Speaking on Adom TV’s Badwam show, the MP said the continued attacks and the absence of visible action against perpetrators suggest that authorities in South Africa are not doing enough to protect foreigners.

“It is now clear that the attacks are being perpetrated by the South African government and people,” he stated.

According to him, he initially believed the violence was being carried out by isolated groups and expected the South African government to take decisive action against those involved.

“At the early stages, I condemned it and even said it was probably a group doing that, and we expected the government to put in place sanctions,” he said.

However, he argued that the situation has worsened without any meaningful intervention from authorities.

“They condemned it and vowed to take action, but till now, have you heard of any arrest or action against anyone?” he questioned.

The Akwatia MP said that if South Africa no longer wants foreigners within its borders, the government should openly communicate that position so African migrants can make informed decisions.

“If they no longer want foreigners in their country, they should make it clear so we advise ourselves,” he added.

Mr. Bediako further expressed disappointment in the silence of international bodies, including the African Union, over the attacks.

“It appears that international organisations are focused on other global issues while the AU remains silent on what is happening in South Africa,” he said.

“So if we spend money on conferences and cannot condemn such acts, then what are we doing?” he asked.

He also referenced Africa’s historical support for South Africa during the apartheid era, arguing that the country should be the last on the continent to witness xenophobic violence.

“With the history of South Africa, they are the last country to do this because other African countries contributed to where they are today,” he noted.

The MP expressed concern about the safety of foreigners currently living in South Africa, stating that many may no longer feel protected by the authorities.

“Clearly, I don’t think foreigners will get protection from the South African government, so people should advise themselves and start going back to their countries,” he said.

He added that any evacuation effort by governments would likely have to be voluntary, explaining that “you cannot force everyone to move.”

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Speaking in an interview on Adom TV’s Badwam show, the MP expressed concern over the recurring attacks on foreign nationals, arguing that the situation has persisted for too long without decisive action from South African authorities.

“This is becoming one too many and has gone on for long. South Africa has stabbed the rest of Africa in the back because there was a time they went through difficult moments under apartheid,” he said.

According to him, countries across Africa, including Ghana and Nigeria, stood firmly with South Africa during its struggle against racial oppression.

“During the time of Kwame Nkrumah and our forefathers, Africans supported South Africa. We stood by them,” he noted.

Mr. Awuku stressed that national development cannot rely solely on citizens, pointing out that many South African companies operate freely in Ghana and other African countries.

“National development doesn’t take only indigenes. It requires foreigners too. When you come to Ghana, we have many South African companies here,” he said.

He questioned why xenophobic violence continues to resurface in South Africa almost every year despite repeated assurances of action from authorities.

“We are in Ghana and we are seeing videos of these xenophobic attacks, so how can the South African government claim not to know what is happening?” he asked.

The MP also criticised the response of South African authorities, arguing that the country’s strong media and security systems should make such incidents easier to control.

“They have radio and television stations to inform, educate and entertain. So if South Africa, with all its security architecture, cannot deal with this, then it is worrying,” he stated.

Mr. Awuku suggested that if South Africa no longer wants foreign nationals, authorities should openly declare it.

“If it is now an orientation that they don’t want foreigners in their country, then they should make it clear and close their borders so people won’t even attempt to go there to do business,” he said.

However, he warned that such actions could trigger retaliatory measures across the continent.

“When that happens, they should know there will be reprisals because they cannot eat their cake and have it. They cannot ignore international laws and expect others to accept it,” he added.

The Akuapem North MP also shared a personal example, revealing that his uncle has worked as a medical doctor in South Africa for more than a decade and has built a family there.

“My uncle has practiced medicine there for over 10 years, married and has South African children. So because he is a foreigner who has saved lives, he still won’t be considered part of them?” he questioned.

Mr. Awuku further called on regional and continental bodies, including ECOWAS and the African Union, to take a stronger stance on the attacks.

“ECOWAS, the AU and other regional blocs must speak truth to power,” he said.

He warned that while some governments may consider evacuating their citizens for safety reasons, many affected persons could lose their livelihoods and properties in the process.

“People may be evacuated for safety, but they cannot move with their businesses and properties. Many of them will lose their livelihoods,” he lamented.

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Speaking after leading members of the committee to a conference in The Gambia, Dr. Agyemang said increasing public awareness on human rights is essential to addressing many of the continent’s social and developmental challenges.

According to him, many cases of abuse and neglect persist because citizens are often unaware of their rights and the responsibility of governments to protect them.

“It is important that we educate people on human rights and human rights violations. People need to know their rights so they can demand accountability and justice where necessary,” he said.

Dr. Agyemang explained that issues such as preventable diseases, poor healthcare systems, unsafe roads and lack of access to clean water should also be seen as human rights concerns.

“When a child dies from a preventable disease, that is a human rights issue because every child has the right to live and should not die from illnesses that can be prevented,” he stated.

He also highlighted the struggles faced by many women in rural communities, particularly pregnant women who travel long distances in search of water under unsafe conditions.

“When a pregnant woman has to walk long distances to fetch water and gets bitten by a snake, that is also a human rights issue because she is being denied access to quality roads and clean, accessible water,” he added.

The Abuakwa South MP stressed that education remains one of the strongest tools for addressing human rights challenges and proposed the inclusion of human rights studies in school curricula across Africa.

He suggested that human rights education should be introduced at the basic, secondary and tertiary levels to help raise a generation that better understands justice, equality and civic responsibility.

Dr. Agyemang further called on churches, marketplaces, civil society organisations and community groups to actively promote conversations around human rights issues.

According to him, broadening public understanding of human rights would help strengthen democracy and improve the quality of life for citizens across the continent.

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Russia had launched more than 1,560 drones since the start of Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. At least 11 people have been killed in the strikes, officials said

He said Moscow had launched more than 670 attack drones and 56 missiles overnight, and air defence units shot down 41 of ​the missiles and 652 drones, the air force said.

“These are definitely not the actions of those who believe the war is coming to ​an end,” Zelenskiy said.

“It’s important that partners do not remain silent about this strike. And it is equally important ⁠to continue supporting the protection of our skies.”

At least five people were killed in Kyiv, Zelenskiy said. Six people were killed in a rare daytime ​attack carried out across western Ukraine on Wednesday, officials said.

Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The war, which has killed hundreds of thousands and ravaged swathes ​of Ukraine, has continued despite a U.S.-backed peace push although Moscow’s battlefield advances have stalled this year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday he thought the war was coming to an end. There was no immediate comment from Moscow on Thursday’s attacks.

Kyiv was the main target of the overnight strikes, Zelenskiy said, adding that there was damage across 20 locations ​in the city and also in the Kyiv region. About 40 people including two children were wounded, officials said.

Dozens of emergency workers were cutting through ​concrete at the site of a Russian drone strike on a nine-story residential building where an entire section had been destroyed.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said more than 10 ‌people were ⁠still missing as rescuers cleared the debris.

“There were people there, children. What happened to them? You have to understand, an entire building collapsed,” Alla Komisarova, 74, a pensioner, told Reuters on the site of the strike, holding back tears.

“I heard something flying, it’s flying nearby…And then there was such a terrible sound, and our house, which is opposite (to the one hit) jumped and staggered.”

DAMAGE ACROSS UKRAINE

Zelenskiy said that overall 180 facilities had been damaged in Ukraine, including more ​than 50 residential buildings.

He said a UN ​Office for the Coordination of ⁠Humanitarian Affairs vehicle had come under fire from drones during a humanitarian mission in the Ukrainian city of Kherson.

The Russian striikes disrupted water supplies in Kyiv, and authorities were turning on generators to restore flows to households, the city’s mayor ​said.

Twenty-eight people including three children were wounded in Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, where civilian infrastructure was targeted, regional ​governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Ukraine’s ⁠energy ministry said electricity supplies in 11 regions had been disrupted, and the strikes also targeted port infrastructure in the southern Odesa region and railways, officials said.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the attack – while U.S. President Donald Trump is visiting China – showed Russia wanted to continue fighting despite Washington’s peace push, and said pressure was needed on ⁠Moscow to ​end the war.

“I am certain that the leaders of the United States and China have ​enough leverage over Moscow to tell Putin to finally end the war,” he wrote on X.

British defence minister John Healey, writing on social media, said he had directed officials to send air-defence ​aid to Ukraine “as fast as possible”.

Additional reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Dan Peleschuk, Valentyn Ogirenko and Ron Popeski; Editing by Daniel Flynn, Toby Chopra and Timothy Heritage

The sentencing was announced in a press release on Wednesday by the Office of the US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan.

The sentencing was delivered by Chief US District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, who also imposed a concurrent 60-month sentence for tax evasion and ordered Ezeh to pay $1.4 million in restitution and $390,174 to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Ezeh, 61, of Kent County, Michigan, was the founder and former CEO of Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative, a West Michigan nonprofit that provided early childhood services in underserved communities.

She is also a former Associate Professor of Education and Director of Early Childhood Education Program at Aquinas College.

She was immediately remanded into federal custody after sentencing.

During the proceedings, Judge Jarbou described Ezeh as “a fraud and a thief,” adding that the scheme was “brazen and widespread,” and involved funds intended for some of the region’s most vulnerable children.

US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Timothy VerHey, said Ezeh diverted money meant for low-income children for personal use.

“Nkechy Ezeh’s greed is beyond reprehensible.

“She stole taxpayer and private-donor dollars meant for low-income children in our community. Instead of helping kids, she spent that money on herself.

“The stolen money could have supported hundreds of West Michigan children and their families. Judge Jarbou’s sentence was perfectly appropriate,” VerHey said.

According to court filings, Ezeh used stolen funds to finance personal expenses, including travel to Hawaii, Europe and Africa, as well as a family wedding.

Prosecutors also said she placed relatives on a “ghost payroll,” enabling them to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars for little or no work.

She was further accused of using intermediaries to transfer stolen funds to family members in Nigeria.

The nonprofit, ELNC, was funded by US federal programmes including Head Start, the Department of Education, and private donors. It provided meals, transport and support services to children in low-income communities.

Following the fraud, ELNC shut down in 2023, leading to the loss of funding for several preschools and the layoff of 35 employees.

A former bookkeeper at the organisation, Sharon Killebrew, who was identified as a co-conspirator, was earlier sentenced to 54 months in prison for her role in the scheme.

US authorities said the case highlights the abuse of federal grants and its impact on vulnerable communities, particularly children in low-income neighbourhoods.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation unit, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Stiffler prosecuted the case.

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Kelvin Evans, 41, pleaded guilty to charges including entering an automobile and criminal trespass last year in Atlanta, Georgia. A judge sentenced him to an additional three years of probation.

Apparently at random, Evans broke into a Jeep Wagoneer rented by a choreographer and dancer for Beyoncé on 8 July 2025, as the singer’s Cowboy Carter tour was coming to Atlanta.

The two returned to find the vehicle’s rear window smashed and their luggage gone. Investigators have not recovered the hard drives or other stolen items.

Evans struck a plea deal in court on Tuesday ahead of his trial this week, according to court documents filed in Fulton County Superior Court.

The records, obtained by the BBC, indicate that Evans was a repeat offender.

His lawyer told the judge his client was “hoping for a future where he can make money legitimately and be part of society like the rest of us”, according to the BBC’s US media partner CBS News.

Jury selection in the case began on Monday and prosecutors showed surveillance footage of a red Hyundai driven by Evans, pulling up next to the rental car in a parking garage.

Another surveillance video showed the same red Hyundai arriving at an apartment block, with Evans handling suitcases believed to belong to Beyoncé choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue.

Grant and Blue had told police that the items stolen from their rental car included two MacBook laptops, Apple headphones, luxury clothing and accessories, and hard drives that investigators said contained unreleased Beyoncé material.

Grant also told authorities he was carrying “personal sensitive information” belonging to Beyoncé.

Prosecutors said the stolen laptops had tracking technology that placed the items at the address seen in the second video.

As part of his sentence, Evans has been ordered to stay away from the victims as well as the car park where the theft took place.

He has been in jail since his arrest in August last year. He was indicted by a grand jury in October and originally pleaded not guilty to charges in January.

He rejected a similar plea deal in March, according to CBS.

The break-in happened just before Beyoncé launched the four-night leg of her Cowboy Carter tour at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

They said the worst-hit was the central Dnipropetrovsk region, where eight people were killed and 11 injured throughout Tuesday. One casualty was reported in the eastern Donetsk region. Overall, 14 regions were attacked.

On Wednesday morning, President Volodymyr Zelensky said more than 100 Russian drones were currently over Ukraine, warning of “more waves” of attacks throughout the day.

Meanwhile, Russian officials said a gas processing plant and two other industrial facilities in three regions were hit by Ukrainian drones overnight. No casualties were reported.

The latest attacks come shortly after a three-day US-brokered ceasefire expired late on Monday.

Both Russia and Ukraine reported multiple violations – mostly along the vast frontline – during the truce, but no major aerial attacks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In a post on Telegram on Wednesday morning, Dnipropetrovsk regional head Oleksandr Hanzha reported more than 30 Russian attacks on three districts throughout Tuesday.

He said two people were killed in Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih, and another six in the Synelnykove district – just south-east of the regional capital Dnipro.

“More than two dozen houses were damaged,” Hanzha added.

In the north-eastern Kharkiv region, five people were reported injured and a number of residential houses damaged.

Russian drone strikes were also reported in the southern Odesa, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, as well as in Poltave – Ukraine’s central region.

Writing on Telegram on Wednesday morning, Zelensky said 14 Ukrainian regions were attacked throughout Tuesday, and there were more attacks overnight.

He accused Russia of “purposely” targeting Ukraine’s railway infrastructure and other civilian facilities.

In its latest update on Wednesday, Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 139 drones in the past 24 hours.

It said 111 projectiles were shot down or intercepted, but recorded 20 direct hits in 13 locations.

Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry said 286 Ukrainian drones were intercepted since Tuesday evening over 14 Russian regions and Crimea – Ukraine’s southern peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.

In the southern Astrakhan region, Governor Igor Babushkin said that overnight, falling drone debris triggered a fire at a gas processing plant in the regional capital.

“There is no threat of air pollution,” he added.

Local officials also said two industrial facilities were damaged during Ukrainian overnight attacks in the southern Krasnodar region and in the city of Yaroslval, north-east of the Russian capital Moscow.

In recent months, Ukraine’s military has intensified its strikes on key energy facilities across Russia.

Kyiv says they are legitimate targets, as they allow Russia to continue its war effort.

The Ghana High Commission in Pretoria has issued a security advisory to Ghanaians living in Durban and surrounding areas ahead of a planned anti-immigration demonstration scheduled for Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

According to the Mission, available information indicates that an anti-immigration rally is expected to take place in the city, raising concerns over the safety of foreign nationals, including Ghanaians.

