Author: Ohene Anochie

A court in Finland has sentenced an 18-year-old former student to two years in prison after finding him guilty of carrying out a racially motivated knife attack against two students of immigrant background at a vocational college in Espoo. The Western Uusimaa District Court convicted the man, from the city of Vantaa, of attempted aggravated assault, assault and making unlawful threats over the attack at Live Vocational College in Leppävaara on September 29, 2025. The ruling is not yet final and may be appealed. The court, however, dismissed a separate charge of preparing a serious offence against life or health,…

U.S. President Donald Trump is increasingly drawing comparisons to former President Jimmy Carter as his administration grapples with a prolonged conflict with Iran and persistent inflation—two defining challenges that also marked Carter’s presidency more than four decades ago. While Trump frequently used Carter as a political target during previous campaigns, analysts say the president’s recent remarks suggest a more reflective tone as his administration confronts similar geopolitical and economic pressures. Speaking last month about military options against Iran, Trump said he did not want to “feel like being Jimmy Carter,” referencing the failed 1980 U.S. rescue mission to free American…

Thousands of Zimbabwean nationals fleeing xenophobic violence and growing anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa have returned home, with many arriving at a reception center in the border town of Beitbridge after abandoning their jobs, homes and livelihoods. Zimbabwean authorities said nearly 21,300 citizens have been repatriated through government-assisted programs over the past five weeks, while more than 56,800 others returned independently across the busy Zimbabwe-South Africa border. Information Minister Soda Zhemu announced the figures during a post-Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, saying the government had intensified efforts to support returning citizens since the repatriation exercise began on May 26. “To date,…

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has established a specialized Ebola simulation training center in Kenya to prepare healthcare workers for deployment to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the country’s latest Ebola outbreak has become the fastest-growing in its history. The training facility, located on the outskirts of Nairobi, is designed to equip doctors, nurses and emergency responders with the practical skills needed to manage one of the world’s most dangerous infectious disease outbreaks. The current Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC has claimed at least 600 lives since it was declared in mid-May, according to African health authorities. The epidemic…

Morocco secured a place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday after defeating Canada 3-0, sparking jubilant celebrations among thousands of supporters gathered in the capital, Rabat. Fans packed a stadium in the Moroccan capital to watch the Round of 16 clash on a giant screen as the match unfolded in Houston, United States. The final whistle triggered scenes of celebration, with supporters chanting, waving national flags and expressing confidence that the Atlas Lions can continue their historic run. Morocco endured a difficult opening period but gradually took control of the contest, producing a commanding second-half performance. Midfielder Azzedine…

Armed insurgent groups in Mali have claimed responsibility for coordinated attacks on at least seven military installations across the country, marking one of the most significant offensives against the country’s armed forces in recent months. In a statement released on Saturday, the al-Qaeda-linked militant group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) said it carried out the assaults alongside its ally, the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). The group also claimed it had seized control of at least three military positions during the operation. According to military and security sources, as well as local residents, the attacks began around 5:00 a.m.,…

The Nigerian government has condemned the killing of two of its citizens in South Africa, calling for a swift investigation amid renewed concerns over xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals. In a statement issued on Sunday, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two men were killed on 28 June during heightened tensions linked to protests by anti-illegal immigration groups, which had set an unofficial end-of-month deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa. According to the ministry, one of the victims was allegedly killed by police officers in Pretoria, while the other was reportedly attacked and killed by unidentified assailants…

As the long-running corruption trial involving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues, renewed commentary has highlighted concerns over the role of political discourse, media coverage and public institutions in shaping perceptions before the court reaches a final verdict. The commentary argues that while the outcome of the case rests solely with the judiciary, years of intense political and media debate have contributed to deep divisions within Israeli society. It contends that many political figures and sections of the media publicly portrayed Netanyahu as guilty well before the judicial process had concluded, raising broader questions about the balance between public scrutiny…

A punishing heatwave sweeping across Europe has left millions exposed to dangerous temperatures, with authorities warning of rising health risks as the extreme weather pushes deeper into the continent. Forecasts showed that at least 101 million people across Europe were expected to face temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius on Thursday, while more than 380 million were projected to experience temperatures exceeding 30C. France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom were among the countries hardest hit, with emergency services on alert as the human toll of the heat continued to mount. In France, most of the mainland remained under extreme…

African economies are once again confronting mounting debt pressures despite decades of debt relief initiatives, structural adjustment programs and support from the International Monetary Fund, as governments across the continent struggle to finance infrastructure, energy and climate priorities without deepening fiscal vulnerability. The renewed concern comes as the Paris Club marks another anniversary, reviving debate over why debt distress continues to resurface across Africa even after repeated rounds of relief and policy reform. In an interview with Business Africa, Zeine Zeidane, the newly appointed Director of the IMF’s African Department, said the picture is more complex than a simple cycle…