforts to reach a diplomatic ‌breakthrough ⁠on the passage of ships through the strait.

Iran has ruled out an Omani proposed for regional joint management of the strait, a senior Iran official said on Wednesday.

U.S.-Saudi strikes hit Iran-backed paramilitary forces in Iraq on Wednesday, the first time that Saudi had publicly joined U.S. air strikes, in retaliation for drone attacks on Saudi ​oil targets launched from Iraq.

That ​marked the resumption of ⁠U.S. strikes in the Middle East, since President Donald Trump over the weekend called off a bombing campaign amid dwindling munitions.

Iran also said that it had ​fired on U.S. bases in Jordan and struck three tankers that were transiting ​the Strait of ⁠Hormuz through what it said was an unauthorised route.

Sources said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia was seeking to build a coalition to protect Red Sea shipping from Houthi attacks.

The Iran-backed group in Yemen said on July 20 that ⁠it ​would impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red ​Sea, expanding attacks on tankers and opening another new front in the Iran War in a push to also disrupt shipping in ​the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the second most important oil shipping channel.

Asked about OpenAI’s tools being responsible for improperly breaching the private technology of other companies, Trump said: “We’re looking at AI, we’re looking at controls, we’re also making sure that we lead.”

It marks a change of tone for his administration, which has taken a more hands-off approach to the technology.

Trump’s comments come after an escalation of not only the apparent hacking capabilities of popular AI tools, but White House threats aimed at competing Chinese tech.

Trump added that while some kind of control around AI tools was on the table, such a move would have to be done carefully.

“We don’t want to restrict them where all of the sudden we come in second to China,” he said.

“China has virtually no [AI] controls. It’s freewheeling a little bit,” Trump added.

The White House has been contacted for additional comment. The BBC has also contacted the Chinese embassy in Washington for comment.

In the last week, OpenAI has taken responsibility for at least two hacking incidents involving its AI tools acting outside of what they were designed and directed to do.

During a trip to Washington on Wednesday, OpenAI’s chief executive Sam Altman was asked by a reporter if there were more systems that had been breached by the company’s tools.

“I mean, there could be yeah”, Altman said.

The US government intervened when Anthropic, OpenAI’s main American rival, decided to release to the public a model that it had previously said was too much of a risk to be made widely available.

Meanwhile, in an internal White House memo from April, Trump’s senior tech advisor Michael Kratsios accused China’s AI firms of “industrial-scale” theft of US AI technology. He did so again last week, claiming that the popular Kimi 3 AI model from China’s Moonshot AI was developed by stealing information from Anthropic.

The Chinese government has consistently rejected such accusations.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also warned that Chinese AI firms could face sanctions for such activity. And the Federal Communications Commission this week banned the importation of new foreign-made humanoid robots.

Most AI models being developed in China are open source, meaning they are built and then made freely available online for anyone with the proper computer equipment to download and use.

Recently, executives from most major US tech companies have signed onto public statements of support for open-source models.

The agreements were signed on Tuesday, July 28, following bilateral talks between President John Dramani Mahama and his Gabonese counterpart, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, at the Jubilee House in Accra.

The meeting, which followed a private tête-à-tête between the two leaders, focused on expanding cooperation across key sectors and reinforcing the longstanding relationship between the two West African nations.

President Mahama and President Oligui Nguema expressed satisfaction with the cordial relations that have existed between Ghana and Gabon over the years and pledged to translate their strong political ties into tangible economic partnerships.

The two leaders agreed to strengthen collaboration in trade, investment and private sector development while taking advantage of opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost intra-African trade and regional integration.

They also identified several priority areas for cooperation, including mining and mineral value addition, oil and gas, energy, agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, forestry and climate action, maritime affairs, education, digital transformation, health, tourism, as well as defence and security.

To facilitate the implementation of these initiatives, the Presidents directed the relevant ministries and state institutions in both countries to develop practical frameworks for collaboration.

The bilateral meeting concluded with the signing of two agreements. The first was a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations between the Government of Ghana and the Government of the Gabonese Republic, while the second focused on cooperation in diplomatic training between Ghana’s Foreign Service Institute and Gabon’s Institute of Diplomatic Studies.

The two governments said the agreements are expected to strengthen institutional partnerships, enhance diplomatic cooperation and create new opportunities for collaboration across strategic sectors.

As part of his official visit, President Oligui Nguema also planted a commemorative tree in the Jubilee House gardens to symbolise the growing friendship and cooperation between Ghana and Gabon.

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The move applies to advanced robots – including humanoid and four-legged machines. Many of them are made in China, which is competing with the US to develop robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also banned imports of power inverters – devices used in data centres and solar panels – which it said could also pose a risk to the US economy.

The Chinese embassy in Washington said Beijing has long opposed the US’ “politicising” of trade issues and sanctions based on “groundless pretexts”.

FCC chairman Brendan Carr said the agency was doing its part “to secure America’s critical supply chains”.

The FCC has added the items to its Covered List – a register of goods and services that are deemed a risk to US national security.

The ban applies to new foreign-produced advanced robotic devices and power inverters and does not prevent the sale or import of any existing models that had been previously authorised by the FCC.

The FCC cited concerns that the use of foreign-made inverters could allow overseas firms to turn them off, steal data, facilitate remote access and surveillance by “foreign government actors, or be otherwise exploited through a cyberattack”.

It added that the use of robots made outside the US could allow “malign actors to surveil Americans, enhance the capabilities of foreign intelligence services, or to remotely commandeer the robots”.

The Chinese embassy in Washington also said Beijing will “take all necessary measures” in response to any moves that harm its interests, urging all countries to work together to develop AI “for the positive and for good”.

It called on the US to “abandon its hegemonic mindset, and stop smearing Chinese companies and threatening them with sanctions”.

The BBC has contacted major Chinese robot manufacturers Unitree, UBTech and AgiBot for comment.

China’s exports have come under intense scrutiny by the US as the Trump administration attempts to address trade imbalances with the world’s second largest economy.

Despite being the world’s biggest exporter of electric vehicles, China has been effectively shut out of the American market by a steep tariff.

Washington has also blocked the sale of cutting-edge US semiconductors to China in a bid to protect national security, slow Beijing’s military modernisation and maintain America’s lead in AI.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also warned that Chinese AI firms could face sanctions over allegations that they have stolen American intellectual property.

In response the Chinese government has said its country’s development of AI was “the result of its own dedication and effort as well as international cooperation”.

The US will be keen to avoid a repeat of the squeeze on supply chains that was triggered last year when China tightened export controls on rare earths – critical for electronics.

Chinese technology firms have rapidly developed humanoid robots to be used in settings including factories and homes.

Companies have also been quick to market their machines to businesses and the public ahead of US humanoid robot rivals like Elon Musk’s Tesla and Boston Dynamics.

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The purchase, valued at $60-70 million, is one of Tehran’s largest-known efforts to strengthen its short-range air ‌defences since the outbreak of its war with the U.S. and Israel, which exposed gaps in Iran’s ability to protect military sites and strategic infrastructure.

The contract covers the purchase of between 300 and 400 man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), including Chinese-made QW-12 and FN-16 missiles, the sources said.

The deal was signed with Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment, a Hong Kong-based company that the sources said was acting as an intermediary between the Iranian ​side and the Chinese supplier.

IRAN NEEDS TO REARM AFTER MONTHS OF WAR

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. Iran’s foreign ministry ​did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

China’s Foreign Ministry said: “The relevant reports are completely groundless. China has consistently played a role ⁠in promoting peace and ending the conflict.”

Beijing-based Zhong Qing Bao Shang Group, the parent company of Zhongqing Baoshang International Investment, did not immediately respond to an email request for comment ​on Tuesday.

Iran needs to rearm after months of fighting in which the U.S. and Israel have struck facilities linked to its missile, drone and air-defence programmes, and Tehran responded with barrages of ​ballistic missiles and drones.

The conflict has highlighted the challenge of defending fixed military and strategic sites against advanced aircraft and precision-guided weapons.

Washington abruptly suspended two weeks of bombardment on Saturday, but President Donald Trump said strikes would resume if negotiations failed to end the five-month-old conflict, which has in theory been in a state of ceasefire since April.

The delivery of hundreds of MANPADS would significantly expand Iran’s inventory of short-range ​air-defence weapons and underscore how military ties with China are deepening.

The sources cautioned that, although the agreement had been signed, delivery schedules, quantities and other implementation details could still change.

Under a ​plan agreed by the parties, deliveries will initially be by air from Urumqi in western China, then transiting through Pakistan to Iran, according to the sources, who did not clarify whether the transfers would take ‌place by ⁠air or by road.

Pakistan’s military public relations wing ISPR said: “Speculations of Pakistan being involved in supply of Air Defence weapons to Iran from China are absolutely concocted and false.” A spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

CHINA AND IRAN EXPLORE LAND ROUTES FOR DELIVERY, SOURCES SAY

While Iran has invested heavily in the past two decades in missiles, drones and radar, military experts say portable air-defence systems are important because they can be dispersed quickly, operated by small teams and relocated frequently, making them less vulnerable than fixed air-defence ​batteries.

A European security source said authorities in his ​country were aware of several contracts under ⁠discussion involving the possible sale of QW-series MANPADS to Iran, including QW-12, QW-18 and QW-19 systems.

A second security source, in the Middle East, said Iran had been seeking to purchase QW-12 and QW-18 missiles, but they were unaware that a deal had already been concluded.

The QW-12 ​and FN-16 are shoulder-fired, infrared-guided surface-to-air missile systems designed to engage low-flying aircraft, helicopters and drones. Their mobility allows them to be ​deployed rapidly around military installations, ⁠energy infrastructure and other sensitive sites.

Defence analysts regard the QW-12 as less capable than newer QW variants, including the QW-18 and QW-19, but say the systems can still provide an effective layer of short-range protection against drones and low-flying targets.

Two Western intelligence sources and an Iranian official said Tehran had also explored the use of overland routes to move Chinese military supplies and dual-use components ⁠more discreetly and ​reduce the risk of disruption.

The procurement highlights the Islamic Republic’s continuing reliance on a combination of domestic weapons ​production and foreign suppliers despite years of sanctions and restrictions on defence-related imports.

Reuters previously reported that Iran was close to securing a separate agreement with China to acquire anti-ship cruise missiles, according to people familiar with those negotiations. Reuters ​could not determine whether the agreement went through.

On Tuesday, the US Senate voted 51 to 47 to install Clayton, replacing the acting DNI Bill Pulte. Pulte was Trump’s original pick but faced backlash for being a housing official with no national intelligence experience.

Clayton had been serving as US attorney for the Southern District of New York, overseeing several prominent cases including the drug trafficking case against former Venezuelan president Nicholas Maduro.

“Jay is outstanding in every way, and will do a spectacular job as Director!” Trump posted afterwards on Truth Social.

Clayton, who is also a former securities regulator and federal prosecutor, succeeds Tulsi Gabbard, who left her job last month and was replaced temporarily by Pulte.

Pulte’s initial appointment in early June raised alarm for both parties, as the Trump loyalist used his other role as federal housing regulator to refer several of the president’s political opponents for possible prosecution and oversaw staffing cuts.

