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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• Close shops, avoid protest areas – Ghanaians in South Africa urged amidst xenophobic attacks

• Diplomacy cannot end xenophobic attacks – UP Communications Director

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.

His clarification came at a mining conference in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Henry Dele Alake, who told the gathering: “President Ruto, the people of Nigeria have mandated me to inform and assure you that Nigerians speak good English.”

To much laughter, Ruto took to the stage to explain his comments to Kenyans living in Italy last week were intended to be private and had been “taken out of context”.

“The fact is that I was talking about how we in Africa speak very good English, all of us,” he said.

“In fact, in some countries like Nigeria, if you do not speak excellent English like the one we speak in Kenya, you may need a translator to understand the excellent English of Nigeria. So that was the comparison. But somebody misrepresented the facts.”

President Ruto reminded the audience at the mining development conference that Nigerians were his in-laws – one of his daughters, June, is married to a Nigerian.

“I want to send my regards to my brothers and sisters in Nigeria… my in-laws.”

He told Alake to pass on his greetings to his Nigerian counterpart, Bola Tinubu: “Tell President Tinubu that I said, ‘Hi’. And tell him I said that in good English… so that there will be no consequences.”

Following an explanation about how he felt he had been mispresented, the president ended by saying: “It is as well that we can have this conversation – my in-laws, I hope there will be no consequences for whatever was done,” he said.

The good-natured banter was in sharp contrast to the barrage of criticism President Ruto has faced online.

Last week, he boasted that Kenya’s education system was producing some of the world’s best human capital, with strong English proficiency.

“We speak some of the best English in the world, that is true. If you listen to a Nigerian speaking, you don’t know what they are saying. You need a translator even when they are speaking English.”

The condemnation that followed was widespread, fuelling an online cyber rivalry between the two nations.

Kenya and Nigeria are both former British colonies and share English as an official language, but have distinct spoken varieties with different phonetic structures.

These differences reflect the influence of indigenous languages – Nigeria has more than 500 languages which shape its cadence and intonation, while Kenya’s Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic mix give rise to its own accents.

The 45-year-old from South Australia shaved her son’s head and eyebrows, bandaged his head and hands, and medicated him as part of a ruse to trick family and friends into raising thousands of dollars.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in acts likely to cause harm to her son and 10 counts of deception.

At a sentencing hearing on Wednesday, a District Court judge described her actions as “cruel”, “calculated” and “manipulative”.

The woman’s deception started after her son went to see an ophthalmologist, a specialist eye doctor, after an accident, the court heard.

After that appointment, she told her husband, family, friends and her school community that her son had eye cancer.

She forced her son to use a wheelchair and limited his daily activities to make people think he was receiving radiation treatment. She also gave him pain relief and health supplements, local media have reported.

In court, the prosecution said that the mother had “selfishly used her son as a prop to deceive” loved ones and the wider community, then used donations so the family could live “the life of the rich and famous”.

The woman’s lawyer said she had developed a gambling addiction after the Covid-19 pandemic and “capitalised” on her son’s accident, but that she never meant to hurt him or the family.

Rather, the mother-of-two had made a “monumental and grave lapse in judgement to selfishly ease her financial stress”, her lawyer told the court.

They said the woman had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and accepted her wrongdoing by pleading guilty.

“She regrettably spent more than her earnings allowed and was living beyond her means,” her lawyer said, with a “foolish and misguided” belief her family needed “the latest brands”.

Her husband was initially charged, but police later dropped the case against him.

In his victim impact statement, he said his wife had “destroyed me and my children’s lives”.

“I had complete trust in you as my wife, and I never doubted you. I was devoted to our family. Now I feel like a pawn in a chess game.”

Outside the court, the husband told the media that “no sentence can ever justify what has been done to my children”, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The woman was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, but will be eligible for parole next April.

In a speech this week, the North Korean leader said those who “unhesitatingly opted for self-blasting, suicide attack, in order to defend the great honour” were “heroes”.

South Korea estimates at least 15,000 North Koreans have been sent to help Russia recapture parts of western Kursk, and more than 6,000 have been killed so far. Neither Pyongyang nor Moscow have confirmed the numbers.

