INTERNATIONAL

Companies owned by family and friends of former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila had millions of dollars of public funds funnelled through their bank accounts, according to Africa’s biggest data leak. The money was transferred to the companies’ accounts at the Congolese arm of the BGFI bank. Millions of dollars in cash were then taken out of the ...

Three men have been arrested under the Terrorism Act after a man was killed in a car explosion outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital. A taxi carrying one passenger pulled up just before 11:00 GMT on Remembrance Sunday, as a national two minutes’ silence was due to begin, and exploded. The passenger was declared dead at the scene and is yet to ...

Countries are being urged to strengthen their carbon-cutting targets by the end of 2022 in a draft agreement published at the COP26 Glasgow climate summit. The document says vulnerable nations must get more help to cope with the deadly impacts of global warming. It also says countries should submit long-term strategies for reaching net-zero by the end of next year. ...

US President Joe Biden President Joe Biden said the US would defend Taiwan if China attacked, in an apparent departure from a long-held US foreign policy position. But a White House spokesman later told some US media outlets that his remarks did not signify a change in policy. The US has a law which requires it to help Taiwan defend ...

A new report says Africa needs to invest up to $50bn (£36bn) a year in order to cope with the growing threat of climate change. The African Union and World Meteorological Organisation warn that about a 120 million poor people face floods, drought, displacement, and extreme heat by the end of this decade if nothing is done. It also warns ...

The old habits of secrecy haven’t left Kim Kuk-song. It has taken weeks of discussions to get an interview with him, and he’s still worried about who might be listening. He wears dark glasses for the camera, and only two of our team know what we think is his real name. Mr Kim spent 30 years working his way to ...

The US is “deeply concerned” about actions that undermine peace across the Taiwan Strait, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan has told the BBC. His comments come after China sent a “record number” of military jets into Taiwan’s air defence zone for four days in a row, in a public show of force. Taiwan considers itself a sovereign state – but China ...

INTERNATIONAL, Uncategorized Tensions with China are at their worst in 40 years, Taiwan’s defence minister has said, warning of the risk of an accidental strike between the two. Chiu Kuo-cheng’s comments came after China sent a “record number” of military jets into Taiwan’s air defence zone for four consecutive days. Taiwan considers itself a sovereign state. China, however, views Taiwan as ...

A royal palace in Nigeria has announced that its resident tortoise has died following a short illness, saying it was a remarkable 344 years old. The tortoise, named Alagba, meaning elderly one, lived in the palace of Ogbomoso in Oyo state. BBC Yoruba’s Abdulwasiu Hassan said Alagba had at least two personal attendants to see to her needs and would ...

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on a visit to South Africa, is holding a town hall meeting with his fellow citizens to reassure them of his government’s commitment to protect them. It follows a recent wave of violence in which Nigerian-owned businesses in South Africa were attacked. On Thursday Mr Buhari’s host, President Cyril Ramaphosa, reiterated his country’s deep ...