The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the African Development Bank’s Annual Meetings in Brazzaville on May 26, 2026, and is expected to strengthen collaboration on health financing, demographic resilience and human capital development across the continent.

The partnership is particularly significant within the framework of the Media Forum, as UNFPA is expected to become a future partner of the Réseau des Médias Africains pour la Promotion de la Santé et de l’Environnement (REMAPSEN), further deepening collaboration between development institutions and African media stakeholders.

According to the press release, the agreement positions maternal health not only as a health issue, but as a strategic economic priority for the continent.

“Africa has made huge progress in reducing maternal mortality, but ongoing challenges remain, linked to structural obstacles, unequal access to quality health services, and financing gaps,” the statement noted.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Diene Keita, Executive Director of UNFPA, highlighted the immense development potential tied to investments in women and young people.

“Immense opportunity is within Africa’s grasp if we make strategic investments in women and young people,” she said.

She further stressed that, “Economic progress for Africa is only possible if we prioritize women’s health and address one of the continent’s most pressing development challenges: preventable maternal deaths.”

Describing the significance of the renewed collaboration between the two institutions, Diene Keita added, “this renewed partnership reflects our shared commitment to put maternal health and human capital development at the heart of Africa’s economic transformation agenda.”

Under the new framework, UNFPA and AfDB will jointly explore innovative financing and implementation mechanisms to help countries unlock investments in women and young people as drivers of Africa’s growth.

The agreement outlines key priorities including investments to modernize the health workforce through digital training, strengthening local procurement systems, upgrading climate-resilient health infrastructure, and supporting the digitization of health information systems.

Since 1992, the two organizations have collaborated on several initiatives aimed at strengthening health systems and data-driven development across Africa.

Achievements highlighted in the release include modernization of Côte d’Ivoire’s population census, improved emergency obstetric and newborn care services in Cameroon, reproductive health awareness campaigns in Madagascar, and climate adaptation programmes integrating gender and reproductive health concerns in Eastern and Southern Africa.

The press release also underscored the long-term objective of the partnership, stating that: “UNFPA will work with the AfDB to ensure that demographic transition roadmaps sit at the heart of national financing strategies, ensuring that investments in health and rights are recognized as smart investments for Africa’s future.”

The agreement is expected to reinforce continental advocacy around maternal health, gender equality and sustainable development, while strengthening the role of African media networks such as REMAPSEN in amplifying public awareness and policy dialogue on critical health and development issues.

ALSO READ:

• Finance Minister signs AfDB grant for feasibility studies on 37 Military Hospital interchange, four…

• African Finance Ministers laud GoldBod at high-level AfDB meeting in Washington

The US Central Command (Centcom) said Iranian missile sites and boats attempting to place mines had been targeted with what it called “self-defence strikes” in southern Iran on Monday.

Iran’s foreign ministry said it held the US responsible for the consequences of its “aggressive and unjustified actions” in the Hormozgan region, which has a coast along the Strait of Hormuz – the crucial waterway Iran has blocked causing a spike in world energy prices.

It is unclear what impact the strikes will have on talks aimed to end the conflict.

“Without a doubt, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not leave any evil unanswered and will not hesitate to defend the Iranian nation,” the Iranian statement said.

However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a deal from the talks was still possible, but it would “take a few days”.

One of the stumbling blocks reportedly centres on Tehran’s request for the release of frozen Iranian funds held abroad.

The talks have been mainly mediated by Pakistan.

However, Iranian negotiators have been taking parts in Qatar this week.

An official briefed on the Doha visit told Reuters news agency that Iran’s central bank governor had attended Monday’s talks to discuss the frozen assets, with discussions focusing primarily on Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, and the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has effectively blocked the vital shipping lane, through which around one fifth of the world’s oil passes, since the US and Israel started the conflict on February 28.

US, Israel and many Western countries have accused Iran of enriching uranium in order to make a nuclear weapon. Iran says the programme is for peaceful purposes only.

Airstrikes Formally Characterised as Defensive Action

U.S. Central Command confirmed the operation but noted that the engagement does not cancel out the temporary truce held since April 8. The strikes occurred near Bandar Abbas, a pivotal southern port city that hosts a major Iranian naval base. The base directly overlooks the strategic Strait of Hormuz—the narrow gateway to the Persian Gulf, which handles roughly 25% of the world’s maritime oil trade.

In an official statement, U.S. Central Command asserted that the strikes were executed in “self-defence,” adding that they were specifically designed “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.”

Military officials maintained that the operations were precise and reactive rather than expansionist. Central Command spokesperson Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins noted that “U.S. forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.” He added that the specific “targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines. U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.” The Pentagon noted that these engagements follow previous bouts of friction; in early May, American forces targeted Iranian military sites tied to unprovoked missile, drone, and small-boat actions against U.S. warships navigating the strait.

Explosions Recorded Along the Persian Gulf

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps noted that three distinct explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas, followed by subsequent detonations near the local airport. Air defence systems in the sector were promptly activated to counter what local military officials labelled hostile targets. Before the activation of the air defences, Iran’s armed forces stated they had successfully intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone operating over the Persian Gulf.

Iranian state media reported that local municipal and military officials in Bandar Abbas were actively investigating the immediate aftermath of the blasts. Similar acoustic disturbances were reported by witnesses further along the coast near Sirik and Jask.