Shortly before the vote for Clayton’s appointment passed, Pulte posted about the cuts on X, writing that “we are, this morning, executing a 5th and near final round of terminations, an approximately 30% staff reduction from weeks ago”.

Shortly after the alarm in June over Pulte, Trump announced Clayton as his replacement nominee. Senators sought to move quickly with his confirmation.

However Clayton’s first scheduled appearance before the Senate intelligence committee on 17 June was called off by Trump, who blamed lawmakers for allowing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa) to lapse.

Initially, Democrats welcomed Clayton as a more conventional nominee than Pulte, though their opinion seemed to change during his confirmation hearing earlier this month.

Clayton was repeatedly asked whether former Democratic president Joe Biden won the 2020 election, to which he replied by saying that Biden had been “certified” as the winner. “I’m not an election denier,” Clayton told senators.

Senate Intelligence Committee Vice-Chair Mark Warner, a Democrat, said afterwards that he “came away from [Clayton’s] confirmation hearing with serious reservations about whether he would be willing to stand up to political pressure”.

“I sincerely hope he proves those concerns unfounded, because the Intelligence Community deserves steadier leadership than it has received in recent months,” Warner said in his statement.

Clayton’s confirmation could help revive congressional negotiations on Section 702 of Fisa. This legislation allows the US government to collect communications involving foreigners abroad without an individual warrant, and Trump has been pushing for its long-term renewal.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, said on Monday: “I hope [Clayton’s appointment] will encourage my colleagues to stop blocking reauthorisation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act”.

The FSB – Russia’s domestic security service – said Telegram had been used “to prepare and co-ordinate acts of sabotage and terror” inside Russia and had failed to remove channels, chats and bots used by Ukraine.

An international arrest warrant has been issued for the Russian-born Durov, who lives abroad.

Shortly after the charge was announced, Telegram’s account on X posted an image showing Durov holding up his middle finger. He has previously accused Russian authorities of “fabricating new pretexts to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram”.

Telegram is popular in Russia and is used by tens of millions of people, although authorities have been restricting access as part of a wider crackdown on internet freedom. The app is also popular in Ukraine.

Multi-billionaire Durov, 41, has lived outside of Russia for many years and holds French and United Arab Emirates (UAE) passports.

It is unclear whether other countries or authorities would comply with an arrest warrant issued by Russia.

Durov left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with government demands to shut down opposition communities on the platform. He had previously founded popular Russian social media company VKontakte – dubbed the “Facebook of Russia”.

Telegram is used by around 950 million people worldwide and has previously positioned itself as an app focussed on its users’ privacy, rather than the normal policies prioritised by other global social media companies.

The platform has previously faced criticism of its app moderation, but has denied having insufficient practices.

Durov was arrested and placed under formal investigation in France in 2024 over allegations of failure to properly moderate the app to reduce criminality. He was allowed to go home months later, with the investigation continuing.

Many others were said to be in “cardiopulmonary arrest” – a term often used in preliminary reports in Japan before a death is officially confirmed.

In searing heat, rescue crews are digging through the rubble at a paper factory and a shopping mall in Kumamoto prefecture, looking for trapped survivors. The mall suffered an explosion in the hour after the quake struck.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned it was “truly a race against time” to rescue those trapped. Thousands are in evacuation centres and many are without power.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is urging residents to be alert for the possibility of strong aftershocks, public broadcaster NHK reported.

“For the next week or so, especially the next two to three days, we would like people to watch out for potential earthquakes with a maximum seismic intensity of 7,” a JMA official said.

Tuesday’s quake hit the Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu island at 16:27 local time (07:27 GMT).

One of the worst-hit buildings was the Aeon Mall in Kashima, where a portion of the second floor collapsed.

Footage of the shopping centre showed white smoke rising as people ran into the car park. Large parts of the centre’s exterior were blown off, exposing the steel beams underneath.

Three people remain unaccounted for as rescuers search the rubble.

Aeon Mall president Akio Yoshida confirmed three people were killed in the mall explosion. Some 2,700 people were employed at the mall, officials said.

Yoshida said four people were taken to hospital from the mall, adding that one person had been rescued from a bathroom and another person was in cardiopulmonary arrest.

“We sincerely apologise for this incident,” Yoshida said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Other areas affected include a factory in Yatsushiro City where two people were found to have no signs of life and nine others were unaccounted for, NHK reported.

“Although more than 20 hours have passed since the earthquake, there are those still in need of help,” Takaichi said on Wednesday.

More than 4,600 personnel were deployed to help with rescue efforts, Takaichi added.

Officials advised rescuers and quake survivors to take precautions against heatstroke in the clean-up work as temperatures hit about 35C (95F).

Defence Minister Shinjirō Koizumi said in a post on X that about 300 air conditioning units would be flown to Kumamoto and distributed in the worst-hit areas.

The JMA measured the earthquake magnitude at 7.1 and the US Geological Survey later placed it at 6.8. Quake magnitude figures are often updated as seismologists obtain and analyse new data.

The quake’s shallow epicentre – with a depth of 10 km (six miles) – was about 20km south of Kumamoto city.

Footage aired by NHK showed cracked roads and bridges and several buildings on fire. Train services were suspended and electricity cut off for thousands of homes.

Residents in Kumamoto prefecture awoke on Wednesday to the aftermath of the quake, with images showing debris on the streets and collapsed buildings, including the worship hall of the 19th Century Yatshushiro Shrine.

One resident, Hiroko Ogata, 75, told the BBC she was at the restaurant she runs in Yatsushiro City when the earthquake hit.

“All of a sudden there was a big jolt, and I was surprised and scared… I have lived here for 75 years, but I have never experienced such a big quake. I thought I would die.”

American tourist Chantel Mohar was also in Kumamoto with her family when the earthquake struck.

While travelling in the tourist bus, everyone’s phones went off with earthquake alerts.

“There was just a lot of rocking and confusion,” she told the BBC’s Newsday programme.

Derrick Van Yeboah, 41, also known as “Van” and a leader of the criminal syndicate, was sentenced on July 28, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian. He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on March 5, 2026.

“Romance scammers do not simply steal money—they weaponise trust,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, who announced the sentencing. “Van Yeboah and his co-conspirators exploited trust, loneliness, and legitimate business relationships to steal more than $100 million. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of these calculated frauds and our commitment to pursuing international criminal organisations that target Americans”.

According to  court documents, Van Yeboah was a member of a criminal organisation primarily based in Ghana that used two primary methods to defraud victims: romance scams, where operatives built false emotional relationships online before requesting money, and business email compromise schemes, in which fraudsters impersonated company executives to trick businesses into wiring funds.

Many of the conspiracy’s victims were vulnerable older men and women who were tricked into believing they were in online romantic relationships with fake identities assumed by members of the conspiracy. The group stole and laundered more than $100 million from dozens of victims, with fraud proceeds laundered to West Africa.

Van Yeboah was personally held responsible for more than $10 million he stole through his own romance scams. For example, in 2019 and 2020, he assumed fake identities to engage in romance scams with an Ohio woman and a Delaware woman, inducing them to transfer approximately $4.2 million to accounts belonging to the conspiracy. 

Similarly, in 2024, he claimed to a North Carolina man that he needed funds for a parent’s funeral and to recover gold and diamonds from Italy, inducing him to transfer approximately $123,000.

In addition to the 85-month prison term, Van Yeboah was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $10,149,429.17 in forfeiture.

Van Yeboah was extradited from Ghana to the United States on August 7, 2025, following coordinated efforts between the U.S. Department of Justice and several Ghanaian agencies, including the Office of the Attorney-General, the Economic and Organised Crime Office, the Ghana Police Service–INTERPOL unit, the Cyber Security Authority, and the National Intelligence Bureau. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.

High Court grants 10-day interim injunction against Apostle Safo Kantanka’s funeral

In a public travel advisory, U.S. authorities stressed that the requirement applies to all American citizens, including children who also hold citizenship in another country.

The advisory cautioned that dual-national U.S. citizens are not permitted to use a foreign passport to apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). It noted that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security routinely denies or cancels ESTA applications submitted by American dual nationals.

The U.S. also urged its citizens and nationals living abroad to ensure they travel with a valid U.S. passport whenever they plan to visit the country.

It encouraged travellers whose passports have expired or are close to expiring to renew them before embarking on their journey.

Additionally, the advisory reminded travellers that passports should generally remain valid for at least six months beyond the date of entry into a foreign country to help avoid travel disruptions.

Brent futures increased by $3.30, or 3.9%, to $87.39 a barrel by 0300 ​GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $3.05, or 3.8%, to $82.31 ​a barrel.

“Renewed strength comes after the U.S. said it intercepted a ⁠surprise attack on U.S. troops,” ING analysts said in a note.

“Saudi Arabia ​intercepted drones from Iranian-backed groups in Iraq, which were targeting Saudi energy infrastructure,” ​they said, adding that U.S. and Saudi forces launched strikes on weapon sites across eastern Iraq.

The latest developments dampen expectations for a swift de-escalation in the Persian Gulf, they said.

The ​U.S. military said it intercepted ballistic missiles launched by Iran towards U.S. forces ​in the Middle East in what Washington called “an attempted surprise attack” by Tehran.

Iran’s elite Revolutionary ‌Guards ⁠later said they fired several ballistic missiles at a U.S. air base and a U.S. Central Command centre in Jordan.

Saudi Arabia also said its armed forces, in coordination with U.S. Central Command, carried out “targeted strikes” against Iran-backed groups in Iraq ​it blamed for drone ​attacks on the ⁠kingdom’s oil facilities.

U.S. crude inventories fell by about 3.3 million barrels in the week ended July 24, market sources said ​on Tuesday, citing data from the American Petroleum Institute.

Official ​inventory data ⁠from the Energy Information Administration is due later on Wednesday.

Further supporting prices, OPEC+ is likely to halt oil output increases for three months starting in October, sources told ⁠Reuters, ​after the producer group completes the scheduled return ​of barrels following voluntary cuts.

He was received at the Accra International Airport with a guard of honour mounted by the Ghana Armed Forces.

During the visit, President Nguema is expected to hold bilateral talks with President John Dramani Mahama at the Presidency.

The discussions will focus on enhancing trade, regional security, economic cooperation and continental unity.

Ahead of the talks, the Gabonese leader visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, where he paid tribute to Ghana’s founding President and pan-African icon, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

Below are some photos

Photo credit : Presidency

The donation includes protective gear, radar systems and training materials aimed at enhancing the operational capacity of the Ghana Army and Ghana Navy, particularly in surveillance, communication and maritime security.

Announcing the donation, the United States described the gesture as a demonstration of its enduring security partnership with Ghana and a shared commitment to addressing emerging security threats.

“The United States is proud to continue its longstanding security partnership with Ghana through the donation of $4 million in military equipment to the Ghana Armed Forces,” it said.

According to the US, the equipment will significantly enhance the capabilities of both the Ghana Army and the Ghana Navy.

“The equipment—including protective gear, radar systems and training materials—will support the Ghana Army and Ghana Navy in strengthening surveillance, communication, and operational capabilities,” the statement said.

