Dr. Forson joined other dignitaries in Cotonou for the historic swearing-in ceremony, where he represented John Dramani Mahama.

President Wadagni officially began his first seven-year term in office after succeeding Patrice Talon. Prior to his election, he served as Benin’s Finance Minister for a decade and was widely recognised for his role in managing the country’s economy.

In a Facebook post after the ceremony, Dr. Forson stated: “Congratulations to the newly inaugurated President of the Republic of Benin, H.E. Romuald Wadagni. It was a privilege to represent President Mahama at this historic inauguration ceremony in Cotonou.”

The inauguration ceremony attracted high-level government officials and dignitaries from across Africa and beyond.

On Thursday, the Rwampara health centre was stormed by a group of angry residents demanding the bodies of relatives who had died from Ebola, according to local sources. The incident was also confirmed by partners of the Congolese government involved in the response in the area.

A day later, a tent provided by Doctors Without Borders, also known by its acronym MSF, at a hospital in Mongbwalu in Ituri province was set on fire.

“Following the death of a patient showing symptoms of Ebola virus disease in one of the tents, healthcare staff isolated the body in line with strict health protocols,” the NGO Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) said in a statement sent to Al Jazeera.

It said that while the body was being prepared for burial, tensions flared, resulting in the burning of two tents.

“Despite this incident, the teams were also able to secure the body of the deceased patient in preparation for a dignified and safe burial, in accordance with Ebola response standards,” ALIMA added.

Health workers in Ebola-hit areas of the eastern DRC have repeatedly faced resistance from communities over strict burial protocols, which require specialised handling of bodies to prevent further transmission of the virus. Aid agencies said the tensions are often driven by fear, rumours and mistrust of medical teams.

“Some people here believe that Ebola is a business,” said Gloire Idriss, a resident of Rwampara who witnessed the scene. “When healthcare providers refuse to hand over the bodies of those who have died from Ebola, people think they might be trafficking their organs.”

The Congolese health minister has said the bodies of Ebola victims remain highly contagious and must be handled only by trained teams in protective gear.

“Let us bury the deceased safely,” Roger Kamba told Radio France Internationale. “The dead must not take others with them into the grave.”

In the eastern DRC, it is customary for relatives and neighbours to gather at the home of the deceased to pay their last respects, and some mourners touch the body as a final act of farewell.

“When my daughter died of Ebola last month, the medical team came to bury her. We didn’t get to say our final goodbyes. It still upsets me that I had to watch her funeral helplessly without our cultural rites,” said Lokana Jean, a 40-year-old resident of Mongbwalu. Name changed for privacy reasons.

“Under normal circumstances, I would have held her close and felt her final warmth,” he told Al Jazeera.

Rising cases

As of Saturday, nearly 180 people had died from the disease and close to 800 cases had been recorded, according to the Congolese Ministry of Public Health.

Authorities in Ituri have introduced measures to try to slow transmission, including limits on public gatherings, suspension of wake services and a ban on moving bodies between locations.

Rodriguez Kisando, a doctor specialising in health and the environment, said violence targeting Ebola treatment facilities is being driven by rumours and misinformation.

“When an epidemic breaks out, rumours spread quickly. If accurate information is not shared fast, people will believe anything, and that is when violence takes hold,” he told Al Jazeera.

Response under strain

He warned that attacks on treatment centres along with patients fleeing before completing care could speed up the spread of the disease.

“As long as there are scenes of violence and sick people escape from Ebola treatment centres before they are cured, the disease will continue spreading. This is extremely serious,” he said.

Amid a sharp decline in international aid, Congolese authorities said the national treasury is covering a large share of the response, and shortages are becoming more visible.

ALIMA said resources for detecting, treating and preventing Ebola remain severely inadequate and called for more international support.

A senior Congolese official involved in the response in Rwampara, speaking on condition of anonymity, said treatment centres were overwhelmed.

“We are receiving new confirmed cases almost every day. The resources we have are not enough for the scale of the outbreak,” he said.

Authorities in Ituri and North Kivu are urging residents to wash their hands regularly, keep their distance from the sick, cook food thoroughly, avoid self-medication and trust response teams.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has placed 10 African countries on high alert: South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, the Republic of Congo, Burundi, Angola, the Central African Republic and Zambia.

The DRC, Uganda and South Sudan have agreed to strengthen cross-border coordination, including surveillance, early warning systems, border monitoring and improved laboratory and response capacity.

Five people were confirmed trapped, including two in contact with rescuers, ​and 18 more were feared under the rubble, officials said.

“We have five ⁠confirmed trapped victims, and we have a figure of 18 workers from the list ​of construction workers on duty today, but no feedback yet from their families. This ​brings the estimated number of trapped victims to 23 as of today,” Maria Leah Sajili, information officer at the regional Bureau of Fire Protection, told a press briefing.

At the site of the collapsed multi-storey building ​under construction in the city of Angeles, north of the capital Manila, rescuers were seen ​clambering over a mound of concrete slabs and mangled steel, covered in green netting, searching for ‌survivors.

The ⁠number of rescued, including those in the vicinity, remained at 24, with no deaths reported, Sajili said.

Among the rescued was a 51-year-old Malaysian national who was staying in a nearby budget hotel, which was damaged when the concrete structure collapsed, Jay Pelayo, the Angeles city ​information officer, told Reuters ​in a phone ⁠interview.

He had earlier told DZBB radio that 30 to 40 people were feared trapped, based on information from a site foreman who was among ​those who escaped.

Officials said the cause of the collapse is ​under investigation, ⁠but records showed the building was intended as a nine-storey condo-hotel under the approved permit, but a 10th floor for a pool was being constructed.

Ambulances were on standby, and fire ⁠trucks had ​been deployed to assist in the rescue, Pelayo ​said, adding that moving the concrete debris was a challenge for rescuers.

The BBC’s US media partner CBS has named the suspect as Nasire Best, a 21-year-old man who was known to the protection agency and had a documented history of mental health conditions.

US President Donald Trump thanked the officers for their “swift and professional action” in apprehending the gunman, who he said in a Truth social post had a “violent history and possible obsession with our Country’s most cherished structure”.

The shooting comes only a month after a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

The incident on Saturday remains under investigation and road closures around the White House will likely stay in place overnight.

Shortly before 18:00 local time (23:00 GMT), a man pulled a gun from his bag and “began firing” outside the White House at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington DC, near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Secret Service officers posted on the corner returned fire, striking the gunman. He was then taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A bystander was also wounded in the shooting, but the Secret Service did not give further details on their condition. No officers were injured in the attack.

Trump was at the White House at the time, but “no protectees or operations were impacted”, the agency said.

The suspect was later identified in US media as Best, who had been known to both the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department and had used a revolver, law enforcement sources told CBS.

A source familiar with the investigation told CBS that Best had attempted to gain entry to the White House in July 2025 and had been arrested by officers nearby, after which he spent time at a psychiatric facility. He had been living in Washington DC for 18 months.

“Thank you to our great Secret Service and Law Enforcement for the swift and professional action taken this evening against a gunman near the White House,” Trump wrote on social media.

Noting that the shooting had occurred since the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was disrupted by a different shooter, he said it showed how important it was “for all future Presidents, to get, what will be, the most safe and secure space of its kind ever built in Washington” – a reference to his planned White House ballroom.

After shots were heard, reporters at the White House were rushed into a briefing room. Some had been filming when the incident occurred and shots could be heard in the distance as they spoke to camera.

Footage shared by ABC’s senior White House correspondent Selina Wang showed her taking cover as a volley of shots could be heard from across the North Lawn.

“We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now,” Wang wrote on X.

Aaron Navarro, a CBS News reporter, told the BBC he had been on the North Lawn when he heard gunshots, “at points sounding like they were coming from different guns, just outside the grounds”.

“As soon as we heard it, we ducked down and I started to see other reporters starting to run, and you shortly heard Secret Service officers saying ‘get inside, get inside’,” he said.

Once inside, he said reporters were locked down in the press briefing room for around 30 minutes. Outside, they saw Secret Service officers and then, just beyond the grounds, they eventually saw ambulances.

Navarro said it was unclear exactly where Trump was inside the White House when the shooting took place and “whether he even heard it, as it was a good distance [away]”.

He said the shooting took place in a busy area with a cafe and restaurants, but that it was not as busy as it could have been since the shooting occurred on a weekend evening.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the Secret Service for their “decisive action” in responding to the shooting.

Thune wrote on a social media that he was “grateful” for their efforts, while Johnson said on X: “Our prayers are with the victims of tonight’s senseless shooting for a speedy recovery.”

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The documentary, titled What Happened on October 29?, seeks to provide what Hundeyin describes as a deeper and more complete account of the unrest that erupted after the ruling CCM party, led by Samia Suluhu Hassan, was declared winner of the polls.

According to him, several important aspects of the events were either overlooked or insufficiently explored in international reporting.

Hundeyin, who is currently based in Ghana, reportedly spent months investigating the incidents surrounding the election. His work involved interviews with individuals within and outside Tanzania, reviews of local and foreign media reports, and analysis of findings from the Commission of Inquiry chaired by retired Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman.

According to the journalist, the documentary presents evidence suggesting the violence was organised and involved both domestic and external actors.

He argued that the global narrative surrounding the events failed to capture the broader political context behind the unrest.

“The story that was told to the world was a simple one, but the truth is far more complex,” Hundeyin said.

“There were other actors involved, and other agendas at play.”

Hundeyin stated that the project is intended to encourage more African-led storytelling on major political developments across the continent. He argued that African journalists and content creators must play a stronger role in shaping narratives about the continent instead of relying heavily on external interpretations.

The investigative journalist is the founder of West Africa Weekly and The Spearhead. His reporting has previously appeared on major international outlets including CNN, Al Jazeera and The Washington Post.

The World Bank document did not name the countries or the total amount of funds potentially being sought. The World Bank declined ​to comment.

The document showed that three countries had approved new instruments since the Middle ​East conflict began on February 28, while the others were still completing the ⁠process.

The war and resulting disruption of global energy markets have hit global supply chains and ​prevented vital fertilizer shipments from reaching developing countries.

Officials in Kenya and Iraq have confirmed they are seeking rapid financial ​support from the World Bank to deal with the war’s fallout, such as surging fuel prices hitting the African nation to a massive drop in oil revenue for Iraq.

The 27 countries are among 101 that had access ​to some form of pre-arranged financing instrument that they could tap in a crisis, including 54 ​that signed up to the Rapid Response Option, which allows countries to use up to 10% of their ‌undisbursed financing.

World ⁠Bank President Ajay Banga last month said the bank’s crisis toolkit would allow countries to draw on pre-arranged contingent financing, existing project balances and fast-disbursing instruments to access an estimated $20 billion to $25 billion.

He said the bank could also reorient parts of its portfolio to bring the total to $60 ​billion over six months, with ​further longer-term changes ⁠possible to bring the total to around $100 billion.

At the time, the head of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, said she expected up to a ​dozen countries to seek $20 billion to $50 billion in near-term assistance from the ​global lender. ⁠But few requests have been logged, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

“Countries are definitely in wait-and-see mode,” said one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Kevin Gallagher, director of the ⁠Global ​Development Policy Center at Boston University, said countries were more ​willing to seek World Bank funds than negotiate with the IMF because IMF programs generally require austerity measures that could ​compound the social unrest already seen in countries like Kenya.

