West African nation navigating a military transition and constitutional debate
A 41-year ship has drifted into Liberian waters, prompting conflicting accounts from maritime authorities. A rejected docking request predated a wider government shake-up amid a cocaine scandal, raising questions about accountability and jurisdiction as authorities debate who controls port oversight.
Guinea-Bissau has announced its first mpox outbreak, with seven confirmed cases and 46 suspected cases, many among children. UNICEF warns fragile surveillance risks undetected spread as schools reopen and response efforts intensify.
Journalists and worshippers have been locked inside Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre overnight, witnessing a rare, shared space among Armenian, Catholic and Greek Orthodox traditions. The experience highlights centuries of custody arrangements and ongoing religious ritual.
Guinea‑Bissau has organised a constitutional referendum for 30 August 2026 that would replace its semi‑presidential system with a stronger presidency, cut parliament seats and raise candidacy fees ahead of planned December elections. Kazakhstan has held a vote to elect a new single‑chamber Kurultai under a constitution that allows President Tokayev to run for a seven‑year term; four other pro‑government parties have entered the 145‑seat legislature.
A woman in her 70s has been found dead in Stanley Park, Liverpool, inside a black bin bag in a walled garden. Police describe the death as a shockingly violent crime and are appealing for information as they pursue leads to identify the woman and find those responsible.
Everton have failed to seal Balogun’s move after a late medical issue, leaving them with one recognised striker. The club has retooled with a Grealish loan and new right-back signings, but fan anger and leadership questions loom as Deadline Day ends amid a string of sales and near-misses.
Everton has failed to complete a deadline-day transfer for US striker Balogun after medical concerns raised by Everton's team and Monaco's medical staff prompted Balogun to withdraw. Monaco confirms Chelsea’s late bid for Galahon? (note: ensure accuracy)
Aleksandar Vucic has resigned the presidency and has launched a campaign to lead the Serbian Progressive Party into snap parliamentary elections on Oct. 25. A student-led movement born from a deadly 2024 Novi Sad station canopy collapse is contesting the vote. Overseas voting rules and limited polling stations abroad have sparked complaints from the opposition.
Bularia has reported that sea and aerial drones have attacked two merchant vessels 70–80 nautical miles off its eastern coast, sinking the Togolese‑flagged Alfa Watan and setting the Palau‑flagged Able on fire. Eighteen crew from the Able have been rescued, two are hospitalized; the fate of the Alfa Watan crew remains unknown. The strikes follow a separate grain‑ship fire off Romania a day earlier that Ukraine blamed on Russian drones.
Somalia has announced parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for 2027 as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term transitions, amid opposition resistance and regional pushback over party-based electoral reforms. The government says the process aims to reinforce democracy, while critics warn of potential fragmentation and conflict.
Drone strikes near Bulgaria's coast have hit two commercial vessels, with one sinking and 11 crew missing. Bulgaria and NATO call for support while EU leaders condemn the attacks and call for accountability as the Black Sea becomes a new front in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.