The US further noted that the donation reflects the strong defence cooperation between the two countries and their collective resolve to promote peace and security across the region.

“This donation reflects our shared commitment to regional stability, maritime security, and addressing transnational threats,” it added.

The latest support forms part of ongoing defence cooperation between Ghana and the United States aimed at improving the readiness and operational effectiveness of the Ghana Armed Forces in responding to evolving security threats within the sub-region.

It comes days after the European Commission fined Google €890m ($1bn) for operating in a way that squeezed out competitors to its services.

In a post to Truth Social, which Trump owns, the US president said the EU would pay a “very big price” over how it had treated Google, along with other major US tech companies Apple, Meta, and Amazon, which have also been investigated.

“The United States of America is not a “PIGGYBANK” for Europe, nor will we allow it to be!” he wrote.

Trump said any fines should be “entirely reversed” and that he was initiating a trade investigation of the EU while considering “a substantial TARIFF”.

He added that the US would “immediately initiate a 301 investigation” over European regulators’ alleged practice of “robbing American companies and, in turn, the American taxpayer”.

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 gives The Office of the United States Trade Representative the power to react and investigate trade practices believed to be unfair. The second Trump Administration has launched several such investigations since last year.

The tariff threat comes just one day after Trump announced new tariffs on 60 trading partners, including the EU, UK and China, of between 10% and 12.5%.

Trump also last month threatened a 100% import tariff on any European country that introduces a digital services tax on American technology giants, despite many such nations already doing so for years.

Major tech companies, including Google, Meta, Apple, and Amazon, have donated millions of dollars to funds behind Trump’s campaign and presidency.

José Castañeda, a spokesman for Google, told the BBC the company had “worked hard to comply” with Europe’s Digital Markets Act but had “expressed our concerns about the impact of recent EC decisions”.

“We appreciate the engagement by the administration and US government,” Castañeda added.

In addition to the recent fine against Google, Trump claimed in his post that Apple had received EU fines of $15bn, Meta fines of $3bn, and Amazon fines of $2.5bn.

Representatives of Meta, Apple and Amazon, as well as the European Commission, have been contacted for comment.

It was not clear where the figures cited by Trump come from.

Shortly before Trump was elected president in 2024, he said Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, had called him directly to complain about fines the company had received from European regulators.

The call came not long after Apple lost a long-running dispute over unpaid taxes.

Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has been fined several times by EU regulators, including for violations of user privacy and competition laws. It is also facing new fines over purportedly “addictive” features of its apps.

Meta last year said the EU was “attempting to handicap successful American businesses”.

Amazon, however, appears to have been investigated at times by the European Commission, but avoided major fines. The company in 2022 reached an agreement with regulators to change some of its practices in Europe.

A separate regulatory body in Luxembourg did impose on Amazon a fine of more than $800mn for violations of General Data Protection Regulation rules, but that was overturned last year.

The proposed landmark settlement aims to close a long-running legal battle that has weighed on the US healthcare giant for years.

J&J has denied that its talc-based products caused cancer and has changed the formula of its widely used baby powder.

Erik Haas, the firm’s vice president of litigation, said on Monday that the allegations are “meritless” and that J&J was willing to settle in order to finally resolve the matter.

J&J said the settlement would cover about 69,000 cases, totalling most of the remaining talc-related claims. The firm will offer up to $3bn next year, with no additional payments due before 2028, it said.

The proposal must be accepted by legal firms representing 95% of the ovarian cancer claims in state and federal courts before it can be finalised, the J&J said.

Haas said in a statement that the company is confident that it would have “ultimately prevailed with further litigation” just as it has in the majority of cases heard in court to date.

He added that the proposed resolution “allows the company to put this matter behind it” and enable J&J to “remain focused on its mission to develop medicines and devices that save lives”.

Lawsuits against J&J over its talc-based baby powder started as early as 2009.

Earlier in July, a federal court handed the firm a victory by questioning individual plaintiffs’ ability to show that talc was the direct cause of their ovarian cancer.

Talc is a natural mineral made of magnesium, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen, known for its soapy feel and is often used in baby powder.

The company has faced lawsuits from consumers and their survivors who claim J&J’s talc products caused cancer due to contamination with asbestos.

Talc is mined from the earth and is found in seams close to those of asbestos, which is a material known to cause cancer.

J&J has repeatedly denied the allegations and, in its latest announcement, said: “Studies show talc is safe, does not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer.”

In 2022, J&J said it would stop making and selling its talc-based baby powder around the world.

The announcement came more than two years after it had ended sales of the product in the US.

“As part of a worldwide portfolio assessment, we have made the commercial decision to transition to an all-cornstarch-based baby powder portfolio,” J&J said at the time.

The building, identified as Elite Five Star Lodge, is reportedly located behind the institution.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with volunteers working alongside personnel from the Police Command, Fire Service and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to search for survivors trapped beneath the rubble.

Several victims have already been rescued and transported to a hospital in Oko for treatment, while bodies recovered from the debris have been deposited at a mortuary.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the number of fatalities or those still trapped.

A statement issued by the police command said security agencies responded immediately after receiving a distress call.

According to him, police officers, in collaboration with other emergency responders, secured the area to prevent further danger and coordinated ongoing rescue efforts.

He noted that the number of casualties could not yet be confirmed as emergency teams continue searching the collapsed structure for additional victims.

The police have appealed to residents to remain calm, refrain from spreading unverified information and stay away from the scene to allow rescue personnel unrestricted access as the operation continues.

On Monday Chad became the fifth country to start the formal withdrawal process in recent months, following Venezuela, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

The African state’s announcement came just days after 82 of the ​court’s 125 member states voted to dismiss Khan for serious misconduct. That triggered an election process for a new prosecutor but details ​still have to be hammered out and a vote is not expected before the new year.

After Khan’s removal ⁠from office, the court said it will continue to carry out its mandate.

“The ICC remains firmly committed to advancing accountability and delivering ​justice for victims of crimes that deeply shock the conscience of humanity,” it said.

While the ICC member states consider the procedure to find ​Khan’s replacement, the office of the prosecutor will be run by the current deputy prosecutors, Nazhat Shameen Khan from Fiji and Senegal’s Mame Mandiaye Niang.

Court watchers say it may be hard to find a good replacement for Khan amid the U.S.’s ramped-up diplomatic campaign.

“Who is now going to want to nominate for a position ​that has such challenges, because they know they will automatically be sanctioned by the U.S.,” Melanie O’Brien, professor of international law at the ​University of Western Australia, told Reuters.

U.S. SANCTIONS LOOM OVER SEARCH FOR NEW PROSECUTOR

Washington wants the ICC to drop its arrest warrants against Israeli leaders over Gaza ‌and to ⁠stop investigating alleged crimes involving U.S. troops. Officials told Reuters they were considering pressuring countries to withdraw from the court.

Chad announced its withdrawal on Monday and late Friday Venezuela, where the ICC had been conducting investigations into allegations of crimes against humanity by the previous government, said it had started the formal procedure to withdraw. Both states accused the court of disproportionately focusing on non-Western states.

In early July the court said three military-led ​African countries — Burkina Faso, Mali ​and Niger — formally started their withdrawal, ⁠which takes a year to go into effect.

The European Union and several of the court’s big backers including the Netherlands and Japan, one of the court’s biggest financial contributors, have voiced support for the court ​and concern over the U.S. position but have not announced any practical steps to shore up the ​institution.

In the coming ⁠months the court’s governing body, the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), is expected to set out the specific procedure for the election of a new prosecutor. Many legal commentators have criticised the process around Khan’s removal for its lack of transparency.

The next election will be a litmus test especially since ⁠earlier votes ​were criticised for facing a lot of political influence and last-minute changes of procedure, ​according to Ezequiel Jimenez Martinez, who wrote a book on governing the ICC.

“The ASP now needs to reassure stakeholders it has the stamina to support the court in ​its darkest hour and elect a prosecutor worth the office and role,” he told Reuters.

Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Ambassador Mike Waltz said the president was “giving talks some space; he’s giving it a little bit of room”.

An Iranian army spokesperson said on Sunday that Tehran had halted “retaliatory” attacks in the region in response.

The pause follows nearly two weeks of daily US strikes and tit-for-tat attacks, effectively unravelling the ceasefire struck in June.

Asked whether Trump had decided against escalation for now, Waltz told NBC: “I wouldn’t go that far at all. The president is keeping all options on the table.”

Waltz also rejected reports in the New York Times that administration officials had warned expanding hostilities could dangerously drain a diminished stockpile of air defence munitions.

“The US military… has everything that it needs to conduct this campaign as effectively as it needs to be,” he said.

As of Sunday evening, Trump had not spoken publicly on the latest developments, but earlier posted computer-generated images on his Truth Social account that depicted US military planes bombing Iranian ships and Kharg island.

Meanwhile, Iran and Oman held several rounds of technical talks in Tehran on Friday and Saturday to discuss management of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei.

Disputes over control of the strait reignited US-Iran tensions earlier this month and it remains a major block to permanently ending the war.

Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding in June to halt military operations and reopen the strait, as well as to reach an agreement to end the war over the following 60 days.

But after Iranian forces attacked tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on 13 July, the US resumed airstrikes on the country and reinstated its naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Iran retaliated with attacks on US military facilities and bases across the Middle East, killing four American soldiers. The US strikes have since killed dozens of people, according to Iran’s health ministry.

In the UK, new Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said he would meet his US counterpart Pete Hegseth in the coming week to discuss the strait, which is one of the world’s key transport routes for oil, liquid natural gas and other essential commodities.

“When it comes to securing maritime freedom and free commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, that’s where we are absolutely aligned,” Streeting told the BBC.

Earlier this week, oil prices hit $100 a barrel for the first time since May, as the renewed fighting stoked fears over global energy supplies.

As the war nears its fifth month, it remains largely unpopular in the US, with a new poll from CBS/YouGov suggesting 57% of Americans are frustrated about the conflict and only 19% optimistic.

Thousands of people have been killed across the Middle East since the US-Israeli war with Iran began in February, official figures show, with the vast majority coming from Iran and Lebanon.

President Trump is set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House on Tuesday.

On Friday (July 24), a source told NBC News that the 56-year-old music mogul is now in solitary confinement after he reportedly got into a fight with a fellow inmate.

According to TMZ, the prison fight started after an inmate insulted Diddy and was quickly stopped by staff.

Diddy is serving time at Fort Dix in southern New Jersey. Fort Dix is a low-security federal prison where he’s serving out a four-year sentence after being convicted on two counts of transportation for prostitution in July 2025. He pleaded not guilty during the trial.

He and his legal team have tried to appeal the case but Diddy remains in jail while waiting for the decision.

Back in June, it was revealed that Diddy’s prison release date has been moved up.

Hunt said he wanted to help after seeing news reports of the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

​​The vaccine, designed using the same technology as one of the UK’s Covid vaccines, was given in Oxford, where scientists developed it in just eight weeks.

Hunt is the first of 50 healthy volunteers aged 18-55 being recruited for the trial.