Officials said the policy is intended to ensure Green Card applications follow standard immigration procedures, rather than allowing people to remain in the US while seeking permanent status through what the administration describes as “loopholes” in the system.

“An alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply. This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivising loopholes,” the Department of Homeland Security said on X.

In new guidance issued on Friday, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said adjustment of status, obtaining permanent residency from within the US, is a discretionary benefit rather than an automatic right.

The agency said the immigration system is generally designed with the expectation that temporary visa holders will leave the country once the purpose of their stay ends, while noting that immigration officers should evaluate applications on a case-by-case basis.

The memo instructs officers to consider factors including visa violations, overstaying authorised periods of stay, unauthorised employment, fraud and whether applicants complied with the terms of their admission to the United States.

USCIS also acknowledged limited exceptions, including visa categories that allow “dual intent”, meaning some temporary visa holders are legally permitted to live in the US while also seeking permanent residency. The agency said those categories do not guarantee approval for Green Cards or change Congress’s expectation that visitors leave the country once the purpose of their stay ends.

The agency said on Friday that the updated guidance would help free up resources to focus on processing other immigration cases.

Rights groups warn migrants at risk

Immigrant advocacy groups criticised the measure, warning it could force vulnerable people to return to unsafe or unstable conditions while awaiting decisions on their applications.

HIAS, a nonprofit organisation that supports refugees and other migrants, said the policy could affect survivors of trafficking as well as abused and neglected children by requiring them to leave the US to complete parts of the permanent residency process.

The guidance marks the latest step in a broader push by US President Donald Trump to tighten immigration rules and restrict pathways to long-term residency in the United States.

Last year, the administration moved to shorten the duration of visas for some students, cultural exchange visitors and media workers.

In January, the State Department announced that it had revoked more than 100,000 visas since Trump returned to office.

The emergency funding will support an intensified response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other vulnerable countries within the central and eastern African region, amid growing fears among global health experts that the virus could spread beyond borders if urgent action is not taken.

According to international health coordinators, the funds will go directly into frontline medical operations rather than administrative expenses, as efforts are scaled up to control the outbreak.

A major portion of the money has been allocated to strengthening contact tracing systems, which health experts consider critical in stopping the spread of Ebola. Since the virus is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids, health workers are racing to identify and monitor everyone who may have been exposed to confirmed cases.

Specialised field teams are being equipped with digital tracking tools and personal protective equipment to trace infections in crowded urban areas as well as remote forest communities.

The funding is also being used to rapidly establish specialised treatment centres and mobile isolation units to care for infected patients and prevent further transmission.

Medical supplies, including experimental drugs, rehydration fluids, and bio-secure protective gear, are already being transported into affected areas using the newly released emergency funds.

The UN also says community engagement will play a central role in the response, noting that mistrust and misinformation have complicated previous Ebola outbreaks in the region.

Ebola: UN allocates $60 million from emergency response fund to fight deadly outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo & the wider region.

Resources being directed toward contact tracing, establishment of treatment centres, community engagement & more. pic.twitter.com/nP9NNPwXZS

— United Nations (@UN) May 22, 2026

As part of the strategy, portions of the funding will support local leaders, youth groups, and traditional authorities to carry out public education campaigns aimed at helping residents recognise symptoms early, report suspected infections, and cooperate with health officials.

The UN has indicated that it will continue monitoring the situation closely, warning that although the emergency funding provides critical support, containing the outbreak will require sustained cooperation among governments and strong cross-border surveillance efforts across the region.

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Six people were killed and 39 injured in the overnight strike in the town of Starobilsk, Luhansk region, Putin said. Another 15 people were missing.

Ukraine’s military said it hit the headquarters of Russia’s elite Rubicon drone military unit in Starobilsk. It did not say whether it was the same building as the one identified by Russia.

“There are no military facilities, intelligence service facilities, or related services in the vicinity,” Putin said in Moscow.

“Therefore, there is absolutely no basis for claiming that the munitions struck the building as a result of our air defence or electronic warfare systems,” he said at a reception in his Kremlin residence on Friday.

He ordered the Russian military to prepare its “proposals” on how to retaliate.

The Russian leader said the Ukrainian strike had been carried out in three waves using 16 drones.

Russia’s state-run TV showed what it said was one of the injured students, identifying her as Diana Shovkun, aged 19.

She had head injuries after being hit by a collapsing concrete slab, the TV said report said.

No photos or videos of those who Moscow says were killed were shown.

Later on Friday, Ukraine’s military said its overnight strike targeted Rubicon’s headquarters in Starobilsk. It accused fighters from the special drone unit of regularly striking civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

The statement also said that Ukrainian forces “are causing damage to military infrastructure and facilities used for military purposes, strictly adhering to the norms of international humanitarian law, laws and customs of war”.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the headquarters of Russia’s security service FSB was hit in the Moscow-seized area of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region.

About 100 Russian “occupiers” were either killed or injured, he added.

Moscow’s military has not commented on the issue. But one pro-Kremlin Telegram channel reported “casualties” after what it said was a “massive drone strike”.

Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia’s military of deliberately targeting civilians since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022 – a charge Moscow regularly denies.

Last week, Ukrainian officials said 24 people were killed – including three girls – when a Russian missile destroyed a block of a high-rising residential building in the capital Kyiv.

Speaking in an interview with Adom News journalist Abena Opokua Ahwenee, the Ambassador refuted earlier claims that out of 150 applicants, only three were granted visas.

Ambassador Smith explained that he had made checks, and it turns out the figure was not correct, although he is yet to get the official number.

“I don’t know where that 147 came from because I inquired from the Acting Head of Mission in Accra, and he told me it wasn’t true,” he said. “He didn’t confirm the figure and told me he will get the accurate figure and get back, but I am yet to follow up.”

According to him, the consular section is currently under pressure due to heightened demand linked to preparations for the World Cup, making the period unusually busy for visa processing.

“The consular people are busy around this time because of the World Cup. In these last days, they will be extremely busy,” he noted.

He further explained that applicants going through the Ministry of Sports are already on a tight schedule, with interview dates set for next week. He stressed that delays could be costly.

“If you get in, then you go, but if you don’t, there will be no time for appeal,” he said, adding that interviews are expected to be brief and decisive.

“The interviewing officers will just ask two or three major questions. If they are certain, then you go.”

The clarification comes amid growing public concern among Ghanaian football fans hoping to travel to the United States to support the Black Stars at the global tournament, with fears that many passionate supporters could miss out due to visa challenges.

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Speaking in an interview with Adom News, the Ambassador revealed that Worcester hosts a large Ghanaian population, estimated at 45,000 people.

According to him, while many Ghanaians in the US are thriving and contributing positively to society, others are struggling to adapt and take advantage of opportunities available to them.

He specifically expressed worry about a growing trend where some people spend most of their time in churches instead of pursuing meaningful employment.

“When some wake up, they go to sit in churches instead of finding jobs to do,” he told Abena Opokua Ahwenee.

Mr. Smith stressed that survival and success abroad require effort and determination, not just prayers.

“God doesn’t drop manna from heaven. You have to do something. Make the effort so that He increases it,” he stated.

The Ambassador urged Ghanaians abroad to seek productive work and avoid becoming idle, especially at a time when immigration enforcement in the United States has intensified.

“They should find something meaningful to do because currently, ICE is on people,” he warned.

Despite the concerns, Mr. Smith acknowledged that many Ghanaians across the United States are excelling in various fields and building successful lives, adding, “In certain places, Ghanaians are doing very well.”

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Speaking in an interview with Adom News, he explained that while visa appointment timelines can typically stretch up to a year, the situation is different given the tournament’s time-bound nature, which is just weeks away.

“Normally, visa appointments can be given one year ahead of time,” he said.

“But because of the World Cup, which is time-bound, they have to interview all applicants before the tournament starts, and the World Cup is just about a month away, so they were rushing, but the procedure is the same,” he explained to Abena Opokua Ahwenee.

Ambassador Smith stressed that visa officers are primarily interested in ensuring applicants have strong ties to their home country and will return after their visit.

“What the interviewing officer expects from you is the same thing,” he said, adding that for countries like the United States, officers want to be convinced applicants will not overstay.

“If you want to travel to America, which has about 50 states, the officer would want to be sure you are tied to Ghana and will come back,” he noted.

He further explained that applicants who are employed or well-established in Ghana are more likely to meet that requirement. However, the situation may be different for applicants without stable ties.

“So take someone who is gainfully employed for instance in Ghana, you will definitely come back to Ghana,” he said.

“But others are hustlers, and they are just going to try,” he added.

The Ambassador also underscored the importance of dressing well for interviews, saying presentation can influence perception.

“So I advise people that look good, dress well when going for visa interviews,” he stated. “Don’t wear tattered clothes because how will you get the visa. You will be denied the visa.”

He urged applicants to present themselves properly and show seriousness of purpose.

“Dress properly and I expect that people would have good intentions, not that they are coming to hustle,” he said.

Mr. Smith also referenced his experience with immigration enforcement in the US, saying it reflects how seriously authorities treat migration issues.

“I have seen how the ICE operates here,” he noted. “They tackle people to the ground in shopping malls and you find people running for their lives. How can you live like that?”

He added that enforcement has recently eased but expressed uncertainty about what to expect during the World Cup period.

“It is now that they have calmed down, and I don’t know if it will be the same during the World Cup. They also feel people are destroying their country. So, if you have nothing to contribute to America, then you stay in your home country,” he cautioned.

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In a Facebook post on Thursday, May 22, the Minister praised Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quarshie, for locating Sylvester Boakye, a Ghanaian who reportedly missed an updated evacuation notice and was the only person to report at O.R. Tambo International Airport on Wednesday, May 21.

Mr. Ablakwa assured that Mr. Boakye would be included in the wider evacuation arrangement expected to cover about 800 Ghanaians, stressing that “no Ghanaian desirous of returning home would be left behind.”

He also dismissed reports that Mr. Boakye had already been flown back to Ghana, describing such claims as false.

The Minister clarified that the Government of Ghana had not deployed any chartered flight for the exercise. He explained that the evacuation had been temporarily put on hold after an agreement with South African authorities to address legal, technical, and logistical issues.

Mr. Ablakwa further said efforts were ongoing to ensure a smooth and coordinated process, adding: “Truth stands; and truth always wins.”

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This means, for instance, that a trans woman – a biological male who identifies as a woman – should not use female toilets or changing rooms, according to the code of practice.

The guidance, produced by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and now approved by ministers, makes it clear that transgender people should instead be offered a third or a gender-neutral space.

The code states that leaving a trans person without access to any services or facilities would be unlikely to be proportionate and could be discriminatory.

The guidance was published on Thursday following the landmark Supreme Court ruling last year that the definition of a woman under the Equality Act should be based on biological sex.

The code of practice sets out how associations, businesses and services open to the public should organise their facilities. It covers a wide range of settings from shopping centres and gyms to hospitals and restaurants.

Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson said the aim was to allow people to live free from discrimination and harassment.

“Our focus has always been making sure organisations have clear, accessible guidance on how to implement the law,” she said.