While the military environment remains tense, the broader domestic posture inside Iran shows signs of internal shifts. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the Ministry of Communications to begin restoring domestic internet access. Tehran had implemented a near-total digital disconnection starting in late December 2025 to suppress widespread domestic protests linked to severe economic inflation and currency depreciation. Independent monitoring networks like NetBlocks noted the blackout surpassed 2,064 hours, complicating transparency surrounding state executions. Despite the tactical military engagement, semi-official Iranian media channels broadcast messages stating that the domestic situation in Bandar Abbas remained entirely under control and posed no cause for wider public concern.

Diplomatic Progress Tempered by Core Disputes

The military friction occurred concurrently with high-stakes diplomatic deliberations in Qatar. A high-level Iranian delegation, featuring chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, met with Qatari mediators in Doha to review a potential memorandum of understanding with the United States.

The framework under review includes a 60-day extension of the current ceasefire, mechanisms to ensure the permanent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and an explicit roadmap for future negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear profile. However, senior diplomats from both governments cautioned that a definitive peace treaty remains distant.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai acknowledged that while structural progress has been achieved, expectations of an immediate breakthrough should be managed. “It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion… But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent – no one can make such a claim,” Baqai stated.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously suggested that a formal framework agreement could potentially materialise as early as Monday. This timeline was initially echoed by President Donald Trump over the weekend, though the president subsequently adjusted his rhetoric, noting that he had formally instructed American diplomatic envoys “not to rush into” an immediate settlement.

Logistical obstacles have further slowed the pace of the Doha deliberations. Intelligence assessments indicate that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is currently operating from an undisclosed location. Khamenei sustained injuries during an initial Israeli airstrike on the opening day of the war—an attack that killed his father and predecessor. The physical displacement of the Supreme Leader has hampered direct, rapid communication with Iranian envoys in Qatar.

Nuclear Stockpiles Remain Central Sticking Point

The main diplomatic barrier centres on the status of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile. The current military conflict began following coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28. At that time, Iran held an estimated 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity.

Western intelligence agencies warn that this inventory is dangerous. It requires only minimal additional processing to reach the 90 per cent weapons-grade threshold needed for an atomic bomb. Because of this, White House officials have adopted a strict negotiating posture. Their policy is summarised by the internal phrase, “No dust, no dollars.” Under this rule, the U.S. will block all economic sanctions relief and frozen asset releases until the nuclear material is permanently neutralised.

President Trump detailed these non-negotiable terms on social media on Monday. Trump stated that the “Enriched Uranium (Nuclear Dust!) will either be immediately turned over to the United States to be brought home and destroyed or, preferably, in conjunction and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place or, at another acceptable location, with the Atomic Energy Commission, or its equivalent, being witness to this process and event.”

The public post marks a subtle shift from Trump’s comments last Thursday in the Oval Office. He previously told reporters, “We’ll probably destroy it after we get it, but we’re not going to let them have it.”

The core demand for absolute disposal remains unchanged. However, the updated language introduces a new option. The material could potentially be destroyed on Iranian soil under international oversight. Senior White House aides minimised the change. They clarified that this is not a new demand, but simply a public reminder of terms already delivered to Iranian intermediaries.

Regional Postures Harden Amid Lebanese Friction

The deep friction between Washington and Tehran is fueled by a hard-line consensus within Iran’s security apparatus. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr recently took over as the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. In his first public address since taking office, he promised an uncompromising approach to Western pressure.

Zolghadr is a veteran Revolutionary Guard commander. He stepped into the role following the wartime death of his predecessor, Ali Larijani. Zolghadr declared to the public that “there will be no retreat” in the country’s ongoing strategic confrontation. Other military leaders in Tehran echoed this defiance. They insisted their forces stand in a much stronger position today than at the war’s outset.

Meanwhile, the wider regional war keeps expanding along Israel’s northern border. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire is technically in place between Israel and Lebanon. Despite this truce, the Israel Defence Forces spent Monday preparing to widen combat operations against Hezbollah infrastructure.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that military pressure will ramp up. In a video address, he stated that Israel will “intensify the blows” and “increase the force” used against the group.

“We are not taking our foot off the gas pedal; on the contrary … we need to push the gas pedal even harder,” Netanyahu remarked.

The IDF claimed it struck over 70 Hezbollah infrastructure targets on Monday. The strikes hit command hubs and weapons caches across the Beqaa Valley and Tyre. Israel launched the raids to blunt a wave of advanced, fibre-optic drones.

A U.S. official came out in full support of Israel’s military response. The official stated that “Israel will never be expected to passively absorb attacks on its forces and civilians.”

The American official placed direct blame on the militant group for the ongoing violence.

“Since April 17, Hezbollah has fired over a thousand drones and over 700 rockets to try and derail ongoing negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. The status quo is untenable,” the official said.

The official added that Hezbollah “is entirely responsible for the current situation. It broke the ceasefire on March 2 and is now intent on denying the Lebanese people a path to peace and reconstruction.”

Domestic Memorial Tributes and War Costs

The global economic shockwaves of this war drag on. Persistent shipping disruptions along the closed Strait of Hormuz continue to block international trade routes. As a result, worldwide fuel prices remain high.

Back in Washington, the human toll of the fighting took centre stage during Memorial Day services at Arlington National Cemetery. President Trump dedicated much of his speech to honouring the American service members killed in the conflict. He tied their sacrifices directly to the active nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

“In Operation Epic Fury, we lost 13 wonderful souls, wonderful special people. These incredible men and women gave their lives to ensure that the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terror will never have a nuclear weapon. Oh, and they won’t. They will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

During the address, Trump recognised the family of Capt. Ariana G. Savino, a fallen service member who died when a military refuelling plane crashed in Iraq.