​​He told the BBC what motivated him to take part: “I had wanted to volunteer for the Covid vaccine trial but was unable to because of work commitments. After seeing news from DR Congo, I thought I’d like to do my bit.”

The vaccine uses the same technology as the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid jab, which was given to hundreds of millions of people during the pandemic.

Prof Teresa Lambe, who led the Ebola vaccine team at the University of Oxford, said they had been able to create it so quickly because of the background of decades of research.

She explained how they would confirm that the vaccine was effective at protecting people. It cannot give anyone Ebola.

​​”We will not be giving anybody Ebola in this trial or any trial.

“The aim of the phase one clinical study is to look for the safety of the vaccine, and also to see if we’re getting a strong immune response that could be protective against the Bundibugyo species of Ebola.”

​​There are four vaccines in development against the Bundibugyo species which has triggered the outbreak, but this is the first to enter human trials.

​​There is a licensed vaccine against the Zaire species of Ebola, but it does not work against Bundibugyo.

​​The Oxford team say a second small Ebola vaccine trial is due to begin soon in Uganda, followed by a bigger study, looking at efficacy, in DR Congo.

​​The Serum Institute in India has already manufactured 600,000 doses of the Oxford Ebola vaccine, ready to be used if the trials are successful.

​​To date there have been more than 2,500 confirmed cases of Ebola in DR Congo, including just over 1,000 deaths.

The Minister made the request when he received the letters of credence from Nigeria’s High Commissioner-designate to Ghana, Shehu Ilu Barde, during a meeting focused on strengthening diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Mr Ablakwa urged the envoy to look into concerns surrounding Sir Sam Jonah’s Mobus Properties in Nigeria, stressing that protecting investments across borders is essential to maintaining investor confidence and deepening economic cooperation between Ghana and Nigeria.

He noted that ensuring the safety of businesses and investments plays a critical role in promoting stronger trade and economic ties between the two countries.

In response, the Nigerian High Commissioner-designate assured the Minister that he would take up the matter with the relevant authorities and stakeholders to address the concerns raised.

The meeting also touched on ways to enhance economic collaboration between Ghana and Nigeria, particularly through increased cross-border trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Mr Ablakwa called for the removal of barriers hindering trade between the two countries, saying improved cooperation would create more opportunities for businesses and strengthen regional economic growth.

He also encouraged Nigeria and other ECOWAS member states to support efforts towards the introduction of the ECO single currency, describing it as a key step towards improving regional trade and economic integration.

For his part, Mr Barde expressed gratitude to the Ghanaian government for the warm reception and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening the longstanding diplomatic and economic relationship between the two countries.

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Elected the ICC’s third prosecutor in 2021, Khan was suspended last month. The decision to remove him was passed with 82 votes in favour.

The court’s oversight body found in June he had committed a “serious breach of duty and serious misconduct” by engaging in an improper sexual relationship with a junior ICC staff member and seeking to stop her pursuing her complaint.

Khan has repeatedly denied all the allegations against him.

His lawyers have described his suspension as “unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence”.

This process goes beyond the fate of a single prosecutor and could reshape the world’s only permanent war‑crimes tribunal.

The misconduct investigation has put the institution under a glaring spotlight, intensified divisions inside it and played out alongside an unprecedented campaign to weaken, and in fact dismantle, the ICC in its entirety.

The fear among its supporters is that the court will emerge weakened and less able to face the gravest global threats.

A second referral was made in October 2024. The matter was then transferred to the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), which conducted a broader investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of authority.

That inquiry ran from November 2024 to December 2025 and generated more than 5,000 pages of evidence and testimony.

The OIOS findings were subsequently reviewed by a panel of three judges tasked with advising whether Khan’s conduct amounted to serious misconduct, less serious misconduct, or no misconduct.

The allegations have unfolded during a period of exceptional pressure on the ICC, coinciding with wider political tensions.

The United States imposed sanctions on Khan after he sought arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes linked to the war in Gaza.

Washington’s attitude to the court in general has become increasingly hostile in recent years.

Earlier this month, the US launched a new “whole‑of‑government” campaign to dismantle the ICC “brick by brick” in what it calls a threat to American sovereignty, promising visa bans, asset freezes and diplomatic pressure on allies to withdraw from the court or reject its jurisdiction over their nationals.

The United States, Russia and Israel are not members of the ICC. However, the court can exercise jurisdiction over crimes committed by their nationals on the territory of ICC member states.

Speaking during a high-level working lunch between the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), Mr Annoh-Dompreh said Africa’s enormous reserves of critical minerals, expanding trade opportunities and environmental assets must be transformed into industrial growth, jobs and prosperity.

The meeting brought together the PAP Bureau and chairpersons of permanent committees to examine South Africa’s G20 Presidency, Africa’s role within the G20, and the implications of the incoming United States Presidency for the continent, particularly on debt, trade, climate finance and BRICS.

While commending the policy briefing, Mr Annoh-Dompreh said Africa had long articulated its position in the global order.

The greater challenge, he argued, was turning those aspirations into practical policies that improve the lives of ordinary Africans.

He pointed to Africa’s vast deposits of minerals needed for the global energy transition and said the continent should be using them as leverage.

“Africa has some of the world’s largest deposits of these critical minerals. That should give us considerable leverage in the global energy transition.”

He questioned whether Africa had developed a coherent continental strategy to govern, extract and commercialise these resources, warning that without greater coordination, African countries would continue exporting raw minerals while other economies captured the greater value through refining, manufacturing and technology production.

Responding to the concerns, Southern Transitions representative Jordan McLean highlighted the African Green Minerals Strategy and the work of the African Minerals Development Centre as foundations for a coordinated continental approach.

She noted that Africa holds about 30 per cent of the world’s reserves of key minerals and should use that position to negotiate stronger partnerships, promote value addition and participate across the production chain.

“External partners are not approaching Africa’s minerals only through the prism of the energy transition. They are also seeking to secure access to those resources.”

Mr Annoh-Dompreh also challenged what he described as inequities in global climate finance, questioning why promised financial support for developing countries had repeatedly failed to materialise.

“In the face of the vulnerabilities confronting our continent, how do we position ourselves when the polluter-pays principle is globally accepted, yet the promised support does not arrive?”

He observed that developed countries industrialised through carbon-intensive growth, while African countries are now expected to pursue cleaner development under stricter environmental rules.

“The developed world industrialised through pollution at a time when there was no comparable international climate regime. Africa is now moving towards industrialisation, but the global message is that we must rely on renewable and clean energy.”

The Ghanaian legislator also questioned the credibility of some carbon credit arrangements operating across Africa and called for common standards to ensure transparency and protect local communities.

“How do we position ourselves as a continent when questions are being raised about the credibility of carbon-credit declarations and arrangements?”

Turning to trade, he said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) remained one of the world’s most ambitious trade agreements, but its benefits were yet to be fully felt by ordinary Africans.

“We have signed the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, one of the largest trade arrangements beyond the World Trade Organisation (WTO), but it is still not being felt by the people.”

He further urged policymakers and researchers to communicate continental policies in simpler language so citizens could better understand and benefit from them.

“How do we simplify this framework beyond theory so that the average African can recognise it as a continental instrument and understand the direction in which we are collectively moving?”

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Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturing vision becoming a reality – Mahama

GES releases 2026 recruitment application status schedule

Addressing Heads of State and Government on the second day of the African Union Extraordinary Summit, President Mahama said Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturing agenda has moved beyond ambition and is now entering a phase of implementation.

He noted that the continent’s heavy reliance on imported essential medicines and health commodities continues to expose African countries to significant vulnerabilities, making it imperative to invest in local pharmaceutical production.

According to the President, strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity will improve access to essential medicines, enhance health security and support Africa’s broader industrialisation agenda.

He said developing the pharmaceutical industry would also contribute to economic transformation by creating employment opportunities for the continent’s growing youth population.

President Mahama further expressed concern about the decline in international development assistance for health, noting that many African countries continue to depend heavily on external funding to sustain their healthcare systems.

He described the situation as a defining moment for the continent, calling for bold, homegrown solutions that will make African health systems more resilient and self-sufficient.

The President emphasised that investment in healthcare should be regarded not only as a social responsibility but also as an economic strategy capable of driving sustainable growth, industrial development and job creation.

He urged African leaders, health ministers, policymakers and development partners to move beyond policy declarations and translate their commitments into concrete actions.

President Mahama stressed that the future of healthcare on the continent will depend on decisive leadership, sustained investment and a collective commitment to building a competitive pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Africa.

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Ghana marks 14 years of Atta Mills’ death with wreath-laying ceremony [Photos]

When the powerful twin earthquakes devastated Venezuela’s northern coastline, the 49-year-old fisherman had been on the boat for 18 days and was told by radio that the building he and his family lived in had collapsed.

When he got back to shore, a staggering 26 members of his family were gone.

They include his sisters, their children and grandchildren, as well as his stepfather and nine cousins. Their ages ranged from two years old to their late 70s.

“It’s a terrible, terrible thing,” he says, struggling to find the words.

“I haven’t cried for them yet, not until I find the last ones who are missing,” he adds with stoicism.

Victor’s entire family lived in a public housing complex known as OPPE 26, located in Caraballeda. The town in La Guaira state is considered the Ground Zero of the tragedy.

His daughter and granddaughter thankfully survived and their much-reduced family now lives in a tent on a golf course.

One month on from the disaster, he is not the only one still searching for, and finding, loved ones.

More than 5,300 people are confirmed to have died in the quakes and more than 16,500 were injured, according to a tally updated almost daily by the government.

The government has not said how many people are still missing, but the figure is estimated to be in the tens of thousands.

As the afternoon sun went down at OPPE26, three bodies were pulled from beneath the rebar and rubble, including that of an 11-year-old girl.

Her father, heaving deep sobs, now finally able to grieve after his desperate month-long search for her has come to an end.

Rescue workers downed tools or said a prayer as the child’s body was delicately removed in black plastic sheeting, her father’s howls piercing the air and drowning out the sound of earthmoving equipment working nearby.

“This is soul-destroying,” says Magin Hernández, a member of another search team, weeping quietly. “For the rescuers, the families, the friends; just soul destroying”.

For most survivors and victims’ relatives the soul-crushing grief is also combined with a deep and growing sense of anger at the authorities.

The resentment is palpable. Almost everyone you speak to at the Caraballeda housing complex asks the same questions: how could ten of 12 housing blocks collapse? Were the building plans flawed or corners cut or inadequate materials used? Is there evidence of negligence?

I put some those questions to Public Works Minister Juan José Ramírez as he toured the site.

The buildings were sound, he insisted, adding that no nation could have coped with the sheer scale of the disaster.

“This wasn’t one but two almost simultaneous earthquakes, both moving in different directions,” the minister argued.

“All around us you can see both public and private buildings were brought down,” he said, motioning across the road to other destroyed apartment blocks.

“The earthquake didn’t discriminate between the two.”

At one of the pancaked private buildings, in the coastal town of Catia La Mar, an unlikely rescue took place eight days after the earthquakes struck.

From beneath the concrete slabs, a security guard, Hernán Gil, was pulled out alive from an underground car park.

