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Wednesday's UK Spending Review means Stormont ministers now know the rough size of their budget in the two years before the next assembly election . In 2026, they will have about £16.3bn for day-to-day spending, up by about 2% in cash terms compared to this year. That will initially rise by another 3% in cash terms in 2027 to £16.8bn. Finance Minister John O'Dowd did not waste any time in managing expectations about what this means. "The reality is the executive will still remain in a financially constrained position, particularly in 2026-27," he said. "It is clear that significant challenges remain for our public services." Those challenges were obvious on the streets of Northern Ireland this week. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), which the chief constable says is "critically underfunded", had to ask for outside help after just two nights of violence. Justice Minister Naomi Long is bidding for f...

Punjab Emergency Operations Centre for polio eradication has raised concern over gaps in coverage among mobile and migrant populations, instructing district teams to thoroughly fill these gaps. Chairing a review meeting of all 36 districts on Friday, EOC Coordinator Mr. Adeel Tasawur commended the efforts of over 200,000 frontline workers who participated in the recent polio campaign, targeting more than 23 million children across the province. He announced that Punjab achieved an impressive 99% overall coverage, which he described as a testament to the unwavering commitment of the government, the health department, and the dedication of polio workers. Despite the success, Mr. Adeel directed all district administrations to closely examine causes of underperformance in certain union councils during the recently concluded National Immunization Days (NIDs). He emphasized that districts must submit comprehensive reports outlining the reasons behind missed targets. A specia...

General Hossein Salami was a central figure in Iran's military and a vocal opponent of the US and Israel Iranian state television confirmed the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was killed in Israel's strikes on Friday morning. General Hossein Salami was the chief of one of the country's most powerful centres, and his death was a tough blow to Iran's embattled leadership, which has had a series of setbacks in the past 20 months of Middle Eastern war and unrest. Salami rose to power six years ago and had a history of threatening the US and Israel. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge , our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Iran's Revolutionary Guard was created after its 1979 Islamic Revolution. Since it was established, it's evolved from a paramilitary, dome...

A Minnesota state lawmaker has been killed and another has been injured after "targeted shootings" in the US, officials say Minnesota Governor Tim Walz earlier said the shootings took place in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, two neighbouring cities near Minneapolis A shelter-in-place order has been issued by Brooklyn Park Police Department for a three-mile (4.8 km) radius of Edinburgh Golf Course Authorities are warning people in the area not to answer their door for a police officer unless there are two officers together, local outlets report One Minnesota state politician dead, another injured after targeted shooting, officials say

By Godwill Arthur-Mensah Accra, June 13, GNA–Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has praised nurses and midwives for calling-off their nationwide strike, which began on June 2,2025. Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Friday, Mr Ayariga, also the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, acknowledged the essential role of nurses and midwives in healthcare delivery in the country. The Majority Leader said government representatives will engage the leadership of the nurses and midwives again on Thursday, June 26 for further negotiations on their conditions of service. Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, the Chairperson of Parliament’s Health Committee, joined the Majority Leader in commending the nurses and midwives on their decision to suspend their industrial action. The Health Committee of Parliament on Thursday, June 12, 2025, held a crunch meeting with the executives of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) at Parliament House to find an amica...

Industry urges Brussels to impose trade barriers to protect it, saying 'China is not playing fair, and politicians must respond to this' Germany 's iconic machine makers used to be among the loudest cheerleaders for ever-closer economic ties between China and Europe . Now, as exports dwindle and facing "increasingly strong [Chinese] competitors" beefed up by "unfair state subsidies", the industry is demanding that Brussels put in place trade barriers to protect it. A new position paper published on Thursday by the Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA), representing medium-sized manufacturers that help constitute Germany's famed Mittelstand group of businesses, marks a dramatic reversal for an industry that until recently lauded the Sino-German economic miracle. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge , our new platfor...

The illusion of annual audits In many emerging economies, the annual audit has devolved into a ceremonial performance, executed more for formality than for its intended function. While its intent is accountability, its timing renders it toothless. Reports are tabled long after the financial damage is done. Mismanagement becomes history, not averted disaster. A 2022 AFROSAI report found that over 70percent of irregular expenditures flagged in state audits across Africa were never recovered. These documents, though thorough, often become quiet museums of avoidable dysfunction. Meanwhile, those implicated have often resigned, been transferred, or, in some cases, even been promoted. In Uganda, a 2020 audit uncovered irregularities worth over UGX 1.2 trillion, yet less than 15percent of the amount had been recovered or sanctioned by 2022. \xa0In many jurisdictions, the audit trails are cold before the ink is dry. When the purpose of the audit is politicised and the tim...

Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport Health Secretary Neil Gray faced mounting pressure to quit last night after Scots doctors launched an unprecedented attack saying they don’t trust him. In an extraordinary row with under-fire Mr Gray over pay talks, the British Medical Association Scotland accused the minister of ‘an egregious breach of trust.’ The organisation - which represents 16,000 NHS staff - said: ‘When you look someone in the eye, shake hands and then do something completely different, it inevitably raises real questions of trust.’ The BMA’s outburst comes just days after it was revealed the beleagured minister had been chauffeur-driven to a pub, despite official records stating he had been taken to a ‘personal address’. The Scottish Government was forced to admit Mr Gray’s trip to the Brig O’Don pub, in Aberdeen, was for a ‘personal engagement,’ rather than any duties related to his government role. ...

Finance minister Yusuf Murangwa on Thursday, June 12, presented the national budget for the 2025/2026 fiscal year, announcing the government’s plan to spend over Rwf7 trillion starting July 1. This marks a 21 percent increase from the 2024/2025 budget, reflecting the government's shift in priorities and ambition. ALSO READ: Six highlights of Rwanda's 2025/26 budget At the heart of the expanded budget is a bold strategy to accelerate economic transformation and advance good governance, alongside other key national development goals. Here is what different Rwandans think about the new budget: Deexon Muhizi, the founder of Igitree, a genealogy platform. This budget is a game-changer for the startup ecosystem. As a young nation with an equally young innovation scene, we’ve long depended on international grants and loans. But with the government now investing in domestically funded projects, it will be easier for startups to access capital and grow. ALSO READ: Rwanda adjusts budge...

Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa, President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation for Hearing Impaired Children and Youth, chaired, on Saturday at the Foundation’s head office in Rabat, the graduation ceremony of the 2024-2025 school year of the Foundation, a national and continental reference in supporting deaf and hearing impaired children. The ceremony embodies His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s to ensure equal chances for all children, regardless of their disability, as well as the strong commitment of HRH Princess Lalla Asmaa to improving the living conditions of deaf and hearing impaired children in Morocco. Prior to setting out for the ceremony, Her Royal Highness visited the psychology center at the Foundation’s head office, which offers psychosocial support for children and training for their families, as part of a holistic approach to promoting children’s autonomy and self-fulfillment. HRH Princess Lalla Asmaa also paid visits to workshops conducted by young students who showcase...

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has raised concern over the detection of a variant of the polio virus in four local governments in Kano State. Mr Rahama Mohammed, Chief of the UNICEF Field Office in Kano, disclosed this on Thursday during the June Edition of the Media Dialogue on Polio and Routine Immunisation. He said surveillance conducted in 2025 revealed the presence of the virus in Warawa, Bunkure, Kano Municipal, and Nasarawa local governments. 'This is unacceptable and must be halted. Polio remains a highly infectious disease that spreads rapidly and knows no borders,' he said. Mohammed said a single case of polio anywhere poses a threat to children everywhere and called for coordinated efforts to contain the outbreak. He urged governments at all levels, traditional rulers, and the media to intensify awareness campaigns and ensure full vaccination coverage, particularly in high-risk areas. Mohammed reiterated UNICE...

Pakistan, June 13 -- Israel is considering launching a military strike against Iran in the coming days - even without support from the United States amid faltering diplomatic efforts to curtail Iran's nuclear programme, according to multiple US media reports. Sources told NBC News that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has become increasingly serious about acting unilaterally as negotiations between Washington and Tehran move towards a preliminary deal that includes provisions allowing Iran to enrich uranium. According to Sky News' US partner network NBC, a Capitol Hill aide and other sources familiar with the matter confirmed that Israel is weighing military options independent of Washington's support. It comes as the International Atomic Energy (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, has formally concluded for the first time in nearly two decades that Iran is not complying with its nuclear obligations. Tehran has denied the claim, insist...

An electrical surge in the Tudun-Wadan Pantami area of Gombe Metropolis claimed the lives of five people and left 13 others injured in the early hours of Saturday, according to the Gombe State Police Command. Our correspondent reports that the State’s Permanent Secretary, Special Duties and Regional Coordination, Abdullahi Kulani, was among those five reportedly affected by the electrocution. The incident, which authorities said was caused by a high-voltage surge from a nearby transformer, occurred just after dawn, catching residents unawares. Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Gombe State Police Command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said officers from the Low-cost Divisional Police Headquarters swiftly responded to the distress call. Abdullahi said, “Our officers moved quickly to secure the scene and evacuate the victims to hospitals for urgent medical care. Unfortunately, five individuals lost their lives, and thirteen others sustained varying degr...