“Ariana’s selfless gift will not be in vain,” Trump stated. “Our debt to you is everlasting, and it’s always going to end in victory. We’re having victories all over the place, more than we’ve had many, many decades.”

Vice President JD Vance spoke to the grieving families just before the president took the stage.

“I know, from every American across every political persuasion, that we love you, we’re grateful to you, and we commit to make the United States of America the very best version of itself,” Vance said.

The president wrapped up his remarks by contrasting the conflict with a separate U.S. operation in Venezuela. He noted that the military “lost no one” during the mission that captured Nicolás Maduro. Across both recent foreign campaigns, Trump summarised, the U.S. has lost a total of 13 service members.

Strait of Hormuz Remains the Flashpoint of War and Peace 

The overlapping realities of live combat and back-channel diplomacy underscore the volatile nature of the Middle Eastern theatre. While localised U.S. strikes near Bandar Abbas signal Washington’s resolve to enforce maritime freedom, the presence of Iranian negotiators in Doha highlights a mutual reluctance to return to total warfare. Neither side appears to want an uncontained conflict.

Consequently, the survival of any impending framework agreement has become a high-stakes race against time. The ultimate success of a memorandum of understanding hinges on whether technical consensus regarding sanctions relief and nuclear dismantling can outpace the daily military friction destabilising the world’s most critical energy corridor.

The new strikes will target “decision-making centres and command posts”, alongside drone manufacturing facilities in the city, Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Moscow has called for foreign nationals and diplomats to leave Kyiv “as soon as possible” and warned citizens to stay away from administrative and military buildings.

Large-scale Russian strikes on Saturday night killed four and injured about 100 people in Kyiv and other areas, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Moscow said that barrage and threatened further strikes were in response to what it claims was a deliberate Ukrainian attack on a student dormitory in the town of Starobilsk on Friday, in which Russian officials said 21 people were killed.

Ukraine’s military said its forces had struck an elite Russian military drone unit in the area, in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine, and had not targeted civilians.

Russia has launched several waves of deadly missile and drone attacks on Kyiv since a brief ceasefire, that coincided with Moscow’s annual Victory Day parade, expired earlier in May.

Shortly after that, Russian strikes on Kyiv killed 24 people, including three children, in a block of flats.

Days later, Russian officials said three people were killed in a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region, with Zelensky saying the strikes were an “entirely justified” response to deadly Russian attacks.

Kyiv then suffered one of the biggest aerial assaults of the war overnight on Saturday.

Videos posted on social media showed explosions lighting up the sky throughout the night, and many Kyiv residents reported blasts rocking the city as numerous civilian targets were hit.

Russia employed dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles and hundreds of drones to hit the capital, as well as firing a hypersonic, nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile on the area of Bila Tserkva, 90km south of Kyiv.

Non-military targets such as the Chernobyl Museum in Kyiv’s historic district and the National Art Museum of Ukraine were damaged or destroyed. A shopping centre, a market and several residential buildings in the area of Lukanivka were also destroyed.

On Monday evening, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to evacuate American diplomats from Kyiv in a phone call, Russia’s foreign ministry said.

Many are interpreting Russia’s warning for foreign nationals to leave Kyiv as a form of psychological pressure.

Russia already carries out large-scale strikes on the capital, and has done so since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

But four and a half years of war have taught Ukraine to develop and ramp up a sophisticated and layered air defence system.

It now intercepts a vast proportion of drones and missiles – although Russia often fires them in such great numbers they overwhelmed air defences and many do get through.

Ukraine also remains heavily dependent on foreign air defence systems for missile interception.

In March, Zelensky warned that his country would face a deficit of such weapons due to the US and Israel’s war with Iran.

Ndiaye, a senior figure in the ruling ​PASTEF party, said on Sunday ​his resignation was a personal decision, giving ⁠the “higher interest of the nation” as ​a reason for his departure.

President Bassirou Diomaye ​Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Friday and dissolved the government after months of mounting tension ​between the two leaders.

Ties between Faye ​and Sonko, allies who swept to power together ‌in ⁠2024, soured against a backdrop of growing economic challenges linked to debt and domestic fallout from the Iran war.

Members of parliament ​are set ​to convene ⁠on Tuesday to vote on reinstating Sonko as a lawmaker ​and to elect a new ​speaker ⁠for the National Assembly to replace Ndiaye.

Some critics say reinstating Sonko would be illegal ⁠as ​he has never been ​a member of parliament.

Girls Tag, described as an all-in-one period care pack designed for girls aged nine and above, recently launched with Mercy Johnson and her daughter, Purity Okojie, as brand ambassadors.

Shortly after the launch, Regina Daniels was also announced as an ambassador for the brand.

However, the product launch has sparked backlash on social media, with critics describing the price as unrealistic and insensitive. They argue that many Nigerian women and girls struggle to afford basic menstrual products and are often forced to resort to unsafe alternatives or miss school during their periods.

“PHIL, not everyone is a philanthropist! Nigeria’s problems are not everyone’s problem. She knows who her customers are… she is not interested in the average Nigerian lady or every girl child. Again, not everyone is a philanthropist. We don’t tell Dangote to sell fuel at ₦100 to support poor or small business owners. This is business… and again, Nigeria is not everybody’s problem,” @Lai stated.

