Supreme Court clears Trump move to end protections for Haitian, Syrian migrants

The US Supreme Court has handed President Donald Trump a major immigration victory, ruling that his administration can terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian migrants living in the United States.

In a 6-3 decision, the court overturned lower court rulings that had blocked the administration from ending protections for around 350,000 Haitians and more than 6,000 Syrians. TPS allows people from countries affected by war, natural disasters or other extraordinary crises to live and work legally in the US while conditions in their home countries remain unsafe.

The programme was first granted to Haitians following the devastating 2010 earthquake and extended to Syrians after civil war erupted in 2012. The ruling is expected to have far-reaching implications for migrants from other countries covered by TPS, potentially exposing many to deportation if protections are withdrawn.

In a separate decision, the court also ruled that migrants arriving at the US border cannot apply for asylum until they physically enter US territory, delivering another legal victory for the Trump administration as it seeks to tighten immigration controls.

Death toll rises after Venezuela’s strongest earthquake in more than a century

Rescue teams are continuing to search through collapsed buildings after Venezuela was struck by its most powerful earthquake since 1900, leaving at least 188 people dead and more than 1,500 injured.

 

The disaster unfolded when two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck just one minute apart, causing widespread destruction in the capital Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira. The United Nations said more than 100 buildings have collapsed, while emergency crews continue to comb through rubble in search of survivors.

 

Witnesses described scenes of panic as buildings shook violently. Residents fled into streets while thousands spent the night outdoors, fearing further aftershocks. The US Geological Survey has warned that the eventual death toll could be significantly higher as assessments continue in heavily affected areas.

 

Authorities have declared a state of emergency as humanitarian agencies mobilise aid and medical assistance for survivors.

 

Oil prices retreat to pre-war levels as Strait of Hormuz traffic resumes

Global oil prices have fallen back to levels seen before the outbreak of the Iran war, easing concerns over energy supplies as shipping traffic gradually returns to the Strait of Hormuz.

 

Brent crude briefly dropped below $72.50 per barrel before recovering slightly, marking a sharp reversal from the price spikes that followed military strikes against Iran and Tehran’s subsequent restrictions on maritime traffic through the strategic waterway.

 

The decline reflects growing optimism following the US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed earlier this month, which established a framework for negotiations aimed at ending hostilities and addressing Iran’s nuclear programme.

 

Despite the easing in prices, analysts caution that markets remain highly sensitive to developments in the Middle East. Any breakdown in negotiations or renewed military escalation could quickly reverse recent gains and trigger another surge in energy costs.

 

Russian officials say Ukrainian strikes kill five in Crimea and border regions

Russian authorities say Ukrainian drone attacks have killed at least five people in Crimea and neighbouring Russian regions as Kyiv intensifies its long-range strike campaign.

 

According to Crimea’s Russian-appointed governor, Sergey Aksyonov, two people, including a child, were killed in overnight attacks on the peninsula. Additional fatalities were reported in Russia’s Bryansk and Belgorod regions, while authorities in Krasnodar said drone debris sparked a fire at an oil storage facility.

 

Russia’s defence ministry claimed it intercepted 269 Ukrainian drones overnight, underscoring the scale of the latest attacks. The strikes come as Ukraine seeks to disrupt Russian military logistics and energy infrastructure far from the front lines.

 

In response, authorities announced temporary power cuts across parts of Crimea and increased security measures around critical infrastructure.

 

Iran rejects Trump claim on use of unfrozen assets

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker, has rejected US claims that Iranian assets released under a preliminary agreement would be used exclusively to purchase American agricultural products.

 

His comments came after President Donald Trump said financial relief provided under the framework agreement would be channelled into buying US corn and wheat rather than being transferred directly to Tehran.

 

Ghalibaf dismissed the suggestion, accusing Washington of misrepresenting the terms of the agreement. In a strongly worded social media post, he said the United States was attempting to frame the arrangement as a concession while ignoring decades of mistrust between the two countries.