In a statement, the High Commission advised members of the Ghanaian community to exercise heightened caution before, during and after the planned protest.

Ghanaians have been urged to avoid areas where demonstrations or gatherings are expected to take place and to refrain from engaging in confrontations, provocations or counter-demonstrations.

The Mission also advised citizens to carry valid identification and immigration documents at all times, and to cooperate with local law enforcement authorities where necessary.

As a precautionary measure, Ghanaian-owned shops and businesses in affected areas have also been advised to close temporarily.

The High Commission said it is engaging relevant South African authorities and closely monitoring developments to ensure the safety and welfare of Ghanaian nationals.

Members of the Ghanaian community have further been encouraged to remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding, while staying in touch with the Mission through its official communication channels for emergency assistance.

The summit, co-hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron, focused on issues including energy transition, healthcare reforms and strengthening African financial institutions.

President Mahama took part in high-level discussions on energy and green transition initiatives, joined a strategic working session on African financial institutions, and co-chaired a dialogue on transforming healthcare systems across the continent.

On the sidelines of the summit, he also held bilateral meetings with key international figures, including Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, officials of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and representatives of the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

The engagements reinforced Ghana’s commitment to international cooperation, economic transformation and sustainable development.

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The 2026 celebration brought together government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional leaders, development partners and private sector representatives.

Among the dignitaries present were the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, who represented the government officially. The reception also welcomed the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, and the Buipewura, Abdulai Jinapor, Paramount Chief of the Buipe Traditional Area in the Savannah Region.

In his remarks, Rune Skinnebach reflected on the significance of the milestone and reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Ghana.

“Today, we celebrate a successful partnership built on shared values, dialogue and cooperation, and a partnership we remain committed to strengthening for the benefit of our peoples,” he stated.

The Ambassador noted that EU-Ghana relations have evolved into a mature and strategic partnership anchored on mutual respect, peace, democracy, security and sustainable development.

He added that the European Union remains Ghana’s leading development and security partner, largest investor and top export market. He also reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to regional peace and stability through the implementation of more than 30 security initiatives in Ghana valued at over EUR 100 million.

Agnes Naa Momo Lartey congratulated the European Union and its member states on the milestone and praised the long-standing relationship between Ghana and the EU.

“It is not only a celebration of history, but also a reflection of a partnership that has matured, evolved and deepened over the decades,” she said.

The Minister described the EU-Ghana relationship as one built on trust, shared values and mutual respect, with cooperation spanning governance, infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, trade, investment and security.

She also welcomed the EU’s Global Gateway initiative and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for sustainable investment, transparency, innovation and macroeconomic stability.

The Europe Day Reception celebrated Europe’s cultural diversity through culinary experiences from 14 EU member states.

A special highlight of the event was a live performance by Ghanaian music legend Kojo Antwi, popularly known as “Mr. Music Man,” whose performance added excitement and national pride to the celebration.

As the European Union and Ghana commemorated the historic milestone, both parties expressed optimism about the future of the relationship and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the “golden bridges” connecting their peoples, economies and shared aspirations for sustainable growth and prosperity.

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The Constitutional Court said that allowing unlimited repeat applications without proper legislation in place could create a “never-ending cycle” that prevents deportations and causes administrative chaos.

Leon Schreiber, the minister of home affairs in South Africa’s coalition government, welcomed the ruling as a “major victory” against the “abuse” of the refugee system.

The ruling ends a long-running case that was brought by two nationals from Burundi, who reapplied for asylum in 2018 after their applications were rejected in 2014.

The two argued that their new applications should be considered as Burundi had been hit by political violence during the 2015 presidential election.

At least 70 people were killed in unrest after then-President Pierre Nkurunziza took the controversial decision to run for a third term.

The Burundians won the case in the Supreme Court of Appeal, but, in a majority judgement, the Constitutional Court overturned its ruling. It is the final court of appeal.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says that in 2025, South Africa was hosting more than 167,000 refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

Schreiber called the ruling important for government efforts to bring about a more “effective and fair system to manage refugees and asylum seekers”.

Speaking to local broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, he explained that the Department of Home Affairs led the argument against the Supreme Court of Appeal’s ruling.

If upheld, it would have allowed individuals “multiple bites at the cherry” and to “constantly abuse the system” by submitting new applications, Schreiber said.

The minister is a member of the Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-biggest party in the coalition government led by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the African National Congress (ANC).

South Africa has recently been hit by a wave of protests against undocumented migrants, with thousands taking to the streets in major cities to demand mass deportations.

Several African governments have raised concerns with the African Union, and warned their citizens in South Africa about possible attacks.

Earlier this week, Ramaphosa said “opportunists” had orchestrated anti-immigrant attacks on foreigners.

“The recent violent protests and criminal acts directed at foreign nationals in parts of our country do not represent the views of South Africa’s people nor reflect our government’s policy,” he said in an open letter.

South Africa is home to about 2.4 million migrants, just less than 4% of the population, according to official figures, although many more are thought to be in the country unofficially.

As Africa’s most industrialised country, people from across the continent travel to South Africa to seek work.

Immigrant groups in recent months have intensified protests against foreigners, particularly other Africans, with some incidents resulting in the forced closure of businesses, verbal abuse and physical attacks.

Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Anani Quashie, says the situation has become deeply troubling, citing a recent incident in a local municipality where the mayor allegedly shut down foreign-owned businesses, handed them over to residents and ordered foreign nationals to leave within 21 days.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Monday, May 11, Mr Anani Quashie said the mayor in an area known as Estcourt, near Durban, had seized keys to shops owned by Ghanaians and other African migrants who were legally operating businesses.

He said the affected businesses included mechanic shops and other small enterprises, and that the allegations had been verified by diplomatic missions.

“The mayor in Estcourt has taken keys belonging to Ghanaians and other African migrants who are genuinely and legally working in his area. He has taken the keys, handed over their shops and businesses to locals,” he said.

“A lot of Ghanaians are affected. We have close to about 25 Ghanaians whose businesses have been closed,” he disclosed.

Mr Anani Quashie said the issue is not limited to Ghanaians. He revealed that the Nigerian and Angolan ambassadors had also raised similar complaints after their nationals were affected by the same operation.

The High Commissioner said Ghana and the other affected African countries are preparing to challenge the directive in court.

“We’ve told them that we’re going to fight this legally. No law in South Africa gives the mayor the right to say whatever he’s saying. We’re going to ensure that the right thing is done,” he stated.

He said all affected countries have already collected statements from their nationals and submitted them to the legal department of the African ambassadors’ group for review.

According to him, although court proceedings have not formally begun, legal steps are already underway to stop the 21-day eviction order before it takes effect.

“No, we are in the process. It’s not only one country that is going. All the countries involved have made statements and given them to the legal department. They have confirmed there is no legal basis for what he is doing,” he said.

Mr Anani-Quashi noted that the deadline is fast approaching, with only 17 days left, but said diplomatic missions are acting urgently to ensure the matter is resolved before any forced removals occur.

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Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, Mr Quashie disclosed that nearly 200 Ghanaians have already expressed interest in returning home voluntarily.

The comments come after government facilitated the return of Emmanuel Akowuah Asamoah, the Ghanaian national who appeared in a viral video linked to the recent attacks.

According to the High Commissioner, businessman Ibrahim Mahama has stepped in to support Mr Asamoah with employment.

“Fortunately, Mr Ibrahim Mahama has decided to offer him employment, which he has gladly accepted.”

Mr Quashie said the businessman wants Mr Asamoah’s story to inspire other Ghanaians facing hardship abroad.

“Mr Ibrahim indicated to him that he wants him to be an ambassador so that other Ghanaians in other countries can look up to him and say, when they sacked him from one country, he got back to Ghana, and he was helped, and was able to make a difference in his life.”

Asked what kind of work Mr Asamoah did in South Africa, the envoy said he had been working in a salon but added that discussions are ongoing about other opportunities available to him in Ghana.

The High Commissioner revealed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed the mission in South Africa to begin compiling names of Ghanaians seeking repatriation.

“So we’ve been asked by the Minister to gather the names of the Ghanaians. After this evening, we have close to about 200 and something people who want to come back home.”

He said government will bear the cost of travel documentation and transportation.

Those who don’t have a passport. We need to get them travel certificates. The ministry is going to take up the cost so that we ensure that we bring them back home.”

Mr Quashie stressed that the government’s priority is the safety of its citizens.

“The whole understanding is that we don’t want to leave any Ghanaian at the mercy of any other national. Ghanaians are valued in Ghana.”

“We would ensure that if we have to bring them back home to reintegrate them, to do something better, we will do that.”

He warned that the number of returnees could rise significantly, noting that many Ghanaians in South Africa have lost businesses and livelihoods through repeated xenophobic attacks.

“There are a lot of Ghanaians in South Africa. Some of them are doing very well. Some are working in the mines. Some are working in hospitals. Some are lecturers here and there.”

“But these are people who believe that, over the years, they struggle, put up a business. Xenophobic attacks happen. They lose everything.”

He added that discussions are underway with businesses in Ghana to support reintegration efforts and employment opportunities for returnees.

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According to a statement from the Presidency, the summit, organised by French President Emmanuel Macron, has brought together African Heads of State, international partners and global business leaders to strengthen collaboration on key development priorities across the continent.

The statement said President Mahama, in his role as African Union Champion for African Financial Institutions, is expected to participate in a high-level discussion on green industrialisation and energy transition on Tuesday.

The discussions will focus on how Africa can accelerate industrial growth while addressing climate change and the global shift toward clean energy.

President Mahama is also expected to join a working lunch on reforms to the international financial system.

The meeting will examine ways to improve access to sustainable financing for African countries and push for a global financial structure that better responds to the continent’s development challenges.

As part of the summit activities, the President will co-chair a roundtable discussion on health under the theme, “Rethinking global health and building resilient national health systems.”

The Presidency said the engagement forms part of the Accra Reset Initiative, which seeks to strengthen healthcare systems and improve preparedness for future global health emergencies.

On the sidelines of the summit, President John Dramani Mahama is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with António Guterres, Kristalina Georgieva and Alvaro Lario.

The meetings are expected to focus on economic stability, food security and broader global cooperation involving Ghana and the African continent.

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The MV Hondius departed Tenerife for the Netherlands on Monday after its final six passengers – four Australians, one Briton and one New Zealander – and some crew members disembarked.

Three passengers have died after travelling on the ship, two of whom were confirmed to have had the virus.

An American, a Spaniard and a French national who had previously returned home have tested positive, authorities said. Seven cases of hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius have been confirmed, with two others suspected, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Spain’s health ministry said one Spaniard who is quarantining in Madrid after being evacuated from the vessel had also provisionally tested positive for hantavirus on Monday.

On Monday, the US health department said a second American national on Sunday’s repatriation flight had also shown mild symptoms, adding that both passengers had travelled back in “biocontainment units out of an abundance of caution”.

French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said a woman was isolating in Paris and that her health was deteriorating, with 22 contacts traced.

Two British nationals with confirmed cases are currently being treated in the Netherlands and South Africa.

Hantaviruses are usually carried by rodents, but human transmission of the Andes strain – which the WHO believes some of the ship’s passengers contracted in South America- is possible.

Symptoms can include fever, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and shortness of breath.

Officials say the risk of a major outbreak is very low.

As of Monday evening, the ship’s operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, said 27 people remain on board the ship, including 25 crew members and two medical staff.

These include 17 people from the Philippines, four from the Netherlands (including the two medical staff), four from Ukraine, one from Russia and one from Poland.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry said the Ukrainians on board would help with the ships’ transfer to the Netherlands and would quarantine at a medical facility on arrival. It added that they had shown no signs of illness.

More than 90 passengers of the MV Hondius, which wasdocked in Spain’s Canary Islands, have been repatriated over the past few days.

Four Canadian passengers landed in Victoria, British Columbia, on Sunday after taking a chartered flight from Tenerife to Quebec. Authorities said they would self-isolate and be monitored for at least three weeks.

The US Department of Health and Human Services said all 17 US citizens on Sunday’s flight would undergo “clinical assessment” at a medical facility in Nebraska. A British national living in the US was also repatriated alongside them.

Seven other US passengers had already returned home and are being monitored in their home states.

Before the American case was confirmed, WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the decision by the US not to follow the organisation’s guidelines over the hantavirus outbreak “may have risks”.

The WHO has recommended 42 days of isolation for those leaving the MV Hondius.

But Dr Jay Bhattacharya, acting head of the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC), said he did not want to cause public panic, insisting that human-to-human transmission was rare and it should not be treated like COVID.

Cruise ship passengers were pictured wearing blue gowns, bouffant caps and medical face masks as they disembarked in Tenerife.

Twenty British nationals flown to Manchester from Tenerife on Sunday were taken to Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside to isolate for 72 hours. None have reported symptoms.

Fourteen Spaniards flown to Madrid are in mandatory quarantine at a military hospital, while another two evacuation flights were scheduled for Monday.

A separate flight carrying 26 passengers and crew – including eight Dutch nationals – arrived in the Netherlands on Sunday.

In a video message released on Monday by Oceanwide Expeditions, which operates the MV Hondius, the captain said the crew’s thoughts were “with the ones that are no longer with us”.

Jan Dobrogowski added that “the past few weeks have been extremely challenging to us all”, while praising the patience, discipline and kindness shown on board the vessel.

The Spanish health minister said that a police officer involved in the repatriation operation had died of cardiac arrest.

An elderly Dutch man was the first passenger who died on board the MV Hondius on 11 April. He had earlier developed symptoms and is believed to have been the first infected in the outbreak, but died before he could be tested.

His wife left the ship on 24 April on the island of St Helena and flew to South Africa. She died two days later in a clinic in Johannesburg.

A German woman died on board the cruise ship on 2 May. Both women are confirmed cases.

The MV Hondius had been carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries after departing from Ushuaia in Argentina on 1 April.

Abubakar Gamandi Usman, chairman of Lake Chad Basin Fisheries Association of Nigeria, said several of the union’s members were missing and estimated more than 40 had died.

No bodies have yet been recovered, but Usman believes some fishermen were hit by the strikes, while others drowned after attempting to flee in overloaded boats.

Authorities in Chad and Nigeria have not commented, but on Sunday, Chad’s presidency said it had carried out retaliatory “intensive air strikes” on Boko Haram strongholds.

In a statement on Facebook, the presidency said it had responded to “unjustified attacks” by Boko Haram, which took place last Monday and Wednesday and targeted Chadian military bases near Lake Chad, reportedly killing at least 24 soldiers and two generals.

The Lake Chad basin is a huge region of waterways and swampland shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon. It has long been a stronghold for Boko Haram and its rival faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap).