@Ms Jorji said, “Mercy Johnson, you are an embarrassment to women. In a country where women are struggling to afford sanitary pads, you want to charge ₦25,000 for sanitary pads.”

“The target audience had to be baddies,” @A Tall Edo Girl said.

@Rebekah wrote, “Dear @realmercyj, Nigeria is a poor country. Elitism should never extend to the basic rights and dignity of girls and women. Sanitary pads are not luxury items. How many Nigerians can realistically afford ₦25,000 monthly for a basic necessity? What is wrong with us Nigerians?”

@Ara stated, “The way some of you kiss celebrities’ ass is annoying. In a country where sanitary pads are meant to be free, someone is selling them for ₦25,000 and I’m seeing, ‘oh, the packaging is worth it’—yen yen yen. Hypocrites! Since when did pads start having a target audience?”

“To be honest, sanitary pads shouldn’t cost this much. I believe it should be a basic amenity just like food,” @Matt wrote.

@Okafor Gift said, “Selling pads for ₦25,000. As how???”

@Olaámi wrote, “Most Nigerian celebrities don’t actually stand for anything; all they care about is their bottom line. Greedy people.”

ALSO READ:

• My kids are bullied in school – Mercy Johnson cries out over false witchcraft…

• Jackie Appiah and Mercy Johnson break the internet with wild dance moves

Kwara, in Nigeria’s north-central region, has in recent years faced a spillover of violent attacks linked to armed groups often referred to ​locally as bandits, who operate across forested border regions and ​are known for kidnappings for ransom.

The attackers struck around 2 ⁠a.m. (0100 GMT) in Yashikira, a community in Baruten local government area near ​Nigeria’s northwestern border, in what authorities described as a coordinated assault.

When the ​police divisional headquarters came under attack, officers on duty repelled the gunmen, the Kwara State Police Command said in a statement.

During the same raid, the assailants set ​sections of the Emir of Yashikira’s palace ablaze and kidnapped 10 residents, ​taking them to an unknown location.

Police Commissioner Ojo Adekimi said security forces had launched ‌a ⁠joint operation involving the military, forest guards and local vigilantes to search nearby forests and suspected hideouts, with the aim of rescuing the victims and arresting those responsible.

Separately, police confirmed a second attack in the state ​in which gunmen ​targeted a prayer ⁠gathering in the Ekiti local government area late on Friday. Armed assailants opened fire at worshippers holding a ​night vigil at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, killing three people and ​abducting ⁠15 others, according to police.

The incident was reported by a local pastor, who said the attackers stormed the gathering at about 8:30 p.m. (1930 GMT), shooting ⁠sporadically ​before taking victims away.

Police said tactical teams, ​including a drone unit and specialised mobile force personnel, had been deployed to carry out search-and-rescue ​operations and track down the attackers.

ALSO READ:

• Nigeria’s Tinubu to run for second term after party primary win

• Nigeria launches manhunt after abductions by bandits in northwest Zamfara

A statement read on state media said all ministers were dismissed, with the outgoing government tasked with handling day-to-day affairs, according to Oumar Samba Ba, secretary-general of the presidency.

The decision follows months of growing tensions between the two allies-turned-rivals. Sonko, a charismatic figure ​with a strong youth following, had backed Faye in the 2024 election after being barred from running himself due to ​a defamation conviction.

In a post on social media after the announcement, Sonko said: “Tonight I will sleep with a ⁠light heart in the Keur Gorgui neighbourhood,” referring to his residence.

The split comes as Senegal faces mounting economic pressure. The International Monetary Fund ​froze its $1.8 billion lending program with Senegal following the discovery of misreported debt, pushing the country’s end-2024 debt level to 132% of its economic ​output.

Faye’s move raises the risk of further delays in reaching a new agreement with the IMF, seen as key to reviving the economy.

Earlier on Friday, before Sonko’s dismissal, Finance Minister Cheikh Diba told parliament that Senegal expects to resume talks with the IMF in the week of June 8 and hopes to reach an agreement on key ​points by June 30.

Diba also warned the country’s fuel subsidy bill could exceed its 2026 budget allocation by as much as 1.15 trillion ​CFA francs ($2 billion) if oil prices rise to $115 per barrel, adding that Sonko had rejected his request to raise fuel prices.

Sonko had opposed any restructuring of ‌the debt, ⁠estimated at $13 billion, which he said the IMF was advocating, while Faye has been less vocal on the issue.

SPECULATION OVER SONKO’S POLITICAL FUTURE

Sonko was a popular opposition leader under the previous administration of President Macky Sall, whose decision to delay the 2024 election spurred unrest.

Both Faye and Sonko are former tax officials who were jailed ahead of the 2024 election. They were released 10 days before the rescheduled contest, which Faye ​went on to win with 54% ​of the vote.

Faye then appointed ⁠Sonko as prime minister.

Now that Sonko is out of that job, it is unclear what his next steps will be.

In March, he said he would be willing to take his Pastef party out of the government ​and return to opposition if Faye departed from the party’s agenda, fuelling speculation that the two men’s ​power struggle was ⁠irresolvable.

Pastef dominates the National Assembly, meaning it could complicate governance and the passage of reforms needed to secure IMF support.

Last month, lawmakers overwhelmingly approved electoral code changes that could pave the way for Sonko to run for president in 2029.

Among the anti-establishment, pan-Africanist prime minister’s signature initiatives was an audit ⁠of Senegal’s ​resource deals, including those governing its emerging oil and gas sector.

