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Hello, I'm Moira Alderson with the BBC News.
The French President Emmanuel Macron has set out plans for a big increase in defense spending, warning that liberty is under greater threat than at any time since the end of the Second World War. He said France had to mobilize in the face of global upheaval. "Just look at the acceleration of events in recent months. Yes, we are witnessing the return of the nuclear phenomenon, the proliferation of major conflicts. And basically, let's be frank, to be free in this world you must be feared. To be feared you must be powerful. And for this, the nation must be stronger, because it is up to the nation above all to defend the nation." South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed his police minister Senzo Mchunu on "leave of absence" with immediate effect. The move follows allegations that the minister meddled in investigations into a series of political killings and maintained links with organized crime. Nomsa Maseko reports from Johannesburg. President Cyril Ramaphosa has said the explosive allegations made against police minister Senzo Mchunu undermine the constitution and threaten national security. Mr. Ramaphosa said a judicial commission of inquiry led by South Africa's deputy chief justice will examine alleged interference by Mr. Mchunu, including claims of obstruction in political killings and corruption within law enforcement agencies. The governor of the U.S. state of Kentucky says two women have been shot dead and two other people have been injured at a Baptist church in Lexington. Andy Beshear said the shooter also died. The Lexington police chief, Florence Weathers, gave details at a news conference. "Lexington police officers were dispatched for a shooting involving a Kentucky State Trooper. The Trooper had pulled over a vehicle on Terminal Drive after receiving a license plate reader alert in the area of Versailles Road. The Trooper was shot and the suspect fled. A short time later, the suspect carjacked a vehicle before fleeing the area. Officers were able to track the vehicle to the Richmond Road Baptist Church. The suspect fired his weapon at individuals on church property. Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church." Britain's Meteorological Office has warned that heat and rainfall records are being broken with increasing frequency in the U.K., with impacts including loss of wildlife and higher risks from flooding. Its annual report says the U.K.'s changing weather patterns mean the country now experiences more very hot days and fewer extremely cold nights. It says the changing patterns mean the U.K. sea level is rising faster than the global average, adding to fears of flooding. BBC News. Tributes are pouring in for the former Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari, who's died in London at the age of 82. The West Africa regional bloc, ECOWAS, praised Buhari's legacy, describing him as a "distinguished statesman." The African Union said he'd led Nigeria with honor and conviction. Cameroon's 92-year-old leader, Paul Biya, says he will run again in October's presidential election. His announcement on social media ends speculation over whether he would attempt to extend his more than four-decade rule. Mr. Biya said his determination to serve matched the challenges facing Cameroon. Dissatisfaction with the status quo has prompted high-profile government defections in recent weeks. Cameroon's opposition remains divided and is struggling to unite behind a single candidate. Britain says Donald Trump has formally accepted an invitation from King Charles for an unprecedented second state visit to the U.K. in September. Mr. Trump and his wife will stay for two nights from the 17th of September. Here's our senior royal correspondent, Daniela Ralph. Mr. Trump and his wife Melania will be hosted by the king and queen at Windsor Castle, rather than at Buckingham Palace, due to continuing building works there. A full program of events has not yet been announced, but like all visits of this kind, it will include a full ceremonial welcome and a state banquet. Any visit from an American president brings with it security challenges, and President Trump's program is unlikely to include events at a public facing. In football, Chelsea have defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 to win the Club World Cup. The match was played in the U.S. state of New Jersey. PSG, the current European champions, came into the final as favorites, but the London club controlled the match from the start and scored all three goals in the first half. Security was boosted around the venue because the U.S. president, Donald Trump, attended the final. BBC News. |