The jubilant scenes briefly lifted Venezuela’s spirits.

Today, Laura Barrios continues to search in the same building for her brother-in-law, whose body remains trapped in the same subterranean car park.

Most of the international crews that rallied for Gil have long since gone home and now even the earthmover, which was clearing the unstable debris, has been sent to another site.

The news that Laura’s family are searching on their own again came a day after they located the bodies of her sister-in-law and the children, aged 10 and three, huddled together in their bedroom.

“The other day was the Day of the Child in Venezuela,” Laura sobs. “But we have no children to celebrate. Ours are gone.”

She has been furious at the authorities for reacting slowly.

But she says the news that the heavy machinery is pulling out when her family still needs it has sapped her of the will to fight.

“What more can we say that this rubble doesn’t already tell us?” she asks, looking at the devastation surrounding us.

“Lost T-shirts, cutlery that was never used, crockery sets, toys. Entire lives, gone in just 39 seconds.”

In the queue for a hot meal at the World Central Kitchen – one of the US-based humanitarian agencies operating in Catia La Mar – people show characteristic Venezuelan good humour in the face of greater adversity than most have ever known.

While people need the food and bottled water, they also appreciate a smile or hug, gestures of human kindness and camaraderie.

Yet they return to cheap nylon tents, pitched on the curbside, their temporary homes for the foreseeable future.

This week, the government of Delcy Rodríguez donated 200 homes to affected families.

The overall need, though, may be 100 times higher. Reconstruction will take years and billions of dollars in investment – the World Bank has estimated that the twin quakes caused $19.6bn (£14.7bn) in damage.

Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president in January days after US forces seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and took him to New York to stand trial on charges of “narcoterrorism”.

While she has the backing of the Trump administration, it is Washington which is in control of Venezuela’s oil industry – the main source of revenue in this oil-rich country – so it is far from clear how the rebuild will unfold.

Many of those in tents once lived by Playa Pirata – a short stretch of beach which was full of visitors on the public holiday when the earthquakes hit.

They watched in desperation as their homes collapsed in front of them and ran towards their apartments to try to save relatives and pets trapped inside.

Theirs are just some of a thousand horror stories which Venezuelans still struggle to comprehend, and which have forever scarred a nation ill-equipped to cope.

Deyci Alejandra Omana Ortiz, who was known as Amaranta Hank in X-rated circles, was sworn in as a senator for the left-wing Historic Pact party in Bogotá on Monday, the Colombian outlet La Opinión reported.

Ortiz, 33, was a former journalist who became a porn star in 2017 before leaving the industry two years later, turning to politics.

She was elected in March in the Norte de Santander region and is now working to guarantee social security rights for adult-content creators.

Ortiz has claimed people working in the adult industry need legal protections to prevent exploitation by companies and agencies.

“These women have been unprotected by the state because, due to misinformation, prejudice and double standards, no one has declared to regulate it,” she said in a campaign video.

She has clapped back against critics who claim former adult stars shouldn’t run for office.

“Why can’t a woman who was in the adult industry aspire to a popularly elected office?” she said, citing past former porn stars turned politicians such as Ilona Staller – who rose to fame with her 1970s radio show “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?” before becoming an Italian lawmaker.

“My experience allowed me to understand inequality, the struggle for freedom and the popular economy, arguments that I now promise to bring directly into legislative debate,” Ortiz said.

“The problem is that society consumes adult films but denies us the possibility of speaking in spaces of power.”

The Historic Pact — which happens to be Colombia’s outgoing president Gustavo Petro’s party — is the largest in the state senate, with 25 seats.

Ortiz was elected because she was 23rd in their list of candidates.

“I feel embraced by my people,” she said after her election win.

Ortiz is also fighting for quality mental health and campaigning for measures to prevent sexual abuse.

“There is a political transformation underway that still has a long way to go but the important thing is that it has already begun in some way,” she said.

Petro was barred from running for another term — and conservative pol Abelardo de la Espriella will be sworn in as Colombia’s president on Aug 7.

The rain kept pouring as the wedding car inched through knee-deep floodwaters to the church.

It was 22 July 2025 and Typhoon Wipha was battering the Philippines with 130km/h (80mph) winds. Jamaica Aguilar already knew it was flooded at the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos, an hour north of Manila, where her wedding was to take place.

“I remember praying and asking, please stop raining just for today so we can enjoy this,” Aguilar recalls, nearly a year later. “And luckily, it stopped when I [stepped] outside the car.”

The make-up staff had warned her there would news crews, but she had brushed them off, incredulous and nervous. Now she could see them. Stepping out of the car, she spread the train of her dress outside the church, as the media lined up.

“I was just nervous, and thinking to myself, this is it, this is the one,” said Aguilar. “Although this is not how I planned it, there it is.”

It’s love in the middle of a disaster – Aaron Favila

Aaron Favila, a photojournalist with the Associated Press, captured the moment, and his photos immediately exploded online. In April 2026, he won a prestigious prize at the World Press Photo 2026 for the images.

Fossil fuel emissions are driving up climate extremes. In practice, what this means is that the scene captured by Favila is likely to become more common: a bride having to walk down the aisle barefoot and through floodwaters, while almost 10 million people in her country reel from the impact of a tropical storm. The Philippines has a long history of dealing with and managing floods, but climate change is now rigging the game.

The night before

Aguilar and her fiancé Jade Rick Verdillo had attended a mass at Barasoian Church on the eve of their wedding.

Halfway through, it started raining heavily. Floodwaters moved through the wooden benches, covering the church floor. “We were watching the news non-stop, and it was saying [the rain] might get heavier,” Verdillo says.

The couple stayed up until 03:00 reading forecasts and texting the wedding planners, the church and their guests. Would the storm wane? Should they cancel the wedding? Would guests be able to make it?

The planners and the church offered to reschedule, but not their party venue. “I jokingly said to them that as long as there’s food for the guests, it’s OK not to have the tables,” says Verdillo.

In the end, they decided to push through: whatever the next day would bring, they were determined that the wedding would go ahead.  

The wedding day

Favila almost missed capturing the wedding. He was 50km (31 miles) away in Manila, having lunch after putting together a breaking news package about flood-hit communities.

He heard about the flooded wedding just one hour before its scheduled start.

When he got the tip, he didn’t hesitate. As the only photographer in the Manila bureau, he has covered many extreme weather events, “but never a wedding in floods”.

Favila jumped into his company’s car, but waist-deep floodwaters soon blocked it, so he left the driver and hitched a lift in a large rescue truck. When he saw the white gown in front of the church, he leaped off, but the bride’s pre-ceremony photo session had ended.

“They were actually finished,” he recalls. “The wedding organisers were waiting at the door.”

Still, he managed to catch Aguilar’s attention and directed her for a final few shots before she walked down the aisle.

“It’s love in the middle of a disaster,” he said. “You see the floods, and it’s not a happy picture. So, it’s a mixture of happy and sad and resilience. I think people connected with the photo because of that.”

Down the aisle

Before the wedding, the couple had scrolled through dozens of “bride reveal” videos on TikTok. The moment when the groom and the bride see each other was special for them.

On their wedding day, it didn’t work. “I was laughing inside my head because I couldn’t see him because of the reporters in the middle of the church,” Aguilar says.

Unable to see her fiancé, she focused on her steps. She was barefoot to improve her grip.

“I wasn’t thinking about anything except, ‘Please don’t fall, please don’t trip’, because the tiles were getting slippery as I went deeper and deeper into the church,” she says.

Still, there was a benefit of having so many TV cameras and photographers in the church, says Verdillo. Nearly half of the 100 guests couldn’t make it through the flooded roads.

“If the [media] weren’t there, I think our venue would have felt quite empty,” he says.

Throughout the wedding, the waters kept rising. From the altar, the couple could see that many benches were misaligned, nudged by the currents. 

As the ceremony wrapped up, they lined up for photos. It was impossible for them, however, to know which camera belonged to the official wedding photographer and which were media. “So we were just smiling at everyone’s cameras,” says Verdillo.

Shortly after the ceremony, the couple took doxycycline pills to prevent flood-borne diseases such as leptospirosis, and asked their guests to do the same.

The aftermath

That evening, Favila filed the photos and went to bed as the newlyweds partied with their guests (after Aguilar had changed out of her soaked, heavy dress). The next morning, the couple and the photographer found themselves at the heart of a viral story. Other weddings in the Philippines had been disrupted by floods, but did not receive the same international attention.

“His photos were what went viral,” says Aguilar. “Especially the one of me outside the church. That’s the one that got everybody’s attention.”

Favila kept getting tagged on social media. Strangers sent the couple photos of them on the front page of US newspapers. Someone compared their wedding to a scene in the movie Crazy Rich Asians, in which one of Singapore’s richest brides marches through a pool of water.

Verdillo believes people found their story fascinating because it is relatable. “Problems are there. You cannot escape them. But what you can do is face them and move on with your life,” he says.

Saffron O’Neill, a researcher at the University of Exeter in the UK who studies climate visuals, says she wasn’t surprised the photos caught the world’s attention.

“These photos are so unexpected in how they pair the usual visual signals we expect to see in wedding photography (the couple, the white dress, the church, gathered friends and family) in a totally unexpected situation – standing knee-deep in floodwaters,” says O’Neill.

Favila believes his job as a photojournalist is to show people that climate change is happening now. “It’s not like before when people said, ‘Oh, in 10 years we will have great climate change effects’,” he says. “I think the effects of climate change are happening now.”

But the couple’s story is not only about resilience. Flooding became a heavily political issue in the Philippines during the 2025 storm season, following massive protests about a mismanaged $9.2bn (£6.9bn) fund for flood defences. Government inquiries identified hundreds of “ghost projects”, leading protestors to complain about backroom deals between politicians and companies. Senators, ministers and congresspeople have resigned or been fired in the aftermath.

Investment in flood defences is critical as the Philippines is among the world’s most vulnerable countries to typhoons and climate change is making these stronger. Warmer ocean temperatures due to global warming cause typhoons to become stronger and more damaging. Every decade since 2000 has seen a 17% to 19% increase in typhoon-related rainfall in the country.

Aguilar and Verdillo live in Navotas, a coastal area in northwest Manila, an area which is highly vulnerable to extreme weather and flooding. “They are slowly developing projects against flooding, but the rise of the sea level in Navotas is much faster than the effort the government is putting in,” says Verdillo.

After the couple furnished their house in 2025, their first typhoon season together took a darker turn. After water entered their house, their new refrigerator and washing machine broke down and their sofa and bed were completely soaked.

This year, they have added additional precautions, like raising the refrigerator up higher. Looking back at his childhood, Verdillo realises he had normalised flooding, but he says this is not tenable. “Now that I’m older,” he says. “I don’t want my children to experience the same thing.”

When they look back on their wedding day, Aguilar and Verdillo see it as a special moment.

“If you had told me beforehand that my wedding was going to be flooded, I would have said ‘no way’,” says Verdillo. “But now, honestly, I wouldn’t change anything about that day.”

The 37-year-old star entered his plea at Southwark Crown Court in a hearing that took less than five minutes.

