Shortly after launch, SpaceX confirmed stage separation. The booster is scheduled to make a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
The mission marks the debut flight of the next-generation Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster, powered by an upgraded version of the Raptor engine and launched from a newly designed pad at Starbase.
According to SpaceX, the primary objective of the flight test is to evaluate the performance of these upgraded systems in a real flight environment for the first time.
SpaceX launched the 12th flight test of its giant Starship rocket on Friday.
DJ Toxxyk had been facing charges including involuntary manslaughter, drug-related offenses involving narcotic substances, fleeing after causing an accident, and refusing to undergo an alcohol test.
The charges stem from a road accident that occurred in Nyarugenge District in the early hours of December 20, 2025. The accident claimed the life of a police officer, while cannabis was later discovered at DJ Toxxyk’s residence during investigations.
The judge explained that the court had initially considered sentencing him to four years and six months in prison together with a fine of Rwf1.05 million.
However, the sentence was significantly reduced after the court considered that DJ Toxxyk admitted to all charges, asked for forgiveness, and had no previous criminal record. The court therefore reduced the sentence to one year and six months in prison along with the same fine of Rwf1.05 million.
Earlier, on May 4, 2026, the Primary Court of Kicukiro had convicted DJ Toxxyk on all charges and sentenced him to three months of community service, suspended for six months, in addition to the same fine.
That ruling allowed DJ Toxxyk to be released from Nyarugenge Prison in Mageragere, but the prosecution was dissatisfied with the decision and filed an appeal.
During the appeal hearing held on May 15, prosecutors argued that the Primary Court had failed to consider the seriousness and consequences of the offenses committed by DJ Toxxyk. They said the sentence ignored the objectives of punishment as provided by law.
The prosecution maintained that the penalties imposed by the lower court did not fulfill the intended purpose of punishment, which includes educating the offender and serving as a warning to others.
Prosecutors also argued that the court did not properly apply Article 49 of the law, which requires judges to determine penalties based on the gravity of the offense, its consequences, and the circumstances under which it was committed.
They emphasized that the crimes had serious consequences, including the death of a police officer who was on duty at the time, and argued that community service and a fine alone were too lenient.
Appearing before Nyarugenge Intermediate Court, DJ Toxxyk told the court that he regretted all the offenses he committed and believed that the initial ruling was proportionate.
In its appeal, the prosecution had requested the intermediate court to sentence DJ Toxxyk to five years in prison and impose a fine of Rwf2.21 million.
DJ Toxxyk has been sentenced to one year and six months in prison.
The agreement seeks to expand access to trade and finance opportunities for African businesses, with particular focus on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), women-led businesses, and youth entrepreneurs.
This MoU establishes a strategic framework to support the implementation of the AfCFTA, and advance the objectives of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 , “The Africa We Want”, through the development of an integrated single market of over 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of approximately $3.4 trillion.
Building on a US$3 billion trade finance commitment
The MoU follows Ecobank Group’s landmark announcement at the recent Africa-Forward Summit in Nairobi, where the bank unveiled a US$3 billion trade finance commitment to be deployed over the next three years in partnership with Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to support trade with and across Africa.
The partnership with the AfCFTA Secretariat will serve as an important platform for advancing the impact of this US$3 billion commitment across the continent, ensuring that African businesses — from large corporates to SMEs — are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities created under the AfCFTA Single Market.
“Access to trade and affordable finance remains critical to unlocking the full potential of the AfCFTA. Through this partnership with Ecobank, we are strengthening the support available to African businesses, particularly SMEs, women-led enterprises, and young entrepreneurs, to enable greater participation in intra-African trade and value chains across the continent,” said Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat.
“For 40 years, Ecobank has been built on a singular vision: to advance the economic development and financial integration of Africa,” said Mr. Michael Larbie, Group Executive, Corporate and Investment Banking at Ecobank. “With our unmatched presence across 34 African markets and our digital capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to serve as a catalyst for the AfCFTA. This MoU formalises our commitment to connecting African businesses to the markets, finance, and knowledge they need to thrive.”
The partnership will focus on supporting SMEs to benefit from AfCFTA opportunities, closing the trade finance gap through Ecobank’s Ellevate Program for women entrepreneurs, and promoting the bank’s Single Market Trade Hub to improve trade connections across Africa.
