US soldier killed in Iraq as Iran, US exchange fresh attacks

A US service member has been killed and another injured in northern Iraq after an Iranian attack drone exploded during a controlled disposal operation, as fighting between Washington and Tehran entered its eighth day.

US Central Command (Centcom) said the soldier died while disposing of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone, while another service member sustained injuries. The military also said investigators had recovered unidentified human remains from the site of Friday’s attack on a US base in Jordan, where two American soldiers were killed and another reported missing. The remains are undergoing forensic examination.

The latest casualty comes as the United States and Iran continue exchanging strikes across the region. Washington said its latest attacks were aimed at weakening Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and punishing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), while Tehran has maintained its closure of the vital waterway and continued attacks on US allies.

Dozens missing after ferry carrying 133 people sinks off Guyana coast

Rescue teams are searching for dozens of missing passengers after a ferry carrying 133 people capsized off Guyana’s coast during a night voyage.

Authorities said 67 people, including 15 children, have been rescued after the MV Barima, carrying 116 passengers and 17 crew members, overturned while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. Emergency services launched a large-scale search after receiving a distress call shortly before midnight.

Officials said the vessel was operating within its passenger capacity and was equipped with life jackets and lifeboats. Assistance centres have been opened for families as rescue operations continue.

Hungary’s president steps down after parliament approves removal

Tamás Sulyok, Hungarian President has agreed to leave office after parliament passed a constitutional amendment ending his presidency.

The move follows a vote by Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s governing Tisza party, which accused Sulyok of serving the interests of former leader Viktor Orbán. Rather than face impeachment, Sulyok signed the amendment, although he condemned the decision as an assault on Hungary’s constitutional democracy.

The resignation marks one of the most significant political changes since Magyar’s government came to power earlier this year.

Russian missile barrage kills civilians across Ukraine

Russia has launched one of its largest missile and drone attacks on Ukraine in recent months, killing at least eight people and injuring dozens across several cities.

The strikes hit Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky describing the assault on the capital as one of the biggest ballistic missile attacks since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Ukraine said its air defences intercepted dozens of missiles and more than 100 drones.

Ukraine also claimed responsibility for attacks on Russian oil tankers and fuel depots, saying they were financing Moscow’s war effort. The latest exchange underscores the continued escalation despite growing international calls for a ceasefire.

Andrew and Tristan Tate arrested in US over new UK charges

Influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate have been arrested in the United States after British prosecutors filed dozens of additional criminal charges against them.

The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service announced 38 new charges, including rape, sex trafficking and offences involving indecent images of a child. The latest allegations bring the total number of charges against the brothers to 59, involving seven alleged victims.

The Tates deny all wrongdoing. British authorities have begun extradition proceedings to return the brothers, who hold dual British and US citizenship, to face trial in the United Kingdom.

AFRICA

Uganda suspends school trips after bus crash kills 21

Uganda has suspended all school excursions following a bus crash that killed at least 20 pupils and one adult during an educational trip.

The accident occurred in the eastern Kapchorwa district after the bus reportedly suffered a mechanical failure before the driver lost control on a steep hill. Dozens of students and staff were injured.

John Chrysostom, Education Minister  announced the immediate suspension of school trips pending the outcome of investigations, describing the tragedy as a national loss and calling for stronger transport safety measures.

ECOWAS backs Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic gas pipeline

West African leaders have signed an agreement supporting the Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline, advancing one of Africa’s largest planned energy projects.

The intergovernmental agreement, signed in Sierra Leone under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), paves the way for a 6,900-kilometre pipeline linking Nigeria to Morocco through 13 West African countries.

Designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually, the estimated $25 billion project is expected to strengthen regional energy security while supplying gas to Morocco and European markets through existing infrastructure connecting Morocco and Spain.

Canada imposes temporary travel restrictions over Congo Ebola outbreak

Canada has announced temporary border restrictions for foreign nationals who have recently travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, citing the country’s worsening Ebola outbreak.

Under the new measures, non-Canadians who have been in Congo within the previous 21 days will be denied entry. The policy departs from World Health Organization guidance, which advises against travel restrictions, arguing they can fuel stigma and complicate outbreak control.

Congo has recorded more than 2,100 Ebola infections and over 800 deaths during the current outbreak.

São Tomé and Príncipe holds presidential election

Voters in São Tomé and Príncipe are casting ballots in a closely watched presidential election, with incumbent Carlos Vila Nova seeking a second term.

Running as an independent after falling out with the country’s dominant ADI party, Vila Nova faces three challengers, including opposition candidate Nito Abreu, who has pledged to tackle youth unemployment and reduce emigration.

The election is expected to shape the political future of the small island nation, whose economy depends heavily on cocoa exports.

UN warns funeral practices could accelerate Congo Ebola outbreak

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned that transporting Ebola victims’ bodies across the Democratic Republic of Congo for burial risks accelerating the spread of the disease.

The agency said many families continue to move the bodies of loved ones to their home communities for traditional funerals, despite Ebola remaining highly infectious after death. Officials stressed that safe burial practices are essential to containing the outbreak.

More than 2,000 Ebola cases have been reported in Congo and neighbouring Uganda, with health authorities urging communities to cooperate with disease control measures to prevent further transmission.