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South Africa announced the appointment of Roelf Meyer, a 78‑year‑old former minister and chief negotiator for the apartheid government, as its new ambassador to the United States. The decision, made by President Cyril Ramaphosa, is intended to heal the diplomatic breach that widened after the United States, under President Donald Trump, expelled the previous envoy, Ebrahim Rasool, in March 2025. Meyer replaces Rasool, who was dismissed after publicly labeling Trump’s global movement as “white supremacist.” Since then, Pretoria has lacked formal representation in Washington, a gap the government hopes to close with Meyer’s extensive negotiation experience. The bilateral relationship has deteriorated since Trump assumed office in January 2024, with the U.S. president repeatedly criticising South Africa’s affirmative‑action policies and falsely alleging a “white genocide.” Trump’s administration even offered expedited U.S. citizenship to Afrikaners claiming persecution, while freezing foreign assistance over a land‑ownership law that mandates at least 30 % Black participation in companies. South Africa’s recent actions have further strained ties: filing a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and inviting Iran to a BRICS naval exercise off its coast, prompting Washington to accuse Pretoria of “cosying up to Iran.” The BRICS grouping, of which South Africa is a founding member, is viewed by Trump as an economic challenge to U.S. dominance.In a statement, Ramaphosa described Meyer as “a very loyal and patriotic South African” who is “more than qualified” to re‑calibrate relations with the United States and engage with stakeholders on Capitol Hill and across federal agencies. Meyer, who leads the global consultancy In Transformation Initiative, has a long‑standing record in peace negotiations across Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, Burundi, Kosovo, Bolivia, the Basque region and the Middle East. Domestically, he was the chief negotiator for the white‑minority government during the early‑1990s talks that ended apartheid, later serving as Minister of Constitutional Development under Nelson Mandela and co‑founding the United Democratic Movement before joining the African National Congress in 2006. Critics, notably the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), argue that appointing a former apartheid official signals a willingness to appease Trump’s “white supremacist whims” and that Meyer’s age limits opportunities for younger diplomats. The EFF highlighted his past role in the Department of Law and Order, which enforced apartheid repression. Despite the political controversy, South African analysts stress that the priority for the new ambassador is economic. U.S.–South Africa bilateral trade stands at $26 billion, making Washington Pretoria’s second‑largest trading partner after China. The focus, according to researcher Thembisa Fakude, will be on attracting U.S. investment and creating jobs rather than merely countering Trump’s rhetoric. When Ramaphosa visited the White House in May 2025, he included two white South African golfers in the delegation to soften Trump’s concerns about alleged persecution of white farmers. However, Fakude notes that most South Africans are indifferent to the “artificial” accusations and are more interested in tangible economic benefits. The appointment of Meyer thus represents a calculated diplomatic gamble: leveraging his negotiation pedigree to restore confidence, while navigating domestic criticism and a volatile U.S. political climate.

Sudan's power grid has collapsed, leaving many towns and cities without electricity. The crisis has been worsened by the ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, now in its fourth year. The country's reliance on imported fuel has been disrupted, driving up costs and further straining the economy.In Khartoum, residents like Husna Mohamed are struggling to cope with the daily burden of fetching water and managing household chores without electricity. Fuel prices have surged by over 40% in recent weeks, making it difficult for people to afford basic necessities. The Sudanese pound has also lost roughly 20% of its value against the US dollar.The economic impact is being felt across various sectors. Transport costs have risen, and food prices are increasing, with a 10-kilogramme bag of sugar rising from 28,000 to 35,000 Sudanese pounds in just one week. Merchants are hesitant to sell, waiting to see how prices will develop.Economist Mohamed al-Tayeb notes that Sudan's economy is especially vulnerable to energy disruption due to its heavy reliance on land transport and power-dependent production. The crisis is not only economic but also infrastructural, with informal and makeshift power poles causing frequent failures across the grid.Local solutions, such as solar panels and shared generators, are being implemented, but they remain partial and fragile. The crisis has exposed the limited margin for error in Sudanese households, which were already absorbing multiple shocks, including the war, currency collapse, and displacement.

Caro Claire Burke's Yesteryear had all the makings of a thought-provoking novel: a tradwife protagonist who wakes up in the pioneer days and finds that traditional wifedom is not as glamorous as her social media persona had suggested. The premise is genius, and the protagonist Natalie's biting and occasionally hilarious voice makes the novel zip along.However, as the story progresses, it becomes clear that Burke has failed to create a convincing mother figure in Natalie, and the novel's exploration of pronatalism and traditional Christian values feels shallow and cliched. The author's decision to remove politics almost entirely from the narrative is also a major omission, particularly given the current cultural climate.The novel's main drive becomes resolving the mystery of Natalie's situation - has she really time travelled, or is this an awful reality TV show? - to the detriment of more profound concerns. Burke's treatment of birth injury and child disability as a plot point is also shockingly cack-handed and feels cynical and underresearched.Overall, Yesteryear is a disappointing novel that fails to live up to its promise. Despite its talented author, the book feels like a lesson in not allowing a fun premise to get in the way of a good story.

