The football that Diego Maradona used to score his iconic 'hand of God' goal during the 1986 World Cup has been auctioned for £2.5m.  Maradona infamously punched the ball past goalkeeper Peter Shilton in Argentina's 2-1 victory over England in the quarter-finals. Following the match, he remarked to reporters that the goal was scored "partly with the head of Maradona and partly with the hand of God". In the same match, Maradona also netted what is referred to as the 'goal of the century', skillfully dribbling past five England players before placing the ball past Shilton. Although it was sold for $3.3m (£2.5m) at Heritage Auctions in the United States on Saturday, the ball was anticipated to reach a price closer to $10m (£7.3m). Prior to the auction, Mike Provenzale, an auction specialist at Heritage, stated: "It's a true one-of-one item. Arguably the most significant soccer item that exists." Ali Bin Nasser, the Tunisian referee who officiate...

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Nigeria. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has approved the FBI's request to submit a confidential declaration regarding its reasons for withholding certain records related to a 1990s investigation involving Nigerian President Bola Tinubu. On August 21, 2026, Judge Beryl Howell sanctioned the agency’s motion to file its explanation ex parte and in camera (under seal) to protect sensitive information from becoming public. The court has established a firm deadline of August 28, 2026, for the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and President Tinubu to submit their formal oppositions or justifications concerning the release of these documents. The ongoing legal dispute revolves around Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests made by American transparency advocate Aaron Greenspan, who is pursuing the complete FBI file and interview records of Tinubu from 1992 and 1993. In its motion, the FB...

  A judge from the UK High Court has mandated that Prince Harry and six other prominent claimants pay an interim sum of £9.54 million ($13 million) to Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).  This directive comes in the wake of their unsuccessful lawsuit concerning privacy and unlawful information-gathering against the publisher of the Daily Mail. The interim payment for legal fees is required to be settled within seven days, specifically by August 28, 2026. On the Ruling After an 11-week trial, Judge Matthew Nicklin rejected the claims on July 7, 2026, indicating that the claimants did not substantiate their allegations. The group accused the Daily Mail of significant privacy infringements, which included eavesdropping on homes and vehicles, wiretapping phone calls, and unlawfully accessing medical and financial records. ANL has consistently refuted all allegations. The Seven Claimants consist of Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost, Barones...

On August 20, 2026, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) officially stated that it has not enacted a comprehensive ban on e-hailing services such as Uber and Bolt.  The authority issued a statement clarifying that its current directives are intended to create a framework focused on safety, security, and tracking. Ongoing negotiations with operators are aimed at reaching a mutually advantageous agreement. The objectives of the framework concentrate on driver accountability, passenger safety, and efficient pick-up coordination. FAAN emphasized that its Airport Car Hire Rank Management System serves as a tracking mechanism rather than a competing ride-hailing application.  Regulators necessitate complete visibility of all active commercial vehicles and drivers operating within airport boundaries.  Adjustments to standards may lead to temporary logistical changes for travelers requesting rides at major hubs, including Lagos and Abuja.

  At least 107 artisanal miners have lost their lives due to a devastating gold mine collapse and subsequent landslide in the western Central African Republic (CAR). This tragic event took place on the morning of Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at an unlicensed, low-tech mining site in the village of Zamboye (also known as Zamboï), situated in the Abba region of the Nana-Mambéré prefecture near the border with Cameroon. The catastrophe occurred when several underground shafts and tunnels gave way, resulting in a significant landslide that buried hundreds of workers beneath heavy mud and water. Local officials and relief volunteers have confirmed the recovery of 107 deceased individuals thus far, while rescue and recovery teams continue to search through the debris as more victims remain unaccounted for. The combination of heavy rainfall and inadequately supported structures led to the collapse of multiple underground tunnels, causing a large mass of earth to fall and engulf the open-air ...

On August 12, 11 individuals from New York were arrested and arraigned by ICE Homeland Security Investigations along with its partners from the Homeland Security Task Force, in connection with a long-standing nationwide marriage fraud operation that is believed to have amassed tens of millions of dollars from foreign nationals seeking lawful permanent resident status. The accused are alleged to have matched foreign nationals with U.S. citizens—who often met for the first time just prior to obtaining a marriage license—organized fraudulent wedding ceremonies, and staged photographs to create the illusion of legitimate marriages. Additionally, the network is charged with submitting hundreds of fraudulent green card applications and supporting documents to USCIS. Approximately 1,000 sham marriages were executed between U.S. citizens and Chinese nationals to unlawfully obtain Green Cards, with foreign clients being charged as much as $100,000. Operating across various U.S. states and inter...