Intelligence agencies and defectors have said the soldiers were under Pyongyang’s orders to kill themselves rather than be taken prisoner by Ukraine.

“Their self-sacrifice expecting no compensation, and the devotion expecting no reward… This [is] the definition of the height of loyalty of our army,” Kim said in Pyongyang on Monday as he unveiled a memorial for fallen troops, state media KCNA reported.

Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov and the speaker of Russia’s parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, were among those who attended the event.

In North Korea, soldiers are taught that being captured is an act of treason.

Earlier this year, South Korean broadcaster MBC aired a programme featuring two North Korean prisoners of war in Ukraine, one of whom said on camera he regretted not taking his own life.

“Everyone else blew themselves up. I failed,” the prisoner said.

Seoul’s National Intelligence Service said last year they found memos on deceased North Korean soldiers that point to this extreme practice.

In his speech on Monday, Kim also praised those who died in combat.

“Those who fell in the vanguard of charges and those who writhed in frustration at the failure to fulfill their duties as soldiers who were given orders, rather than in pain in their bodies torn by bullets and shells – they too can be called the party’s faithful warriors and patriots,” Kim said.

In June 2024, Russian President Putin and Kim signed a deal pledging that their countries would help each other in the event of “aggression” against either country. At the time, Kim hailed the treaty as the “strongest ever”.

Besides sending soldiers, North Korea also promised to send thousands of workers to help rebuild Kursk.

Trump had urged ABC – whose parent company is Disney – to pull Kimmel’s show after the comedian joked that Melania Trump had the glow of an “expectant widow”. Kimmel made the remarks days before a gunman fired shots at a gala attended by the Trumps.

In an order on Tuesday, the FCC said it had been investigating Disney’s ABC stations for possible violations, including unlawful discrimination.

A Disney spokesperson told the BBC that ABC and its stations serve the public in accordance with FCC guidelines.

The stations “have a long record of operating in full compliance with FCC rules and serving their local communities with trusted news, emergency information, and public‑interest programming”, the company spokesperson said. “Our focus remains, as always, on serving viewers in the local communities where our stations operate.”

The FCC order directs the company to file licence-renewal applications for all of its licensed TV stations within 30 days.

The agency as part of its renewal review can require Disney to prove that it meets the agency’s public-interest standards. The Disney-owned ABC television station licences were not scheduled for renewal until 2028.

The reviews could lead to the revocation of the stations’ licences to broadcast, an action the commission has not taken in more than 40 years, Reuters reported.

In a statement, Democratic FCC commissioner Anna M Gomez called the FCC’s order “a political stunt”.

“This is unprecedented, unlawful, and going nowhere,” she wrote on X. “Companies should challenge it head-on. The First Amendment is on their side.”

The move comes as the White House has continued to pressure ABC to fire Kimmel. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said on Tuesday that Kimmel should be “shunned for the rest of his life”.

At the start of his show on Monday night, Kimmel had defended his comments about the first lady.

“It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he’s almost 80 and she’s younger than I am. It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination,” he said.

“I’ve been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence in particular,” Kimmel added.

Earlier on Monday, Trump had called his late-night sketch a “call to violence” and Melania Trump accused Kimmel of deepening “the political sickness within America”.

The US president and his wife were evacuated unharmed from a gala dinner on Saturday night after a gunman opened fire near a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton.

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, was tackled by authorities near a staircase leading down to a ballroom where the White House Correspondents’ dinner was taking place. Hundreds of journalists, officials and public figures attending. The suspect is now charged with trying to assassinate the president.

The FCC’s call for an early licence review is quite rare, said Jeffrey Schneider, a professor at University of Southern California Gould School of Law. He said the agency has ordered early reviews before, but usually based on technical issues or fraudulent conduct.

He said it was highly unlikely that Disney would lose its licences, saying the burden was on the FCC to show “intentional and repeated violations” of regulations.

“In my opinion, it is a purely political act meant to assuage the administration’s supporters,” he said.

Kimmel was taken off air last September after he made comments about the fatal shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.