Piteå IF, a team in Sweden's top women's football division, Damallsvenskan, is struggling to stay competitive due to its remote location in northern Sweden. The club is entering its 17th season as a top-division side, but faces significant challenges, including high travel costs to away games.The club's managing director, Emelie Lövgren, notes that 13 of the 14 teams in the league are based in the south of Sweden, making travel a major expense. A trip to the southernmost city, Malmö, is 908 miles one-way, while even a trip to Uppsala costs around £8,000 (95,000KR) per season.Lövgren emphasizes that the club is prioritizing cost-cutting over performance, which she describes as the 'saddest part.' The club has sold several key players, including goalkeeper Lauren Brzykcy to Bristol City, to balance its finances. Wages are increasing by 15-20% annually, making it difficult for Piteå IF to keep up.The club's sporting director, James Burgin, notes that it's a 'complete catch-22' to attract and retain players in the squad. The club is exploring solutions, including external investment and raising awareness about the struggles faced by northern teams.Lövgren concludes that change needs to come centrally to support northern teams and ensure the long-term viability of women's football in the region.

Ollie Watkins opened the scoring in the 16th minute, marking his 100th goal for Aston Villa and giving Unai Emery’s side a decisive edge in the Europa League quarter‑final second leg against Bologna.The England striker, still hoping for a late recall to Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, added to a first‑leg 3‑1 advantage that had already put Villa in a strong position. Goals from Emiliano Buendía and Morgan Rogers – the latter converting after a missed penalty – extended the lead, while Ezri Konsa capped the aggregate triumph with a late volley after a corner from Tammy Abraham.Villa’s 6‑1 aggregate victory sets up an all‑English semi‑final against Nottingham Forest, while the club also prepares for a crucial Premier League clash with Sunderland as they chase a top‑five finish.Emery, who is chasing his fifth Europa League title, fielded an unchanged XI – a first in his tenure – and maintained an unbeaten European record when John McGinn and Youri Tielemans start. The 4‑4‑2 formation saw Rogers drop deep to link play, delivering a low cross that Watkins turned into his simplest strike of the season.Watkins’ goal was his fifth in seven games and a club‑record 10th in European competition, underscoring his resurgence after being omitted from the England squad. He hinted that a strong showing could bolster his case as a potential deputy for Harry Kane.Villa’s dominance at home in Europe is evident – they have won 15 of their last 17 major continental matches. Financially, the club reported a modest £9.5 million loss for the year ending June 2025, making a swift return to the Champions League both a sporting and economic priority.Emery’s ambition remains clear: while the Europa League trophy is within reach, the ultimate goal is to lift the Champions League and secure the club’s future. As he wrote in his programme notes, “All of you fully deserve to have your team showing up when the best teams are still competing.”

The government touts the British industrial competitiveness scheme (Bics) as "bold action" to sharpen the United Kingdom’s industrial edge, offering up to a 25% reduction in electricity bills for firms operating in eight "modern" sectors of its industrial strategy. Union leader Gary Smith of the GMB immediately challenged the claim, warning that gas‑intensive industries such as ceramics and brickmaking have been "shamefully ignored" and left out of the support package. At a cost of roughly £600 million a year for 10,000 companies, the scheme is widely viewed as a modest drop in the ocean. While the rollout has been broadened from the originally announced 7,000 firms and now includes a back‑dated claim period starting in April 2025, the financial scale remains limited. Eligibility is deliberately intricate: firms must belong to a "frontier" or "foundational" industry and meet strict electrical‑intensity thresholds for specific product lines. Those that qualify receive relief from three policy charges on their electricity bills, including two green levies, amounting to up to £40 per megawatt‑hour. Two broader observations emerge. First, the programme marks the clearest governmental admission to date that the UK’s business energy costs – the highest among developed economies – are eroding competitiveness. The stated ambition is to bring electricity prices for the targeted sectors in line with European averages. Second, policymakers are beginning to untangle the web of levies that inflate bills. The carbon price support mechanism, a charge on generators passed through to consumers, is slated for abolition by April 2028, after it helped phase coal out of the grid. Nevertheless, the £600 million figure underscores a deeper debate about how to fund the energy transition and new grid infrastructure. Countries such as Germany absorb a larger share of policy costs through general taxation to keep industry competitive, whereas the UK has traditionally shifted those costs onto electricity bills. The Bics announcement signals a tentative shift toward rebalancing, but the scale remains modest. In an ideal, fiscally unconstrained scenario, a broader scheme could run into the billions and target a wider swath of industry. Treasury officials, however, remain skeptical that a larger outlay would generate sufficient long‑term growth and tax revenue to justify the expense, a view reportedly shared by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Ultimately, Bics can be seen as an unsatisfactory stopgap. It acknowledges that soaring electricity prices are a structural problem but confines the remedy to a narrow slice of the economy, leaving the broader competitiveness challenge largely unaddressed.