His co-defendant, 40-year-old Omololu Akinlolu, a rapper who performs under the name Hoody Baby, also pleaded guilty to affray.

Assault and grievous bodily harm (GBH) charges, which the pair denied, were dropped, as was a charge Brown faced of having an offensive weapon.

Judge Tony Baumgartner scheduled the sentencing hearing for 26 October, 2026.

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The two strangers got on so well they could complete each other’s sentences – which made sense when they discovered the truth.

Dave was Andrea’s biological brother, who had been adopted by another family more than 30 years ago.

“I was shaking, I was just shaking and my heart was pounding,” Andrea told the BBC. “I’d finally found him. It’s unbelievable.”

In 2005, Dave was managing the bus station at the airport and Andrea serviced the vending machines.

Over the next two years they became firm friends, texting and phoning each other when they were not at work.

One day during a phone call, Dave told Andrea something he had never mentioned before. He was adopted and his birth name was Stuart Proudlove.

“I kind of froze and didn’t speak for a minute,” said Andrea.

Her maiden name was Proudlove and she had a brother who was adopted before she was born.

“It’s not a very popular name and it had to be him. Other than family, I had never heard that surname anywhere else,” she added.

She immediately rang her mother, Susan, to check her long-lost brother’s birth date. They matched: 24 March 1966. She called Dave straight back.

“I said ‘it’s got to be you, it’s got to be you’, and I said ‘I need to see you’, and so I went to pick him up,” Andrea said.

As they were driving to their mother’s house, Dave realised where he was. They were driving along the bus route he used to cover before becoming a manager.

His old route had taken him right past his mother’s house, and the school that Andrea had attended.

He had been within touching distance of his birth family without realising.

Susan said finally meeting Dave was a surreal moment.

“There were lots of tears. Then we just all hugged,” said Andrea.

“I couldn’t believe that I’d got my brother and my mum together, it was amazing.”

Andrea’s mother had told her that she had a brother when she was younger.

She told her he had been given up for adoption and had gone to a lovely lady who could not have children of her own.

“I immediately wanted to go and call him so we could play,” Andrea said.

Susan said she had tried to find her son with the help of the Salvation Army, but had not got anywhere.

“I asked if we could go and get him back,” Andrea said. “She did explain that it didn’t work that way, so I promised her that I would find him for her one day.”

Now they were finally being reunited.

“She had wanted that since being as young as I can remember,” Anderea added.

“So yeah, I gave her that. I promised her that.”

On the mantlepiece in Susan’s home was a picture of Dave as a baby.

It had been sent by his adopted parents to his birth mother days after his adoption.

The same photograph had also been displayed in his adopted parents’ house.

Dave had known he was adopted since he was 10 years old because his adopted parents had shown him the paperwork.

But he said he had a very happy childhood, and had never harboured any desire to track down his birth mother.

“I didn’t feel like I had to go searching or have any unanswered questions,” he added.

‘Lottery win’

For all three, finding each other has been a life-changing experience.

“I went from having really not a lot of positivity in my life at the time, to finding out that my best friend was my sister,” Dave said.

“I’d found my birth mum being able to sort of make her truly happy. And I’d found a family really that I never really knew existed.”

Their mother died recently, but both said they were glad she got to be reunited with her son.

“She was so desperate to find you to make sure you’d had a really good life,” Andrea said.

For Andrea, the reunion was bittersweet. She had longed to find her brother for years.

“My mum and dad, they separated unfortunately and so I went through a lot of hard times knowing [Dave] was out there but I didn’t know [where].”

The pair said they were now making the most of the time they have together after moving in with each other in Kidsgrove, Staffordshire.

Finding each other was, they said, their “lottery win”.

U.S. District Judge Lydia Griggsby will determine the sentence at a hearing scheduled for 9:30 a.m. EST (1330 GMT) in the Washington suburb of Greenbelt, Maryland, where Goldstein stood trial for six weeks this year ​in a case that exposed his double life as a star litigator who traveled ​the globe for multimillion-dollar poker games.

Goldstein was charged in January 2025 in the ⁠final days of Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration with concealing earnings and losses from poker ​games in the U.S. and abroad with stakes reaching millions of dollars. He pleaded not guilty.

A ​jury convicted Goldstein in February for failing to report millions of dollars in poker winnings, lying on mortgage loan documents and making improper payments through his former law firm Goldstein & Russell.

Prosecutors had asked Griggsby to sentence Goldstein to ​more than eight years in prison and require him to pay $3.1 million in restitution for ​unpaid taxes. Sentencing recommendations are not binding on federal judges, who can go beyond them, or lower, in ‌punishing a ⁠defendant.

Goldstein’s defense lawyers have urged Griggsby to sentence him to what they called a lengthy supervision period that would hold him accountable while also allowing him to “repay his debts, address his gambling addiction, and contribute to society.”

The trial featured testimony from Goldstein, law firm leaders and actor ​Tobey Maguire, who starred ​in 2002’s “Spider-Man” and other ⁠films. Maguire told jurors he hired Goldstein in 2020 to try to recover more than $7 million that a Texas businessman allegedly owed the ​actor in a poker debt.

Goldstein had argued more than 40 cases at ​the Supreme ⁠Court before retiring in 2023 and was a founder of the SCOTUSblog legal  news website. His clients included Alphabet’s Google and “Fortnite” video game maker Epic Games.

A Democrat, Goldstein was part of the team that ⁠represented Al ​Gore in the Supreme Court fight over George W. ​Bush’s victory in the 2000 presidential election.

Goldstein earlier added former U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar of law firm Cooley to his ​defense team, signaling his preparation for an appeal of his conviction and sentencing.

The package includes €100m for non-lethal military equipment, as well as a further €25m to help restore and protect Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

The announcement was made as Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin visited Kyiv for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Martin, who described the conflict as an “unprovoked war of aggression” said support for Ukraine is a top priority for the Irish presidency of the Council of the EU.

The package means Ireland has provided more than €670m (£571m) in support to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022.

Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee said Russia continued to target Ukrainian towns, cities and critical infrastructure, adding that the funding would help strengthen Ukraine’s resilience.

“Ukraine is a central focus of our EU presidency”, she said.

“Russia continues its indiscriminate attacks against Ukraine’s towns and cities. Tragically, civilian casualties are now at their highest since the full-scale invasion began. Our support will help defend Ukraine from these brutal attacks.”

The minister added that Ireland is “committed to supporting Ukraine’s EU accession path”.

The attackers ​stormed communities in the Sauna district of ​the Talata Mafara local government area at about ⁠1300 GMT on Tuesday and opened fire on ​people working on their farms, residents told Reuters.

“They ​killed at least 24 innocent farmers. We are still counting the losses,” resident Auwal Sani said by ​phone.

Zamfara is at the centre of ​a security crisis in Nigeria’s northwest, where armed gangs locally ‌known ⁠as bandits frequently raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom and steal livestock.

Residents said the gunmen travelled nearly 50 km (31 miles) along the ​Mayanchi-Anka highway, ​a key ⁠trade route, before reaching Sauna without encountering security forces.

Police and military ​authorities were not immediately available for ​comment.

Another ⁠resident, Bello Aliyu, said Tuesday’s attack lasted for about three hours.

“They rustled an unspecified ⁠number ​of livestock, leaving several people ​wounded who are currently receiving treatment,” he said.

Held alongside the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, the meeting brought together Sports Ministers, Heads of Mission, senior government officials and international sporting stakeholders under the theme: “Reimagining the Power of Sport towards Healthier, Fairer and Equitable Commonwealth Communities.”

Representing Ghana, Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, called for greater fairness, inclusion and evidence-based policymaking in the development of Commonwealth sport.

He emphasised the need to remove barriers that limit access to sporting opportunities, particularly for developing countries and talented individuals who may be disadvantaged by complex systems.

Speaking on access to Commonwealth sporting programmes, Kofi Adams stressed the importance of creating a more transparent and equitable application process that allows more countries to identify, prepare and support deserving athletes and participants.

The Minister also urged governments to make greater use of data and research to maximise the developmental benefits of sport.

He noted that while many Commonwealth countries have strong passion for sport, the potential of that enthusiasm remains underutilised without strategic planning and evidence-based interventions.

According to him, data-driven policies can help governments understand participation trends, identify areas of need and design programmes that promote healthier lifestyles while strengthening communities.

His interventions aligned with broader discussions at the meeting, where ministers highlighted sport’s contribution to public health, mental well-being, social cohesion, economic resilience and sustainable development.

Participants also called for stronger investment in community sport and greater support for countries with limited resources.

The meeting reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s commitment to building sporting systems that are safe, inclusive and accessible, with particular focus on women and girls, young people, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups.

Delegates also welcomed upcoming events including the 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games in Malta and the 2030 Commonwealth Games in India, while expressing support for Africa’s bid to host the 2034 Commonwealth Games.

Ghana’s participation reinforced the message that unlocking sport’s full potential requires fair opportunities, deliberate investment and data-informed decision-making to create healthier communities and sustainable development across the Commonwealth.

The attackers ​stormed communities in the Sauna district of ​the Talata Mafara local government area at about ⁠1300 GMT on Tuesday and opened fire on ​people working on their farms, residents told Reuters.

“They ​killed at least 24 innocent farmers. We are still counting the losses,” resident Auwal Sani said by ​phone.

Zamfara is at the centre of ​a security crisis in Nigeria’s northwest, where armed gangs locally ‌known ⁠as bandits frequently raid villages, kidnap residents for ransom and steal livestock.

Residents said the gunmen travelled nearly 50 km (31 miles) along the ​Mayanchi-Anka highway, ​a key ⁠trade route, before reaching Sauna without encountering security forces.

Police and military ​authorities were not immediately available for ​comment.

Another ⁠resident, Bello Aliyu, said Tuesday’s attack lasted for about three hours.

“They rustled an unspecified ⁠number ​of livestock, leaving several people ​wounded who are currently receiving treatment,” he said.

Speaking during a meeting with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, President Mahama said Ghana had begun developing its agenda for its tenure as AU Chair, with reparations, gender equality and child welfare among its top priorities.

“We have started looking at some issues that we will push on the agenda the year that we chair. We are already champions in several areas. One is reparations,” the President said.

President Mahama highlighted Ghana’s leadership in advancing the reparations agenda on the global stage, noting that the country, with the backing of the African Union, successfully sponsored what he described as a historic motion on reparations at the United Nations General Assembly.

“With the support of the AU, we were able to move a historic motion on the floor of the General Assembly. We’ve held the follow-up conference here in Accra called ‘The Next Steps’,” he stated.

He revealed that Ghana is planning another high-level meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to review progress made by committees established to advance the reparations agenda.

“So we are looking again on the sidelines of the UN to hold a high-level meeting to review the work the committees have started to do,” President Mahama added.

The President said Ghana intends to build on its existing advocacy efforts during its tenure as AU Chair while also promoting initiatives aimed at advancing gender equality and improving the welfare of children across the continent.

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Brent crude oil, one of two key global benchmarks, rose more than 6% to more than $100 per barrel in early Thursday trading. That is its highest level in eight weeks, since the end of May.