Within the guidance, it was recommended that gender-neutral toilets or changing rooms should have self-contained, lockable areas with floor-to-ceiling walls and wash basins.

The watchdog said it did not think the requirements would be too onerous, as services could decide to let trans people use toilets for disabled people, for example.

The EHRC also said if a service just had two toilets – one for men and one for women – they could be changed into unisex facilities.

With the guidance now before parliament, MPs and peers have 40 days to raise any concerns. If there are no objections, the guidance becomes statutory.

The guidance, which is more than 300 pages long, was first sent to the government in September 2025.

The EHRC said it expected ministers to spend six weeks examining it before either asking for revisions or placing it before parliament.

Instead, the government said it would deal with the issue “thoroughly and carefully”, and took eight months to release the guidance.

EHRC chair Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson said she hoped people would read the code with an “open mind”.

“I think we do need to broaden out the debates, and we need to start from a point of saying, how do we make sure that everyone has access to the services they need, and that will be different things for different people,” she said.

At the Watershed arts cinema in Bristol, chief executive Clare Reddington said they pride themselves on being inclusive.

She said it had taken too long for the guidance to be published, which has led to confusion and misinformation.

Reddington described the impact on trans people as “toxic”, and said they had been waiting to hear what the guidance meant “for their ability to live a full public life”.

The Watershed has gender neutral toilets, which won a Loo of the Year award in 2024.

The brightly coloured cubicles have floor-to-ceiling doors, and some have sinks inside. They also have separate male and female toilets.

“I would say that designing toilets for everyone is great for business,” Reddington said.

‘Fewer rights’

Maya Forstater, of Sex Matters, a gender-critical women’s rights group, said: “Finally, there are no more excuses for the many public and private sector organisations that said they were ‘waiting for guidance’ before fixing their unlawful policies.

“The government’s long delay in placing the updated code of practice before Parliament was seized on as cover by organisations that preferred to break the law than enrage trans lobby groups.

“The new guidance is long and detailed, but at its heart is a simple principle: ‘sex’ means what it says – male and female. What people call themselves and how they dress doesn’t change their sex.

“Any business, charity or public service provider that took a wrong turn and started letting men who identify as women use women’s spaces or vice versa must now urgently fix its policies.”

But a spokesperson for TransActual, a trans rights campaign group, said the guidance left trans people with fewer rights.

“Not only does this new guidance fail to protect the rights and dignity of transgender people, but it also appears to have weakened protections for the LGBT community as a whole,” they said.

“TransActual will continue to fight for equal access to public life for all trans people, and will publish our full thoughts on the new code once we have had the time to properly scrutinise it.”

Joanne Moseley, of Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, said she is being regularly asked to provide advice to businesses and services on what they need to do.

She believes that good signage and, where appropriate, ensuring a gender-neutral space are important.

She said some businesses and employers made changes to their facilities immediately after the Supreme Court judgement, but others are putting off making any changes until the EHRC guidance comes into force.

However, she warned the guidance was not “a silver bullet” and that if someone made a claim of discrimination against an organisation, it was not a defence to say “we’re waiting for the guidance”.

“They started throwing projectiles at the hospital. They even set fire to tents that were being used as isolation wards,” local politician Luc Malembe Malembe told the BBC about the scene he witnessed at Rwampara General Hospital.

In the chaos, police fired warning shots to disperse the crowd.

The body of a dead Ebola victim is highly infectious, and the authorities need to ensure safe burial to stop the spread of the virus.

Medical workers at the Rwampara hospital, located near the city of Bunia in Ituri province, where almost all of the cases have been reported, were placed under military protection as the police moved in to restore order.

A healthcare worker was injured by stone-throwing protesters before law enforcement agents intervened, a hospital worker told the AFP news agency.

The man who died was a popular figure in the local community, and those upset by his death did not “grasp the reality of the disease,” Jean Claude Mukendi, who is coordinating the security response to Ebola in Ituri, told the Associated Press.

Witnesses told Reuters the young man was a footballer who had played with several local teams. His mother told the news agency she believed her son had died of typhoid fever, not Ebola.

Malembe said the crowd did not believe the virus, which has so far killed more than 130 in eastern DR Congo, was real.

“People are not properly informed or sensitised about what is happening. For a certain segment of the population, especially in remote areas, Ebola is an invention by outsiders – it does not exist,” the politician said.

“They believe it is the NGOs and hospitals creating this to make money, and this is tragic.”

He said two tents had been burned down, along with a body that had been due to be buried.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends “safe and dignified burials” for Ebola victims, with trained teams using protective equipment to handle bodies.

Six patients had been receiving treatment in the tents on the grounds of the hospital – and it was reported they may have fled in the mayhem.

But according to the medical charity Alima, which reportedly ran the tents, they are all accounted for and “are currently being cared for at the hospital”.

The unrest came as it was announced that DR Congo’s national football team had cancelled its pre-World Cup training camp in the capital, Kinshasa, because of the outbreak.

The WHO has called it a “public health emergency of international concern”, but said it was not at pandemic level.

On Wednesday, the WHO said 139 people in DR Congo were thought to have died from Ebola, out of 600 suspected cases.

However, on the same day, Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba told state broadcaster RTNC TV that authorities had registered 159 deaths.

Two cases of the virus have been detected in DR Congo’s neighbour, Uganda.

The authorities there have temporarily suspended flights, buses and all other public transport crossing the border as a result of the outbreak. Passenger ferries are also not permitted on the Semliki River, which forms part of the border between DR Congo and Uganda.

The outbreak has been caused by a rare species of Ebola known as Bundibugyo. There is currently no vaccine for this species and the WHO has said it could take up to nine months for a jab to be ready.

On Thursday, the M23 – a rebel group that controls parts of eastern DR Congo – said it had confirmed the first case of Ebola in the South Kivu province, which is hundreds of kilometres away from the epicentre in Ituri.

The 28-year-old, who had travelled from Kisangani, died before the diagnosis was confirmed, according to a rebel statement.

Kisangani is a large city in north-central Tshopo province where no Ebola infections have currently been recorded.

There are growing concerns about access to areas under M23 control.

The group has never managed a crisis like Ebola, but has said it will work with international partners to contain the virus.

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The Chinese foreign ministry called on the US to stop using “coercion” and “threats” against its ally, while the Kremlin said the pressure being exerted on Havana “borders on violence”.

The US has accused Castro over the 1996 downing of two planes, an incident that killed four people and fuelled diplomatic tensions between Washington and the Caribbean island.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly sought to exert pressure on Cuba and has openly discussed toppling its communist regime.

The US has imposed fresh sanctions on the country and imposed an effective blockade on oil shipments to Cuba, exacerbating a fuel crisis there and leading to extended blackouts and food shortages.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media on Thursday that the US pressure campaign against Russia’s long-time ally, including the indictment Castro, “cannot be condoned”.

“We believe that under no circumstances should such methods – which border on violence – be used against either former or current heads of state,” he added.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun had earlier said the US should “stop threatening force at every turn”, and that Beijing “firmly supports Cuba”.

He said Beijing opposed “any attempt by external forces to exert pressure on Cuba under any pretext”.

Guo continued: “The United States should cease using sanctions and judicial apparatus as tools of coercion against Cuba and refrain from making threats of force at every turn.”

Castro was charged alongside five others on Wednesday over their alleged involvement in the shooting down of the two planes, which had been travelling between Cuba and Florida when they were struck.

He was accused of offences that carry penalties of life in prison or death.

The aircraft, which were operated by the Cuban-American dissident group Brothers to the Rescue, had been carrying three US citizens when they were downed, all of whom were killed.

At the time, Castro – who stepped down as president in 2018 – was head of the country’s armed forces.

The incident caused outcry among Cuban exiles living in the US and has long been a source of contention between Washington and Havana.

Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel has described the charges as “a political manoeuvre, devoid of any legal foundation”.

Since capturing former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, Trump has openly mused that Cuba was “ready to fall”.

It was a federal indictment against the left-wing authoritarian Maduro that was used by the Trump administration as its justification for its raid on the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, to seize him and his wife, Cilia Flores. The pair are now due to stand trial in New York on charges including drug trafficking.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to comment on whether or how the administration was planning to get Castro to the US to stand trial.

He told reporters in Florida on Thursday that the former Cuban leader “openly admits and brags about” giving the order to shoot down the planes.

Asked about the US using force to achieve regime change in Cuba, Rubio said the administration’s preference was a negotiated settlement, but added: “He has the option to do that if there’s a threat to the national security of the United States – and he has shown his willingness to do that when he identifies such a threat.”

On Wednesday, he issued a message to the Cuban people in Spanish that similarly cast the Trump administration’s moves as “offering a new path”, trading a kleptocratic regime for the sorts of freedoms enjoyed by Cuban-Americans.

Cuban officials have been in talks with the US on finding solutions to the two countries’ differences for several months, with a single Russian shipment of oil that was allowed to reach the island running out earlier this month.

But in the meantime, the White House has continued to ratchet up pressure on Havana.

Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctioning against officials in Cuba’s energy, defence, financial and security sectors, as well as individuals the US alleges have carried out human rights abuses or stolen public assets.

US surveillance flights near the island have also reportedly increased and the CIA director demanded that Cuba “no longer be a safe haven for adversaries” while on a visit there last week.

Cuba had until recently survived crippling Western sanctions due to the help of regional allies, such as Maduro’s government in Venezuela, which was believed to have sent it around 35,000 barrels of oil a day prior to his capture.

“We have to stop blaming young people,” John Boumphrey told the BBC, adding the education system isn’t “producing young people who are ready for work”.

Nearly a million young Britons are not in education, employment or training, yet Boumphrey says Amazon struggles to recruit workers with the skills it needs.

He called for work experience to be mandatory for over-16s. “It’s not a motivation problem, it’s a system problem, and that requires a system response.”

Amazon employs 75,000 people in the UK, half of whom come straight from education or unemployment, according to Boumphrey.

Official figures show the UK’s unemployment rate rose slightly to 5% in the three months to March from 4.9% in the three months to February.

Boumphrey, Amazon’s country manager for the UK, said: “I think too often you read about young people that somehow they lack motivation, they lack resilience, they lack the will to develop skills. That is not our experience.

“We work with some individuals who are probably furthest from work and that’s where we actually see the biggest transformation.”

Work experience should be mandatory for over-16s because it is “transformative” in helping young people learn “things that I don’t think we teach in our curriculum, but that all employers are looking for”, he said.

“If you get a T-level student, they come in for a week, they understand the value of teamwork, of communication and problem solving,” he told the BBC’s Big Boss interview.

The UK is experiencing a weak jobs market, with young people particularly affected by cuts in hospitality and graduate schemes.

But Boumphrey said Amazon has the opposite problem – it struggles to find enough workers with the skills the company needs.

The company has 100 premises in the UK, including 30 warehouses.

“I think you need businesses to come together with local governments and further education colleges, and you need that to happen on a regional basis so that you can understand what the skills gaps are,” he said.

Boumphrey said when Amazon introduced robots into its warehouses there was some concern they would replace people.

“Actually, the reverse happened…we ended up employing more people,” he said.

“Mechatronics engineers, people who can actually maintain the robots, people who are technicians…they’re not roles that exist. We can’t find enough people to fill those roles.”