In a monologue, Kimmel had said the “Maga gang” – a reference to Trump’s followers – was trying to “score political points” from the murder of Kirk. His show was reinstated a week later.

The FCC, created in 1934, was originally tasked with authorising then-scarce radio – and later TV – broadcasting frequencies. The commission sets rules for disclosing sponsors, emergency broadcasts, and content regarding obscenity and decency.

Trump has previously suggested that TV networks that give him “bad publicity” should be stripped of their licences, raising questions about the administration’s authority to do so.

Last year, FCC chairman Brendan Carr sent a letter to Disney notifying the firm it was opening an investigation into Disney’s diversity and inclusion practices, saying there were concerns the company was promoting diversity “in a manner that does not comply” with government regulation.

First reported by Fox News, the passports will be released as part of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence in July.

An administration official has confirmed to the BBC that the new designs will be available to “any American citizen” who applies for a passport when the rollout kicks off, and will continue as long as availability lasts.

The passports will also only be available at the Washington Passport Agency.

In a rendering of the passport released by the US State Department, an image of Trump is seen surrounded by the text of the Declaration of Independence and the American flag, along with the president’s signature in gold.

“President Trump’s new patriotic passport design provides yet another great way Americans can join in the spectacular celebrations for America’s 250th birthday,” a spokesperson for the White House told the BBC.

“Between the UFC250 Fight, the Great American State Fair, Freedom250 Grand Prix, and this new passport celebrating our freedom, President Trump continues to proudly lead a renewal of national pride and patriotism during our historic semiquincentennial celebration,” they added.

Current US passports depict scenes from the country’s history, such as the Moon landing, along with American symbols like the Statue of Liberty.

It is not clear whether US citizens will be able to opt out of the special edition.

The commemorative passport is the latest move by the administration to associate Trump’s name and likeness with various government programmes and public buildings.

The US Mint has recently announced plans for a commemorative gold coin featuring Trump as past of the 250th anniversary, and the president is also set to become the first sitting US president to have his signature on US banknotes.

The board of the Kennedy Center voted to rename the performing arts centre the Trump-Kennedy Center in honour of the president, which was denounced by members of the late President John F Kennedy’s family.

In early April, the White House unveiled the plans for the gold-accented giant victory arch, dubbed the “Arc de Trump”. A federal panel has given preliminary approval for the 250ft (76m) in Washington DC, despite overwhelmingly negative feedback from members of the public and preservationist groups.

The president has also left a permanent mark on the White House itself, demolishing the East Wing to build a ballroom.

The White House has since been sued by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which alleges that construction began before plans were filed with the National Capital Planning Commission.

This is according to a news report by the international news portal, Reuters.

The deal, the report noted, was part of Washington’s broader “America First Global Health Strategy,” a policy framework introduced under the Trump administration aimed at restructuring foreign aid and encouraging recipient countries to assume a larger share of funding and responsibility for disease control programmes, including HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and polio.

According to the source, the negotiations, first initiated in November 2025, would have provided about $109 million in U.S. health assistance to Ghana over five years.

However, discussions stalled after Accra objected to provisions requiring the sharing of sensitive national health data, which Ghanaian officials considered unacceptable.

“They were pretty normal dealings and negotiations in the beginning, and then increasingly there was a lot more pressure, especially at the end,” the source said, adding that Washington had set an April 24 deadline for finalising the agreement.

The breakdown in talks marks a setback for the U.S. strategy to reconfigure its global health partnerships, which also follows similar disputes elsewhere.

A comparable issue derailed negotiations with Zimbabwe earlier this year, while a Kenyan agreement was temporarily suspended by a court pending a legal challenge from a consumer protection group.

Ghana has not publicly commented on the matter. Spokespersons for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the government did not respond to requests for comment.

The U.S. State Department, meanwhile, said it does not disclose details of bilateral negotiations but reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to continued cooperation with Accra.

“We continue to look for ways to strengthen the bilateral partnership between our two countries,” a spokesperson said.

The United States has already disbursed about $219 million in foreign assistance to Ghana in 2024, including $96 million earmarked for health programmes, according to official foreign aid data. Under the proposed agreement, Ghana would have received $109 million in health funding over five years, though it remains unclear what financial commitments would have been required from Accra.