“After Boko Haram attacked Chadian forces, they retreated to islands they operate from. Fishermen also inhabit these islands,” Usman told the BBC.

After Chad’s air force began circling overhead on Friday, panic broke out, with both Boko Haram fighters and fishermen attempting to flee.

The search for the missing fishermen has been slow, Usman said, as some parts of Lake Chad are very deep. The local community also has limited access to canoes, as many are controlled by Boko Haram, Usman added.

“Boko Haram controls access to the fishing grounds, transporting fishermen to and from the fish market to the fishing site. Boko Haram collects taxes from these fishermen,” he said.

Recently, the region has seen a rise in attacks on security forces, as well as kidnappings and raids on communities.

Chadian military operations have been accused of causing civilian deaths before – in October 2024, the air force was said to have killed dozens of Nigerian fishermen during air strikes targeting Boko Haram fighters on Tilma Island in Lake Chad.

Nigeria’s military has also been accused of claiming civilian lives during operations against armed groups and jihadist fighters, though authorities often describe such deaths as unintended collateral damage.

Most recently, the armed forces denied media reports that civilians were killed during a series of air strikes in the central Niger state on Sunday.

Military spokesperson Maj Gen Michael Onoja said the operations were “executed based on credible, actionable intelligence”.

David Malpass, who also served as Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs under US President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019, was speaking to the World Service’s World Business Report on the eve of the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing.

“They have the biggest world stockpile of foodstuffs and of fertiliser,” he said. “They can stop building their stockpiles.”

His comments come as nations around the world scramble to secure fertiliser supplies ahead of spring planting, with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz severely disrupting shipments.

China has itself halted fertiliser exports since March, citing the need to protect domestic supplies.

Malpass, who served as World Bank president from 2019 to 2023, also said that Beijing’s claim to be a developing nation is no longer credible.

“They present themselves as a developing country when they’re the second biggest economy in the world and in many ways rich,” he said.

“And yet they still have the pretence of being a developing country in the WTO and in the World Bank, and they could suspend that,” Malpass added.

The BBC has contacted the Chinese embassy in Washington for comment.

On the Iran ceasefire, which Trump on Monday described as being on “massive life support”, Malpass said the world should unite behind the United States and demand a resolution.

“You can’t have a rogue state with plutonium, and you can’t block the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

Malpass was hopeful that China would help resolve the deadlock in the Strait of Hormuz, saying that the free movement of ships was in its economic interest: “China benefits from open waterways worldwide.”

“They run the shipping lines, own the containers, and make huge profits from trade with the rest of the world. So, they would be a big loser if Iran in some way had control of the Strait of Hormuz”, he said.

On the economic outlook for ordinary Americans ahead of Tuesday’s US inflation data for April, Malpass said prices are heading higher. “I expect some up, yes, prices will go up on many products,” he said.

But he added “robust” jobs data showed the US economy was resilient.

In total seven cases of hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius have been confirmed, with two other cases suspected, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

The US health department said a second American national on the repatriation flight had also shown mild symptoms, adding that both passengers had travelled back in “biocontainment units out of an abundance of caution”.

French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said a woman was isolating in Paris and her health was deteriorating, with 22 contacts traced.

Three passengers have died after travelling on the ship, two of whom were confirmed to have had the virus.

The WHO said the person who is believed to have been the first to be infected in the outbreak died before he could be tested.

Two other British nationals with confirmed cases are currently being treated in the Netherlands and South Africa.

Hantaviruses are usually carried by rodents, but human transmission of the Andes strain – which the World Health Organization (WHO) believes was contracted by some of the Dutch ship’s passengers while in South America – is possible.

Symptoms can include fever, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and shortness of breath.

Officials say the risk of a major outbreak is very low.

More than 90 passengers of the MV Hondius ship, currently docked in Spain’s Canary Islands, are being repatriated.

In its latest update from Tenerife on Monday, Spanish officials said 54 passengers and crew were still on board the ship. Spanish Health Minister Mónica García said six of those were passengers: four Australians, one Briton and one New Zealander.

Some 22 people would disembark the ship to fly to the Netherlands on Monday, she said – including the Australians who had been expected to be flown home directly but whose plane could not be guaranteed to arrive on time.

The MV Hondius was then expected to leave for the Netherlands later on Monday, she said.

Four Canadian passengers, meanwhile, have landed in Victoria, British Columbia, on Sunday evening after taking a chartered flight from Tenerife to Bagotville, Quebec. Authorities said they would be self-isolating and monitored for at least three weeks.

In its statement early on Monday, the US Department of Health and Human Services said all 17 US citizens on Sunday’s flight would undergo “clinical assessment” at a medical facility in Nebraska. A British national living in the US was also repatriated alongside them.

Seven other US passengers had already returned home and were being monitored in their home states.

Before the American case was confirmed, WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the decision by the US not to follow his organisation’s guidelines over the hantavirus outbreak “may have risks”.

The WHO has recommended 42 days of isolation for those leaving the MV Hondius.

But Dr Jay Bhattacharya, the acting head of the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said he did not want to cause public panic, insisting that human-to-human transmission was rare and it should not be treated like the Covid virus.

Cruise ship passengers were pictured wearing blue gowns, bouffant caps, and medical face masks as they disembarked on Sunday at the port of Grandilla de Abona in Tenerife.

There is, however, a gap between Traoré’s triumphant declaration, official figures, and the reality of people’s experiences.

On social media and in the media, the announcement was immediately amplified, celebrated, and erected as a symbol of the new national sovereignty.

But two weeks before this speech, the president’s office had produced figures that tell a completely different story.

To measure the gap between the proclamation and the reality, we must go back to the Council of Ministers meeting of December 17, 2025. On that day, the Ministry of Agriculture presented the provisional results of the 2025-2026 agropastoral campaign.

The figures are, overall, good. National cereal production is estimated at 7,142,484 tonnes, up 17.63% compared to the previous season and 37.19% compared to the average of the last five years.

The apparent coverage rate of cereal needs stands at 126.6%, compared to 111.5% in the previous season. Non-cereal food crops reached 1,246,132 tonnes, up 27.9% compared to the five-year average. Cash crops other than cotton amounted to 1,353,298 tonnes, up 37%. Forage production exceeded 10 million tonnes of dry matter.

The government attributes these performances to “the multiple forms of state support for farmers and livestock breeders, particularly through the provision of inputs, fertilisers, and equipment”.

But in this same document, the ministry doesn’t hide the grey areas. These are the areas that the presidential address glossed over two weeks later. According to the report, of the country’s 47 provinces, 15 are in deficit, eight are balanced, and only 24 have a surplus.

The growing season was also marked by infestations of fall armyworms on corn and sorghum. Of the 47,213 hectares surveyed, 20,568 hectares were infested, of which 17,724 were treated, leaving 2,844 hectares infested without intervention.

The minister himself did not claim “self-sufficiency”

On the evening of December 17, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Commander Ismaël Sombié, was a guest on the 8 PM news on national television. He was directly asked about food self-sufficiency. His response was cautious and measured: “I think that if we maintain this pace, we are confident we can achieve the food self-sufficiency goal we have set for ourselves. Of course, other aspects will need to be considered, particularly processing and strengthening our achievements in terms of infrastructure and resources.”

For the head of the agricultural sector, food self-sufficiency has therefore not yet been achieved. It remains a prospect to be reached.

Two weeks later, the head of state took hold of some of these figures and drew a conclusion that his own ministers had not dared to formulate.

The proclamation of December 31 also raises a fundamental question: Is this the first time that Burkina Faso has recorded a cereal surplus?

No. Official data shows that this is not the first time. The 2024-2025 season, under the current government, already had a cereal coverage rate of 111.7%. Under the presidency of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, the 2018-2019 season produced approximately 4.95 million tons of cereals, a 22% increase, with a national coverage rate of 104% and a gross surplus of approximately 194,000 tons. The following season, 2019-2020, reached 5.03 million tons, generating a surplus of 204,000 tons. Of course, these surpluses were not as high as the last season.

Need for intervention revealed to donors

On February 17, 2026, 48 days after the proclamation of self-sufficiency, the government convened an emergency meeting at Ouagadougou City Hall. On the agenda was the need for a request for the international humanitarian community’s contribution to the financing of an emergency plan of 735.1 billion CFA francs to help 4.47 million Burkinabe, described as “vulnerable” and in “need of vital assistance“.

The meeting, chaired by the National Council for Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation (CONASUR) in collaboration with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is an advocacy session to mobilise external funding.

The Minister of Family and Solidarity, Lieutenant-Colonel Passowendé Pélagie Kaboré, announced the figures without mincing words: more than 1.3 million children under five years of age need nutritional support; more than 2.1 million people (almost the equivalent of the population of Lesotho) will need food assistance, and more than 3.3 million people will need protection support.

These data are confirmed by the Burkina Faso Humanitarian Needs and Partner Response Plan (HNRP) 2026 report.

^{The country’s humanitarian needs, ranked by severity, according to the report HNRP 2026}

Behind the grain surplus

The humanitarian response plan helps to understand why a national cereal surplus is not enough to speak of food self-sufficiency.

The April 2025 food security and nutrition analysis establishes that approximately 2.26 million people were in a situation of acute food insecurity, including more than 220,000 in the emergency phase, one step away from famine.

The national average cereal coverage of 111.5% for the 2024-2025 cereal season masks catastrophic regional realities. In the areas most exposed to insecurity, the Yaadga province covers only 57% of its needs, the Liptako province 56%, and the Koulsé province barely reaches 45%.

Physical access to markets exacerbates the situation. Several secondary markets remain closed in areas experiencing security tensions, such as Barga, Kain, Koumbri, Thiou, Tin-Akoff, Oursi, Gorgadji, Dablo, and Bouroum, forcing residents to rely on escorted convoys for supplies. While prices have fallen on average (7% for maize, 15% for millet, and 17% for sorghum), they remain 15% to 17% above the five-year average. In the most isolated areas, the price increases are staggering: +77% for millet in Arbinda, +106% for sorghum in Sebba, and +148% in Kompienga.

The livestock sector has not been spared. Erratic rainfall, degraded pastures, dwindling water sources, and insecurity that disrupts transhumance routes have forced many herders to sell their livestock at rock-bottom prices. Fall armyworms destroy up to 25% of maize crops, granivorous birds ravage up to 80% of rice, millet, and sorghum crops, while peste des petits ruminants (PPR) and foot-and-mouth disease decimate herds due to a lack of access to veterinary services.

In terms of nutrition, the report estimates that 1.38 million people require emergency assistance, of whom 134,701 live in areas where the malnutrition rate exceeds 15% – one and a half times the World Health Organisation’s alert threshold of 10%.

Chinese food donations to a self-sufficient country

Seventy-two days after the proclamation of self-sufficiency, one scene sums up the whole paradox.

On April 10, 2026, in Ouagadougou, Commander Passowendé Pélagie Kaboré, the Minister of Solidarity, Humanitarian Action and Family, received the Chinese Ambassador, Zhao Deyong. The two parties signed the handover agreement for food aid: more than 1,800 tons of rice, with an estimated value of over 1.6 billion CFA francs.

According to a statement from the Chinese embassy, the ambassador “congratulated Burkina Faso on achieving its goal of food self-sufficiency by 2025“. He also presented the country with 1,800 tons of rice.

The minister, for her part, recalled that Chinese food aid “for two consecutive years has helped to improve the living conditions of many vulnerable families” and that by 2025, “nearly 140,000 people had benefited from Chinese support“.

Two days later, on April 12, the same minister received the Indian ambassador, who announced a donation of 1,000 tons of rice and pharmaceutical products, with an estimated value of 125 million CFA francs.

Relative to the scale of needs, the Chinese donation represents approximately 2.1% of the financial need of the food sector alone, estimated at 75 billion CFA francs in priority terms.

Less than a year earlier, on May 13, 2025, Lu Shan, former ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Burkina Faso, officially handed over a significant humanitarian donation of 1,629.9 tons of rice. This donation was received by the Minister of Solidarity, Humanitarian Action and Family in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation, and Burkinabè Abroad, Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré. The donation is valued at 1.7 billion CFA francs.

Thus, within the space of a year, Chinese food aid, accepted by the Burkinabe authorities, amounted to 3.3 billion FCFA (3,429.9 tonnes of rice), a sign of the real needs on the ground for humanitarian aid.

These donations come after a note from the Prime Minister, dated November 28, 2025, where he urged all leaders to refuse aid that is degrading and that does not honour Burkina Faso.

“The government now prioritises cooperation that is fully aligned with our national interests and promotes real and endogenous progress (…) It is imperative to break with this vision and refocus partnerships around structuring projects, in line with our priorities and reinforcing the vision of the Comrade President. (…) I therefore urge you to decline any support that would be degrading in nature, contrary to the values of honour and dignity of the Burkinabè people, or that would not be in line with the vision of the RPP (Progressive and Popular Revolution),” he reminded them.

China’s food donation has reignited debates on social media, especially in the comments under the post announcing the operation and on news sites like Lefaso.net.

The Chinese rice donation to Burkina Faso sparked a wave of irony on social media, as the transitional government had claimed to have achieved food self-sufficiency in 2025. “And what about our food self-sufficiency? Did we include China in the calculations?” one internet user mocked. Between skepticism and pragmatic gratitude, these reactions reflect the growing distrust among part of the population toward the official narrative.

What people are saying

Beyond the figures and diplomatic ceremonies, the HNRP 2026 report is based on 21,619 community feedback and complaints collected between January and October 2025, and on a survey covering 6,214 households in 13 regions and 31 provinces. These populations are not talking about self-sufficiency. They are talking about hunger.

According to the report, the preferred forms of assistance for the affected populations are, first, the free distribution of food, followed by sales at moderate prices, the construction/rehabilitation of infrastructure, essential social services, and agricultural support. “More than 80 percent of households in the Liptako, Sirba, Soum, and Tapoa regions recommend it first, and more than 50 percent in Goulmou, Koulsé, Sourou, and Yaadga, ” the report states.

Food assistance is declared an absolute priority, almost unanimously “among internally displaced and returned persons”, particularly in Soum, Liptako, Tapoa and Sirba.

The main sources of dissatisfaction are insufficient quantities and delays in the delivery of aid.

The actual coverage of food assistance illustrates the extent of the gaps. In the Koulsé, Goulmou, and Nakambé areas, it does not exceed 25 to 55% of surveyed households. In Bankui, Sourou, and Yaadga, it falls to 15-27%. In Guiriko and Tannounyan, it does not exceed 10%. As of September 30, 2025, only 1.4 million people, or 39% of the target population, had actually received assistance.