Amazon has been scrutinised for the amount of tax it pays in the UK, with critics saying its tax bill has not increased in line with its sales with the rise of online shopping since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Earlier this year, it overtook US superstore giant Walmart to become the world’s largest company, by annual sales.

In the UK, Amazon accounts for 30% of all online sales.

Asked about tax, Boumphrey said: “Last year we contributed more than £5.8bn.

“Of course we pay all the tax we’re meant to pay, but when you think about our contribution, it isn’t just the amount of tax we pay, it’s also the 75,000 jobs we create.”

The Paris Appeals Court found the airline and aircraft manufacturer guilty of corporate manslaughter over the incident, in which flight AF447 between Rio de Janeiro and Paris crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.

The passenger jet stalled during a storm and plunged into the water, killing all on board.

A court had previously cleared the companies in April 2023 but they were found guilty after this appeal.

The Airbus A330 vanished from radars during a storm, with its wreckage found after a long search of 10,000 sq km (3,860 sq miles) of sea floor.

The black box was found after months of deep-sea searches in 2011.

All 12 crew members and 216 passengers on board the flight were killed when the plane crashed into the sea from a height of 38,000ft (11,580m), making it the deadliest incident in French aviation history.

Relatives of some of the passengers, which included mainly French, Brazilian and German nationals, gathered to hear the verdict on Wednesday.

The companies have been asked to pay the maximum fine, €225,000 ($261,720; £194,500) each – but some of the victims’ families have criticised the amount as a token penalty.

Two possible “candidate vaccines” against the Bundibugyo species are being developed, but neither has gone through clinical trials yet, WHO advisor Dr Vasee Moorthy said on Wednesday.

WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there have been 600 suspected cases of Ebola and 139 suspected deaths, but numbers are expected to rise given the time taken to detect the virus.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, he said 51 cases have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo – where the first case was reported – and two in neighbouring Uganda.

On Sunday, the WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern, but said it was not at pandemic level.

Tedros said that after meeting on Tuesday, the health organisation’s emergency committee agreed the situation was “not a pandemic emergency”.

“WHO assesses the risk of the epidemic as high at the national and regional levels and low at the global level,” he explained.

The 51 cases confirmed in DR Congo are in its eastern Ituri province – the epicentre of the outbreak – as well as North Kivu province. Of the two confirmed in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, both had travelled from DR Congo, one of whom has died.

“We know the scale of the epidemic in DRC is much larger,” the WHO chief said, adding that healthcare workers were among those who had died, which was a particular concern.

Local health workers say some facilities are being overwhelmed. Although personal protective equipment has started to arrive, they say they are still working without adequate protection.

Trish Newport, a Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) emergency programme manager, said health facilities are telling them: “‘We are full of suspect cases. We don’t have any space.’

“This gives you a vision of how crazy it is right now,” she told AFP news agency.

A WHO official said investigations were underway to find out how long the virus had been spreading for, but that their priority was to curb transmission.

The first known case was a nurse who developed symptoms and died on 24 April, in Ituri’s provincial capital Bunia.

The body was repatriated to Mongwalu, one of two gold-mining towns where the majority of cases have been reported.

Araali Bagamba, a lecturer who lives in Bunia, said people understand how dangerous the situation is.

“For the last three days I haven’t shaken anyone’s hand, and I observe that within the general population,” she told the BBC World Service Newsday programme. “It’s our habit to shake hands all the time… [but] the habit has changed.”

Ebola is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids and through broken skin, causing severe bleeding and organ failure.

Bagamba said people “believe it will get worse before it gets better”, because people did not initially realise it was Ebola.

Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in what is now DR Congo, and is thought to have spread from bats.

There are four species of Ebola known to cause disease in humans, including Zaire, which DR Congo has dealt with on numerous occasions and is most familiar with.

The country is facing its 17th outbreak of Ebola, but the Bundibugyo species – which has not been seen for more than a decade – brings its own difficulties.

Bundibugyo has only caused two previous outbreaks – in Uganda in 2007 and DR Congo in 2012 – when it killed about a third of those infected.

Although less deadly than other Ebola species, the rarity of Bundibugyo means there are fewer tools to stop it.

There is no approved vaccine for Bundibugyo, but experimental ones are in development. It is possible that a vaccine for Zaire may offer some protection.

Speaking alongside Tedros on Wednesday, WHO advisor Moorthy said one possible vaccine currently under development “would be the equivalent of” the only vaccine currently available to prevent the spread of Ebola. This is only effective against Zaire.

“This needs to be prioritised as the most promising Bundibugyo candidate vaccine,” he explained.

According to what they know, he said it was “likely to take six to nine months” before it was ready.

On the second possible vaccine, based on the same platform as the AstraZeneca vaccine used for Covid-19, Moorthy said it was currently being manufactured, but there was no animal data to support its effectiveness.

“It is possible that doses of that could be available for clinical trial in two to three months, but there is a lot of uncertainty”, he added, explaining that it will depend on animal trials as to whether it can be considered “a promising candidate research vaccine” for Bundibugyo.

There are also no drugs that target Bundibugyo, which makes it harder to treat.

Following criticism from the US on Tuesday that the WHO was “a little late” in identifying the outbreak, Ghebreyesus said these comments might have been caused by a lack of understanding.

“We should appreciate what was done so fast in a highly complex setting,” the WHO said.

Initial symptoms of Ebola mirror illnesses such as malaria and typhoid, which are common in DR Congo.

Eastern DR Congo is also badly hit by years of conflict, bringing additional difficulties in dealing with the virus.

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Tourists from 93 countries have been able to visit without needing a visa for 60 days since July 2024, as part of a government effort to boost the economy following the Covid pandemic.

But it approved plans on Tuesday to revoke this exemption, with how long travellers can stay to now be decided on a country-by-country basis. It cited security and a confusing visa scheme among reasons for the change.

There have been a series of high-profile arrests of foreigners in the south-east Asian nation, including cases linked to drugs and sex trafficking.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the government found the policy needed revising “to be more suitable for the current situation, both in terms of the economy and national security”.

Nationals who have enjoyed the 60-day exemption include those from Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Spain and the US.

Many of those countries’ citizens will have to apply for a visa for stays longer than 30 days, the Thai foreign ministry said, though some will have exemption periods shorter or longer than this based on reciprocal agreements with individual countries.

The new visa system will come into effect 15 days after it appears in the Royal Gazette, where legal and regulatory notifications are published.

The foreign ministry said it aimed to reduce instances of multiple visa exemptions applying to the same country “that confuse foreigners”.

Thailand is one of Asia’s top holiday destinations, with tourism a key component of the nation’s economy.

It had nearly 40 million visitors in 2019, but this number fell dramatically during the pandemic and has only recovered in the past two years. Nearly 12 million people have already visited so far this year, official figures show.

But a number of foreign nationals have been arrested for a range of crimes in recent months, including UK citizens accused of drug smuggling.

In April, Thai police raided an unlicensed international school in the capital, Bangkok, and arrested 10 foreigners who had been employed there without work permits, local media reported at the time.

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Former Nigerian minister arrested in hiding after corruption conviction

Bimbilla NPP Chairman withdraws resignation, returns to office

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Mamman was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday in the northern Kaduna state after “weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering”.

In a statement, the agency said the former minister had gone into hiding after being convicted by a court in the capital, Abuja, earlier this month.

Mamman was found guilty on 12 counts related to the diversion of funds meant for two hydroelectric power projects.

The court ruled that prosecutors had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt. He was sentenced in absentia after failing to appear in court.

His arrest on Tuesday marks a rare follow-through in the fight against high-level corruption, with convictions of top officials uncommon in the West African nation.

EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede said authorities were determined to ensure the former minister served his sentence.

“For us, getting the convict to serve his jail terms is extremely important in view of the seriousness with which we are tackling corrupt practices,” he said.

The judge who ruled on his case said during the trial that the EFCC had shown that Mamman and his associates diverted at least 22bn naira ($14m; £10m) intended for critical electricity projects.

The judge described the diversion of public funds as a gross abuse of public trust and said proxy companies and associates were used to siphon money from the projects.

The former minister was sentenced for multiple prison terms across the charges, which are to run consecutively, making it to a total of 75 years.

He also faces a separate corruption trial in Abuja over allegations of fraud involving 31bn naira. Earlier this month, another judge issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear in court in that case.

Mamman served as Nigeria’s power minister between 2019 and 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

His conviction has sparked outrage over Nigeria’s lingering electricity problems, especially as he had promised to improve power supply while in office.

Despite being one of Africa’s biggest energy producers, Nigeria still faces frequent blackouts and power cuts which affect homes and businesses.

Many people rely on fuel generators for electricity, but rising fuel costs have made this increasingly difficult.

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Officers responded to an emergency call in Manhattan and found the woman unconscious and unresponsive down the manhole just before midnight on Monday.

The woman, identified by police as Donike Gocaj, 56, of Briarcliff Manor, New York, was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead, the New York Police Department said.

The utility company told US media that, after reviewing video footage, they believe the manhole cover was dislodged by a truck.

“Approximately 12 minutes later, the person involved in the incident parked her car nearby,” a spokesperson for utility company Con Edison told the BBC’s media partner CBS.

“We are reviewing the details, and while this is a rare occurrence, manhole covers can get displaced by heavy vehicles. Our thoughts remain with her family, and safety remains our top priority.”

The BBC has contacted Con Edison for further comment.

Gocaj’s family told CBS at the scene of the incident on Tuesday that they are trying to understand how the tragedy could have taken place.

The woman’s daughter-in-law, visibly shaken as she spoke, said there were no cones, warning signs, or barriers around the maintenance hole.

There is an ongoing investigation, police said, though no criminal activity is suspected at this time.

The city medical examiner’s office will determine the cause of death.

Open manholes are a common issue in the city.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection manages the city’s water supply and wastewater infrastructure, including thousands of miles of sewer lines and about 100,000 active manholes, according to its website.

The department has received more than 700 service requests regarding open manholes so far this year, the New York Times reports.

The death of ‌Etienne Davignon, an aristocrat who served as a European commissioner in his decades as one of Belgium’s leading diplomats and industrialists, was confirmed by the Jacques Delors Institute think tank, where he served on the board.

Davignon ​had been ordered to stand trial for war crimes for alleged involvement in Lumumba’s killing ​65 years ago, a final attempt to shed light on one of ⁠the 20th century’s most consequential political assassinations.

Lumumba, who became prime minister of the country now ​called the Democratic Republic of Congo upon independence from Belgium in 1960, was ousted months ​later and killed by Belgian-backed secessionist rebels on January 16, 1961.

The murder was a dark chapter in Belgium’s colonial history and a watershed for African countries’ liberation struggles.

Prosecutors said Davignon, a junior diplomat at the ​time, had participated in Lumumba’s unlawful detention or transfer and deprived him of his right to an ​impartial trial.

Davignon was also accused of involvement in the murders of two of Lumumba’s political allies, Maurice ‌Mpolo ⁠and Joseph Okito. He had denied any wrongdoing and at the time of his death was awaiting the outcome of an appeal against his referral to trial.

Davignon was the last person still alive being investigated in a case opened almost 15 years ago. The court ruled that cases against ​other suspects would not remain open after ​they died.