In March, Sonko declared ​a BP gas contract for the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project unfair and revoked some 71 mining licenses.

He had argued that renegotiating oil and gas contracts would lower domestic energy prices ​and help rebuild Senegal’s battered finances.

ALSO READ:

• Senegal president backs new anti-LGBT law banning ‘promotion’

• Senegal’s president faces budget challenge after likely parliamentary win

At least three such incidents have occurred in the northeastern province of Ituri, where the first Ebola cases were reported, including two at the weekend, targeting the same hospital that permitted more than two dozen patients to run away.

The attacks recall the widespread violence targeting health facilities during a 2018-2020 outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that killed more than 25 health workers.

Some ​were perpetrated by civilians who were angry about not being able to bury their loved ones or were convinced that the outbreak was a hoax. ​The influx of money and manpower into an area that had felt neglected during decades of conflict and humanitarian crisis has spurred local suspicions about the real motives behind the sudden spike in interest.

A similar dynamic seems to be playing out now, said Dr Richard Lokodu, medical director of ​the Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, which came under attack first on Saturday and again on Sunday.

“There is denial of the disease within the population, with some members wanting ​to claim the bodies of suspected and/or confirmed cases,” he said.

The World Health Organisation has declared the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, the third-largest such outbreak on record, a public health emergency of international concern.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Sunday there had been more than 900 suspected cases in the outbreak so far, including 101 confirmed cases.

On Monday, Tedros said there ​had been 220 suspected deaths in the current Ebola outbreak and that a delay in detecting cases meant responders were now “playing catch-up”.

PATIENT DIED WHILE TRYING TO FLEE

At the ​Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, located in Mongbwalu town, where many cases have been reported, 18 Ebola patients fled on Saturday after “unidentified individuals” burned tents, erected by medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières, ‌where patients ⁠were being isolated, Lokodu said.

Four lab results from those patients have come back – three negative results and one positive result, he said.

“So we have one confirmed case of Ebola that continues to circulate in the community and evade the response,” Lokodu said.

On Sunday, the hospital came under four waves of attacks by young people mobilised by relatives of a Christian religious leader who died of Ebola, he said.

Seven other patients escaped, and Congolese police and soldiers had to mobilise to restore order, he said.

A suspected ​Ebola patient who was in critical condition ​with haemorrhaging died in the second ⁠attack while trying to flee from his bed, Lokodu added.

The perpetrators of the attacks wanted the dead Ebola victims’ bodies released for burial, Lokodu said.

The bodies of Ebola victims are highly infectious after death, and unsafe burials – in which family members handle the ​body without proper protective equipment – are a leading driver of transmission.

LONG HISTORY OF ATTACKS ON EBOLA TREATMENT CENTRES

Health workers faced ​a handful of attacks ⁠by angry mobs during the 2013-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the largest on record, some of whom accused them of spreading the virus.

But the phenomenon exploded during the 2018-2020 outbreak in eastern Congo, a region marked by rampant insecurity and mistrust of formal authorities.

In addition to more spontaneous outpourings of anger by local communities, many attacks were carried out ⁠by militia ​groups looking to exploit the outbreak for political and financial gain, researchers found.

The current outbreak is believed ​to have originated in Ituri before spreading to North and South Kivu provinces – including areas under the control of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels – and across the border into neighbouring Uganda.

On Monday, Uganda reported two more confirmed ​cases of Ebola, bringing the total number of cases in the country to seven.

ALSO READ:

• Attacks on Ebola centres intensify in eastern DR Congo

• UN releases $60m from emergency response fund to tackle Ebola outbreak

Nasire Best, as he has been identified to the BBC by Washington DC’s Metropolitan Police Department, previously obstructed a White House entry lane in June of 2025 and told Secret Service agents he was Jesus Christ.

He was sent for a mental evaluation after that incident.

Best is accused of firing shots outside the president’s home just after 18:00 EST (23:00 GMT) on Saturday – reporters filming outside ducked and ran for cover inside. US President Donald Trump was at the White House but was unharmed.

Court documents show that during a June 2025 incident with the Secret Service, Best, of Dundalk, Maryland, told agents he wanted to be arrested.

Despite having a mental evaluation, a month later in July, he again tried to access the White House.

Best was arrested by Secret Service agents after that second incident and charged with unlawfully entering a federally controlled property, according to court records.

He was released after being arraigned on the unlawful entry charge, but in August of 2025, he failed to appear for a status hearing, the documents show. That led to a no-bond bench warrant, allowing law enforcement to arrest him.

Then on Saturday, less than a year later, he reappeared outside the White House and began firing at a Secret Service checkpoint at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Secret Service officers posted on the corner returned fire, striking the gunman. Best was 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 officials said no “protectees” or operations were impacted.

“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.

The shooting occurred a month after a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, forcing a swift end to the event and forcing Trump to be escorted out by Secret Service as hundreds of attendees were evacuated.

Police said four other people were injured in the incident in Murchison Falls National Park in the northwest of the country on Sunday evening.

The vehicle was carrying seven officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), it added.

Car accidents are common in Uganda and incidents involving wildlife and humans are also on the rise, as expanding communities encroach on protected wildlife areas.

The car had been travelling from Arua city back to the capital, Kampala, when the collision took place, the Uganda Police Force said on X.

The injured were rushed to a local hospital and later to Kampala for treatment, it said. Officials did not provide information on the elephant’s condition.