According to a summary document of the government’s humanitarian response plan, the country needs 173.7 billion FCFA to ensure food security for 2.1 million people and 57.5 billion FCFA to meet the nutritional needs of 1.4 million people. The total of these two needs is 231.2 billion FCFA. In the government’s ranking of humanitarian needs, food security tops the list.

A humanitarian assessment that raises questions

In 2025, more than 155 humanitarian partners mobilised $271.3 million, enabling assistance to 1.7 million people in Burkina Faso. However, the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan aimed to reach 3.7 million people with a budget of $792.6 million. The result: only 34.2% of the financial needs were met, and only 45.9% of the targeted population was reached.

For 2026, partners have pledged to mobilise $658.5 million. However, a methodological anomaly warrants attention: the decrease in the number of people in need, from 5.9 million in 2025 to 4.5 million in 2026, “does not reflect an improvement in the humanitarian situation,” the report itself acknowledges. Instead, it “results primarily from methodological changes”. Eighteen provinces were excluded from the calculation, even though approximately 500,000 people in need were identified there in 2025.

“Rapid, flexible and predictable funding is essential to save lives and prevent further deterioration of the situation,” UN Resident Coordinator and Acting Humanitarian Coordinator, Maurice Azonnanko, observed in the foreword of the 2026 report.

The essential question remains: does a proclamation of self-sufficiency, even partial, risk drying up the funding on which millions of Burkinabe still depend and which the authorities themselves are seeking through the 2026 response plan?

This article was produced with support from the African Academy for Open Source Investigations (AAOSI) and the African Digital Democracy Observatory (ADDO) as part of an initiative by Code for Africa (CfA). Visit https://disinfo.africa/ for more information.

The army identified him as 27-year-old 1st Lt Kendrick Lamont Key Jr, a platoon leader and air defence artillery officer from Richmond, Virginia.

A Moroccan military search team found Key’s body in the water along the shoreline within about a mile of the cliffs where both soldiers went missing on 2 May.

US and Moroccan forces are using ground, air and maritime assets to continue their search for the other missing soldier.

Brig Gen Curtis King, commanding general of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defence Command, said in a statement that the army is mourning the loss of Key.

“Our hearts are with his Family, friends, teammates, and all who knew and served alongside him,” King said.

“The 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command Family is grieving, and we will continue to support one another and 1st Lt. Key’s Family as we honor his life and service.”

Both soldiers were participating in African Lion 2026, an annual joint military exercise designed to strengthen operations between US forces, Nato allies, and African nations.

African Lion is the continent’s largest annual joint military exercise, and is hosted across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia.

The soldiers had been hiking with a group to view the sunset when one fell into the ocean, the BBC’s US partner CBS News reported, citing a preliminary report.

The other service members in the group then used their belts to form a human chain in an attempt to rescue the soldier, the report said, according to CBS. When that failed, another soldier jumped into the ocean to try to save their colleague, who did not know how to swim, CBS reported.

That soldier was immediately hit by a wave, prompting a third to jump in after them both, CBS reported. The third soldier was able to make it back to camp on their own after failing to rescue the first two, officials said, according to CBS.

It’s not clear whether Key was the soldier to first fall in, or the second who attempted to rescue the first.

His body was transported to a nearby morgue and will be repatriated to the US, the army said.

This mineral-rich region remains a primary battleground for armed groups seeking control over gold and other valuable resources.

Retaliatory Cycles of Violence

The killings reportedly stemmed from an earlier clash involving the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CRP). This Hema-affiliated group recently attacked Congolese army (FARDC) positions near the locality of Pimbo. CODECO fighters, who claim to represent the mainly farming Lendu community, responded with a series of retaliatory strikes across several villages.

The violence underscores the long-running ethnic conflict between the Lendu and the mainly pastoral Hema community in a province that borders Uganda and South Sudan.

Recovery Efforts Hampered by Insecurity

The presence of armed militants forced a delay in recovering the deceased for several days. “Only 25 bodies have been buried,” said civil society leader Dieudonne Losa. He noted that “more than 70 people were killed” in the late April raids, and several remains have yet to be retrieved.

A humanitarian source described the grim scene as bodies “strewn on the ground” near the village of Bassa. While security sources put the toll at 69—including 19 militia members and soldiers—local officials suggest the count is higher.

International Response and Condemnation

The United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) rescued “nearly 200 people caught under fire” during the initial CRP assault on the FARDC. On Saturday, the mission stated it “strongly condemns the recent wave of deadly attacks targeting civilians” in the east.

Supporting this alarm, UN spokesman Farhan Haq confirmed in a May 8 briefing that at least 34 civilians were killed in a three-day window across Ituri and North Kivu.

Haq noted that “dozens of civilians have been killed in recent days” and highlighted the dire humanitarian toll, as the violence continues to drive massive displacement across the northern parts of the eastern DRC. Meanwhile, the Ente association described the killings as a “massacre” and urged Hema community members to avoid further retaliation. 

Historical Roots of Mineral Conflict

For over 30 years, the former Belgian colony has suffered from corruption and bloodshed linked to its vast mineral wealth. The region produces significant global supplies of cobalt, copper, uranium, and diamonds.

This resource abundance continues to fund various militia groups and fuel a humanitarian crisis that has displaced nearly one million people in Ituri alone, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Resurgence of Notorious Warlords

The province has seen a 2025 resurgence of the CRP, a group founded by Thomas Lubanga. Lubanga was found guilty in 2012 by the International Criminal Court for recruiting children into his rebel army and was released in 2020.

Fighting between his forces, the national army, and CODECO has been defined by widespread civilian abuses. Paradoxically, the Congolese army sometimes uses CODECO as an auxiliary force despite the group’s history of violence.

Overstretched Security Forces

The Congolese military faces a complex security landscape involving the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which has roots in Uganda and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019.

Rawya Rageh of Amnesty International noted that “there are multiple challenges facing the Congolese authorities” because “there are multiple competing actors – M23, ADF, CODECO.”

She explained that “most of the forces are overstretched responding to the threat from M23,” a Rwanda-backed rebel group that has seized key cities in the eastern region.

Escalating Regional Instability and ADF Abuses

The ADF has intensified its brutal campaign, killing at least 40 people and looting homes in a cross-border rampage across Ituri and North Kivu between Wednesday and Thursday. Charité Banza, leader of the Ituri civil society group, confirmed that 15 victims were murdered in Ituri while 25 were killed in the Beni territory of North Kivu—a grim surge following a July 2025 “bloodbath” that claimed 66 lives.

Despite the joint deployment of Ugandan and Congolese troops since 2021, Amnesty International’s Rawya Rageh warns that “entire areas that are emptied of troops that have been diverted to other front lines” allow rebels to “capitalise on security gaps.”

As local officials fear the death toll will rise with many residents still missing, the vacuum created by overstretched security forces continues to leave civilian populations completely vulnerable to these lethal incursions.

Findings of War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity

In a landmark report, Amnesty International has formally accused the ADF of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Secretary-General Agnes Callamard stated these “abuses constitute war crimes which the world must not continue to ignore.”

The group is accused of systematic kidnappings, forced labour, and recruiting child soldiers. Furthermore, the report documented horrific “crimes against women and girls, including forced marriage, forced pregnancy and various other forms of sexual violence.”

Continental Stakes and African Solidarity

The instability in the DRC remains a focal point for the African Union and regional bodies like the East African Community. For nations like Ghana, which has a long history of contributing to UN peacekeeping missions, the deteriorating situation in Ituri represents a challenge to the “African solutions to African problems” doctrine. The persistent presence of foreign-affiliated groups like the ADF threatens to destabilise not just the Congo but the entire Great Lakes region.

A Call for Sustained African Leadership

The latest massacre in Ituri underscores the fragility of peace in one of Africa’s most resource-rich zones. True stability will require more than military intervention; it demands a unified continental approach to resource governance and ethnic reconciliation. As the DRC moves deeper into 2026, the priority must remain on protecting African lives and ensuring that the nation’s wealth benefits its people rather than fueling perpetual militia warfare.

According to the WHO, the vessel, carrying 147 people – 88 passengers and 59 crew members from 23 nationalities – departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1, 2026, and travelled through several remote regions, including Antarctica, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena and Ascension Island. 

As of May 4, health authorities had identified two laboratory-confirmed hantavirus infections and five suspected cases.  

One patient remains critically ill in intensive care in South Africa, while three others with mild symptoms are still on board the ship, which is currently moored off the coast of Cabo Verde. 

WHO said the first case involved an adult male who developed fever, headache and diarrhoea on April 6 during the voyage.  

His condition rapidly deteriorated into respiratory distress, leading to his death aboard the vessel on April 11. 

A second case, involving a close contact of the first patient, emerged after disembarkation at Saint Helena on April 24.  

The woman later died in South Africa on April 26 after developing severe respiratory complications during a flight to Johannesburg. Laboratory tests subsequently confirmed hantavirus infection. 

A third confirmed patient was medically evacuated from Ascension Island to South Africa after developing pneumonia and severe breathing difficulties. He remains in intensive care. 

WHO said investigations were ongoing to determine the source of exposure, noting that hantavirus infection is commonly linked to contact with rodents or contaminated environments. The agency added that the extent of passengers’ contact with wildlife during the voyage remains unclear. 

“Hantavirus infection is primarily acquired through exposure to urine, faeces or saliva of infected rodents,” WHO explained, adding that although the disease is rare, it can cause severe respiratory illness and death. 

The organisation noted that limited human-to-human transmission had previously been documented in outbreaks involving the Andes virus strain in South America, particularly among close contacts. 

Authorities in Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain and the United Kingdom have launched a coordinated international response involving epidemiological investigations, laboratory testing, medical evacuations and contact tracing. 

Passengers on board have been advised to remain in their cabins where possible, practise physical distancing and monitor symptoms for up to 45 days. 

Additional laboratory testing is being conducted by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa and the Institut Pasteur in Senegal. 

WHO currently assesses the risk to the global population as low and has not recommended any travel or trade restrictions related to the incident. 

The UN health agency urged travellers and healthcare workers to remain vigilant, especially in areas where hantavirus is endemic, stressing the importance of early detection, infection prevention measures and rapid access to intensive medical care. 

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a zoonotic disease caused by viruses carried mainly by rodents.  

Symptoms often begin with fever, headache, muscle pain and gastrointestinal illness before rapidly progressing to respiratory failure and shock in severe cases. 

There is currently no approved antiviral treatment or vaccine for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, though WHO says early supportive treatment in intensive care units can significantly improve survival rates. 

The call comes as diplomatic tension has increased between South Africa and other African nations following accusations that xenophobic violence is on the rise once again in the country.

Ghana’s government has written to the African Union (AU) asking the continental body to discuss the issue, which it says is a “serious risk to the safety and wellbeing” of Africans in South Africa.

Nigeria has also raised the issue and has offered to repatriate its nationals amid fears of attacks.

Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho and Zimbabwe have also warned its citizens in South Africa to be aware of possible attacks.

South Africa responded to Ghana’s message saying that it “had nothing to hide”.

This wave of pressure was sparked after video clips were shared online over a fortnight ago that appeared to show vigilante groups harassing people they believed were in South Africa illegally. In one, it was reported that a Ghanaian had been challenged over his status and told to go and “fix his country”.

But briefing the media on Thursday following a cabinet meeting, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said, without specifying which footage she was talking about, that “the fake videos and images are not only fake, but they are intended to undermine the good reputation of South Africa internationally and undermine the country’s pursuit of a better Africa agenda”.

Thousands of South Africans have been protesting against illegal immigration in major cities in recent days, demanding the mass deportation of undocumented foreign nationals.

Protesters have said illegal immigration has had an impact on jobs, housing and crime.

Referring to the demonstrations, Ntshavheni said South Africans were within their rights to protest against “the spiralling illegal immigration challenge” but added that violence linked to previous protests was unacceptable.

Xenophobia has long been an issue in South Africa and has been accompanied by occasional outbursts of deadly attacks. But the current protests have been largely peaceful with no official reports of accompanying looting of foreign-owned shops or violence against undocumented migrants.

South Africa’s government has been stepping up diplomatic efforts to quell growing concern around the continent about rising anti-immigration sentiment in the country.

In its letter to the AU, Ghana said that what it called xenophobia in South Africa “presents a challenge to the shared principles of African solidarity, brotherhood, and continental unity”. It wants a fact-finding mission to be sent to the country.

On Wednesday, Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidential spokesperson said he had emphasised “that South Africa is a welcoming country. South Africans are an open, friendly and warm people. And we will reject any notion that seeks to characterise this country or its people as being xenophobic.”

Referring to Ghana’s letter on Thursday, Ntshavheni echoed the president, saying that there were “no xenophobic attacks in South Africa”.

She acknowledged that foreigners had been victims but put this down to general criminality, which the police needed to deal with, and efforts to undermine the country.

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has suggested that wider international acceptance of US-grade jet fuel could help to head off any supply problems.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has drawn up safety guidance, setting out how US supplies could be introduced into the European market, as well as information on the risks involved.

Meanwhile, the EU has said there are no “regulatory obstacles” stopping European airlines using US-grade fuel so long as it done so safely.

The price of jet fuel most European airlines currently use has jumped by half since the start of the war.

In a blog post, IATA’s director of flight and technical operations, Stuart Fox warned that if the conflict in the Middle East continues “it won’t be long before we see fuel shortages in some parts of the world”.

There are two main types of fuel used in commercial aviation. Jet A-1 is the global standard used in most international operations, while Jet A is primarily used in North America.

The two are both forms of kerosene and are essentially similar. However, Jet A-1 has a lower freezing point than Jet A. According to Fox, that means it can be used more flexibly on long haul and polar routes.

Since the crisis erupted, supplies of Jet A-1 from the Gulf region have slowed to a trickle. This has been a particular problem for Europe, which normally relies heavily on imports from the region.

Increased shipments from the US have been making up some of the shortfall. However, many US refineries are not set up to produce jet A-1, limiting the extra that can be brought across the Atlantic.

Fox said in his post: “European fuel supply could come under pressure if the war in the Middle East continues. Using Jet A, which is produced at scale outside the Gulf, could be a practical way to help ease some pressure on existing supply chains.”

He added that airlines in North America use Jet A every day, but still manage to serve communities in very cold regions, such as parts of Alaska, by using fuel additives, as well as by planning and monitoring flights to ensure aircraft operate within safe limits.

Meanwhile, the EASA has issued a “safety information bulletin” providing guidance for fuel suppliers and aircraft and airport operators.

It said: “A potential introduction of Jet A in Europe or in other parts of the world would not generate safety concerns provided that its introduction is properly managed”.

However, it also warned that if it were introduced without careful management, it “could result in an aircraft flying outside of its safe operating limits”.

“These risks may be further exacerbated by inconsistent fuel grade availability across airports, increasing the likelihood of mixing fuel grade and associated assumption mismatches”, EASA said.

