Sierra Leone drops treason charge against ex-president over attempted coup
Sierra Leone's government has dropped its charges, including treason, against ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma, who was arrested in connection with an attempted coup nearly three years ago.
The charges had been dropped on health grounds, Information Minister Chernor Bah told the BBC.
The 72-year-old former president has always denied involvement in the November 2023 attempted coup when gunmen broke into a military armoury and several prisons, freeing almost 2,000 inmates.
Responding to his case being dropped
Heatwave prompts Italy's delivery riders to strike for extra rights
Delivery riders are to strike in several Italian cities on Wednesday, calling for better working conditions in the intense summer heat.
In Milan, city authorities have limited deliveries during the hottest hours of the day until September, and riders working for Glovo and Deliveroo are to halt work in the evening to call for measures to protect their wages as well as their health.
In Bologna, riders will switch off their apps and demonstrate in the centre of the city, and there will be a similar stoppage for several hours in Florence,
Iran threatens to block more trade routes as US launches fresh strikes
Iran has threatened to block further trading routes in the region, as the US launched a fresh wave of strikes on military targets.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz would remain shut until the US ended its "acts of aggression". They also threatened to close off other regional oil and gas export channels.
The warning came as the US military's Central Command (Centcom) said it had carried out drone, air and navy strikes on Iran on Wednesday morning, following another seven-hour operation
Celebrations as Gibraltar-Spain border fence removed
Large crowds gathered at the Gibraltar-Spain border overnight into Wednesday as part of the fence dividing the British overseas territory from the EU member country was pulled down.
The symbolic ceremony took place at midnight, when a new treaty came into force removing the need for border checks at the crossing.
The agreement, negotiated for years after Brexit, makes Gibraltar part of the EU's Schengen Area of free movement, easing the crossing for goods and people.
Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo pulled the fence down with a rope
Three killed as Russian bombing of Odesa continues
Six people have been killed in Ukraine following an overnight Russian attacks on the Black Sea port of Odesa and the eastern city of Sumy, according to local officials.
Governor of Odesa region Oleh Kiper said the "massive" drone and missile strike marked the fifth day in which Russia has attacked the region.
Across the country, three people were killed and 17 injured in a "guided aerial bomb" attack on Sumy, the city's acting mayor, Artom Kobzar, said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's military said
Kenyan court dismisses Rastafarians' bid to legalise cannabis
Kenya's High Court has dismissed a bid by a Rastafarian group seeking to legalise the use of cannabis for religious purposes.
The Rastafarian community had argued that the ban on smoking cannabis infringed on their rights to freedom of religion and belief guaranteed under the constitution.
In a landmark judgement, Justice Bahati Mwamuye said the community had failed to prove drug laws violated their constitutional rights, but acknowledged the need for a broader national debate on cannabis.
There has been a continued push to legalise cannabis in Kenya, with advocates arguing that
Air India crash report likely to be ready in October, say investigators
The Indian agency investigating last year's Air India plane crash that killed 260 people has said that a draft final report could be ready in October.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) told the Supreme Court in an affidavit filed on Tuesday that it was currently "engaged in the analysis phase" of the investigation, which is expected to complete in around six weeks.
The affidavit did not say when the report would be made public or disclose any findings related to the crash.
The tragedy took place on
Boss of fake government agency arrested in Nigeria after weeks on the run
Details of Tuesday's arrest remain sketchy, but police confirmed operatives from its Force Intelligence Department and Intelligence Response Team were involved.
The suspect is expected to be taken to the police headquarters in Abuja for further questioning.
The police launched a manhunt for Adeyemi after the allegations about the PFIPC surfaced last week.
Tinubu's office said an official-looking letter creating the agency was fake.
Police forensic analysis had confirmed the signature of the president's chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, on the disputed appointment letter had
China economic growth falls sharply, missing target
China's economic growth slowed sharply between the start of April and end of June as weak domestic demand and the Iran war's impact on oil prices overshadowed the country's strong exports.
Official gross domestic product (GDP) figures showed the world's second largest economy grew in the second quarter by 4.3%, below Beijing's annual target, and after a 5% rise in the first quarter.
It comes a day after government data showed that China's exports jumped by 27
China detains US scientist who studied North Korea nuclear tests
China has detained a US seismologist who tracks nuclear tests for nearly two years on espionage charges, his family says.
Chen Youlin, 54, was arrested in November 2024 during a trip to Beijing to visit family, according to hostage advocacy group Global Reach. The family decided to speak out after they saw no sign of Beijing freeing Chen.
His wife Rong Yufang, also a seismologist, said Chen worked closely with Chinese colleagues, and the allegations are "both wrong and inconsistent with the public and collaborative