U.S. crude oil also jumped for a second straight day, rising more than 5% to almost $92 per barrel — its highest level since June 11.

The new surge in prices comes after Tehran-backed Houthi rebels claimed attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, following their announcement of a naval blockade on the kingdom.

It appeared to mark the first time since the Iran war began that ship attacks had spread beyond the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, opening up a new front in the volatile conflict.

The Houthi threat is so unsettling to oil markets because millions of barrels per day pass through the Bab el-Mandeb strait in order to reach global markets.

About 12% to 15% of global maritime trade worth more than $1 trillion transits the waterway every year.

It has also served as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic remains largely at a standstill with ship crossings there falling to single digits Tuesday.

Since the start of the month, oil prices have now risen about 35%. Those prices are now higher by more than 60% since the start of the year.

Along with oil prices, gas prices have risen too.

The national average price Thursday rose to $4.09 per gallon, up from $4.06 Wednesday, according to motor club AAA data tracked by NBC News.

This has erased much of the progress toward lower prices that came after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June.

That deal has now collapsed, with President Donald Trump threatening Wednesday to blow up an Iranian bridge or power plant for every vessel attacked by Tehran.

Then, hours later, came the Houthi claim to have hit two tankers in the Red Sea.

The United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Office reported a tanker “being struck by an unknown projectile” north of the critical Bab el-Mandeb strait in the area. And the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported the Encelia was set ablaze by an attack while sailing overnight in the Red Sea, citing an unidentified source from the General Authority of Transport. It did not mention the Layla.

“Inflation has remained top of the agenda for markets this morning,” said Deutsche Bank’s global head of macro research, Jim Reid, citing the jump higher in Brent oil. “Indeed, the strikes between the US and Iran show no sign of easing, and the Houthis said they targeted two oil tankers in the Red Sea yesterday, raising fears that the conflict is widening.”

That worry about inflation as a result of higher oil and gas prices has driven bond yields higher this week as a result. Early Thursday, the U.S. 10-year Treasury bond was trading at 4.67%, its highest level since January 2025.

That 10-year bond has a heavy hand in steering consumer borrowing rates. On Wednesday, the average 30-year U.S. mortgage rate rose to 6.77%, its highest level since July 2025.

The President said the engagement provided an opportunity for both countries to openly discuss an issue that continues to raise concerns across Africa.

President Mahama made the disclosure when he received the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, at the Jubilee House in Accra on Wednesday, July 22.

He said he used the meeting with the South African delegation to explain Ghana’s concerns about the attacks, stressing that addressing the matter openly was necessary to find a lasting solution.

“On July 21, President Cyril Ramaphosa sent a delegation to me, and I explained the reason why we need to discuss it. Sometimes these things happen, and we want to sweep them under the carpet, but when we do that, we do not cure what the problem is,” he said.

President Mahama emphasised that Ghana’s concerns should not be interpreted as hostility towards South Africa but rather as a constructive effort to encourage transparency and highlight measures being taken to address the situation.

“I told them that Ghana does not harbour any malice against South Africa, but we are raising it so it gives them the platform to explain what they are doing to the world,” he added.

He further appealed to the African Union to take a more active role in addressing recurring xenophobic attacks, warning that such incidents undermine efforts towards continental unity, free movement and regional integration.

President Mahama noted that Ghana had incurred significant costs evacuating some of its citizens from South Africa following previous attacks, highlighting the wider human and financial impact of xenophobic violence.

His comments come amid renewed calls for coordinated continental action to tackle xenophobia and strengthen the protection of African citizens living and working across the continent.

Tenisha Warner filed a lawsuit Monday seeking more than $1.2 million US from Warner’s mother, Pamela Warner — who oversees his trust. The suit was filed in DeKalb County Superior Court in Decatur, Ga., where Warner and his family lived, on the first anniversary of the actor’s death.

Warner was 54 when he died in an accidental drowning while on holiday with his family in Costa Rica on July 20, 2025. He was best known for playing Theo Huxtable, the son of Bill Cosby’s Cliff Huxtable on the hit NBC sitcom The Cosby Show from 1984 to 1992.

‘I had no choice’

In a statement to CBC  News sent by her counsel, Tenisha Warner said she tried to resolve what she called her husband’s “complicated estate” privately while honouring his last wishes concerning their daughter, MacKenzie.

Lifestyle news articles

“Malcolm had every intention to provide for our nine-year-old daughter and me,” the statement said.

“I have been struggling to care for our daughter as a single mom and now as her sole provider.  Legally, I had no choice but to take action to protect our rights before any potential statute of limitations expired.”

Trust dispute

In her petition, Tenisha Warner says the 1996 trust — established long before Malcolm-Jamal Warner met her and before their daughter was born — allocates 100 per cent of the trust estate to other family members, with the majority going to Pamela Warner and some to his father and a half-sister.

The court papers allege that money from life insurance and retirement accounts has already been paid out to those beneficiaries totaling more than $1.25 million US.

The filing alleges Warner failed to complete multiple financial obligations to his wife and daughter before he died. Tenisha Warner is seeking at least $1,276,042.46 US — before interest, attorney’s fees and costs — and is asking the court to recognize her and their daughter as omitted heirs and spouses, to freeze trust distributions during the case, and to produce a detailed, formal report of all financial transactions, assets and expenses.

Those alleged obligations include:

• $1,000,000 US for a term life insurance policy naming Tenisha as sole beneficiary.
• $50,542.46 US tied to an annual anniversary gift provision of $16,000 US per year.
• $30,500 US for Roth IRA funding (a specialized individual retirement account) at the maximum contribution level described in the documents.
• $195,000 US for salary obligations at $5,000 US per month (described as Tenisha’s “chief of staff” role).
• The petition also says the premarital agreement required establishing a college fund for their daughter.

Pamela Warner’s memorial post

The actor’s mother posted a tribute on his memorial Instagram account Monday to honour the one-year anniversary of his death, calling it “amazing how a year of pain, hurt, loss, emotional destabilizaton, and most importantly growth, has come and sits here before me.”

“How can I be here and my child is not,” she wrote.

Her post also advised people to take care of those they loved and to “clear up any beef you may have with your loved ones, if possible. Cleanse your spirit of negativity.”

CBC News has reached out to Pamela Warner’s representatives for comment regarding the lawsuit, but did not receive a response by publication time.

The matter is scheduled for hearings on Sept. 23 and Oct. 1 in Los Angeles.

Trump said he appreciated Tinubu’s “decisive leadership ​on behalf of the Nigerian people” and applauded ⁠his efforts to address “the violence affecting Christian ​communities,” according to the letter, which was dated ​July 6.

“It is a true honour to stand with you in the fight against terrorists and to make the Federal ​Republic of Nigeria stronger and more prosperous,” ​Trump wrote.

The letter signals a warming of ties between Abuja ‌and ⁠Washington since Trump last November accused the government of failing to protect Christians from extremist violence and threatened to cut aid to Nigeria and take possible ​military action.

Nigeria ​rejected the ⁠allegations, saying insecurity affected citizens of all faiths.

According to the Nigerian presidency, ​the two countries established a joint security ​working ⁠group last year to expand intelligence sharing, training, and operations against militant groups.

The letter was released days ⁠after ​U.S. Assistant Secretary of State ​for Africa Frank Garcia visited Abuja for talks on strengthening ​security cooperation.

The 80-year-old authoritarian leader, who has been in office since 2007, also said he would work with the congress he controls to pass new laws that would “build a wall” against the opposition.

Ortega made the announcement on Sunday during the official ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista revolution, in which he helped overthrow the brutal dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza.

Although his administration and that of his wife and “co-president”, Rosario Murillo, had already been marked by the steady erosion of democracy in the Central American country, many are describing his announcement as a significant rhetorical escalation.

“With this decision, Ortega and Murillo have sealed the country’s transition to a full-fledged family dictatorship,” said Tiziano Breda, Latin America senior analyst at the NGO Armed Conflict Location and Event Data.

During a speech in front of thousands of state employees who, according to local media, had been coerced into attending, Ortega said: “There will be no more elections here so that they [the opposition parties] can try to seize the government, seize power.”

The president, who had not appeared in public for 61 days, added: “We will work with the National Assembly and the relevant institutions on laws, because we need laws that build a wall, a barrier, against the coup plotters and the traitors who sell out their country.”

The elections were due to take place next year, but Ortega gave no details on whether they would be cancelled or whether the opposition would be barred from taking part – something that has already happened in practice. During the 2021 campaign, his regime outlawed parties and jailed all opposition presidential hopefuls.

Breda said: “Ortega and Murillo are evidently afraid of the idea that the slightest political opening could create the conditions for dissent to manifest and threaten their grip on power, possibly suggesting that their already feeble domestic support is further falling.

“Therefore, instead of staging a rigged election, they have opted to eliminate electoral competition altogether.”

Last year, Ortega pushed through a series of constitutional reforms that included extending the presidential term from five to six years and promoting his wife, then vice-president, to the position of “co-president”. The US refers to their administration as the “Murillo-Ortega dictatorship”.

During his speech, the Nicaraguan president criticised the US over the January operation that abducted the Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro: “With all their power, they stormed the presidential palace, where Nicolás and his wife, Cilia [Flores], were. They killed the entire security detail there – most of them were Cubans – and took them away to imprison them in the US. It is monstrous.”

The president said preventing the opposition from returning to power was necessary to protect the country from the “coup plotters” who, he claimed, had been behind the nationwide protests of 2018 – when, according to organisations including the UN, his regime carried out a violent crackdown that killed more than 350 people, wounded hundreds, jailed thousands and forced nearly 1 million Nicaraguans into exile.

Recently, the UN, the US, human rights organisations and 30 former Ibero-American presidents have directly blamed Ortega and Murillo for the death of the Indigenous leader and four-term congressman Brooklyn Rivera, 73, who spent nearly three years “unjustly imprisoned” by the regime, the US state department said.

According to organisations including Human Rights Watch, there are about 50 political prisoners in the country. The regime has stripped 546 people of their citizenship and shut down more than 5,600 non-governmental organisations, 29 universities and 58 media outlets.

She said Africa’s long-term health security will depend on its ability to finance its own priorities and build resilient health institutions capable of responding to emerging challenges.

Speaking on behalf of Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang at a High-Level Interactive Policy Dialogue in Accra on July 20, Prof. Ayensu-Danquah urged African governments to strengthen domestic health financing as global development assistance becomes increasingly uncertain.

The dialogue, organised by the African Renaissance Trust and the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation on the sidelines of the African Union Extraordinary Summit, focused on advancing domestic health financing, accountability and strategic innovation across the continent.

Reflecting on the Abuja Declaration, under which African countries pledged 25 years ago to allocate at least 15 per cent of their national budgets to health, the Deputy Minister said the continent must critically assess its progress in light of changing global financing realities.

“Official development assistance is less certain. Long-standing funding models are changing. Programmes that many health systems have relied on can no longer be taken for granted,” she said.

“That reality means Africa must strengthen its ability to finance its own priorities, build enduring institutions and invest in health not as a recurring expense, but as a foundation for economic growth and human development.”