The Ugandan Wildlife Authority urged drivers to watch out for animals crossing the roads.

“Motorists travelling through Protected Areas are strongly advised to drive cautiously, as wild animals frequently cross the roads,” it said.

Extra security forces were deployed to the jail after prisoners climbed the roof and burned mattresses in protest at their alleged mistreatment.

Witnesses reported hearing explosions and inmates said they had been shot at.

Organisations lobbying for prisoners’ rights have long denounced the poor conditions at many of Venezuela’s penitentiaries.

Non-governmental organisation Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP) said that the inmates at the jail, known as Injuba, had been complaining for more than a week about their treatment under the prison’s new director.

They allege they were violently searched, kept in solitary confinement and mistreated.

The prison director has so far not publicly commented, nor has the government of interim President Delcy Rodríguez.

In footage published by OVP, groups of inmates can be seen protesting on the roof, with some burning mattresses.

In one video, a man can be seen showing wounds on his torso and his arm, with another man shouting “they’re shooting at us”.

Others can be heard joining into chants of “we want justice”.

In another recording shared by OVP, a woman wearing dark glasses and a face mask addresses Rodríguez directly and demands that the minister of prisons and Injuba’s director resign.

She insists that their protest is peaceful before stating their demands, which include medicine for prisoners who have tuberculosis.

OVP has long drawn attention to the poor conditions in Venezuelan jails, with the organisation warning that many do not meet the “minimum standards” which should be guaranteed by law.

Since the United States seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a military operation in the capital, Caracas, on 3 January, US pressure has led to the release of hundreds of political prisoners.

However, more than 400 are still behind bars, according to pressure group Foro Penal.

While Injuba is not one of the prisons where most political prisoners are usually kept, Venezuela’s Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners expressed its solidarity with the inmates there, alleging that “punishment, hunger, solitary confinement, torture and inhumane conditions” were being used to control and subdue prisoners and “formed part of prison policy”.

In March, the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said that his office had been receiving reports alleging that detainees had continued to be tortured in Venezuela following Maduro’s ouster by the US.

Speaking on JoyNews’s AM Show on Monday, May 25, Mr Glover said authorities in South Africa had failed to take proactive steps to protect foreign nationals, including Ghanaians, amid growing concerns over attacks on migrants.

His comments come as the first batch of Ghanaians in South Africa is expected to return home on Wednesday.

According to him, although evacuation efforts are underway, there are concerns that many Ghanaians living outside major cities such as Pretoria and Johannesburg may be left out due to transport and accessibility challenges.

“The Foreign Minister should have taken his time a bit because, as we speak now, some of these Ghanaians are beyond Pretoria and Johannesburg. Even access to public transport to reach the embassy to register is a problem. So how do you reach these people?” he questioned.

Mr Glover argued that the situation reflects what he described as a lack of urgency on the part of the South African authorities in addressing the attacks.

“That is why I am blaming the South African government for not being proactive. President Cyril Ramaphosa has disappointed some of us. The South African government has not been up and doing,” he said.

He further alleged that authorities had failed to intervene in some incidents involving foreign nationals.

“You see Ghanaians being beaten, and they stand aloof and watch. They stand and watch and see how these foreigners are beaten,” he stated.

Reflecting on Africa’s historical support for South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle, the former lawmaker expressed disappointment over the treatment of foreign nationals today.

“Everybody in Africa contributed to making sure you are who you are today. They gave you money, scholarships, and passports to move around these African countries. Look at what they are doing, and the South African government is watching these things while our people are being beaten,” he said.

Mr Glover also called on President John Dramani Mahama to reconsider the operations of South African mining companies in Ghana, suggesting he would oppose the renewal of their licences.

“I will appeal to President Mahama that next year the licences of those South African companies should never be renewed,” he said.

He added that he would support demonstrations over the issue and was prepared to personally join protests if the situation persists.

READ ALSO:

Keta MP donates relief items to Anlo Afiadenyigba SHS after dormitory fire

Government will not tolerate shoddy road projects – Roads Minister

The Vice President left Ghana on Sunday, May 24, 2026, as part of Ghana’s delegation to the historic national event being commemorated by the government and people of Guyana.

Upon her arrival, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang was received by Ghana’s Ambassador to Brazil, Nii Amasah Namoale, together with members of the diplomatic team.

She was also welcomed by Guyana’s Minister for Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson, as well as members of the Ghanaian community living in Guyana.

The visit forms part of efforts to strengthen diplomatic relations and deepen the historical ties between Ghana and Guyana.

The two countries share longstanding cultural and historical connections rooted in African heritage.

The anniversary celebrations are expected to feature official state events, cultural displays and engagements highlighting Guyana’s history, achievements and future aspirations.

Ghana and Guyana have maintained cordial diplomatic relations over the years and continue to explore opportunities for cooperation across several sectors of mutual interest.

Guyana gained independence from British colonial rule in 1966 and is marking six decades of nationhood this year with activities attracting leaders and representatives from different parts of the world.