The U.S. Agency for International Development was dismantled earlier this year as part of the administration’s broader restructuring of foreign aid delivery.

As of Monday, the State Department said 32 agreements had been signed under the new global health strategy, representing $20.6 billion in funding, including $12.8 billion from the United States and $7.8 billion in co-investment from recipient countries. Washington expects additional agreements to be finalised in the coming months.

The warning follows reports and viral videos of xenophobic incidents targeting foreign nationals, including Ghanaians, in parts of the country.

In a statement issued on behalf of the High Commissioner, Benjamin Anani Quashie, the mission urged Ghanaian nationals to prioritise their safety.

“I urge everyone to continue exercising heightened vigilance and to place the highest priority on personal safety during this period,” the statement said.

The High Commission also advised Ghanaian shop owners to temporarily close their businesses and avoid protest areas.

“Shop owners are strongly encouraged to close their businesses for the day and avoid areas where protests or demonstrations are taking place,” it noted.

Ghanaians were further cautioned against participating in any gatherings that could turn confrontational.

“Please refrain from participating in public gatherings that could escalate into confrontation,” the statement added.

It also encouraged nationals to keep a low profile and act with discretion, both in public and online, including avoiding the sharing of content that could be seen as provocative.

The High Commission said it will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as developments unfold.

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Officials have sent a team to the crash site for investigations, but initial reports suggested the aircraft may have come down “due to adverse weather conditions, particularly low visibility”, the SSCAA added in a statement.

The plane crashed about 20km (12 miles) south-west of the capital, Juba, on Monday morning. It took off from Yei at 09:15 local time ( 07:15 GMT), and air traffic control lost contact about 30 minutes into the flight to the capital.

Among the 15 on board – the pilot and 14 passengers – were 13 South Sudanese and two Kenyans, the manifest says.

The plane, a Cessna 208 Caravan, was operated by CityLink Aviation Ltd.

South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, has a poorly developed transport network, and its aviation industry has a poor safety record.

More than 55 planes crashed in the country, resulting in dozens of fatalities, in the decade following independence in 2011.

Accidents are sometimes due to old aircraft and weak regulatory compliance. Overloading, poor weather and pilot errors are also blamed.

In January 2025, 20 oil workers died after their aircraft, which was headed for Juba, came down three minutes after take-off near the oil fields of Unity state in the north.

The worst plane crash occurred in November 2015, when an Antonov plane crashed near Juba airport, killing 41 people.

Announced in late December, Meta said the deal – estimated to be worth around $2bn (£1.48bn) at the time – would see Manus’ agents used to boost its own AI across its platforms.

But reports on Monday said Beijing’s National Development and Reform Commission had prohibited foreign investment in the deal, requiring “the parties involved to withdraw the acquisition transaction”.

A Meta spokesperson told the BBC, “The transaction complied fully with applicable law”.

“We anticipate an appropriate resolution to the inquiry,” they added.

It comes after months of scrutiny by Chinese regulators of Meta’s acquisition of Manus.

Manus has sought to set itself apart from rival AI developers with what it claims can be a “truly autonomous” agent.

Unlike many chatbots, which require repeated prompting before a user can get their desired response, the company says its service can plan, execute, and complete tasks independently in accordance with instructions.

Analysts described the deal at the time as a “natural fit” for Meta, with founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg spurring the firm’s AI development.

It recently told staff it would cut thousands of jobs amid increased spending on AI.

Tech tensions

While Manus is now based in Singapore, it was founded and previously based in China, and as such has come under the country’s regulators.

China has a number of strict laws and regulations around its tech, including controls on their export or sale to foreign firms.

Such regulations, for instance, meant Beijing’s approval was needed to secure President Donald Trump’s deal to keep TikTok available in the US after its sale by Chinese parent company ByteDance.

It was reported in March that Manus’ two co-founders had been prevented from leaving the country amid a review of Meta’s acquisition.