 

Iranian officials and state media have portrayed the memorandum as a diplomatic success for Tehran, insisting it does not legally require the purchase of American goods. The disagreement highlights continuing tensions between the two sides despite ongoing negotiations aimed at securing a broader settlement.

 

AFRICA

 

Congo tightens travel restrictions after Ebola case reaches France

The Democratic Republic of Congo has introduced stricter travel measures after France confirmed its first Ebola case linked to the country’s rapidly expanding outbreak.

 

Under new regulations signed by health minister Samuel-Roger Kamba, anyone identified as a contact of a confirmed or suspected Ebola patient must undergo 21 days of active monitoring and is prohibited from travelling domestically or internationally during that period without special authorisation.

 

The rules also apply to healthcare workers, laboratory personnel and outbreak response teams returning from affected regions. Authorities have additionally required all international travellers departing Congo to complete health declaration forms as part of strengthened screening procedures.

 

The move comes as officials seek to prevent further international spread of the Bundibugyo strain outbreak, which has already infected more than 1,100 people and claimed hundreds of lives.

Africa CDC raises Ebola funding appeal to $1.4 billion

Africa’s leading public health agency has dramatically increased its estimate of the resources required to combat the continent’s worsening Ebola outbreak, saying the response now needs $1.4 billion.

 

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention director-general Jean Kaseya said the revised figure is roughly three times higher than previous projections and reflects the scale and complexity of the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda.

 

The Bundibugyo strain has already surpassed 1,100 confirmed cases in Congo, with infections also reported in Uganda. Health experts have warned that the outbreak is spreading unusually quickly and has already reached urban centres, making containment significantly more difficult.

 

Kaseya said governments, international organisations and donors must move urgently to close the funding gap before the outbreak grows into a wider regional crisis.

Ghana expands state gold purchases to strengthen reserves

Ghana has reached a new agreement with major mining companies requiring them to sell 30 percent of their gold production to the state from July 1, as the government seeks to boost foreign exchange reserves and support domestic refining.

 

The arrangement expands an earlier programme under which miners supplied 20 percent of annual output to the central bank. Officials hope increased purchases will help strengthen the country’s financial position while supporting plans to establish internationally accredited refining capacity.

 

Gold remains one of Ghana’s most important exports, and authorities view the programme as a strategic tool for increasing reserve holdings amid strong global demand for the precious metal.

 

The government aims to accumulate up to 157 tonnes of gold reserves by 2028 and secure international recognition for at least one domestic refinery by the end of the decade.

 

Hundreds arrested as Kenya marks anniversary of deadly anti-tax protests

Kenyan police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Nairobi as crowds gathered to commemorate victims of the 2024 anti-government protests that shook the country.

Authorities said 355 people were arrested nationwide during the demonstrations, which marked two years since protests over tax increases and the rising cost of living erupted across Kenya. The original unrest culminated in protesters breaching parliament grounds before a security crackdown left at least 60 people dead.

 

Interior minister Kipchumba Murkomen defended extensive security measures, including roadblocks and restricted access to key areas of the capital, while acknowledging the disruption caused to residents and businesses.

 

Human rights groups continue to demand accountability for the deaths during the 2024 protests, while organisers say the anniversary events were intended to honour those killed and renew calls for political and economic reforms.

 

New currency circulates in RSF-held Sudan, deepening national divide

New Sudanese banknotes have begun circulating in areas controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), raising fresh concerns about the country’s growing political and economic fragmentation.

 

The development marks another step in the emergence of parallel institutions within RSF-controlled territory. Since establishing its own administrative structures, the group has sought to provide services and pay salaries independently of the army-backed government.

 

The issue of currency has become increasingly contentious since the government introduced redesigned banknotes and declared older notes invalid. The RSF rejected the new currency, leading to cash shortages in areas under its control.

 

The appearance of newly issued notes in RSF territory could deepen Sudan’s de facto division, complicating future efforts to reunify financial institutions and restore economic stability after more than three years of conflict.