READ ALSO:

Mali threatens to revoke Nguvu Mining Licences over tax and foreign exchange breaches

BoG’s multi-billion-cedi losses were part of economic recovery – IMF

Here are some details:

• Google argued that U.S. Judge Amit Mehta made legal errors in his 2024 ruling, which ​found the company illegally blocked competitors by ​paying billions of dollars annually to firms ⁠, including Apple, to be the default search ​engine on new devices.
• The arrangements did not prevent ​device makers and browser developers from promoting rival search services, such as Microsoft’s Bing, Google argued.
• The company said it ​fairly excelled in the market by developing a “superior search engine through hard work, bold innovation, and shrewd ‌business ⁠decisions.”
• The U.S. Department of Justice is expected to file papers making its own arguments in July. A spokesperson for the DOJ declined to comment.
• Mehta had ordered Google to share some search data with competitors, potentially including artificial intelligence companies such as OpenAI, to restore competition. An ​appeals ⁠court ruling in Google’s favour would overturn that order.
• If Google loses at the U.S. Court of ⁠Appeals ​for the District of Columbia ​Circuit, it could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

• The governing All Progressives Congress party held its presidential primaries on Saturday after a surprise candidate, Stanley Osifo, challenged Tinubu.
• The president ended up getting nearly 11 million votes, compared to 16,500 for Osifo.
• Tinubu has won plaudits from foreign investors after rolling out some of Nigeria’s boldest reforms, including the removal of fuel and electricity subsidies, the end of foreign exchange controls, and the overhaul of the tax code.
• The president’s chances of re-election were enhanced after an opposition pact to field a single candidate against Tinubu collapsed earlier this month.
• Tinubu came into office in 2023 after defeating his two main rivals, who unsuccessfully challenged the result in court, alleging the vote was rigged. Tinubu said he won fairly.

ALSO READ:

• Nollywood actor arrested over alleged involvement in coup plot against President Tinubu

• Nigeria’s president Bola Tinubu ‘in great shape’ after falling at Turkey reception

Nguvu, a subsidiary of Ghana-based Adamus Resources Limited, operates two gold concessions in Mali through SEMICO-SA and MIKO-SA.

A recent audit by the Ministry of Mines uncovered serious violations linked to MIKO-SA’s Segala and Kofi projects in the Kéniéba Circle, a major gold mining area near the Senegal border.

In a letter, Mines Minister Amadou Keita, Commander of the National Order, directed the company to remedy the infractions within 90 days or face the “outright withdrawal” of its permits without compensation.

The warning follows high-level regulatory reviews of SEMICO-SA and MIKO-SA, which hold exploitation permits for the Segala and Kofi mines respectively.

According to the Ministry, findings against MIKO-SA include the unauthorised suspension of mining activities for more than two consecutive years without notifying or obtaining clearance from the mining authorities.

Investigations also found that the company failed to remit taxes, duties, and royalties owed to the Malian state.

Foreign exchange violations were also established, including the operation of an unauthorised offshore bank account and failure to repatriate foreign currency earnings, in breach of Uniform Law No. 2016-007 of March 17, 2016.

The Ministry further cited Article 18 of Ordinance No. 99-032/P-RM of August 19, 1999, of Mali’s Mining Code, which allows the state to cancel mining titles without compensation if a company fails to comply with a formal notice within 90 days.

“In light of the foregoing, I request that you remedy these breaches within a period of ninety days,” Minister Keita stated. “Failing this, the State reserves the right to proceed with the outright withdrawal of your permit.”

Nguvu Mining Group is part of Adamus Resources Limited, which operates the Nzema Gold Project in Ghana’s Western Region.

As a major West African mining player, regulatory action against Nguvu is likely to attract attention from investors and industry watchers across the region.

Mali’s transitional government has intensified audits of foreign mining companies under a broader policy of resource nationalism.

While the 1999 Mining Code remains applicable, parts of the sector are gradually shifting toward a stricter 2023 framework.

The 90-day notice to Nguvu reflects the government’s firm stance on unapproved operational shutdowns and foreign exchange non-compliance.

ALSO READ:

Ghana to destroy over 4,000 illegal weapons in nationwide gun amnesty…

Teenager allegedly kidnaped by gunmen at Kabulya near Bimbilla, demand ransom

Rubio told reporters in New Delhi that the U.S. would give diplomacy every chance to ‌succeed before exploring “alternatives”, after President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had told his representatives not to rush into any Iran deal.

There was a “pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the Strait, get the Strait open, enter into a very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matter, and hopefully we can pull it off,” Rubio said.

A day earlier, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the U.S. blockade on Iranian ​ships in the Strait of Hormuz would “remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed”.

He added, “Both sides must take their time and get it ​right.”

There was no immediate response from Iran’s government. But the Tasnim news agency, linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, said the U.S. was still obstructing parts ⁠of a potential deal, including Tehran’s demand for the release of frozen funds.

Oil prices fell 6% to two-week lows on Monday, as optimism grew that the United States and Iran were moving ​closer to a peace deal.

Trump raised expectations of an imminent deal on Saturday when he said Washington and Tehran had “largely negotiated” a memorandum of understanding on a peace agreement that would reopen the Strait ​of Hormuz.

Before the conflict, the critical waterway had carried a fifth of global shipments of oil and liquefied natural gas.

The two sides remain at odds on several difficult issues, such as Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Israel’s war in Lebanon with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia and Tehran’s demands for the lifting of sanctions and the release of tens of billions of dollars of Iranian oil revenues frozen in foreign banks.

STICKING POINTS

A senior Trump administration official outlined what he said ​were the latest contours of issues being negotiated.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the official said Iran had agreed “in principle” to open the Strait of Hormuz, in exchange for the United States ​lifting its naval blockade, and to dispose of Tehran’s highly enriched uranium.

The U.S. understood that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, had endorsed the broad template of the deal, he added.

There was no immediate confirmation from Iran or ‌elaboration on ⁠what an “in principle” agreement meant.