Later on Friday, the EU said: “There is no regulatory obligation mandating the use of either fuel grade.”

It added: “There are also no regulatory obstacles to the use of Jet A fuel imported to Europe provided its use is properly managed and communicated throughout the fuel supply chain to ensure highest standards of safe operation.”

Earlier on Friday, British Airways’ owner IAG said that it currently had “no issues with fuel availability in our main markets”, but suggested there could be problems if the war carries on.

“If the current conflict continues to restrict flows of both crude oil and jet fuel from the Middle East, there is the potential for supplies of jet fuel to be restricted on a global basis,” it said.

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The alliance aims to accelerate sustainable energy transition, modern waste management, and green industrialisation on the continent.

The partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on May 6, 2026, by the Executive Director for the Waste Processing Division of the Jospong Group, Mr. Haidar Said, on behalf of JGC, and Jef Mestdagh, Business Development Manager at VYNCKE. The signing was witnessed by CEO Mr. Peter Vyncke at IFAT in Munich.

The deal combines African operational expertise in waste management with advanced European waste-to-energy technology to support cleaner cities, renewable energy generation, and sustainable industrial development.

The agreement outlines a framework for both companies to explore, assess, and develop waste-to-energy projects tailored to African waste streams, regulatory environments, and market realities. Industry observers call this one of the most significant recent collaborations in Africa’s environmental services and renewable energy sector.

Under the agreement, JGC, one of Ghana’s largest indigenous conglomerates, will leverage its experience in sanitation, waste collection, landfill management, and environmental services to facilitate project development across Africa.

VYNCKE, a globally recognized Belgian engineering company, will provide technical expertise in combustion systems, thermal energy solutions, and industrial energy infrastructure.

The collaboration aims to convert municipal, industrial, and organic waste into usable energy while reducing pressure on landfills and improving environmental outcomes in rapidly urbanizing African cities.

The two companies intend to jointly identify waste-to-energy opportunities, conduct feasibility studies, engage regulators and investors, and support deployment of sustainable energy infrastructure adapted to African conditions.

This landmark intervention opens a new market in Africa by undertaking landfill gas extraction to capture methane emissions from existing dumpsites and convert them into usable energy for Africa’s growing demand for electricity. The agreement also includes Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to reduce industrial emissions and support long-term climate goals, alongside thermal and biomass technologies for efficient waste conversion.

The agreement reflects a shift toward strategic industrial partnerships that recognize Africa as an emerging hub for sustainable innovation. For many African countries, waste accumulation, unreliable energy supply, and rapid urban growth continue to create serious pressures.

Experts say waste-to-energy systems reduce landfill dependency, generate cleaner energy, create jobs, and support industrial productivity. This partnership is therefore viewed as a practical response to the continent’s most pressing challenges.

The MoU highlights the increasing role of African indigenous companies in driving sustainability initiatives. JGC has expanded across sanitation and environmental management in Ghana and other African countries, including operations in Kenya, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe through Zoomlion.

By partnering with VYNCKE, the group is accelerating Africa’s transition toward cleaner industrial energy systems. The partnership also supports the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The agreement sends a strong signal to African governments, policymakers, and investors about the viability of large-scale environmental infrastructure projects led by African enterprises. Successful implementation will require supportive regulations, investment-friendly policies, and public-private collaboration.

The partnership reinforces the importance of cross-border knowledge transfer to help Africa meet its energy and waste management demands. As African cities expand, the need for innovative, scalable solutions becomes urgent. This collaboration may represent the beginning of a broader movement toward African-led sustainability solutions. For many stakeholders, the message is clear: Africa’s next phase of industrial growth must be green, innovative, collaborative, and designed for African realities.

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Iran’s top military command alleged the US had targeted an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel approaching the Strait of Hormuz and carried out “aerial attacks” on several coastal areas.

The US, meanwhile, said it responded to Iranian attacks on US Navy guided-missile destroyers in the Strait with “self-defence strikes”. Trump said Iran “trifled with us today”.

The flare-up comes a day after Iran’s foreign ministry had said it was considering a US proposal to end the war.

Iranian state media initially reported “explosions” in the Strait of Hormuz, describing them as an “exchange of fire” with the “enemy”. Meanwhile, local media reported explosions were heard in Tehran.

Not long after, a statement from Iran’s top military command said US “aerial attacks” struck the coasts of Bandar Khamir, Sirik and Qeshm Island.

It said it responded immediately by attacking US military vessels, inflicting “significant damage”, and accused the US of a “violation of the ceasefire”.

US Central Command (Centcom) described the Iranian attacks as “unprovoked”, saying Iranian forces launched “multiple missiles, drones and small boats” as US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited through the strait.

Centcom said it had “eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking US forces, including missile and drone launch sites; command and control locations; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes.”

“Centcom does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces,” the statement continued.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump said that the US had destroyed multiple small boats that “dropped ever so beautifully down to the Ocean, very much like a butterfly dropping to its grave!”

“Great damage” was “done to the Iranian attackers,” he continued.

The US president also reiterated a warning over the peace deal: “Just like we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!”

An Israeli source told the BBC there was “no Israeli involvement” in the latest attacks.

The increase in tensions comes despite the US president saying in recent days that the war in Iran will be “over quickly”.

US news outlet Axios had said that the White House believes it could be closing in on a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran, which could set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.

On Wednesday, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said the latest US proposal was being considered and that Tehran would share its views with Pakistani mediators.

Pakistan’s foreign minister said his country was “endeavouring to convert this ceasefire into a permanent end to this war”.

But a senior member of Iran’s parliament has dismissed the 14-point memorandum of understanding as a “wish list”.

Both the US and Iran have threatened an escalation in violence if their respective conditions for a peace deal aren’t met.

In a Truth Social post on 6 May, Trump wrote that if Iran did not agree to a deal “the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before”.

A short while later, the spokesperson of the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission, Ebrahim Rezaei, wrote on X that Iran “has its finger on the trigger”, warning Iran would “deliver a harsh and regret-inducing response” if the US did not “surrender and grant necessary conditions”.

Trump had previously said Operation Epic Fury – the initial US-Israeli offensive in Iran – would come to an end “assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to”. Prior to this statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said the operation was over and had achieved its objectives.

Trump also said, not for the first time, that Iran had agreed to never have a nuclear weapon “among other things” – a claim that has not been confirmed by Tehran. Iran’s nuclear programme has been one of the key sticking points between the two sides.

The historic congress served as a platform for critical discussions on the future of journalism and the evolving challenges confronting the media industry globally.

Key issues deliberated upon included journalist safety, press freedom, artificial intelligence in journalism, gender equality in media spaces, youth participation in the profession, and the sustainability of media organisations.

Representing Ghana and the wider West African media fraternity at the global gathering was Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, President of the Ghana Journalists Association and a Steering Committee Member of the Federation of African Journalists.

His participation at the centenary congress underscored Ghana’s growing influence within the international journalism community and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the promotion of press freedom, ethical journalism, and the welfare of media professionals across Africa.

The congress also provided an opportunity for delegates to strengthen international cooperation and renew commitments towards defending media freedom and protecting journalists in increasingly challenging environments worldwide.

Participants further explored strategies to ensure the survival and independence of journalism in the digital era while promoting responsible and inclusive media practices.

The event marked a significant milestone in the history of global journalism, celebrating a century of advocacy for journalists’ rights, freedom of expression, and solidarity among media practitioners worldwide.

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The meeting took place on the sidelines of the “Make it in the Emirates 2026” event at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

According to a statement from Jubilee House, the two leaders discussed plans for the UAE to invest in oil and gas storage facilities in Ghana as part of efforts to deepen energy collaboration between the two countries.

Beyond fossil fuels, they also explored opportunities in renewable and alternative energy sources, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) and solar power, aimed at reducing over-reliance on crude oil.

The discussions further focused on expanding bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, innovation, technology and artificial intelligence for mutual benefit.

President Mahama and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed also addressed ongoing tensions in the Middle East, expressing hope for a swift resolution to the conflict involving the United States and Iran.

The two leaders noted that restoring peace in the region would allow the global community to refocus on sustainable development and innovation.

The UAE President described Ghana as a peaceful and stable democracy with strong potential for deeper economic collaboration, while both leaders reaffirmed the longstanding relations between the two countries.

They expressed optimism that the renewed partnership would lead to increased trade, investment and sustainable energy development in the years ahead.

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Brent crude futures were up 78 cents, or 0.8%, at $102.05 a barrel at 0400 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate gained 76 cents, or 0.8%, to $95.84 a barrel.

Both benchmarks slumped more than 7% on Wednesday, hitting two-week lows on optimism over a possible end to the Middle East war. ​

They pared losses, however, after U.S. President Donald Trump said it was “too soon” for face-to-face talks with Tehran and a senior ​Iranian lawmaker said the U.S. proposal was more of a wish list than a reality.

“While peace negotiations are ⁠likely to continue at least until next week’s U.S.-China summit, the outlook beyond that remains uncertain,” said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, chief ​strategist of Nissan Securities Investment, a unit of Nissan Securities.

Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet next week. “The main scenario ​is that oil prices will remain elevated,” Kikukawa said.

Iran said on Wednesday it was reviewing a U.S. peace proposal that sources said would formally end the war while leaving unresolved the key U.S. demands that Iran suspend its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson ​, cited by Iran’s ISNA news agency, said Tehran would convey its response. Trump said he believed Iran wanted an agreement.

A Pakistan ​mediation source and another person briefed on the talks said an agreement was close on a one-page memorandum that would formally end the conflict.

U.S. ‌media outlet ⁠Axios reported that the U.S. expects Iranian responses on several key points in the next 48 hours, citing sources saying this is the closest the parties have come to an agreement since the war began.

“From a broader perspective, oil markets have remained stuck between diplomacy and disruption for more than two months, with investors’ emotions being manipulated by headlines almost daily,” said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior ​market analyst at Phillip Nova.

“If ​a formal deal eventually materialises, ⁠oil prices could witness a free fall as geopolitical premiums rapidly evaporate from the market. However, any fresh signs of attacks on oil infrastructure or escalation in the Middle East could easily ​trigger another parabolic spike in crude prices.”

Even if a peace deal is reached, oil supplies ​are expected to tighten ⁠further in the coming weeks because it will take weeks for oil shipments to resume from the Middle East Gulf and reach refiners worldwide, so oil companies will continue to deplete storage tanks to meet peak summer demand.

U.S. crude and fuel inventories continued to decline last week ⁠as countries ​sought to offset supply disruptions caused by the Iran crisis, the Energy Information ​Administration said on Wednesday.

Crude stocks fell by 2.3 million barrels to 457.2 million barrels last week, compared with analyst expectations in a Reuters poll for a ​3.3 million-barrel draw.

Turner launched Cable News Network as the first dedicated rolling news channel, in 1980, which soon became a central part of the media landscape.

“Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid, fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement,” CNN CEO and chairman Mark Thompson said in a statement.

“He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN. Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognize him and his impact on our lives and the world.”

CNN initially struggled, but proved its worth by providing speedy and continuous coverage of stories like the assassination attempt on US President Ronald Reagan in 1981, and the Challenger space shuttle disaster in 1986.

The network truly came of age with its rolling updates on the 1990-1991 Gulf War.

CNN was far from Turner’s only outlet. He began his career by taking over the successful family billboard company when his father took his own life, then bought a radio station in Atlanta, Georgia.

Within a decade, that station had become the foundation of the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) and its boss was one of the United States’ biggest media moguls.

Trump said the US would pause its operation to guide ships through the key Strait of Hormuz trade route – a move that triggered an escalation in attacks in the region – to see if a deal could be made.

Brent, the global benchmark for crude, fell by 1.7% to $108 (£79.56) a barrel, while US-traded oil fell by 1.6% to $100.60.

The price of oil jumped by more than 6% earlier in the week as attacks across the Middle East intensified, but has since gradually eased.

Global energy prices have surged since Tehran threatened to attack ships trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz, in retaliation against US-Israeli strikes since 28 February.

About a fifth of global oil and gas shipments cross the strait.

Oil prices overall have been higher since the US-Iran conditional ceasefire, which was announced on 8 April and later extended.

Trump said on social media on Tuesday that Project Freedom, the name of the US-led effort to move ships through the channel, would be “paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed”.

He added that “Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran”. Trump said the US would continue to block ships transiting to and from Iranian ports – a move designed to put pressure on Iran’s economy.

To traders, pausing Project Freedom is “a sign that Washington is willing to give diplomacy another chance,” said Charu Chanana from investment firm Saxo.

She added, however, that it is not a turning point.

“The key question for oil traders is whether this leads to real progress in reopening trade through the Strait of Hormuz,” said Chanana, an investment strategist. “For now, there is little evidence of that.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also told reporters that the initial US-Israeli offensive in Iran was over, as Washington’s objectives had been met.

“We would prefer the path of peace. What the president would prefer is a deal,” Rubio said.

Iran has not responded to Rubio’s remarks. The country’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf said earlier: “We know well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America, while we are just getting started.”

Project Freedom, which Trump said was meant to ease the flow of energy through the channel, had tested the ceasefire between the sides.

The US said it struck several Iranian “fast boats” in the channel, while the United Arab Emirates also accused Iran of launching strikes on one of its oil ports – a claim Tehran has denied.

The distinguished police officer, who previously served as the first female Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), will speak on the theme “The Role of Women Leaders in Promoting Integrity in Public Life in the Era of AI”.

This year’s conference is under the theme “Deploying Artificial Intelligence in the Fight Against Corruption in Commonwealth Africa”.

The 16th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa is being held in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The conference which began on May 4, 2026 will come to a close on May 8, 2026.

It is being hosted by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (CONAC).

The event aims to strengthen institutional integrity and share best practices to combat corruption, focusing on collaboration across Commonwealth countries.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (CONAC) is an independent Cameroonian public body established on March 11, 2006, dedicated to fighting corruption through prevention, education, and investigation. Based in Yaoundé, it acts as a specialized focal point for anti-corruption strategies, conducting nationwide campaigns to promote integrity, particularly in education and public sectors.

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Speaking in a JoyNews documentary, he alleged that after being forced to sign a military contract, he was initially paid $30,000 upon enlistment.

He further stated that he subsequently received a monthly salary of about $3,000 while deployed.

According to him, after sustaining injuries on the battlefield, he was additionally compensated with $40,000 by the Russian military.

However, the survivor said his financial situation deteriorated after he was allegedly deceived by another Ghanaian he met in Moscow, who promised to help him escape and return home safely.

“He pretended to help me come back to Ghana, but I was duped,” he claimed, adding that much of the remaining money was spent on securing his journey and survival.