The Lumumba family ⁠said the decision from prosecutor and tribunal that the case merited trial was now a matter of record, adding: “The last living accused ​does not close the historical record.”

Their attorneys said in a statement they ​were preparing ⁠further legal actions such as a civil complaint against the Belgian state.

After his Congo assignment, Davignon rose to become a leading figure in the Belgian establishment, serving as cabinet chief to Prime Minister ⁠Paul-Henri ​Spaak in the late 1960s and European commissioner from 1977 to ​1985. He held a number of board positions at Belgian and foreign companies.

In a unanimous verdict, the jury in the Oakland, California, federal court said Musk had brought his case too late.

The trial began on April 28. It has widely been seen as a critical moment ​for the future of OpenAI and artificial intelligence generally, both in how it should ​be used and who should benefit from it, including financially.

People use AI for myriad purposes, such as education, facial recognition, financial advice, journalism, legal research, medical diagnosis, and harmful deep-fakes.

Many people express distrust of the technology and worry it could displace people from their jobs.

The verdict followed 11 days of testimony and arguments, during which Musk’s and Altman’s credibility came under repeated attack.

Each side accused the other of being more interested in money than serving the public.

In his closing argument, Musk’s lawyer Steven Molo ​reminded jurors that several witnesses questioned Altman’s candour or branded him a liar, and that Musk ​did not give an unqualified yes when asked during the trial if he was completely trustworthy.

“Sam Altman’s credibility is ‌directly ⁠at issue,” Molo said. “If you don’t believe him, they cannot win.”

Musk accused OpenAI of wrongfully seeking to enrich investors and insiders at the nonprofit’s expense and of failing to prioritise AI’s safety. He also contended that Microsoft knew all along that OpenAI cared more about money than being altruistic.

OpenAI countered that it was Musk who saw dollar signs, and that he waited too long to claim that OpenAI breached its founding agreement to build safe artificial intelligence to benefit humanity.

“Mr. Musk may have the ​Midas touch in some areas, but not in AI,” William Savitt, a ​lawyer for OpenAI, ⁠said in his closing argument.

OpenAI competes with AI companies such as Anthropic and xAI, and is preparing for a possible initial public offering that could value the business at $1 trillion.

Microsoft has spent more than $100 billion on ⁠its partnership ​with OpenAI, a Microsoft executive testified.

Musk’s xAI is now part of his space and rocket company, SpaceX, which is preparing for an IPO that could exceed OpenAI’s in size.

The assault took place on Monday morning as officers were investigating a call about a possibly suicidal teen who had run away from home.

Police were alerted to the shooting at the Islamic Centre of San Diego and found three victims with gunshot wounds outside the front of the building.

Shortly afterwards, they received another call that shots had been fired nearby from a vehicle at a landscaper. Officers found the suspects – aged 17 and 18 – dead of self-inflicted wounds in a vehicle blocks away from the mosque.

Among the deceased victims was a security guard who worked at the centre and “played a pivotal role” in preventing the attack from being “much worse”, officials said.

“It’s fair to say his actions were heroic,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl told a news conference. “Undoubtedly, he saved lives today.”

Authorities have not yet identified the three victims by name. But the security guard was a father of eight, a person who knew him told the BBC’s US partner CBS.

Investigators said the motive for the attack was unknown, but it was presumed to be a hate crime because of the mosque, which is the largest in San Diego County, and because of writings attributed to one suspect.

Police were first called to the mosque at 11:43 local time (18:43 GMT) and “observed what appeared to be three deceased victims out front”, Wahl said.

“There were no officers involved in firing their weapons,” Wahl said, and there was no sign of any gunman.

About two hours before the attack, the mother of one of the suspects had called police to report that her son had left home with several of her guns and her car.

The woman said he had gone with a companion, and both were dressed in camouflage.

Wahl said police found the suspect’s behaviour to be “not consistent” with someone who is considered suicidal.

A note the youth left behind also included “generalised hate rhetoric and hate speech”, he said.

Wahl added that the note contained no specific threat to the mosque or to any other location or individual.

Investigators went to a local high school, where one of the teens was a student, and to a shopping mall where the car had been tracked.

When the shooting took place, officers were still speaking to the mother and were only a few blocks away from the mosque.

Those officers, upon finding the three victims outside the building, rushed inside and began following active shooter protocols.

While they were clearing rooms, more reports came in of another shooting nearby.

The suspects had opened fire from their car at a landscaper, who was uninjured, police said.

Wahl said a bullet may have deflected off the landscaper’s hard hat, although this had yet to be confirmed.

When police arrived at the second scene, a few blocks away from the mosque, they discovered the dead bodies of both suspects.

Children were in class as the incident unfolded on Monday. The Islamic Centre campus houses the Al Rashid School, which offers religion and language courses.

Aerial video from the scene on Monday showed children holding hands and being escorted through a car park at the centre as police responded.

Nearby schools were also placed on lockdown.

The FBI appealed to the public for any information that could help the investigation.

A witness speaking to CBS said he heard up to 30 gunshots from what sounded like “a semi-automatic weapon”.

He said he first heard about a dozen shots, then a pause, then another possibly dozen shots.

The man, who is retired and was eating lunch at home, said he called 911 and that police arrived within “five to 10 minutes”.

Imam Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic Centre of San Diego, said at a news conference: “It is extremely outrageous to target a place of worship.”

The facility “is a house of worship, not a battlefield”, he added.

The Muslim community is currently preparing for one of its holiest seasons and its biggest feasts.

It’s days before Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, which commemorates the obedience of Prophet Ibrahim.

California Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement that he was “horrified by today’s violent attack” at the centre, “where families and children gather, and neighbors worship in peace and fellowship”.

The state “will not tolerate acts of terror or intimidation against communities of faith”, Newsom added.

Asked about the shooting on Monday, US President Donald Trump called it a “terrible situation”.

“I’ve been given some early updates, but we’re going to be going back and looking at it very strongly,” he said during an unrelated White House event.

Dangote last week filed a fresh suit against the Nigerian government, Reuters reported, challenging permits issued to marketers and the state oil firm NNPC to import refined products, arguing they undermine Dangote’s $20 billion refinery and risk entrenching inefficiencies.

The refinery has previously ⁠sought limits on imports, saying it can meet domestic demand.

However, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) said on Sunday that the licences granted by the regulator, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, were “not administrative courtesies” but legal tools underpinning the country’s fuel supply chain.

DAPPMAN said the Petroleum Industry Act empowers the regulator to issue ​licences where necessary to ensure supply security. “These licences exist to protect supply, not ‌to ⁠disadvantage any single producer,” it said in a statement.

The group also warned that retroactively voiding permits could destabilise the downstream sector, where companies have invested heavily in storage and logistics networks based ​on existing approvals.

“We ​respect Dangote’s ⁠right to pursue legal remedies,” DAPPMAN added. “What we do not accept is that a private refinery’s ​commercial interests should override a regulator’s mandate.”

Nigeria has long ​relied ⁠on imports despite being a major crude producer.

The Dangote refinery, which began processing crude in 2024, is seen as key to reducing that dependence, though supply dynamics and pricing remain contentious.

DAPPMAN said it would engage legal counsel and relevant authorities, arguing the market ​should remain competitive and open to multiple participants.

The global benchmark Brent crude sank from $112 (£83) to $109 after Trump made the comments on Truth Social.

Before the social media post, the price had swung throughout Monday. Trump warned Iran on the weekend that the “clock is ticking”, with talks to bring the war to an end apparently stalled.

Energy markets have been on a wild ride after Iran effectively closed the key Strait of Hormuz waterway in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes on the country, which started on 28 February.

Around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes through the narrow shipping route.

The oil market has been reacting swiftly to any signs of progress, or lack of it, towards a peace deal that will reopen the strait.

The rise in crude in early trade on Monday came after Trump wrote on social media that Iran had “better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them”, adding “TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”

The president warned last week that the ceasefire was on “massive life support” after rejecting Iran’s demands, labelling them “totally unacceptable”.

According to news platform Axios, Trump is expected to hold ​a ​meeting on ⁠Tuesday ​with his ​top national security advisers to ​discuss the ​options for military ‌action ⁠regarding Iran.

However, oil prices fell back later after reports that an Iranian news agency said the US had accepted a temporary waiver on sanctions on Iran’s crude oil during the negotiations, raising hopes of progress in peace talks.

Later on Monday, Trump said, “Serious negotiations are now taking place”.

In a post on Truth Social, he said he had been asked to hold off a military attack on Iran planned for Tuesday by the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Trump said he had been informed that a deal would be made that is “very acceptable” to the US, adding that there would be “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!”

But he warned that the US military would be prepared to “go forward with a full, large-scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice” if there was no acceptable deal reached.

Iran has not publicly commented on Trump’s latest statement.

Government borrowing costs rise

The rise in energy costs since the conflict began has also pushed up government borrowing costs, as measured by bond yields.

The fear is that higher energy bills will increase inflation leading central banks to hike interest rates.

On Monday, the benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield – effectively the interest rate charged to the US government for a 10-year loan – hit 4.63% at one point, its highest level in more than a year, before falling back.

Yields on Japanese bonds also jumped after Reuters reported the government there was likely to issue fresh debt as part of funding for a planned extra budget to help cushion the economic blow from the war.

The yield on the 30-year Japanese government bond rose to its highest on record at 4.2%, while the 10-year yield jumped to 2.8%, its highest since October 1996.

Yields on eurozone bonds also started the day higher before they fell back as oil prices declined.

The latest moves came as G7 finance ministers met in Paris.

European Central Bank head Christine Lagarde, asked as she arrived if she was worried by a sell-off in global bond markets, replied to reporters: “I always worry, that’s my job.”

‘Summer of pain’

Claudio Galimberti, chief economist at Rystad Energy, told the BBC that the high level of oil prices was “a very dire situation and it’s going to get worse unless the strait is opened”.

“We are approaching a summer of pain, I am afraid, unless Hormuz is opened.”

Higher oil prices have pushed up fuel costs for businesses, including airlines, many of which are entering the peak holiday season.

Irish airline Ryanair reported its full-year results on Monday and said: “The conflict in the Middle East has created economic uncertainty and we still don’t know when the Strait of Hormuz will reopen.”

The carrier said it had secured contracts to fix the price for 80% of its jet fuel in the months ahead.

But it said the price of the remaining 20% “has spiked due to the Middle East conflict”.

Ryanair’s profits rose to €2.26bn (£2bn) from €1.6bn last year, with sales up 11% to €15.5bn for the year to the end of March.

But it said the business’s outlook was difficult to predict at the moment due to the Iran war and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

During the Middle East conflict, Iran has launched attacks on neighbouring countries, including Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

On Sunday, the UAE said a drone strike had triggered a fire near its nuclear power station, calling the incident a “dangerous escalation”.

Officials are investigating the source of the strike. The country’s defence ministry said three drones had entered the UAE from the “western border direction”.

While two were intercepted, the third drone struck an electrical generator “outside the inner perimeter” of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi, sparking a fire.

No injuries were reported and there was no impact on radiological safety levels, local authorities said.

One of the men, who claimed to be a 24-year-old college student, is accused of scaling a fence to gain access to Punch’s enclosure on Sunday morning. The other man claimed to be a 27-year-old singer.