Aldo d’Aponte, 47, the CEO of Arbitrage Group Properties, has pleaded guilty to writing two letters, supposedly by his neighbours, objecting to the reopening of Heaven nightclub. Police believe the letters were generated using artificial intelligence (AI).The nightclub, a popular LGBTQ venue in central London, had its licence suspended in November 2024 after a 19-year-old woman accused a bouncer of rape. It was allowed to reopen with enhanced welfare and security policies after a council hearing held a month later. The security guard was later found not guilty of the alleged offence.During the council hearing, council officials received letters, sent via an encrypted email address, all of which were detailed in their complaints about the nightclub. An investigation by Philip Kolvin KC, a planning lawyer, found that the letters were likely written using AI and that the people who had apparently written the complaints did not appear to exist.Police traced the IP addresses linked to two of the letters to d’Aponte. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £26 victim surcharge. The use of AI to generate false statements is a growing issue, according to Metropolitan police.The case highlights the potential for AI to be misused in making false statements, and the importance of verifying the authenticity of complaints. There are two further live cases police are exploring regarding false representations written by AI.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill publicly challenged FIFA after reports surfaced that round‑trip train tickets from New York’s Penn Station to MetLife Stadium could exceed $100 for the 2026 World Cup. Current NJ Transit listings show a standard fare of $12.90 for the same route, but a recent The Athletic report suggests the price could jump dramatically, with no discounts for children, seniors or people with disabilities. NJ Transit told Fox 5 New York that the final fare has not yet been set, but a decision is expected within days. In a social‑media post, Governor Sherrill emphasized that the state inherited an agreement in which FIFA contributes $0 toward transportation, leaving New Jersey Transit with a projected $48 million bill to safely move an estimated 40,000 fans to each of the eight matches, including the final. "FIFA is making $11 billion off this World Cup and charging fans up to $10,000 for a single ticket for the final," Sherrill said. "I won’t let New Jersey commuters shoulder that cost. FIFA should pay for the rides, and if they don’t, I won’t let our residents be taken for a ride." Sherrill added that she would approve any fare increase if FIFA does not intervene, stating, "I will, if that’s what it takes, because I’m not putting it on the backs of New Jerseyans." On Wednesday, NJ Transit’s board unanimously passed a resolution empowering CEO Kris Kolluri to set World Cup rail fares at levels sufficient to "cover any and all costs" associated with transporting the projected fan volume. Kolluri confirmed that the fare structure will not be cross‑subsidized by regular commuters. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani backed Sherrill’s stance, noting that FIFA often offloads costs onto local municipalities and suggesting that a partnership could make the event more affordable for everyone. FIFA responded by highlighting the original 2018 Host City Agreements, which required free transportation for fans, and noting a 2023 amendment that shifted to a "cost‑to‑use" model. The organization also claimed it had advocated for federal funding to support host‑city mobility plans. Sherrill, a Democrat elected last year on a platform of affordability, has already redirected $5 million earmarked for a fan festival at Liberty State Park toward smaller watch parties across the state. Transportation pricing for this World Cup has become a broader discussion, with Massachusetts raising its Boston‑to‑Foxborough fare from $20 to $80, underscoring growing concerns over fan‑accessibility and cost burdens.

The BBC's sudden announcement of 2,000 job cuts has had a significant impact on staff, according to UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy. The cuts, which will affect up to 10% of the broadcaster's 21,000 staff over the next three years, have created uncertainty and frustration among employees.Nandy, who has been discussing the broadcaster's charter renewal with BBC staff, emphasized the importance of involving employees in the cost-cutting plan. She told MPs: 'Colleagues will know that yesterday, the BBC interim director-general announced that there will be significant cuts to staffing, which I know have had a very, very strong effect on the staff themselves, and are of real concern to people out in the country.'BBC staff were informed of the cuts during an online all-staff meeting led by interim director general Rhodri Talfan Davies. Many employees expressed concern about their future, with younger staff members feeling that they would bear the brunt of the cuts. Some staff members criticized the broadcaster's decision-making process, suggesting that highly paid presenters and senior staff may not be the prime targets of the cuts.The announcement has also raised questions about the BBC's financial management and the appointment of incoming director general Matt Brittin, a former senior executive at Google, who will be earning a salary of £500,000 per year. Nandy held talks with Brittin after the announcement, emphasizing the importance of putting the BBC on 'a strong financial footing.'The BBC's interim director general acknowledged that the broadcaster is facing 'significant financial pressures' and that the cuts are necessary to respond to these challenges. However, the announcement has created uncertainty and concern among staff, with some employees questioning whether a future at the BBC is a viable option.