He described his eventual return as bittersweet, arriving back in Ghana physically wounded and “empty-pocketed”, despite the sums he says he had received during his time in the conflict zone.

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According to him, he was recruited by an agent in Dubai in the Middle East under the pretext of securing him a job as a steward in the Russian military.

He explained that, in his search for greener pastures, he accepted the offer, completed the necessary processes, and eventually travelled to Moscow, the capital of Russia.

However, he disclosed that upon arrival at a military camp, he was informed that he was, in fact, expected to join the military and take part in the ongoing war.

The victim further revealed that he was not alone in this experience, stating that he was among hundreds of Africans who had been similarly deceived.

Watch the full documentary in the video below:

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Mali’s army chief of staff, General Oumar Diarra, will serve as a minister delegate for defence, said the report, which described the move as a “strategic decision ​coming in a security context that remains sensitive.”

The simultaneous attacks beginning on the morning of April 25 showed how fighters from different groups ​with different goals were able to strike at the ​heart of the West African country’s military government, which took power after ‌coups ⁠in 2020 and 2021.

Sadio Camara, the former defence minister who was instrumental in forging stronger ties with Russia, was killed when a car laden with explosives driven by ​a suicide attacker ​drove into ⁠his residence, the government has previously said.

The attacks set off fighting across Mali’s vast ​desert north, raising the prospect of significant gains ​by ⁠armed groups that have shown an increasing willingness to strike neighbouring countries and, analysts say, could eventually set their sights ⁠further ​afield.

Malian authorities are investigating soldiers suspected ​of involvement in the attacks, a judicial official said on Friday.

But when Lavinia clicked on an email with results of an at-home DNA test in September 2022, she was filled with a sense of dread.

“Maybe subconsciously I knew,” she says.

Her test results revealed something astonishing: non-identical twins Lavinia and Michelle don’t have the same father.

They were conceived naturally, grown together in the same womb, and born to the same mother within minutes of each other – but they are half-sisters.

Michelle and Lavinia, 49, exist because of an incredibly rare biological process called heteropaternal superfecundation. For it to happen, a woman must produce more than one egg during the same cycle, the eggs must be successfully fertilised by sperm from different men, and the resulting embryos must survive the pregnancy.

Only around 20 cases have ever been identified worldwide. After months of researching their story for the BBC Radio 4 series, The Gift, I’ve found that Lavinia and Michelle are the only set of twins with different fathers ever to be documented in the UK.

For Lavinia, the revelation was devastating. She and Michelle had shared a difficult childhood where they were passed around between homes and carers. The only stability the non-identical twins had was each other.

“She was the one thing that belonged to me, the one thing that I was certain about, the one thing that I was sure of,” Lavinia says. “And then she wasn’t.”

But when Lavinia rang her twin to share the news, Michelle felt differently.

“I wasn’t surprised,” Michelle says. “I’m still in amazement that this can actually happen – it’s super weird, super odd, super rare – but it makes sense.”

Michelle and Lavinia’s mother was a vulnerable 19-year-old when she gave birth to them in Nottingham in 1976.

“She had suffered abuse at the hands of [her] stepfather,” Michelle says. “My mother was in and out of foster care and children’s homes throughout her childhood.”

Whenever the twin sisters asked who their dad was, their mum always said he was someone called James. “He wasn’t in our life,” Michelle continues.

Their mother was absent for much of their lives, too. When they were five years old, she got a place to study at university in London, and left her children behind in Nottingham with her best friend’s mother, who the twins called “grandma”.

Grandma was strict – not very emotional, not very cuddly. The one constant I had was Michelle,” Lavinia says.

As long as she had her twin, Michelle says, she felt safe.

“It was her and I against the world.”

Aged 10, the girls joined their mother in London. But within a few years, Lavinia and Michelle were sent away again, to live in one of their mother’s old foster homes. They couldn’t understand why their mum wanted to maintain a distance from them.

“Physically and emotionally, she was always out of reach,” says Lavinia.

After being absent for most of their childhood, James came back into their lives when the twins were in their mid-teens. Lavinia managed to track him down – and while she thought she recognised herself in him, Michelle never felt sure he was her dad. Deep down, there were niggling doubts.

By late 2021, their mother had early-onset dementia, and was no longer able to answer their questions. Michelle saw a photograph of James, and became more convinced than ever that he couldn’t be her father.
 
“I just thought, you don’t even look anything like me,” Michelle says. “So I bought myself a kit.”

If you take a DNA test, you reveal truths about your family as well as yourself. But Michelle wasn’t thinking of how her results might affect Lavinia when she sent her sample off to be analysed. The results arrived on 14 February 2022 – the same day Michelle and Lavinia’s mother died.

Family

James’s last name didn’t feature in Michelle’s paternal line – he wasn’t her father.

After weeks of investigation, Michelle discovered that her father was Alex, the brother of a woman who had been friends with their mother. Michelle contacted some of Alex’s family, who warned her he had struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction for years, and was living on the streets.

Michelle and Lavinia met up with a woman called Olivine, who Michelle believed was a new first cousin to both her and her twin. Michelle felt an instant connection.

“I just knew she was blood,” she says. But Lavinia didn’t feel the same. And when Olivine took out photographs of her family, Lavinia didn’t see herself in their faces.

Lavinia decided to also do a DNA test. She didn’t expect to get a different result to Michelle, but she had to do something about her growing feelings of unease that Alex’s family was not her own.

The applicants are the first under a new Nigerian government-assisted repatriation scheme, the minister said on Sunday, amid fears that confrontations in ​South Africa could escalate.

Protesters held rallies in Pretoria and Johannesburg ​last week, demanding tougher action against illegal immigration, saying ⁠undocumented foreign nationals were putting pressure on jobs, security and public ​services. Migrant-rights groups say foreigners are often scapegoated for South Africa’s economic ​problems.

Nigeria condemns the violence against its citizens in South Africa, including the deaths of two Nigerians allegedly assaulted by security officials, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, a spokesperson ​for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday.

“Nigeria seeks full ​cooperation in providing autopsy reports, post-mortem documentation, and relevant case files, and in ‌facilitating ⁠access to legal processes for the families of the deceased,” Ebienfa said, adding that accountability should include “appropriate disciplinary and prosecutorial action” where wrongdoing is established.

South Africa last month promised to crack down on ​anyone carrying out xenophobic attacks ​after Ghana ⁠and other African countries reported that their nationals had faced violence and discrimination.

More protests were planned on ​May 4 and May 8 and Nigeria would ​be watching ⁠developments closely, the government said.

It had already summoned South Africa’s High Commissioner in Abuja over the situation, and its diplomatic missions in South ⁠Africa ​are working with local authorities to reduce ​risks to Nigerians, the foreign minister said.

Three Indian nationals were injured in the strike, officials said.

It came after the UAE defence ministry said it had intercepted three missiles launched from Iran, with a fourth falling into the sea. Its foreign ministry earlier reported a tanker affiliated with Adnoc, its state-owned oil company, was hit in the Strait of Hormuz.

The UAE called the attacks a “dangerous escalation”. Iranian state TV has quoted an unnamed military official as saying that Iran had “no plans to target the UAE”.

The rising tensions come as the US said navy destroyers and US-flagged merchant ships sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.

Iran called the claims “entirely false” and its military said it fired warning shots at a US warship. Washington earlier denied a claim in Iranian state media that Iranian missiles had hit a US ship.

Later on Monday, Donald Trump said the US had “shot down” seven Iranian fast boats in the strait. Iran denied that this had happened.

The Strait of Hormuz has remained largely blocked since the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran in February and Tehran responded by blocking the crucial waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas is meant to pass freely.

In early April, the US and Iran announced a ceasefire under which Iran ended its drone and missile strikes on Gulf countries, including the UAE, but few vessels have been able to transit the strait since then, and the US imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports.

The benchmark Brent crude oil price passed $115 a barrel shortly after the reports that Fujairah had come under attack, up more than 5% on the day.

Fujairah lies on the east coast of the UAE, beyond the Strait of Hormuz. A pipeline from the oilfields of Abu Dhabi runs to Fujairah, allowing limited amounts of crude to be loaded on to tankers and shipped to world markets despite the strait being effectively blockaded.

Earlier on Monday, South Korea also reported an explosion on one of its ships anchored just off the UAE.

Neighbouring Qatar condemned the attack on the tanker affiliated with Adnoc and called for the strait’s “unconditional reopening”.

In Oman, two people were injured when a residential building was targeted in Bukha, along the coastline of the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported on Monday.

On Sunday, Trump said the US would start helping stranded vessels out of the shipping lane. An estimated 20,000 seafarers on 2,000 ships have been stuck since the US-Iran war began in February.

The president said the US had been asked by countries “from all over the World” to help free up their ships which were “locked up in the Strait of Hormuz” and were “merely neutral and innocent bystanders!”.

And so, in response, the US would “guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways”.

There has been growing concern over dwindling supplies and the effects on sailors’ physical and mental health.

But Trump did not say how they would be able to sail away – he only threatened to use force “if, in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with”.

The dog is not resting. He is panting, presumably in pain.

The text on the 15-second clip tells viewers that this dog “got into an accident” and asks them to “to save his life” by donating through an online link.

In the three weeks after the video was first posted on 8 January last year, this dog was featured in hundreds of other fundraising campaigns by at least a dozen accounts.

A social media user from the UK named the dog Russet, which reflected the colour of his coat. Thousands of dollars were raised for his treatment. But he never got better.

BBC Africa Eye has discovered that this dog in Uganda was a prop in a scam that solicits donations for animals in distress, part of a hidden industry profiting from cruelty.

It is impossible to conclusively establish what caused Russet’s injuries, but BBC World Service journalists managed to piece together parts of his story, which suggest he endured prolonged suffering, regardless of the cause.

The story connects a town in Uganda with animal lovers thousands of miles away. They are coaxed into parting with their money through emotional images, lies and the exploitation of Western stereotypes of Africa, such as endemic poverty and widespread indifference towards animal welfare.

But it is dogs like Russet who pay the highest price.

He was filmed in Mityana, a trading centre around 70km (43 miles) from Uganda’s capital, Kampala.

The town has become infamous among online animal rescue activists around the world for one thing – sham dog rescue shelters.

Ugandan scammers have realised just how popular dogs are in Europe, North America and Australia, and how easily social media’s obsession with dogs can be converted into cash.

“There are young men in the [Ugandan] countryside who are always looking for anything to do on the internet,” Bart Kakooza, chairman of the Uganda Society for the Protection and Care of Animals, tells the BBC.

“On the other side, in the Western world, people are very passionate about animals. These young men realised they can make money if they can get a dog.”

It is impossible to say how many social media accounts operate from Mityana. But collectively, they have flooded Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube with videos of pitiful-looking animals – mostly dogs and cats, but even rabbits – with commentary pleading for donations to shelter, feed and treat them.

A typical video involves a person showing some dogs in a makeshift structure coupled with messages like “our dogs are hungry”, “it’s another day without food at the shelter”, and “please help us”.

The clips often exploit what content creators think will resonate with viewers’ existing perceptions of Africa, depicting it as a place where food is scarce and young dog lovers must fight against the odds to protect animals from societal hostility and neglect.

Data analysis by BBC Africa Eye suggests these videos have been effective in converting views into donations.

Over the past five years, our research has shown that more than $730,000 (£540,000) has been raised for animal shelters in Uganda by hundreds of fundraisers on the donation platform GoFundMe.

Nearly 40% of all the fundraisers analysed by the BBC were connected to Mityana.

In the town, the business of sham dog shelters is an open secret. Several residents tell the BBC it is easy to spot the con artists.

“When you see a young man driving a Subaru [a status symbol car in the area], you just know he is a scammer,” says one.

Another says: “The scammers are the most respected here in Mityana”.

But very few residents are willing to speak openly about specific shelter operations, fearing retaliation. The BBC decides to send an undercover team to Mityana.

The journalists pose as newcomers wanting to enter the business of online dog-shelter content.

They discover that some establishments in the area are rented out to multiple content creators.

The shelters charge an entrance fee to film with the owner’s dogs. The videos are then posted on the scammer’s social media accounts and affiliated online fundraisers, usually a GoFundMe or PayPal link.

This means the same physical shelter and the same dogs are used by several different accounts to solicit money.

The BBC team gains access to one of these shelters, run by a young man who introduces himself as Charles Lubajja.

At the shelter, the journalists find about 15 dogs kept in the same cage, lying in their own waste. Many appear severely underweight and lethargic.

Lubajja tells the undercover reporters that the shelter primarily exists to make money from social media viewers abroad under false pretences. He gives some advice on how to increase revenues, and shares some of the tricks, including:

• Pretending that a landowner has threatened the shelter with eviction, and money is needed to relocate it
• Filming fake veterinary treatments, for example, by placing a syringe in the dog’s fur rather than administering a real injection
• Inflating the cost of dog food by more than 11 times.

“Once you receive the GoFundMe money, you use it to buy a car or build a house,” Lubajja says while being secretly filmed.

“Once you get a white donor, don’t treat them as a brother. You have to squeeze them [take their money]. Drain them.”

But as fake operations like Lubajja’s spread across the internet, a growing number of donors came to realise they had been deceived. Initiatives then sprang up to stop the scammers.

Campaigners’ tactics include raising awareness among potential contributors and naming and shaming the accounts believed to be the worst offenders.

Online activists also say that more than just neglect is taking place in Mityana’s shelters, including deliberately harming the animals.

A campaign which gained ground due to its aggressive style is We Won’t Be Scammed, which has an Instagram account with around 20,000 followers.

In the undercover filming, Lubajja himself mentions the campaign and describes it as the scammers’ “biggest problem”.

What Lubajja probably did not know is that the account is run by a 49-year-old woman who lives some 10,000km away in Yorkshire, in the north of England.

Nicola Baird, the founder of We Won’t Be Scammed, is on the warpath.

“The scammers, I just have hatred for them,” she tells the BBC. “They are the epitome of evil.”

As with others in her network of 20 activists, Baird was once a victim. She sent money to a man in Mityana who said his dog needed surgery after a traffic accident.

When she received photos and videos of the dog’s alleged surgery, Baird started to suspect something was wrong. Veterinary doctors, she shared the images with, confirmed that they looked more like abuse than veterinary care. “That’s when I thought: ‘Oh my goodness, I’ve enabled this abuse.’

“And that’s when it became a real passion to stop the abuse because I felt like they were abusing [my dog] Sebi – they’re abusing part of my family.”

This experience shaped Baird’s belief that animal injuries shown in social media videos – including burns, cuts and even missing limbs – have been deliberately inflicted, a view shared by other online activist groups monitoring accounts linked to Mityana.

Lubajja confirms to the undercover team that scammers have intentionally injured dogs.