Both have denied the allegations. Police have said no monkeys were injured during the incident.

Clips of the now nine-month-old macaque attracted millions of views online earlier this year after it was spotted hugging an stuffed toy orangutan given to him by keepers at Ichikawa City Zoo after he was rejected by his mother.

Footage purportedly of Sunday’s incident filmed by other zoogoers and shared on social media shows a person wearing a costume and carrying a stuffed toy jumping over a fence and into the monkey enclosure. The costume was said to be promoting a cryptocurrency.

The person can then be seen being led out by a zookeeper.

The two men held by police over the incident have been arrested on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business, according to local media.

Ichikawa City Zoo said in a statement on Monday that it had filed a damage report with the police and was putting countermeasures in place to prevent future incidents.

These included expanding the enclosure’s viewing restriction area and installing intrusion prevention nets, it said.

The zoo added that it was considering a full ban on filming around the monkey enclosure and was putting requests to film from YouTubers temporarily on hold.

The men did not get close to the animals and were quickly apprehended by zoo workers, an Ichikawa Police official said, according to news agency AFP.

Since he moved into the shared enclosure in January, the zoo has regularly shared social media updates on Punch, who first gained attention for his attachment to his soft toy, being seen dragging it around and playing with it.

The zoo previously said Punch initially struggled to bond with the other monkeys, with only the toy and zookeepers providing him company after he was abandoned by his mother.

But recent updates indicate he is integrating with the other macaques – including being hugged by other monkeys and grooming them.

There have been other incidents of people trespassing into zoo enclosures of zoo animals after they became internet sensations.

Last month, a man was fined $300 (£223) for breaking into the enclosure of Moo Deng, an endangered baby pygmy hippo who gained global attention after images of her went viral online, at a zoo in Thailand.

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Toronto police arrest Ghanaian over two separate sexual assault incidents

Six poorest districts in Ghana found in North East region – GSS

Police identified the suspect as Samuel Opoku, who they said has no fixed address.

According to investigators, the first incident occurred on Sunday, 10 May 2026, at about 5:30 p.m. in the Dundas Street West and Bloor Street West area.

Police said an adult woman was inside a commercial building when the suspect allegedly followed her into an office space, approached her from behind and sexually assaulted her before fleeing the scene.

Authorities said the victim and suspect were not known to each other, and the victim did not suffer physical injuries.

In a separate incident on Saturday, 9 May 2026, at about 8:10 p.m., police responded to another reported sexual assault near Dundas Street East and De Grassi Street.

Investigators said a group of women were walking along the sidewalk when the suspect allegedly approached them, grabbed one woman’s forearm, made verbal sexual advances and sexually assaulted her before fleeing.

Police confirmed that the victim and suspect were strangers and that no injuries were reported.

Following investigations into the two incidents, officers arrested the suspect on Tuesday, 12 May 2026.

Mr Opoku has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent exposure.

Police said he was scheduled to appear before the Toronto Regional Bail Centre at 2201 Finch Avenue West on Tuesday, 12 May 2026.

The Toronto Police Service reminded the public that sexual assault includes any form of unwanted sexual contact and encouraged victims and witnesses to report incidents and seek support services where necessary.

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The global benchmark Brent crude was 1.7% higher at $111.13 (£83.44), while US-traded oil was up by 2.1% at $107.62.

Government borrowing costs in the US, Japan and Europe also rose as fears over inflation continue to grow.

Energy markets have been on a wild ride after Iran effectively closed the key Strait of Hormuz waterway in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes on the country, which started on 28 February.

Around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually passes through the narrow shipping route.

“They better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them,” Trump wrote on social media. “TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”

Iranian media, meanwhile, reported Washington had failed to make any concrete concessions in its response to Tehran’s latest proposals to end the conflict.

A lack of compromise from the US would lead to an “impasse in the negotiations”, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

Trump’s message echoed his threat that a “whole civilisation” would die unless Tehran agreed to a peace deal, shortly before a ceasefire was announced in early April.

The president warned last week that the truce was on “massive life support” after rejecting Iran’s demands, labelling them “totally unacceptable”.

He is expected to hold ​a ​meeting on ⁠Tuesday ​with his ​top national security advisers to ​discuss the ​options for military ‌action ⁠regarding Iran, according to news platform Axios.

Inflation worries have been pushing up bond yields, or government borrowing costs, around the world in recent weeks, with investors increasingly expecting central banks to hike interest rates.

On Monday, the benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield – effectively the interest rate charged to the US government for a 10-year loan – hit 4.63%, its highest level in more than a year.

Yields on Japanese bonds also jumped after Reuters reported the government there was likely to issue fresh debt as part of funding for a planned extra budget to help cushion the economic blow from the war.

The yield on the 30-year Japanese government bond rose to its highest on record at 4.2%, while the 10-year yield jumped to 2.8%, its highest since October 1996.

Yields on eurozone bonds were also higher.

The latest increases come as G7 finance ministers are meeting in Paris.

European Central Bank head Christine Lagarde, asked as she arrived if she was worried by a sell-off in global bond markets, replied to reporters: “I always worry, that’s my job.”

‘Summer of pain’

As oil prices climbed above $111,Claudio Galimberti, chief economist at Rystad Energy, told the BBC: “This is a very dire situation and it’s going to get worse unless the strait is opened.

“We are approaching a summer of pain, I am afraid, unless Hormuz is opened.”

Higher oil prices have pushed up fuel costs for businesses, including airlines – many of which are entering the peak holiday season.

Irish airline Ryanair reported its full-year results on Monday and said: “The conflict in the Middle East has created economic uncertainty and we still don’t know when the Strait of Hormuz will reopen.”

The carrier said it had secured contracts to fix the price for 80% of its jet fuel in the months ahead.

But it said the price of the remaining 20% “has spiked due to the Middle East conflict”.

Ryanair’s profits rose to €2.26bn (£2bn) from €1.6bn last year, with sales up 11% to €15.5bn for the year to the end of March.

But it said the outlook for the business was difficult to predict at the moment due to the Iran war as well as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

During the Middle East conflict Iran has launched attacks on neighbouring countries including Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

On Sunday, the UAE said a drone strike had triggered a fire near its nuclear power station, calling the incident a “dangerous escalation”.

Officials are investigating the source of the strike. The country’s defence ministry said three drones had entered the UAE from the “western border direction”.

While two were intercepted, the third drone struck an electrical generator “outside the inner perimeter” of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi, sparking a fire.

No injuries were reported and there was no impact on radiological safety levels, local authorities said.

“They better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. “TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”

The message came as the president spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, the Times of Israel reported, citing Netanyahu’s office.

On Monday Iran said it had responded to the latest US proposal and that exchanges with Washington were continuing through Pakistani mediators.

“As we announced yesterday, our concerns were conveyed to the American side,” the country’s foreign ministry spokesperson said at a media briefing, the AFP reported.

Iranian media earlier reported the US had failed to make any concrete concessions to Tehran, with the semi-official Mehr news agency saying a lack of compromise would lead to an “impasse in the negotiations”.

Trump’s message echoed his threat that a “whole civilisation” would die unless Iran agreed to a deal to end the war, shortly before the ceasefire was announced in early April.

The president warned earlier this week that truce was on “massive life support” after rejecting Tehran’s demands, labelling them “totally unacceptable”. Esmail Baghaei, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, then insisted they were “responsible” and “generous”.

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, the Iranian asks included an immediate end to the war on all fronts – a reference to the continued Israeli attacks against Iran-supported Hezbollah in Lebanon – a halt to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, and guarantees of no further attacks on Iran.

They also reportedly included a demand for compensation for war damage and an emphasis on Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said on Sunday that Washington had set five conditions in response to Tehran’s proposal.

They reportedly included a demand that Iran keep only one nuclear site in operation and transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the US.

Trump suggested on Friday that he would accept a 20-year suspension by Iran of its nuclear programme – a major sticking point between the two countries – in what appeared to be confirmation of a shift in position away from a demand for a total end to it.

Israeli and US forces began massive air strikes on Iran on 28 February. The ceasefire meant to facilitate talks has largely been observed despite occasional exchanges of fire.

Iran has also continued to control the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closing the vital waterway through which around 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas travels.

The move, which Iran has said is in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks, has sent oil prices soaring globally.

The US, for its part, has been enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports to exert pressure on Tehran to agree to its terms.

Pakistan has been playing the role of mediator between the US and Iran, but both sides still appear to be far apart.

Police told the BBC a 72-year-old man was seriously injured after being attacked on Sunday while he was inside the animal’s enclosure, located in a privately-owned facility on the outskirts of the German city of Leipzig.

The tiger escaped the enclosure and was found shortly after by armed police, who shot and killed the animal.

The site of the enclosure is believed to be owned by controversial trainer and private owner Carmen Zander, who describes herself as Germany’s “Tiger Queen”.

The animal was one of eight big cats kept at the industrial site near the German town of Schkeuditz, according to local media.

In a statement to the BBC, police said officers shot the animal, a male tiger, to eliminate any further risk to the public.

It added that the local police department received the emergency call at around 12:50 local time (11:50 BST) on Sunday, with officers arriving at the scene quickly.

A spokesperson said how the tiger escaped is part of an ongoing investigation.

No other animals have escaped from the site and police have planned a drone search to ensure it is fully secure.

District Mayor Thomas Druskat called for the other animals to be relocated and told local media it was “unthinkable” what could have happened if anyone else had been harmed.

Nearby residents told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) that the incident was “terrible and worrying”, with one claiming the animals were not kept in appropriate conditions.

Animal rights charity Peta called on the government to act, telling DPA that stricter rules needed to be put in place to protect privately-owned animals.

According to a website using Zander’s name and nickname, the trainer holds “unforgettable” and “one-of-a-kind” tiger petting events open to the public.

The website says visitors can pay to pet the “250kg powerhouses” at a site near Leipzig.

Another section of the website features the pictures of eight tigers – three which appear to have died in the last nine years. The tigers include 190kg Kiara, 20-year-old Aschanti, and two-year-old cub Imana.

Social media posts appearing to be from the trainer show several pictures of the tigers playing in the enclosures.

It also says the tigers are looked after and kept healthy in an animal-friendly environment.

The BBC has reached out to Zander for comment.

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The Mayor of Rubavu District in Rwanda’s Western Province, Prosper Mulindwa, told local media that the closure of the borders linking Goma and Rubavu-Gisenyi border will remain in place for an indefinite period as part of measures aimed at preventing the spread of the deadly disease.

“The borders connecting Goma and Gisenyi have been temporarily closed in response to the Ebola outbreak. We will continue engaging with our residents to explain why this decision was made,” Mulindwa said.

He urged residents to remain patient and cooperative, stressing that the decision was taken to safeguard public health and protect communities from possible infections.

Despite the temporary closure, health authorities continue to screen Rwandans crossing from the DRC, as well as Congolese citizens returning home, who are still being allowed to use the border points under strict health monitoring procedures, according to local media.

The death toll from the latest Ebola outbreak in the DRC has risen to 87, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Saturday, warning that the outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no strain-specific vaccine is currently available, and that it carries a high risk of regional spread.

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This comes amid growing concerns over cross-border transmission and high mortality.

A statement issued by WHO and shared with the Ghana News Agency said, the declaration was made after consultations with affected countries under the International Health Regulations (IHR).