The U.S. official said Washington envisioned first reopening the strait and lifting the U.S. naval blockade. Negotiating the details of the nuclear measures would take more time.

The official pushed back on suggestions that Iran had not accepted disposing of its stockpiled enriched uranium. “It’s a question about how,” the official said.

A second senior administration official said on Sunday the proposed framework would give negotiators 60 days to reach a final deal.

Iranian sources had told Reuters that in future stages, “feasible formulas” could be found to resolve the dispute over its highly enriched uranium stockpile, including diluting the material under ​the supervision of the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

Iran has ​long denied U.S. and Israeli accusations that it ⁠is pursuing nuclear weapons and says it has a right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes, although the purity it has achieved far exceeds that needed for power generation.

Trump, whose approval rating has been hit by the war’s impact on U.S. energy prices, and who has faced congressional efforts to curb ​his war powers, has repeatedly played up the prospect of a deal to end the conflict started by the U.S. and Israel on February ​28.

A tenuous ceasefire has held ⁠since early April.

The president hit back at critics of his handling of the negotiations and his willingness to compromise with Iran.

“If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one … So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about,” Trump posted on Sunday.

Any deal reinforcing the current fragile ceasefire would bring relief to markets but not immediately defuse a global energy crisis, which has driven up the costs of fuel, fertiliser and food.

The U.S.-Israeli bombing of Iran killed thousands of people in ​Iran before it was suspended in early April.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump said an agreement with Tehran had been “largely negotiated”, and details would be announced soon, but the following day, he urged his negotiating team not to rush an agreement.

On Monday morning in Asia, the global oil benchmark Brent was down 4.8% to $98.52 (£73.11), while US-traded crude was 5% lower at $91.76.

Trump had previously said the deal would include reopening the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route, without providing further details.

The narrow waterway, through which around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually passes, has been effectively closed since the conflict started on 28 February.

The Nikkei 225 stock index in Japan rose above 65,000 for the first time after gaining 2.9% on hopes that the strait would soon reopen.

Japan, like nearby South Korea, has been particularly affected by the conflict, as it is heavily reliant on energy from the Gulf.

UK and US energy and financial markets are closed on Monday for public holidays.

Trump said on social media on Saturday that he had a “very good call” with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and others about a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE”.

“An agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalisation between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed,” Trump said.

“Final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed and will be announced shortly.”

He also said he had a call on Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which “went very well”.

The president did not give any further details on the deal, but has insisted any agreement would “absolutely” prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

But on Sunday, he said on Truth Social: “Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!”

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei earlier told state television that US and Iranian positions had been converging in the last week, but warned that did not mean agreements would be reached on key issues and accused the Americans of “contradictory statements”.

Global energy markets have seen big price swings since early March after Iran threatened to attack ships trying to use the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on the country.

While crude oil prices have fallen sharply today, they remain significantly higher than before the war.

In the lead-up to the conflict, Brent was trading at around $70 a barrel.

Tehran also attacked Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

A ceasefire was agreed in early April, and since then, Washington and Tehran have engaged in talks over a long-term peace deal.

“There is now some light at the end of the tunnel, which will bring some near-term oil price relief,” Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Financial.

“But even in the most optimistic scenario from here, oil markets will remain tight through 2027 given the time required to normalise oil flows through the Strait, repair damaged oil facilities, and rebuild global oil stocks that have seen record depletion since the war began,” he added.

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.”

ALSO READ:

Ghanaian actress Beverly Afaglo is dead

Police arrest four Ada SHTS students over viral cutlass threat video

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.

ALSO READ:

• Angry crowd sets Ebola hospital tents on fire in DR Congo

• No Ebola cases recorded in Ghana despite WHO emergency declaration – Health Minister assures

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.

ALSO READ:

• Dress properly for visa interviews; it can influence approval – Ghana’s Ambassador to US…

• African fans face World Cup issues despite visa bond U-turn

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.”

ALSO READ:

• Victor Smith recounts how US forced Rawlings to return Ghana to democracy

• I don’t want my people to be mistreated by ICE — Ambassador Victor Smith…

• Dress properly for visa interviews; it can influence approval – Ghana’s Ambassador to US…

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.

ALSO READ:

• I don’t want my people to be mistreated by ICE — Ambassador Victor Smith…

• Cabinet approves e-Visa policy to boost tourism and investment – Ablakwa

• Cabinet approves visa waiver agreements with Zambia, Maldives and Antigua and Barbuda

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.”

ALSO READ:

• Ghana defers evacuation of citizens from South Africa over logistics and screening processes

• Ghana High Commission breaks silence on viral video of Ghanaian ‘stranded’ at South Africa…

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.

ALSO READ:

• No Ebola cases recorded in Ghana despite WHO emergency declaration – Health Minister assures

• Ebola vaccine could take nine months as death toll rises further – WHO warns

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.

ALSO READ:

• Ebola outbreak spreads across borders as WHO warns of rising deaths and urban transmission

• Ministry of Health issues public alert amidst Ebola outbreak in Uganda, DR Congo

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.

READ ALSO:

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.

READ ALSO:

Bimbilla NPP Chairman withdraws resignation, returns to office

WAEC sanctions Ekumfi T.I Ahmadiya SHS over alleged exam malpractice

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.

READ ALSO:

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.

ALSO READ:

• Ghanaian pastor, 14 others arrested in Canada over alleged homeless fund fraud

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

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.