“When they ran out of content, some people started cutting the dogs and asking for money,” he says.

But he adds the escalation backfired when some donors started seeing through the abuse and warning others.

“[Scammers] no longer cut the dogs [because] they lost money when the white people realised.”

Baird acknowledges that scammers’ tactics have changed due to increased scrutiny, but maintains that dogs are still being deliberately hurt and remain in danger.

“All that pain is just for a few donations,” she says. “No animal should have to live like this.”

We Won’t Be Scammed, and other online activists think that Russet, the dog who was filmed at the side of the road and featured in dozens of fundraising videos, had his legs deliberately broken.

During the undercover filming, Lubajja is shown a video of Russet, and he identifies it as one of his dogs. When pressed by the journalists for more details, he said the dog had been involved in a traffic accident just outside the shelter.

But that may not have been the case.

After his initial social media appearance, Russet’s image was posted on several different accounts, seemingly as he was passed from one scammer group to another.

Around three weeks later, a British social media user and donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, managed to negotiate Russet’s release from the scammers to a veterinary clinic in Kampala.

Dr Isa Lutebemberwa went to Mityana to pick the dog up and took him to his clinic for treatment, which was funded by the UK donor.

In Lutebemberwa’s opinion, the chances that Russet’s injuries resulted from an accident were low. Describing an X-ray of Russet’s lower body, he says: “If you look at these bones, all of them were broken almost in the same position.

“If you are interested in breaking a bone, it’s the position you would go for, because it is the weakest.”

Lutebemberwa operated on Russet. He survived the surgery but died a couple of days later.

“If you looked in his face, you would see that he had endured a lot of suffering,” Lutebemberwa tells the BBC. “Given everything he had gone through, he did not deserve to die.”

“Russet showed me the pain a dog which is out there can go through.”

The BBC contacted Lubajja, who had told the undercover journalists he had been the owner of Russet, for comment on the investigation’s findings.

When sent images of Russet with the allegations, he said he did not recognise the dog and denied injuring animals. He acknowledged that content creators pay to film at his shelter.

Lutebemberwa and other animal activists in Uganda, like Kakooza, partially blame international donors for the suffering of dogs in Mityana’s shelters, saying they often donate impulsively and without enough scrutiny.

“People who are donating money are causing the problem of animal cruelty here, because they keep on fuelling it, they are fanning the fire,” says Kakooza.

Baird agrees that donations may inadvertently have caused harm: “I think the message that we have to take from Russet’s abuse is the donations prolonged his agony. Had people not donated, Russet would not have suffered as long as he did.”

Most animal activists, in Uganda and beyond, think that more awareness among social media users and potential donors would reduce the flow of donations to Mityana’s shelters. This would dampen scammers’ income and the appeal of the business among young people, and lead to fewer new dogs being captured for the scams.

However, few can point to a concrete solution for the dogs who are currently in the shelters.

Mityana police told the BBC that an operation in 2023 rescued 24 severely injured dogs kept in poor conditions at a sham shelter in town, and transferred them to Kampala for treatment.

Three suspects arrested in the operation were charged with cruelty against animals before being released. Their file was later closed, and they were given a warning.

Now, an international coalition of activists, including Kakooza, is trying to use private prosecutions to tackle the problem. One is already in the works.

“We hope this case will be a deterrent for many other people who wish to continue operating in this illegal trade,” he tells the BBC.

If you’re outside the UK, you can watch the documentary on YouTube.

Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, who finished third and fourth respectively in the 2023 presidential race, have both joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), raising the prospect of a joint ticket to challenge President Bola Tinubu.

They were previously in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), along with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who came second in the last election.

While this could be seen as a fragmentation of the opposition, supporters of Obi and Kwankwaso say it will give their alliance greater focus.

Both men are former governors and command significant grassroots followings.

Obi is hugely popular among young voters across the south, while Kwankwaso wields considerable influence in the north.

The move comes just nine months after Obi, Kwankwaso and Abubakar joined the ADC but that alliance quickly became mired in legal battles over party leadership – something Obi blamed on the government.

“The same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises and hostility within the Labour Party that forced me to leave now appear to be finding their way into the ADC,” Obi said on Sunday.

He was the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 election.

Allies of President Tinubu have denied that they have been trying to sabotage opposition parties.

Obi, 64, and Kwankwaso, 69, were formally received at the NDC’s national headquarters in Abuja by the party’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, on Sunday.

Speaking afterwards, both men called for national unity, greater opportunities for young people, and an end to the infighting that has plagued Nigeria’s opposition.

However, their decision risks upsetting allies within the coalition built around the ADC, which had been positioning itself as the main vehicle for opposition unity.

Some figures within the bloc have privately expressed a sense of betrayal, raising fresh doubts about whether Nigeria’s fragmented opposition can sustain a coordinated challenge against President Tinubu, 74.

In a statement, the Nigerian presidency played down the significance of the defections, suggesting they reflected “the normal fluidity of democratic politics” rather than any fundamental shift.

A presidential spokesperson said the government remained focused on governance.

“Political alliances will come and go,” the spokesperson said. “But our priority is delivering economic reforms, improving security and ensuring stability for all Nigerians.”

Tinubu is widely expected to seek a second term, although he has not yet confirmed it. His supporters recently paid the 100 million naira (£52,000; $73,000) fee needed for the form to contest the primary elections for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party.

Political analyst Bala Yusuf told the BBC the move could reshape Nigeria’s electoral landscape.

“If the NDC fields Obi as its presidential candidate and Kwankwaso as vice-president, they will definitely give the ruling APC a run for their money at the polls,” he said.

They have not yet said who the presidential candidate will be – an issue that has broken up several previous Nigerian political alliances.

It remains to be seen how Abubakar will respond, given that he was a key figure who went to great lengths to bring opposition heavyweights into the ADC.

Meanwhile, the party’s leadership crisis continues to play out in the courts.

The Supreme Court last week ordered that the dispute over who runs the party be sent back to the Federal High Court for another hearing – a decision that further reduces the time available for the ADC to get its house in order before the election campaign begins in earnest.

Elections are scheduled for early January next year – they will be the country’s eighth since the end of military rule in 1999.

The police stated on Sunday that landslides were reported in Tharaka Nithi, Elgeyo-Marakwet, and Kiambu counties in the country’s central and eastern regions. They confirmed that 18 lives had been lost to these incidents and urged caution amid the challenging weather conditions.

Mudslides are impacting “multiple families, displacing households, and causing significant damage to property and infrastructure”, the police said, warning residents living in landslide-prone or flood-affected areas to be careful.

It’s unclear how many people have been displaced.

Reports from local media show streets in the capital city, Nairobi, overflowing with water as cars and pedestrians wade through the deluge.

Traders in the city’s Makongeni and Ruai neighbourhoods staged protests on Sunday over the poor state of roads amid the rains, saying it was affecting their businesses.

Weather authorities earlier on Friday warned that the rains posed health risks in the form of waterborne diseases, and that damage to crops and farmland across the country was likely.

This is the second time in less than two months that parts of Kenya are seeing deadly floods. In March, floodwaters swelled to the brim in parts of Nairobi, killing at least 37 people.

The East African country is currently experiencing its seasonal March to May rain season, which usually peaks in the first half of May. However, experts have long warned that human-induced climate change is exacerbating weather conditions in Kenya and other East African countries.

“Across African cities, water extremes, too much during intense rains and too little during droughts, are driving increasingly severe impacts,” Fruzsina Straus, head of Disaster Risk Reduction for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said in a brief last week, adding that “cities must adapt rapidly to this new water volatility”.

The reptile suspected to have eaten the missing man had already been killed, but Captain Johan “Pottie” Potgieter said it was still a nerve-wracking experience.

“The sharp end of a crocodile is not the best place to approach it,” he told the News24 website.

After Potgieter had used a rope to secure the animal, both were hoisted away from the Komati River in the north-east of the country.

DNA tests will now be carried out to confirm if the remains are those of the missing man.

His car had become stranded attempting to cross a low bridge in the flooded river last week. By the time the police got to the scene, it was empty, leading them to suspect he had been swept away by the water, Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo told the national broadcaster, SABC.

The authorities used drones and helicopters in the search mission and noticed a small island where a number of crocodiles were basking in the sun, recounted Potgieter, commander of a police diving unit.

He said that, based on years of experience, they could tell that one of the animals had recently eaten.

“Besides having a massively full tummy, he didn’t move around or try to slip into the river despite the noise of the drones and the chopper,” he told News24.

The reptile was then killed before Potgieter embarked on what police described as the “highly dangerous and complex operation” to recover it.

The massive crocodile, measuring 4.5m (15ft) and weighing 500kg (1,100lb), was then flown to the nearby Kruger National Park, where human remains were discovered inside its intestines.

Potgieter said that, in addition to the body parts, six different types of shoes were found. He said this could indicate it had killed other people, but not necessarily: “A crocodile will eat or swallow anything.”

South Africa’s acting police chief, Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane, praised Potgieter for his bravery.

It was early November 2025 when Penelope received a call whilst driving home from work in New Jersey in the US. It was her doctor, phoning with news she had been longing for. After an agonising two and a half years of trying, Penelope was finally pregnant.

After many tests, Penelope and her husband Samuel had learned that he had Klinefelter syndrome, a genetic condition that affects males who are born with an extra X chromosome, often not diagnosed until adulthood. Most people with Klinefelter syndrome produce little or no sperm in their ejaculate, a condition known as azoospermia. About 10% of infertile men experience azoospermia.

Bursting with joy and disbelief, Penelope waited until Samuel (both their names have been changed to protect their identity for privacy reasons) returned home that evening to share the news.

“His face was just a wave of emotion,” she says. “He cried… just to finally get to that point, because it took so much effort, time and research. And the fact that we only had one embryo, and it worked, we were just over the Moon.”

Their pregnancy was only made possible thanks to a new technique, known as the Star (Sperm Track and Recovery) system, developed by Columbia University to trace sperm in men with azoospermia. The system uses artificial intelligence to help identify and locate the few “hidden” sperm that men with this condition can have.

“I was scared. I thought that I wasn’t going to be able to have my own kid, which is a really big part of my life,” says Samuel, who was told he had a 20% chance of having a biological child. “And that was a big slap in the face.”

Infertility affects millions of people worldwide, with around one in every six people of reproductive age experiencing problems with getting pregnant at least once in their lifetime. Male infertility is a contributing factor in up to 50% of cases and 1% of all men are azoospermic.

This means potentially millions of men worldwide have sperm counts so low that their individual spermatozoa are so hard to find that they are considered to be azoospermic. But the power of AI to find these hidden sperm could offer hope to those hoping to become parents.

At the end of last year, after five years in development, the first baby to be born using the Star system allowed a couple who had battled with infertility for almost two decades to finally have a child. It’s a moment Zev Williams, director of Columbia University Fertility Center, and his team remember well.

“Everyone was just jumping up and down with joy,” he says. “There are so few things where the reward for all the effort that was put into it is something as wonderful and special as this. Now there’s a baby girl and hopefully, God willing, many, many more.” 

Since the arrival of the first Star baby, the technology has been used regularly at the fertility centre, with the waiting list of people hoping to conceive growing to hundreds from all around the world. Based on the latest 175 patients to have used the technology, Williams says they are finding sperm in just under 30% of cases. These are individuals who had otherwise been told that they had no chance of having a baby using their own sperm.  

In further tests, Star was able to find 40 times more sperm than a manual search by a trained human technician, according to Williams.

Usually a semen sample has tens of millions of sperm per millilitre. A tiny droplet from a sample is examined under a microscope so sperm count can be estimated, while also looking for whether the sperm are moving and healthy. But in azoospermic samples, only a single sperm might be present in the entire sample – although in some cases there are none. Sifting through the sample, one tiny drop at a time, is impractical.

Williams hit on the idea for the Star system in 2020 after reading about how AI is being used to find new stars.

Modern telescopes produce an overwhelming amount of data of the night’s sky that is impossibly time consuming for human astronomers to analyse for objects that haven’t been seen before. But using machine learning algorithms can do this work in minutes.

“The picture of the sky was very reminiscent of what we’re looking for, and what we see in men who are told they have no sperm,” says Williams. He began to ponder whether it would be possible to apply such technologies to identify and isolate sperm in the same way.

He and his team were already using a high-powered imaging technology that could be used to scan the sample. The challenge was to analyse hundreds of images per second in real time to detect and extract any sperm that can be found.

Williams and his colleagues use microfluid chips – glass or polymer etched with a series of channels as thin as a human hair. The sperm sample then flows through and can be scanned by the imager.

A machine learning algorithm detects any sperm cells in the images in real-time so they can be isolated as gently as possible, ensuring they are not destroyed.

“As the sample is flowing through, we’re imaging it at 300 images per second,” says Williams. “Most of what we’re seeing is just debris and fragments. It’s not like it’s an empty liquid. And you’re trying to find that really rare sperm in a sea of all this other debris and cell fragments.”

Williams says that the Star method has achieved a sensitivity rating of 100%, meaning it has the ability to find a single sperm in a sample if there is one present.

“It’s just finding something where we couldn’t see it before,” he says.

Once identified, a robotic system then extracts the sperm cell or cells within milliseconds of their discovery. “The robotics on the microfluid chip sorts out that tiny little part of the fluid that has the sperm in it,” says Williams. “You end up with a tube filled with the seminal fluid, but without any sperm in it, and a tiny droplet that has the sperm in it.”

In Samuel’s case, there was an added challenge and a first for the Star system – with Klinefelter, there’s no sperm in the ejaculate, so to find sperm, urologists need to go in the testicle. Samuel underwent hormone therapy for nine months in preparation for a successful testicular extraction surgery at another fertility centre.

The sample was then sent to William’s team at Columbia for investigation.

“The tissue from the surgery was transported to our andrology laboratory which then processed it to be able to run through the Star system,” says Eric Forman, medical and laboratory director at Columbia University Fertility Center, who supervised the procedure.

At the same time, Penelope was having her egg retrieval procedure. A fresh sperm sample is usually provided on the same day, because it offers the best chance of fertilisation. They were running against time.

Star was able to isolate eight sperm in Samuel’s sample, which were in turn injected into Penelope’s eggs. One turned into a full blastocyst, a more developed stage of an embryo.

Their baby, likely to be the first boy born as a result of Star, is due at the end of July. It’s a point they were never sure they’d reach.

“It’s starting to feel really real now, especially because I’m feeling movement. We had our anatomy scan and everything is just looking so great,” says Penelope.

Hunting out scarce sperm cells is not the only way AI is being used to improve outcomes in fertility treatment.

In ovarian stimulation, for example – an essential process in IVF which helps the ovaries produce multiple eggs – machine learning is allowing for a more personalised dosage of the hormone gonadotropin to be calculated. Meanwhile, deep learning tools are assisting with more accurate and viable gamete and embryo selection.