Prof. Ayensu-Danquah said Ghana is pursuing universal health coverage through policies aimed at expanding access to quality healthcare, improving health outcomes and reducing out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

She highlighted the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares, and the Free Primary Healthcare Initiative as two flagship programmes introduced to address financing gaps and improve healthcare delivery.

According to her, the Ghana Medical Trust Fund provides financial support for the diagnosis, treatment and long-term management of chronic non-communicable diseases that are either inadequately covered or not covered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

She said the fund also supports specialist healthcare by investing in medical infrastructure, equipment, research and specialist training.

On the Free Primary Healthcare Initiative, Prof. Ayensu-Danquah explained that the programme complements the NHIS by expanding access to essential primary healthcare services, with a strong focus on disease prevention and early detection.

She said every Ghanaian will be entitled to routine health screening for conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and certain cancers, as well as maternal and child healthcare, immunisation, treatment of common illnesses, community outreach, home visits and public health education.

The initiative, she noted, is being rolled out in phases, beginning with 150 underserved districts before nationwide implementation over the next few years.

The Deputy Minister also announced that the government has committed an initial investment of US$50 million to establish the National Vaccine Institute to boost local vaccine production and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

She said the investment builds on Ghana’s growing regulatory capacity, including the Food and Drugs Authority’s attainment of the World Health Organization’s Maturity Level 3 status and ongoing efforts to commercialise locally manufactured anti-snake venom.

Prof. Ayensu-Danquah welcomed the launch of the African Renaissance Health Financing Insights Dashboard, describing it as an important accountability tool that will help governments monitor health financing commitments and measure progress across the continent.

She stressed that building resilient health systems requires more than financing, calling for greater investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing, research, innovation, workforce development and stronger continental health institutions.

Concluding her remarks, the Deputy Minister urged African governments to move beyond policy commitments and deliver tangible improvements in healthcare.

“Our declarations must be translated into measurable progress in the lives of our people,” she said.

She reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to working with the African Union, regional institutions and development partners to build stronger, more resilient and self-reliant health systems across Africa.

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An announcement is expected from US President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday, US officials were cited as saying.

The agreement could be worth billions of dollars to the US, whose companies could be involved in building a facility to produce enriched uranium, which can be used as fuel for power plants but also to make nuclear bombs.

Nuclear experts and former officials in Israel – the US’s top ally in the Middle East – have voiced concern that the plan could ultimately lead to Saudi Arabia being able to develop a nuclear weapon.

The BBC has asked the White House for comment.

The US media reports say that, under the terms of the arrangement, after undertaking a joint study with the US, Saudi Arabia may be allowed to enrich uranium on its soil to produce fuel at a US-built enrichment facility instead of relying on imported fuel.

That provision would distinguish this agreement from another one that was struck by the US in 2009 with Saudi Arabia’s neighbour, the United Arab Emirates, under which the UAE does not produce its own fuel and accepts a host of other restrictions.

For that reason, the agreement is also expected to attract the concern of nuclear non-proliferation campaigners, whose ultimate aim is to prevent an increase in the number of nuclear weapons worldwide.

The nuclear issue has been at the centre of the months-long US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The two nations say one of the reasons they attacked Iran in February was to prevent the country from ever developing a nuclear weapon – something that Tehran denies planning to do.

Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, told CBS News in 2018 that his own nation was not planning to acquire a nuclear weapon, but that “without a doubt if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible”.

The US-Saudi deal due to be unveiled on Wednesday has already been approved by Trump and will last 30 years, according to the Wall Street Journal.

If the US objects to enrichment taking place in Saudi Arabia following the joint study, the kingdom would not be allowed to do so on its own or with another foreign partner for 10 years, the newspaper says.

The plan will now be sent to the US Congress. Some lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle are also expected to oppose the deal, though Trump’s Republican Party controls both the upper and lower chambers.

The US-Saudi deal has not been made contingent on the Saudis normalising diplomatic ties with Israel, the New York Times reports. The push for Saudi-Israeli normalisation has been an aspiration of successive US presidents.

“In light of trade action threatened by the United States earlier this week, it would be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event ​between the two countries,” Jenna Ghassabeh, a spokesperson for Canadian ​Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, said in an emailed statement.

The ⁠bridge is scheduled to open to traffic on July 27. ​A ribbon-cutting ceremony was planned for July 24, with U.S. and Canadian ​officials expected to attend, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said in interviews with local media.

Canada is still “committed” to opening the bridge on July 27 but will ​mark the milestone by celebrating “among Canadians” on July 24, Ghassabeh ​said.

On Monday, Trump unveiled 50% tariffs on a wide range of imports from Canada in ‌response ⁠to what the U.S. administration called its discriminatory treatment of American-made cars, alcohol and dairy goods.

The $4.7-billion bridge, named after the legendary Detroit Red Wings hockey player, had originally been set to open ​in June.

In February, ​Trump threatened to ⁠block the project, citing Canada’s refusal to stock some U.S. alcoholic beverages, its tariffs on dairy ​products and its trade talks with China.

The bridge ​opening was ⁠allowed to proceed after the U.S. and Canada struck a deal on tolls this month.

The new bridge will help ease truck traffic on ⁠the ​Ambassador Bridge into Detroit, the U.S.-Canada ​border’s largest freight port, which handled $126 billion in trade carried by commercial trucks in ​2023.

Ants are not among the 10 insect species approved for human consumption under the country’s laws. The approved list includes grasshoppers, locusts and two-spotted crickets, among others.

Prosecutors on Monday also asked that the restaurant, which holds two Michelin stars, be fined 20 million Korean won ($13,510; £10,100).

The owner admitted to serving ants but argued that they were used in a “small part” of the restaurant’s 15-course menu – as a topping for sorbets – and that diners were told they could opt for non-ant toppings.

The case came to light after officials from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety found reviews that diners had posted online with photographs of dishes sprinkled with ants.

Investigators estimate that some 49,000 ants, imported from the US and Thailand, were used in several dishes over four years.

Health authorities also found that the restaurant used ants that “contained up to 55 times more heavy metals than typical edible insects”, according to a report on The Chosun Daily.

South Korean authorities consider several criteria in deciding whether insects can be approved as food. These include food safety risks, toxicity, nutritional value, and whether they can be bred and processed hygienically.

In its defence the restaurant owner argued that just 60% of diners had opted to try the ants, while the rest were served alternatives like fermented vinegar and edible flowers.

He added that restaurants in other countries, such as Australia, Denmark and the UK, also use ants as ingredients.

Court documents did not name the restaurant nor its owner. Ten restaurants in South Korea, all located in capital city Seoul, have been awarded two Michelin stars.

The Michelin Guide awards up to three stars to eateries based on ingredient quality, flavour mastery, cooking technique, chef’s personality and consistency.

Two stars denote restaurants that do “excellent cooking” and are “worth a detour”, according to Michelin’s criteria.

The court is set to deliver its verdict on 2 September.

Ants are eaten, sometimes even valued as a delicacy, in several Asian, African and Latin American cultures. Weaver ants and their eggs are used in Thai and Cambodian cooking, while in Colombia, queen ants are as prized as caviar.

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Musa Aliyu, who leads the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, has alleged that he was stopped while driving in the capital , Abuja, on Saturday, and forced to withdraw 53,000 naira (£28; $38) from a cash machine.

Police Commissioner Ahmed Sanusi accused the men of abandoning their official posts to set up the unauthorised roadblock.

They now face a police disciplinary procedure that could result in their sacking. It is rare that these kinds of cases end up in court.

Aliyu’s report of the incident to the police prompted what the commissioner described as an “intelligence-driven operation”. That led to the arrest of the alleged ringleader and subsequently the other suspects.

In an interview with BBC Hausa, Aliyu explained what happened after he was flagged down on a busy road.

“When I stopped, a policeman came to my car door. I wound down the window, and he told me to open my car, so I did.”

The policeman then got in.

“He then asked me for my driver’s licence. I brought it out, and he asked me to give it to him, so I did. Then he said he would take me to court for violating traffic rules. I told him: ‘Let’s go to court.'”

But instead, Aliyu alleged, the policeman asked him for money by telling him: “You are a big man; you wouldn’t want your time to be wasted, but even if we go to court, you will be fined 52,000 naira.”

“I asked him to give me his bank account number so I could transfer the money, but he refused.” Instead, Aliyu alleged, he went to a cash machine and withdrew the money.

The national police chief condemned the officers’ alleged conduct in strong terms, warning that the command would no longer tolerate abuses of power.

“You have to choose: either a policeman or a thief,” Sanusi said. “You cannot be both. If you fail to choose, your actions will determine where you belong.”

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The study refers only to U.S.-supported care, and some of the children may have received treatment through national governments or other donors.

The analysis of U.S. government data found U.S.-supported pediatric HIV treatment fell by around 14% year-on-year, although the researchers said more detailed country-level data were needed to assess the full impact.

“These are signals, ​not a verdict. But children cannot wait,” said Kenneth Ngure, professor of global health at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology ​and a co-author of the study, presented at the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.

Other studies, including ⁠by UNAIDS, have also shown gaps in the HIV response since the cuts.

The U.S. State Department said it had not reviewed the study in ​detail but its methodology was flawed.

They said the decline was a sign of the success of the program, as fewer children were getting infected with ​HIV, and the numbers on treatment had been going down for four years.

But the authors said that the declines last year were steeper than this historical trend in five countries: Uganda, Haiti, Zambia, South Africa and Kenya.

DECLINE IN U.S.-BACKED TREATMENT

To reach their conclusions, Ngure and team analyzed data provided by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the international U.S. ​HIV program. They found a decline in U.S.-supported pediatric treatment in 20 of 21 countries analyzed.

Other agencies and national governments may have stepped in to ​keep children on treatment – a stated aim of the U.S – and the decline in coverage is also slightly lower if “central support”, or U.S. funding for national or sub-national ‌level work, ⁠rather than at clinics, is included: around 55,000 fewer children were reached last year under that metric.

The countries were chosen because they all had more than 2,000 children receiving PEPFAR-supported HIV treatment, the team said.

South Africa saw the largest absolute decline of around 30,000 fewer supported children, or 45%, followed by Zimbabwe, Kenya and Malawi.

South Africa, the country which has the most people living with HIV in the world, already funds the majority of its ​response. The U.S. has said it will ​no longer support efforts in ⁠the country.

‘FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS’

Health advocate Susan Wairimu Metta, who works with HIV-affected communities in Kisumu West, Kenya – the Kenyan area with the highest HIV prevalence rates outside Nairobi – said she recognised the picture painted by the new ​study.

“The funding cuts have had a real impact on paediatric HIV care in Kenya,” she said.

She said ​a decline in the ⁠availability of community support groups as well as new charges for tests that were previously free made it harder for families to stay fully engaged in care. This has led to a rise in the number of children presenting with advanced HIV in her region, she said.

The worst impact was during the initial period ⁠last year ​when the U.S. issued “stop work” orders as it began to dismantle parts of its international ​aid program, she said, but the situation has improved since then, in part because the Kenyan government has trained staff to help fill gaps.

“But many of the community-based support systems that ​prevented children from falling through the cracks have still not been fully replaced,” she added.