It said the outbreak was first detected in Mongbwalu Health Zone in Ituri Province, eastern DRC, where health authorities reported a cluster of severe illnesses and deaths, including among healthcare workers.

Laboratory analysis conducted by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in Kinshasa confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) in eight out of 13 blood samples collected from the Rwampara Health Zone in Ituri Province.

The DRC Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare officially declared the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15.

It said Uganda had also confirmed an outbreak following the detection of an imported case involving a Congolese national who later died in Kampala.

WHO said previous outbreaks of the Bundibugyo virus disease recorded fatality rates ranging between 30 and 50 per cent.

Unlike the more common Ebola virus disease, there were currently no licensed vaccines or specific treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease, although WHO noted that early supportive care significantly improves survival chances.

Health authorities in both countries have intensified response measures, including the deployment of rapid response teams, strengthened disease surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control measures, and community engagement campaigns.

Treatment centres and isolation facilities were also being established in affected areas, it stated.

WHO said it was supporting both countries in coordinating response efforts, case management, and strengthening cross-border preparedness to limit further spread of the disease.

The organisation has also issued public health advice to countries worldwide as part of efforts to enhance preparedness and prevent international transmission.

Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, contaminated materials, or infected animals.

Symptoms include fever, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.

Health experts have urged the public in affected areas to observe strict hygiene measures, avoid contact with suspected cases, and report symptoms early to health authorities.

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Eight people have been injured, two seriously. They include a woman who reportedly had both her legs crushed.

Passers-by gave chase and managed to detain the man, who has now been taken into custody.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the incident as “extremely serious”. City Mayor Massimo Mezzeti added that it would be “even more serious” if it turned out to be a premeditated attack.

“Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State,” Tinubu said in a statement.

The operation was first announced by US President Donald Trump, who described Abu-Bilal al-Minuki as the “second in command of ISIS globally” and “the most active terrorist in the world”.

Al‑Minuki was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by Washington in 2023.

The killing marks another significant setback for Islamic State group (IS) following the killing of its leader Abu Bakr al‑Baghdadi in 2019.

Tinubu said in a statement that al-Manuki was killed along with “several of his lieutenants”, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.

The Nigerian Military said the “precision operation” was made possible through the “recently formed US-Nigeria partnership and intelligence sharing efforts.”

It said al-Minuki had been promoted to “Head of General Directorate of States”, making him one of the most senior figures within the global IS hierarchy.

Before that, officials said he oversaw IS-linked operations across the Sahel and West Africa, including attacks targeting civilians and minority communities.

The military also linked al-Minuki to the 2018 Dapchi schoolgirls kidnapping when more than 100 girls from a boarding school in north-eastern Nigeria were taken by militant group Boko Haram.

Nigeria military’s spokesperson Samali Uba said he previously helped move fighters to Libya in support of IS operations in North Africa. Before pledging allegiance to IS in 2015, he was described as a senior Boko Haram commander.

Boko Haram began its military campaign to impose Islamic rule in northern Nigeria in 2009.

The group pledged its allegiance to Islamic State after what was believed to be the then-leader Abubakar Shekau posted an audio statement on Boko Haram’s X account in 2015.

Its aim has been to establish a “caliphate”, a state ruled by a single political and religious leader according to Islamic law, or Sharia.

Trump described al-Minuki’s death as a major blow to IS’s African and global networks, disrupting funding channels and command structures.

The US president thanked the Nigerian government for their “partnership”, adding that Minuki “will no longer terrorize the people of Africa or help plan operations to target Americans”.

Nigeria and the US have increased military cooperation as the country ramps up efforts to fight extremist violence.

In April, IS claimed responsibility after gunmen killed at least 29 people at a football pitch in Nigeria’s north-eastern Adamawa state.

Last Christmas, US and Nigeria carried out a joint airstrike in Nigeria’s Sokoto state targeting IS-linked groups.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yisrael Katz said in a joint statement that Haddad had been “responsible for the murder, kidnapping and injury of thousands of Israeli civilians and IDF [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers”.

Three eyewitnesses told the BBC that a residential building known as Al-Mu’taz was struck by three missiles launched simultaneously from two separate directions, before a fleeing car was hit.

The strike is the latest launched by Israel on Gaza despite a ceasefire with Hamas.

Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied claims Haddad, the commander of the group’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, had been killed.

The air strike, targeting the apartment block in the centre of Gaza City, sparked a large fire.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene but faced significant difficulties evacuating the wounded, witnesses said.

One eyewitness told the BBC that a body and several injured people had been removed from the building.

A second air strike, targeting a car seen leaving the scene, killed three people, according to eyewitnesses and a local source.

Sources said the vehicle may have been carrying Haddad after he had been seriously injured in the initial strike.

Eyewitnesses and a local source said armed members of Hamas dressed in civilian clothing evacuated a severely wounded person through a side entrance and placed him in a vehicle.

Witnesses said the car was hit around 1.5km (0.9 miles) from the apartment block.

A senior Israeli security official said preliminary information indicated that Haddad had been successfully targeted.

A ceasefire in Gaza came into effect on 10 October, but Israel has conducted regular strikes across the Palestinian territory since then.

Hamas has repeatedly accused Israel of breaching the terms of the ceasefire and attacking civilians. The Israeli government maintains it has license to target Hamas members.

It, in turn, accuses Hamas of refusing to disarm in breach of the ceasefire agreement.

Meanwhile, US-led peace efforts have stalled since the start of the Iran war, with latter phases of the plan yet to come into effect

The US announced the start of the second phase of the plan in January, with governance of Gaza assumed by a transitional, technocratic administration alongside the demilitarisation and reconstruction of the territory.

However, talks on disarmament remain deadlocked, while Hamas has since reactivated its police force and appears to be reasserting its authority.

Netanyahu and Katz said Haddad had “refused to implement the agreement led by US President Trump to disarm Hamas and demilitarise the Gaza Strip”.

They added: “We will continue to act forcefully and decisively against anyone who took part in the October 7 massacre.”

The two-year-long Gaza war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

Israel responded by launching a military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, during which more than 72,744 people have been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Of these, 857 have been killed since the ceasefire began, it says.

“I’m not looking to have somebody go independent,” the US president told Fox News on Friday, at the end of his two-day summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has previously stated that Taiwan does not need to declare formal independence because it already sees itself as a sovereign nation.

The US has long supported Taiwan, including being bound by law to provide it with a means of self-defence, but has frequently had to square this alliance with maintaining a diplomatic relationship with China.

Trump earlier said he had “made no commitment either way” about the self-governing island – which China claims as part of its territory and has not ruled out taking by force.

Washington’s established position is that it does not support Taiwanese independence, with continued ties with Beijing being contingent on its acceptance that there is only one Chinese government.

Beijing has been vocal in its dislike of Taiwan’s president, who it has previously described as a “troublemaker” and a “destroyer of cross-strait peace”.

Many Taiwanese consider themselves to be part of a separate nation – though most are in favour of maintaining the status quo in which Taiwan neither declares independence from China nor unites with it.

In his interview with Fox News, Trump reiterated that US policy on the matter had not changed.

“You know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles (15,289km) to fight a war. I’m not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down.”

On the flight back to Washington, the US president had told reporters that he and Xi had spoken “a lot” about the island, but said he had declined to discuss whether the US would defend it.

Xi “feels very strongly” about the island and “doesn’t want to see a movement for independence”, Trump said.

“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations,” Xi warned during the talks, according to Chinese state media, adding: “If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict.”

Asked if he foresaw a conflict with China over Taiwan, Trump had said: “No, I don’t think so. I think we’ll be fine. [Xi] doesn’t want to see a war.”

China has ramped up military drills around the island in recent years, raising tensions in the region and testing the balance that Washington has struck.

Late last year, the Trump administration announced an $11bn ($8bn) package of weapons to be sold to Taiwan, including advanced rocket launchers and a variety of missiles, which Beijing condemned.

Trump said he would soon decide whether that sale could go ahead, adding that he and Xi had discussed it “in great detail”.

He added: “I’m going to say I have to speak to the person that right now is, you know, you know who he is, that’s running Taiwan.”

The US does not have formal relations with Taiwan, though it maintains substantial unofficial relations. US presidents do not traditionally speak directly to Taiwan’s leader, and to do so would be likely to cause significant tensions with Beijing, which considers Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te a separatist.

Trump told Fox News: “We’re not looking to have wars, and if you kept it the way it is, I think China’s going to be OK with that. But we’re not looking to have somebody say, ‘Let’s go independent because the United States is backing us.'”

The US has previously provoked anger from China for seeming to soften its stance on independence.

Its State Department dropped a statement from its website reiterating Washington’s opposition to Taiwanese independence in February 2025 – something Beijing said “sends a wrong… signal to separatist forces”.

US officials in Taiwan said at the time: “We have long stated that we oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side.”

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said his team had been monitoring the US-China summit, and had maintained good communication with the US and other countries “to ensure the stable deepening of Taiwan-US relations and safeguard Taiwan’s interests”.

He said Taiwan had always been a “guardian of peace and stability” in the region and accused China of escalating risk with its “aggressive military actions and authoritarian oppression”.

Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Quarshie said consular teams had been deployed to areas where concerns had been raised to assess the situation and provide immediate humanitarian assistance to affected residents.

“We got information yesterday about some group of people. My consular teams and others are on their way there. It’s about five hours from Pretoria to go and see the situation,” he said.

According to him, the mission is not only providing relief items but also engaging local authorities to ensure affected Ghanaians are protected and allowed to return to their businesses without fear.

“We are going to provide them with humanitarian aid and then lead them to the authorities in those localities so that they can be readmitted into doing their businesses,” he explained.

Mr. Quarshie said some affected persons had been unable to reopen their shops due to fear and uncertainty following the disturbances, but the mission is working closely with provincial authorities to ensure their safety.

“We will speak to the authorities in our province to ensure they treat Ghanaians right,” he stressed.

He disclosed that the team left at dawn to reach the affected areas and would first listen to the concerns of residents before determining the immediate support required.

“When we listen to their challenges, most of them are saying we should provide them with basic foodstuffs and things they can cook on their own,” he noted.

The High Commissioner added that those requiring medical attention would also receive support.

“Those who need medical care will be taken to the hospital, we will take care of them and bring them back if they want to return,” he said.

Mr. Quarshie, however, acknowledged the financial strain involved in such emergency interventions, revealing that the mission does not have dedicated funding for crisis response.

“It is very difficult for the mission to undertake these things because we don’t have any dedicated funds for it. But we continue to work because we are here to take care of the welfare of the Ghanaian people,” he stated.

His comments come amid growing concerns over the safety of foreign nationals in South Africa following renewed reports of tensions in some communities.

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President John Mahama on Tuesday granted presidential approval for the immediate evacuation of 300 Ghanaians currently residing in South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks in parts of the country.

The 300 individuals approved for evacuation are said to be among those who officially registered with the mission following reports of renewed violence and insecurity in some communities.

Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Quarshie disclosed that the Ghanaian mission is currently working to secure the necessary documentation for the first batch of evacuees.

“That is the first window, so we are working hard to get the documentation. About 410 people will be the first,” he said.