But to assess long-term outcomes, experts agree that more large-scale clinical trials are needed, as well as clarity around how to handle sensitive medical data, confidentiality and disputes around accountability and ownership.

There are also concerns about the overpromise of a happy ending that can come with AI innovations.

“Couples who have long fertility journeys can become desperate to conceive and are vulnerable to being sold expensive treatments of unproven value,” says Siobhan Quenby, professor of obstetrics at The University of Warwick in the UK.  

“It is very exciting that advanced, imagining, engineering and AI have been combined to develop a new solution for severe male factor subfertility,” she adds. “One successful pregnancy is an important start. However, further research on more patients is needed before the value of this new treatment can be fully assessed.”

For Samuel, however, the prospect that this AI-powered technique could help him and his wife grow their family again in the future is tantalising.

“Of course, now we’re being greedy and we want another kid hopefully in the future, but this is something we’re going to have to go through again because we don’t have anything in reserve besides eggs,” he says. But they also now have hope, he says, where there previously was none.

Two women and a child were among eight killed in Haboush in Nabatieh district, where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had issued an evacuation order.

Four people, including two women, were killed in Zrarieh in Sidon district, while another person was killed in Ain Baal in Tyre district. In total, 32 people were injured on Friday.

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has continued despite an ongoing three-week ceasefire extension.

On Saturday, Iran-backed group Hezbollah said it had targeted Israeli soldiers and military vehicles in Lebanon.

The Israeli military said one of its soldiers was killed during combat in southern Lebanon on Thursday, bringing the number of Israeli troop deaths since early March to 17.

An initial 10-day pause in hostilities had been announced on 16 April following ambassador talks in Washington between Israel and Lebanon.

The two countries have no diplomatic relations and the first meeting in Washington was the first high-level set of talks between them since 1993.

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A three-week extension to the ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump on 23 April, who said the second meeting between the two countries “went very well” and the US would be working with Lebanon “to help it protect itself from Hezbollah”.

The Iran-backed group was not involved in the ceasefire agreement but had indicated it would abide by its terms if it was also respected by Israel.

While the truce largely halted strikes on the capital city Beirut and its southern suburbs, fighting has persisted elsewhere in the south, with continued air raids and repeated evacuation orders.

On 30 April, the US embassy in Beirut suggested a meeting between Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would give Lebanon “the chance to secure concrete guarantees on full sovereignty, territorial integrity, secure borders, humanitarian and reconstruction support, and the complete restoration of Lebanese state authority over every inch of its territory”.

The post on X added that this would be “guaranteed by the US”.

The Lebanese president met with the US ambassador to Lebanon Michael Issa on Friday, where Issa affirmed that the US continued support to Lebanon.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire ending a previous conflict in November 2024, after which Israel carried out near-daily attacks on targets and people it said were linked to Hezbollah.

After the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February and killed Iran’s supreme leader, Hezbollah launched rockets and drones into Israel in retaliation on 2 March.

In response, Israel bombarded Lebanon with air strikes. Israeli forces re-entered southern Lebanon in early March, where they have destroyed villages and remained occupying 10km (6.2 miles) of Lebanese territory.

Since early March, 2,586 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 103 health care workers and emergency responders, according to the Lebanese health ministry. It does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Along with 17 Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon, two civilians have been killed by Hezbollah attacks in Israel.

On Saturday morning, the IDF said it had undertaken “around 50 strikes in the last day” on southern Lebanon.

It says the targets struck included headquarters from where Hezbollah operated, along with buildings used for military purposes.

A previous update said the IDF intercepted two “aerial targets” before they managed to cross into Israeli territory.

Two months into the US-Israel war on Iran, the strait remains closed, choking off 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supplies. That has sent global energy prices surging and heightened concerns about the risks of an economic downturn.

Pakistan-led efforts to resolve the conflict have hit an impasse. Despite a ceasefire in place since April 8, Iran continues to block the strait in response to a US naval blockade of its ports, preventing oil exports – Tehran’s economic lifeline.

Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei defended the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. “This is because of the war and the defence of our right – that is, according to international law, it is legitimate, legal, and accepted,” he said on Thursday night, Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported.

He accused the US of “exploiting a waterway” of which Iran is the coastal state. “In such circumstances, you cannot allow this waterway to be misused,” he said.

Baghaei also justified attacks on US assets in Gulf countries.

“Unfortunately, the regional countries also truly acted unjustly; during the holy month of Ramadan, they cooperated with a foreign party in attacking an Islamic country, and this is something that will remain a permanent demand.”

On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates said it had banned its citizens from travelling to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq, and urged those currently in those countries to leave immediately and return home.

Then, on Friday, in response to Iran’s threat to hit targets in the Gulf, the adviser to the UAE’s president, Anwar Gargash, said: “No unilateral Iranian arrangements can be trusted or relied upon, following its treacherous aggression against all its neighbours.”

Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa also condemned what he described as Iranian aggression against Manama and accused Tehran of threatening its security and stability and exposing internal collaborators.

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In a statement, the king expressed anger at individuals and some legislators accused of siding with the attackers, warning that traitors could face imprisonment, loss of citizenship and expulsion. He stressed that loyalty to the nation is “paramount”, urging unity and accountability, and said parliament must be “cleansed” of those who support enemies.

New US strikes?

It is unclear whether the US is planning to renew its attacks on Iran.

Friday is the deadline for Congress to approve the war. Without that – or a 30-day extension, which the Trump administration must also justify by the day – the US will have to scale back its offensive significantly under the 1973 War Powers Resolution.

A senior administration official said late on Thursday that, for the resolution, hostilities had ceased with the start of the April ceasefire between Tehran and Washington, effectively resetting the clock.

President Donald Trump received a briefing from officials on Thursday on plans for a series of further military strikes to pressure Iran to negotiate an end to the conflict, US publication Axios reported, quoting sources.

US Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal told CNN on Thursday that he had the “impression from some of the briefings”, as well as from other sources, that “an imminent military strike is very much on the table”.

He added that this prospect was “deeply disturbing” because it could “well involve American sons and daughters in harm’s way” and lead to “potential massive casualties”.

Bracing for attack

Meanwhile, Iran has been bracing itself for likely attacks. Air defence activity was heard in some areas of the capital, Tehran, late on Thursday, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported, and the Tasnim news agency said air defences were engaging small drones and unmanned surveillance aerial vehicles.

A senior official of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said any new US attack on Iran, even if limited, would usher in “long and painful strikes” on its regional positions. Iranian media reports, quoting the aerospace force commander, Majid Mousavi, said: “We’ve seen what happened to your regional bases, we will see the same thing happen to your warships.”

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written message to Iranians that “the enemies’ abuses of the waterway” would be eliminated under the new management of the strait, indicating that Tehran intended to maintain its hold over it.

“Foreigners who come from thousands of kilometres away … have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he said.

Multiple scenarios

Reporting from the White House, in Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna said: “There’s no doubt that there have been various scenarios laid out for him [Trump] by his military advisers and by his intelligence advisers as to what to do should the ceasefire no longer be extended.”

“Obviously, that would involve some form of armed action, some form of intensified economic action.”

“There’s absolutely no doubt that President Trump has all sorts of scenarios that have been laid out in front of him, but very clearly as well, it’s going to be him and him alone who will choose what to do next,” Hanna added.

Her election took place in Johannesburg, where she secured a decisive victory with 131 votes against 51.

The position is considered equivalent to that of a Second Deputy Speaker within the continental legislative body.

With this achievement, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings becomes the first female representative of the West African Caucus to occupy the role in the history of the Pan-African Parliament.

The development was shared by Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, who congratulated her on the milestone and described the feat as significant for both Ghana and the West African sub-region.

Her election marks a notable step in advancing female representation in leadership within Africa’s parliamentary structures.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!
—————————————

1. By 131 to 51 votes, the Hon. Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings has just been emphatically elected as the 2nd Deputy President of the Pan African Parliament in Johannesburg, South Africa.

2. This is the equivalence of a 2nd Deputy Speaker of the… pic.twitter.com/doQkPz7z4i

— Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Esq. MP. (@etsedafeamekpor) April 30, 2026

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He insists that justice must first be served before any funeral arrangements proceed.

Speaking on JoyNews PM Express on Wednesday, he revealed that Ghana has demanded a full investigation into the killing, which officials say was initially treated as a routine criminal incident.

“So the current xenophobic actions that are going on, nobody has lost their lives. The statistics are there; they’ve given it to us,” he said, addressing broader concerns about the safety of Ghanaians in South Africa.

He, however, confirmed a specific case involving a Ghanaian man found dead in East London.

“In fact, there was a story going round about a Ghanaian who had lost his life in East London… we went there yesterday on the instructions of the Foreign Affairs Minister,” he said.

Mr Quarshie disclosed that initial findings showed the victim was killed in a violent robbery.

“We got to find out that the gentleman was stabbed to death by armed robbers, and it happened three weeks ago,” he said. “They just left his body there, and we only got to know after three weeks.”

He said Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has since demanded action. “The Foreign Affairs Minister has officially asked them to open an investigation,” he noted.

According to him, Ghanaian officials moved quickly to prevent what they described as premature disposal of the body.

“In fact, they wanted to mass-bury the gentleman, but the Minister again gave instructions that the gentleman should not be buried until a full investigation is completed,” he said.

He stressed that Ghana’s position is firm: “until we know who killed him, why he was killed, and compensation given to his family.”

Mr Quarshie added that the deceased’s family has been traced in Ghana.

“The family has been identified in Ghana. We’ve spoken to them,” he said, describing the situation as deeply distressing. “It has been a difficult one for them, because this is a breadwinner in the family.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/oeBxpk-F1ow?si=RL_ypcAr4MyE-FwH

He also highlighted the emotional toll of the killing. “When you hear the story as to how they killed him, it’s really, really pathetic,” he said.

The High Commissioner warned that Ghana will no longer tolerate delays or silence in such cases.

“I’m sure that the era of Ghanaians or any other person being killed, and South African authorities just brushing it aside… I think that era is over,” he said.

He pledged to continue pressuring authorities to ensure accountability.

“We will ensure there’s accountability. Will account for every single individual, be it Ghanaian, be it any African person,” he said. “When we get to know it, until justice is done, we will not stop.”

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Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express with Evans Mensah, he said, “So the current xenophobic actions that are going on, nobody has lost their lives.”

His comments come amid heightened tensions and circulating reports online suggesting that foreign nationals, including Ghanaians, have been targeted and killed in parts of South Africa.

Mr Quarshie said official data available to the mission contradicts those claims. “The statistics are there; they’ve given it to us,” he stated.

He addressed a specific viral case involving a Ghanaian man reportedly killed in East London, clarifying the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“In fact, there was a story going round about a Ghanaian who had lost his life in East London… We went there yesterday on the instructions of the Foreign Affairs Minister,” he explained.

According to him, investigations revealed the death was unrelated to xenophobic violence. “We got to find out that the gentleman was stabbed to death by armed robbers, and it happened three weeks ago,” he said.

He disclosed that the case came to the authorities’ attention only weeks later.

“They just left his body there, and we only got to know after three weeks that the citizen had been stabbed to death,” he added.

The envoy said the Ghanaian government has since intervened at the highest level. “The Foreign Affairs Minister has officially asked them to open an investigation,” he noted.

He revealed that steps have been taken to ensure due process, including halting an attempted burial.

“In fact, they wanted to mass-bury the gentleman, but the Minister again gave instructions that the gentleman should not be buried until a full investigation is completed,” he said.

He stressed that authorities are seeking clarity and justice. “Until we know who killed him, why he was killed, and compensation given to his family,” he stated.

Mr Quarshie confirmed that the victim’s family in Ghana has been identified and contacted. “We’ve spoken to them. It has been a difficult one for them, because this is the breadwinner in the family,” he said.

Describing the circumstances of the killing, he added, “When you hear the story as to how they killed him, it’s really, really pathetic.”

Despite the incident, he maintained that it should not be conflated with xenophobic violence.

He also signalled a shift in how such cases are handled.

“But I’m sure that the era of Ghanaians or any other person being killed, and South African authorities just brushing it aside… that era is over,” he said.

He pledged sustained action from Ghana’s diplomatic mission.

“We would ensure there’s accountability. Will account for every single individual, be it Ghanaian, be it any African person,” he stated.

“Until justice is done, we will not stop,” he added.

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The House voted 215-211, with no Democrats supporting it. House Speaker Mike Johnson held the vote open for more than five hours as he worked to ​get enough of his fellow Republicans to embrace the measure.

Some, from farm states, were holding out for a future vote on expanding the sale of gasoline blended with ethanol.

The Senate approved the plan on April ​23. With the House going along, it will be up to Republicans in ​both chambers to put together details of the $70-billion proposal and win passage before sending it to President Donald Trump to sign it into law.

Republicans are hoping to do so in May and will ​use a special, rarely used procedure that allows them to steer the legislation through the Senate without any support from Democrats.

Republicans used the same procedure last year ‌to ⁠ram through around $130 billion in funding for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agencies – a huge boost that Trump requested to carry out his massive migrant deportation campaign.

Republicans have resisted Democrats’ attempts to constrain ICE and Border Patrol ​operations in U.S. cities ​that have triggered ⁠protests, especially after two U.S. citizens were shot dead by federal agents this year in Minneapolis.

By the end of this week, a series of agencies operating under the Department of Homeland Security will run out of funding unless Republicans in Congress reach an agreement on a separate bill for the fiscal year ending on September 30.

The Senate has passed a bill to fund DHS agencies, including the Secret Service, Coast Guard, and Federal Emergency Management Agency, but House Republicans have so far refused to go along.

The aircraft burst into flames at Parafield Airport in Adelaide after it crashed on Wednesday afternoon local time.

South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas wrote on social media that a “number of others” have been injured.

The plane involved was a twin-engine Diamond DA42, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which has launched an investigation into the accident.

According to the manufacturer’s website, each Diamond DA42 aircraft can seat up to four people.

The South Australian police said in a statement that “the immediate area has been evacuated as emergency services deal with the incident”.

A statement posted on Parafield Airport’s social media said a “serious incident” had occurred at the airport and it was “providing full support to the emergency services in their response to this incident”.

Malinauskas wrote on social media that his “thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those who have passed away, and with everyone affected by this devastating event”.

“The fire in the hangar has now been extinguished, and the airfield has been closed,” he said. “Emergency services remain on the scene and continue to respond with professionalism and urgency.”

Parafield Airport is known to be used by light aircraft and is home to several flight training schools. It’s one of the country’s busiest airports in terms of aircraft movement.

In January, a student pilot escaped unharmed after their plane crashed and caught fire at the airport.