As the rainy season approaches, the Kano State Government has launched a major flood prevention campaign with the flag-off of its annual drainage clearance exercise at the flood-prone Baban Gwari Roundabout in Kano metropolis. The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, aims to mitigate the perennial threat of flooding in critical parts of the city. The exercise is part of the state's broader environmental management strategy to improve urban resilience and protect lives and infrastructure. Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Hashim Muhammad Dahiru, said the Baban Gwari Roundabout was deliberately chosen for its symbolic and practical significance. 'This location has over the years become a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of poor refuse disposal and blocked waterways,' he said. 'It is not only a critical intersection in our city's road n...

Rachel Reeves ’ plan to renew the British economy was left in tatters yesterday after figures revealed it was slamming into reverse. The Office for National Statistics said gross domestic product shrank by 0.3 per cent in April – the worst monthly performance for a year and a half. It came less than 24 hours after the Chancellor declared that only Labour could fix Britain as she set out the Government’s spending plans. Yesterday she admitted that the latest numbers were ‘clearly disappointing’. Yet much of the blame for the slump was laid squarely at her own door – with firms pointing to the impact of Ms Reeves’ £25billion raid on employer national insurance. Donald Trump ’s tariff wars and the end of a stamp duty holiday also took their toll. It added to the growing sense of disenchantment with Labour’s handling of the economy as firms also face higher business rates and a raft of new workers’ rights. The figures will knock the wind out...

The president signed an order to defund NPR and PBS, Congress is working on it House Republicans have passed a DOGE-inspired measure to cut billions in spending, including taxpayer cash for public broadcasters NPR and PBS. A $9.4 billion package, suggested by the White House to Congress , passed through the House Thursday on a razor thin 214 - 212 vote. It will soon head to the GOP-controlled Senate . The bill formally withdraws funding previously approved by Congress for foreign aid , public broadcasters and more. It is the first of what GOP leaders expect to be many so-called 'rescission' packages where the White House asks lawmakers to rethink their approval of certain programs. The bill specifically contains 21 budget rescissions, many identified by DOGE. If Congress does not vote on DOGE's findings, the money won't stop flowing to the myriad programs flagged for fraud, waste and abuse by the group f...

Thousands of supporters of the French National Rally party (RN) are converging in the village of Mormant-sur-Vernisson on Monday for a rural rally organised by the far-right party, exactly one year after its historic victory in the European elections. The celebration in the village of some 130 inhabitants in the Loiret region, dubbed "Victory Day", is meant to mark last year's record-breaking result for the RN, when the Jordan Bardella-led list won 31.37% of the vote on 9 June 2024. On Monday, more than 5,000 people were to gather amid food trucks and ice cream stands to celebrate the party's European success. In the ensuing French parliamentary elections, however, the far-right party did not achieve the significant victory it had hoped for, notably coming up against the New Popular Front left-wing alliance. The RN won 120 of the 577 seats in the French National Assembly, becoming the largest party in the chamber but failing to secure a majority that wo...

By Peter Abiade HOUSING is one of the most basic needs of humans next to food. In the development of the society, housing plays a vital role. Its impact on a person’s living standard, health, welfare and output is profound. Shelter for the populace, improved access to educational and health facilities, employment opportunities are some of the ways housing enhanced the welfare of the people. Housing also enhances higher productivity and income for the people and for the society. One can now begin to understand why housing provision should be the most fundamental role of the government, and why it should be made a priority. Governments in the developed economies, talking of Europe and America in particular are known for prioritizing housing provision, be it public, cooperative and social housing. They have even shown stronger commitment to housing following the global health pandemic and the outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine, two factors which significantly intensify the ch...

A new report from Spain’s National Intelligence Center warns that extremist elements from the Polisario Front have joined terrorist groups operating in the Sahel, including al-Qaeda and ISIS. The report, cited by Spanish media, highlights a growing threat to regional stability and European security. According to the intelligence assessment, several radicalized individuals from the Tindouf camps in Algeria now hold senior positions within jihadist networks, which view the Sahel as a fertile ground for recruitment and expansion. Some of these individuals reportedly participated in Spain’s “Holidays in Peace” program as children, an initiative allowing Sahrawi minors to spend summers with Spanish host families, giving them fluency in Spanish and familiarity with European society. Authorities fear this may facilitate future terror plots in Europe. The report identifies two main groups gaining ground: Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, which seeks to expand ...

The future of the African Union mission in Somalia hangs in the balance, as the US maintains it will only fund if Europe and Africa share the burden. The US maintains African states and Europe must share the funding responsibility for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia. Responding to a question on the funding by the Star, Commander of the US Africa Command, General Michael Langley said African states must take responsibility for their own security — insisting on “burden sharing”. “As resources are rebalanced globally, it is essential that all partners around the world – Africa included – take more ownership in their regional and continental security”. “I know that the AU and the UN are working to solve these problems, but from a security perspective and more operational perspective that I bring, we do wish for the sustainability of long-term stability in Somalia. The US supports Somalia on building Somali...