‘We are preserving a tradition’: how Ghana’s sensationalist film posters became collectible art

• UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over the escalating military conflict between the United States and Iran following attacks on civilian and military infrastructure in the Gulf region. • The UN chief emphasized that there is no military solution to the current hostilities, urging both nations to prioritize diplomacy over armed confrontation.

• Iran reports that eight people were killed following U.S. bombardments targeting civilian infrastructure, while Iranian officials further allege that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff attempted to exploit negotiations for personal profit. • Severe wildfires have triggered hazardous air quality and dense smoke across more than 20 U.S. states, creating a widespread public health emergency.

• The Group of Seven (G7) nations have issued an urgent call for rebel forces in Sudan to cease actions that could lead to atrocities in the city of El-Obeid. • Violence has escalated in recent weeks between the Sudanese army and the renegade Rapid Support Forces (RSF), intensifying an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

• UN human rights chief Volker Türk has issued an urgent appeal for calm in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir following unrest preceding regional elections. • The situation is occurring alongside a broader global trend of displacement driven by the war in Ukraine and unresolved regional conflicts.

As the climate crisis fuels more intense blazes, pushing them to new parts of the world, those tackling them are forced to ration resources and decide which to fightCésar Alcaraz had only just become a firefighter in the late 1990s when he found himself ambushed by a fast-moving blaze. Barely able to breathe and with no more water left in his truck, he and his colleagues fled an inferno ravaging Spain’s Montgó mountain region, wishing their bosses had sent more support.But nearly three decades on, as an officer with Alicante’s provincial firefighters, Alcaraz has more sympathy for the agonising choices that commanders have to make. When wildfires overwhelm an area, his job resembles that of a doctor in an emergency room with too few ventilators. Continue reading...

Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley join rally to support Justin Pearson’s bid for a seat in CongressMore than a thousand people rallied for Justin Pearson, a Democratic state representative running for Congress, in the wake of four fatal shootings by members of the Memphis Safe Task Force over the last two months.Crowds packed New Direction Christian Church in the city’s Hickory Hill neighborhood in support of Pearson, who is running in the now-fractured ninth congressional district’s Democratic primary. Continue reading...

Tondra Madruga named as second victim in deadly capsizing as police continue search for two missing peoplePolice on Friday discovered the wreckage of a boat that sank this week in the San Francisco Bay after recovering the body of a missing person the day before.The body was identified as Tondra Madruga, 58, also known as Tondra Miller, the San Francisco medical examiner said. She was one of three people missing after the Volare, a 49ft (15m) cabin cruiser, sank on Wednesday afternoon with 20 people onboard after being hit by a wave and capsizing. The group was on the boat to scatter the ashes of a loved one. Continue reading...

Husband of Nancy Pelosi has traffic infractions in California stretching back at least to 2011, according to public recordsPaul Pelosi, husband of US congresswoman and former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, is facing a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge after he allegedly crashed into a parked vehicle and left the scene in early July, the Napa county district attorney announced on Friday.No passengers were in the struck car, authorities said, but the vehicle was left with “major” damage. A spokesperson for the Pelosi family told several outlets in a statement that Paul Pelosi apologized to the owner of the vehicle and was assuming responsibility for the damage. Continue reading...

Officials haven’t released additional information about the person’s identity, age or details on when and how they fell illA legionnaires’ disease outbreak that has sickened dozens of people in New York City has claimed its first life, health officials said Friday.Officials didn’t release additional information about the person’s identity, age or details on when and how they fell ill. Continue reading...

Lawmakers press for review of hiring practices amid a spate of ICE-related deaths within the same weekDemocratic lawmakers are pressing for a review of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hiring practices and continuing calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing of an immigrant in Maine by one of the agency’s officers after news media reported allegations of past violent and threatening behavior by the officer, according to his family members.The Associated Press, the Portland Press Herald and National Public Radio (NPR) all identified the officer in question as David Brouillette, information that the publications attributed to his family. The outlets also reported allegations that Brouillette had a history of mental health issues and had purportedly subjected his ex-wife to violent, threatening behavior. Continue reading...

Whereabouts of artist imprisoned after 2021 protests had been unknown following end of his prison term in JulyLuis Manuel Otero Alcántara, a prominent Cuban dissident artist whose whereabouts remained unknown after his prison sentence ended last week, has been given permission to travel to the US, according to his official Facebook page.Otero Alcántara, designated a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, was sentenced to five years in prison in 2022 for insulting national symbols, contempt and disturbing the public order. Continue reading...