Marine Le Pen confirms 2027 presidential bid despite conviction, vows final legal appeal

Marine Le Pen, French far right leader  has confirmed she will contest the 2027 presidential election despite being convicted in an embezzlement case, saying she will challenge the ruling before France’s highest court.

A Paris appeals court upheld Le Pen’s conviction for misusing €2.8 billion in European Union funds through a fake parliamentary jobs scheme. The court ordered her to wear an electronic monitoring tag for one year but ruled that the sentence does not prevent her from standing for public office.

Rejecting suggestions that Jordan Bardella,  National Rally president, could replace her as the party’s candidate, Le Pen declared that there was “no scenario” in which she would withdraw from the race. She said she would immediately begin campaigning while pursuing an appeal at the Court of Cassation, insisting she was innocent. Public prosecutors have also appealed the ruling, ensuring the legal battle will continue ahead of France’s next presidential election.

Nigel Farage resigns as MP amid funding controversy, triggering by-election

Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader has resigned as a member of the British Parliament, forcing a by-election in his Clacton constituency as questions mount over his financial backers.

Farage announced his resignation in a defiant speech, saying voters should decide his political future rather than what he described as the “establishment”. He pledged to contest the by-election and portray it as a referendum on what he called politically motivated investigations against him.

The resignation follows reports that Farage failed to declare benefits allegedly provided by businessman George Cottrell, including accommodation, social media staff and other support before and after the 2024 general election. Farage has denied wrongdoing, insisting he has complied with parliamentary rules even as he faces another standards investigation.

Bomb explosions injure 18 in Damascus during Macron’s landmark Syria visit

Two explosions in central Damascus injured at least 18 people during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Syria, casting a shadow over the first visit by a European Union leader since the fall of Bashar al Assad’s government.

 

The Syrian Interior Ministry said explosive devices hidden inside a parked vehicle and a nearby bin detonated as security personnel attempted to defuse them. Four police officers were among those injured.

 

Macron was staying at the nearby Four Seasons Hotel but French officials said he was not in danger and was unaware of the explosions at the time. He later met Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa as scheduled. Syrian authorities have launched an investigation and say they have identified preliminary leads, although no group has claimed responsibility.

China sentences former official to death over $325 million bribery scheme

A Chinese court has sentenced former Nanjing official Yang Youlin to death after finding him guilty of accepting more than $325 million in bribes over a period spanning three decades.

The court said Yang abused senior government positions between 1993 and 2023 to help businesses obtain engineering contracts, land deals and financing in exchange for money and valuable gifts. He was also convicted of embezzlement, abuse of power and money laundering.

The case is one of the largest corruption prosecutions under President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign, which has targeted senior officials across government, the military and the financial sector. Chinese courts rarely impose the death penalty for financial crimes, reserving it for cases involving exceptionally large sums or severe abuse of public office.

SpaceX joins Nasdaq 100 as shares fall despite strong investor interest

SpaceX has officially joined the technology heavy Nasdaq 100 index, becoming one of the fastest companies ever to enter the benchmark following its recent stock market debut.

The inclusion is expected to trigger billions of dollars in purchases by index funds and exchange traded funds that track the Nasdaq 100, increasing demand for the company’s shares over the coming weeks.

Despite the milestone, SpaceX shares fell more than five percent on Tuesday as investors sold high growth technology stocks amid concerns about whether enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence can be sustained. Analysts nevertheless remain broadly optimistic about the company’s long term prospects.

AFRICA

Ghana postpones Ramaphosa visit as anti migrant tensions strain relations

Ghana has postponed a planned visit by Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President  as diplomatic tensions continue over recent anti migrant protests in South Africa.

Ghanaian officials said the visit would be delayed because of heightened public anger following attacks on migrants and the repatriation of hundreds of Ghanaians from South Africa. Authorities feared the visit could trigger protests and further inflame public sentiment.

South Africa said it remained committed to maintaining strong bilateral relations and stressed that the visit would be rescheduled through diplomatic channels. The decision comes as both countries seek to contain one of the most serious diplomatic disagreements between them in recent years.

Zimbabwe extends Mnangagwa’s presidency to 2030 with new law

Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe’s President has signed into law constitutional changes extending his time in office until 2030, formalising a controversial political reform approved by Parliament.

The legislation also introduces provisions allowing future presidents to be elected by Parliament rather than through direct nationwide voting. Supporters say the changes will provide continuity, while critics argue they weaken democratic accountability.

Mnangagwa, who is serving his second term, had previously faced speculation that he intended to remain in power beyond the constitutional limit. The governing ZANU PF party has consistently backed extending his leadership, arguing more time is needed to complete its development agenda.

South African police reject claims Nigerian’s death was linked to anti migrant protests

South African police have denied allegations that the death of a Nigerian man in custody was connected to recent anti migrant demonstrations, saying he collapsed after being arrested in a drug related operation.

The response follows claims by Nigeria’s foreign ministry that the man died during police interrogation shortly before nationwide protests targeting undocumented migrants. Nigerian authorities warned they could take further action if attacks on their citizens continued.

Police said officers recovered drugs during an intelligence led raid before the suspect became unwell while being processed at a police station in Pretoria. Authorities insisted there was no link between the incident and the wave of anti migrant protests that followed days later.

WHO warns Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is still expanding

The World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to spread, warning that the epidemic has not yet reached a stable phase.

Health officials have confirmed 1,561 infections and 506 deaths in what has become the largest outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. Continued population movement between affected communities is making efforts to contain the disease more difficult.

WHO representative Anne Ancia said health workers cannot yet say the outbreak is under control, despite intensified surveillance and the launch of clinical trials for experimental treatments. Authorities continue to urge neighbouring countries to strengthen border screening and disease monitoring.

South African rand weakens after decline in foreign reserves

The South African rand came under pressure after central bank figures showed the country’s foreign exchange reserves declined during June, raising concerns about external financial buffers.

Net foreign reserves fell from $73.47 billion in May to $71.34 billion at the end of June, according to official data released by the South African Reserve Bank.

Despite the decline, market analysts said the rand could remain relatively resilient if global investors continue to favour emerging market assets. Investors are also monitoring signals from the United States Federal Reserve and movements in global oil prices, both of which could influence the currency’s performance in the coming weeks.