According to him, once arrangements for the initial group are completed, authorities will reopen the process for a second batch of Ghanaians who may also wish to return home.

“Then we come and open the portal for the second batch of people who want to go home,” he added.

The High Commissioner explained that the evacuation exercise will be fully funded by the Government of Ghana as part of efforts to protect citizens living abroad during difficult situations.

“It is full cost for Ghana. After President John Dramani Mahama gave the presidential permission for us to go ahead, the Honourable Minister has also led us in different things. That is the Ghana government’s nature to protect its citizens who are in foreign lands and are having challenges,” he stated.

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Around 246 cases and 65 deaths have been reported, mainly in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara, said the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa).

Its statement on Friday added that it was convening a meeting with DR Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and other international partners to discuss response efforts and cross-border surveillance.

Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in what is now DR Congo, and is thought to have spread from bats. This is the 17th outbreak of the deadly viral disease in the country.

It is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, causing severe bleeding and organ failure.

Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache and sore throat. There is no cure for Ebola.

Preliminary tests conducted at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the capital, Kinshasa, have detected the virus in 13 of 20 samples analysed, following consultations with DR Congo’s Ministry of Health and National Public Institute.

Of the 65 deaths, four were reported among lab-confirmed cases, CDC Africa said.

Additional suspected cases have also been reported in Ituri’s provincial capital, Bunia, with laboratory confirmation pending.

The Congolese government has not yet officially declared an outbreak. A staffer told the BBC a press conference was expected later on Friday.

Ituri has been under military rule since 2021, with the civilian authority replaced by a military general in an attempt to neutralise dozens of armed groups which have operated in the area for many years. These include the Allied Democratic Forced (ADF), affiliated to the Islamic State group.

Around 50,000 people have died from the virus in different African countries over the past 50 years.

DR Congo’s deadliest outbreak was between 2018 and 2020, during which nearly 2,300 people died.

Last year, 45 people died after an outbreak in the central Kasai province.

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Ghanaian pastor in Canada jailed over assault case involving 13-year-old congregant

The sentencing, delivered by Justice Robert Gattrell, has drawn attention within both the Ghanaian and wider immigrant communities in Canada, where the case has sparked discussions about religious authority, accountability, and the responsibility of community leaders entrusted with the care of young people.

Yeboah was convicted of sexual assault, sexual interference, and assault after a trial centred on an incident that occurred three years ago.

Court proceedings heard that Yeboah was regarded not only as a pastor by members of his congregation but also as a trusted family friend of the victim’s relatives. According to evidence presented in court, he had offered to take the teenager to a piano lesson, an outing prosecutors argued later became an abuse of trust.

While the court avoided disclosing graphic details, testimony indicated that inappropriate conduct occurred while the pair were alone together. The victim later returned home, distressed by the experience.

During sentencing, Justice Gattrell noted that some of Yeboah’s actions reflected behaviour commonly associated with grooming, including attempts to build trust through gifts and friendly gestures.

The emotional impact on the teenager became more evident days later when she unexpectedly encountered Yeboah again at her family home. The court heard that she became frightened and sought refuge at a neighbour’s residence.

The case later resulted in an additional assault conviction linked to efforts to return her home.

Throughout the proceedings, Yeboah maintained his innocence. Even after the guilty verdict, the court heard that he continued to receive support from some members of his congregation and community.

During sentencing submissions, Crown prosecutors sought a four-year prison term, arguing that the offences involved a serious breach of trust and emotional harm to a vulnerable young person.

However, the defence requested a reduced sentence of one year, citing Yeboah’s lack of a prior criminal record, his role as the sole provider for his family, and the continued support he received within his community.

Justice Gattrell ultimately imposed an 18-month custodial sentence, taking into account several mitigating factors raised by the defence.

Among the considerations were the impact the sentence would have on Yeboah’s wife and children, as well as the immigration consequences he may now face as a permanent resident of Canada.

Under Canadian immigration law, non-citizens who receive custodial sentences exceeding six months may face removal proceedings. Although criminal courts do not directly determine deportation matters, the judge acknowledged that Yeboah could face deportation after serving his sentence.

Upon his release, Yeboah will also be subject to strict court-imposed conditions restricting contact with persons under the age of 18 unless another responsible adult is present.

The proceedings also raised questions about Yeboah’s pastoral background and qualifications.

Although he was widely described during the trial as a pastor, little information was presented about any formal religious training, official ordination, or the registration of a church organisation associated with him.

A LinkedIn profile linked to a Barrie resident with the same name identified him primarily as a courier driver and did not reference pastoral work. Court records also indicated that Yeboah supported his family through work as an Uber driver and other gig economy jobs.

The case has generated extensive discussion within sections of the Ghanaian-Canadian community, particularly regarding the level of trust placed in religious figures and the need for stronger accountability within faith-based settings.

Community advocates say the case serves as a reminder that positions of spiritual leadership should never place individuals beyond scrutiny or responsibility.

Child protection experts have long warned that abuse involving trusted authority figures can be especially traumatic because victims often fear they will not be believed or worry about dividing families and communities.

Following the sentencing, Yeboah was taken into custody while his wife, who had accompanied him to court, quietly left the courtroom alone, underscoring the wider emotional consequences the case has had on multiple families.

Although the legal proceedings have concluded, the broader impact of the case is expected to continue resonating within the community for years.

For many parents, faith leaders, and child advocates, the case has become a sobering reminder that trust must be matched with accountability, transparency, and safeguards designed to protect vulnerable young people.

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According to a newly unsealed indictment in United States v. Jamal Abubakari, et al., the accused persons are Jamal Abubakari, also known as Jamal Abubakar and “Arrangement,” Kamal Abubakari, also known as Kamal Abubakar and “Lancaster,” and Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, also known as Amanda Joy Glum and Amanda Joy Kessei Bierman.

All three were arrested in Virginia and remain in custody pending further court proceedings.

U.S. prosecutors allege that between July 2024 and April 2026, the group conspired with others to run romance scams by using fake identities to establish emotional and romantic relationships with victims, most of whom were elderly Americans.

After gaining the trust of victims through fabricated stories, the suspects allegedly convinced them to send money through wire transfers into accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy. Investigators say portions of the funds were later transferred to accomplices in Ghana and other locations.

The indictment charges the accused persons with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

Authorities say the case forms part of a broader crackdown on alleged Ghana-linked fraud syndicates targeting elderly victims in the United States.

Several related cases have already resulted in convictions and lengthy prison sentences.

In one of the cases, Frederick Kumi, also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng and Abu Trica, and Daniel Yussif, also known as Denteni and Slab, were charged in December 2025 with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy.

Other defendants linked to separate but related schemes have already been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12 months to 108 months after pleading guilty.

The investigation was led by the FBI Cleveland Division with support from several U.S. and Ghanaian agencies, including the Economic and Organised Crime Office, Ghana Police Service, Cyber Security Authority, Ghana Immigration Service and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Accra.

The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Elliot Morrison for the Northern District of Ohio.

Authorities stressed that an indictment is only an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

The case is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, which focuses on combating elder abuse, financial fraud and scams targeting older citizens.

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US President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday for more than two hours of talks, describing the US-China relationship as “the world’s most consequential economic relationship”.

The White House described the meeting as “highly productive”. Trump, speaking at the Great Hall of the People, called it potentially “the biggest summit ever”.

President Xi said previous trade negotiations between the two countries in South Korea had delivered “progress”, according to China’s foreign ministry, but he paired that with a stark warning on Taiwan, saying: “If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict.”

Tech and trade

This was a visit where optics mattered as much as outcomes, with one of the most closely watched moments coming as Air Force One touched down in Beijing.

Elon Musk stepped off the presidential aircraft ahead of senior cabinet officials, including Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer – on a trip that was always going to be defined by trade.

Musk and Nvidia chief Jensen Huang also remained close to Trump during the welcome ceremony.

The symbolism was hard to miss. Musk and Huang represent some of the most sensitive pressure points in the US-China economic relationship: electric vehicles, artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor microchips.

Both are also exposed to China. Tesla depends heavily on its Shanghai gigafactory and Chinese consumers, while Nvidia’s chips sit at the centre of the global AI race and US export controls designed to limit China’s access to advanced computing.

Huang’s presence was particularly notable given he was not on the original delegation list, fuelling speculation that AI and chip access may feature more centrally in discussions than previously expected.

No deal but fragile trade truce continues

Despite the choreography, there was no major trade deal or structural agreement.

Both sides instead pointed to continuity in the October trade truce, under which Washington suspended steep tariff increases on Chinese goods while Beijing eased back from restricting rare earth exports.

The White House said both leaders agreed to establish a “Board of Trade” – a mechanism to manage the relationship without having to reopen tariff negotiations.

US officials have cautioned, however, that there is a lot of work to be done before it is fully operational.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he expected “large Boeing orders” to be announced during the visit, alongside broader Chinese purchases of US energy and agricultural goods.

Market access and co-operation

According to the White House, the talks included discussion of expanding Chinese market access for US companies and increasing Chinese investment into US industries.

Beijing signalled it would increase purchases of US agricultural and energy products.

Farmers in the US have been seeking more Chinese access for soybeans, beef, poultry, but no firm details were announced.

Bessent downplayed expectations of major new agricultural breakthroughs, suggesting some soybean commitments had already been addressed under previous agreements, but said there was scope for China to increase purchases of US energy, including LNG.

Xi told US business leaders that China’s “doors will open wider” and that American firms would have “broader prospects” in the Chinese market, according to news site Xinhua.

He also called for expanded cooperation in trade, agriculture, healthcare, tourism and law enforcement, describing bilateral ties as “mutually beneficial” and delivering “win-win results”.

For US companies, China remains both a major market and a difficult operating environment due to regulation, red tape and geopolitical uncertainty.

The ‘most sensitive’ issue

One of the clearest shifts emerging from the summit was the way Beijing is now linking Taiwan directly to the broader economic relationship with the United States.

Over the past year of trade talks, Taiwan had largely been treated as one of several friction points between the US and China – particularly US collaboration with semiconductor companies, US-Taiwan trade ties, and arms sales to Taipei.

But Chinese messaging from the meeting suggested Taiwan is increasingly being framed as a condition for the US-China trade relationship.

According to Beijing’s readout, Xi said the two sides had agreed to a “new positioning” for relations based on “constructive strategic stability”, but warned that Taiwan remained the most sensitive issue.

“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations,” Xi warned during the talks, according to Chinese state media.

“If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict,” he said.

Unresolved fault lines

Technology remains the biggest divide between the US and China.

US export controls on advanced semiconductors and chipmaking equipment – aimed at limiting China’s access to frontier AI capabilities – remain in place.

Beijing continues to push for greater access to advanced technologies, while criticising what it sees as efforts to constrain its industrial development.

Trump also entered the talks hoping for Chinese cooperation on the Iran conflict and oil market stability.

Oil price volatility and repeated disruptions to supply routes have increased China’s import costs and pushed up prices worldwide.

Trump has said that China could use its influence to encourage Iran to stabilise flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy artery.

Chinese readouts indicated the Middle East was discussed, though again, details were limited.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DAMAGE ACROSS UKRAINE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She was immediately remanded into federal custody after sentencing.

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

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

“Nkechy Ezeh’s greed is beyond reprehensible.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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