“The outstanding team at Manus is now deeply integrated into Meta, running, improving and growing the Manus service and will continue to make it available to the millions of people who enjoy it,” a Meta spokesperson told the BBC at the time.

Any requirement to unwind the acquisition may, as a result, cause difficulty for Meta.

It also comes amid tensions between the US and China, which have loomed large over the tech industry.

The White House said on Friday it would work more closely with US AI firms to combat “industrial-scale campaigns” to steal advances in the technology – saying new information showed “foreign entities, principally based in China” were copying US models.

A representative of China’s US embassy in Washington DC took issue with “the unjustified suppression of Chinese companies by the US” in response to the memo.

“China is not only the world’s factory but is also becoming the world’s innovation lab,” the representative added.

The first lady called Kimmel’s remarks “hateful and violent”, urging his network, ABC, to take action against his “atrocious behaviour”.

A gunman opened fire at Saturday’s dinner, an attack authorities say may have targeted members of the Trump administration. The joke aired on Thursday, as Kimmel parodied the dinner in advance.

“Our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” Kimmel said.

In a post on X on Monday, Melania Trump said “people like Kimmel shouldn’t have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate”, and urged ABC to “take a stand”.

“His monologue about my family isn’t comedy – his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America,” she said. “How many times will ABC’s leadership enable Kimmel’s atrocious behavior at the expense of our community.”

President Trump also weighed in on the issue.

In a post on Truth Social on Monday afternoon, Trump said he appreciated that so many were “incensed by Kimmel’s” remarks, claiming they were a “call to violence”.

“[T]his is something far beyond the pale. Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC,” he wrote.

The BBC has contacted ABC for comment.

Kimmel was taken off air last September after he made comments about the shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.

In a monologue, Kimmel said the “Maga gang” – a reference to Trump’s followers – was trying to “score political points” from the murder of Kirk. His show was reinstated a week later.

After returning to the show, Kimmel said he accepted that some people felt his remarks about Kirk’s death had been “ill-timed or unclear or maybe both”, adding: “I get why you’re upset.”

In the latest incident, a resurfaced clip of Kimmel’s Thursday joke sparked backlash on social media after the shooting, with critics accusing the comedian of encouraging political violence. Several conservative social media users called for Kimmel to be taken off air.

At a news conference on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also criticised Kimmel’s remarks.

“This kind of rhetoric about the president, the first lady and his supporters is completely deranged,” she said.

Trump and Melania were evacuated unharmed from the gala dinner on Saturday night after a gunman opened fire near a security checkpoint at the event, held at the Washington Hilton.

Trump told reporters that the dinner was “a rather traumatic experience” for his wife.

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, was tackled by agents near a staircase leading down to a ballroom where the dinner was taking place, with hundreds of journalists, officials and public figures attending.

Allen appeared in court on Monday where he was charged with attempting to assassinate the president.

He was also charged with weapon offences relating to the incident. He did not enter a plea.

In a statement issued on Sunday, April 27, 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed solidarity with the Government and people of Mali following the deadly assaults on multiple military installations, including locations in the capital, Bamako.

“Violent extremism must have no place in our world, and we must step up collective efforts to end this horror,” the statement noted.

The attacks, which targeted several strategic sites, are reported to have resulted in multiple casualties, including senior military officials and civilians. General Sadio Camara, a key figure in Mali’s military leadership, is said to be among those killed.

The incident marks one of the most significant security developments in the Sahel in recent months, where extremist groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS continue to operate amid ongoing political instability.

In response to the deteriorating situation, the Foreign Ministry has advised Ghanaian traders and transport operators who ply the Mali route to suspend their activities temporarily.

“As the Government of Mali takes necessary actions to control the situation, Ghanaian traders and drivers who ply the route for trading activities are advised to suspend movements until further notice,” the statement added.

The Ministry also urged Ghanaians currently residing in Mali to exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel, and remain in close contact with Ghana’s diplomatic mission in Bamako.

It further indicated that authorities are closely monitoring developments and working with relevant stakeholders to ensure the safety of Ghanaian nationals.

The Government reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of citizens abroad, stressing that their security and well-being remain a top priority, while assuring that updates will be provided as the situation evolves.

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