It will also strengthen business referrals and information sharing, support policy advocacy to reduce trade barriers and improve cross-border payments, and include joint business forums and seminars to advance discussions on AfCFTA implementation.
A defining moment for African integration
The MoU comes at an important stage in the implementation of the AfCFTA, as efforts continue to remove barriers to intra-African trade, strengthen regional value chains, and create an enabling environment for sustainable, inclusive growth.
By combining the AfCFTA Secretariat’s mandate with Ecobank’s continental banking footprint and its US$3 billion trade finance commitment, the partnership is expected to support greater participation of African businesses in intra-African trade and accelerate Africa’s economic integration goals.
The partnership with the AfCFTA Secretariat will serve as an important platform for advancing the impact of this US$3 billion commitment across the continent.
Lionsgate motion picture chair Adam Fogelson said during a quarterly earnings call, as reported by Variety, that early preparations for the follow-up are progressing well.
“Preparations continue to go exceptionally well,” he said, adding that there remains “a ton of incredibly entertaining Michael Jackson story” that was not included in the first film.
He explained that many major moments from Jackson’s life and music career were left out of the original production, suggesting there is still enough material for a second film.
“There are so many other events that happened, even in the time frame of the original movie that weren’t touched upon, so we’re very, very confident that we’ve got an incredibly entertaining movie that will appeal once again to a global audience,” Fogelson said.
The first film, Michael, performed strongly at the box office, earning about $715.8m (£533.2m) worldwide after its release in April, with record-breaking openings in both the US and UK. The movie ended with Jackson’s 1988 Wembley Stadium performance during his Bad tour.
However, production of the film faced controversy linked to allegations of child sexual abuse against Jackson, which affected the original script and required significant changes.
Some planned content was removed after legal complications involving individuals connected to past settlements.
It remains unclear how a potential sequel will address these allegations, or whether it will follow a chronological storyline.
Fogelson suggested the narrative could move both forward and backward in time.
“We can go forwards and backwards in telling this story,” he said, adding that around “25 to 30% of a second movie” has already been filmed during earlier production work, which could also help reduce costs.
The studio based in the United States has not yet announced a release date for the sequel.
The studio behind the hit Michael Jackson biopic Michael has confirmed that a sequel is in development, despite controversy surrounding the original film.
The Embassy led the preparation and coordination of the flagship diplomatic and cultural event.
The celebration brought together more than 500 guests, including South Korea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun, African ambassadors, senior government officials, members of the National Assembly, CEOs, business leaders, academics, media representatives, members of the diplomatic corps, and friends of Africa in Korea.
Rwanda’s leadership role in the organization of the event underscored its active diplomatic engagement within the African Group in Seoul, particularly in advancing cooperation between Africa and South Korea across political, economic, and cultural fields.
Beyond diplomacy, Africa Day 2026 placed strong emphasis on cultural exchange and innovation, showcasing the deepening ties between the two regions through fashion, music, art, and creative industries.
Organisers highlighted the emergence of “A-Culture” alongside the global influence of “K-Culture,” reflecting increasing cultural collaboration.
One of the key highlights of the event was a cultural fashion showcase featuring traditional Rwandan attire alongside Hanbok designs inspired by the colours of the Rwandan flag. The display symbolised growing friendship and cultural connection between Rwanda and South Korea.
The event also reflected broader efforts to strengthen Africa–Korea relations through shared priorities such as innovation, sustainable development, and people-to-people exchange.
Mr. Lie Sangbong, renowned Korean fashion designer and Mr. Samuel Chung Chairman of KCA, pictured wearing Mushanana after previously attending the Kwita Izina naming ceremony in Rwanda. Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, delivering remarks during the Africa Day 2026 Korea celebration in Seoul.Mr. Jung Won-ju, Chairman of Daewoo E&C and Korea Herald, was honored with the Africa Contribution Award in recognition of his contributions to strengthening Africa–Korea cooperation and partnership.Lee Hun-seung, Chair of the National Assembly Forum for Africa of the Republic of Korea, delivering remarks during the Africa Day 2026 Korea celebration in Seoul.The evening featured live cultural performances highlighting African rhythm, dance, and artistic tradition as part of the Africa Day 2026 Korea celebration. Dr. Chafik Rachadi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Republic of Korea and Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors, delivering remarks during the Africa Day 2026 Korea celebration in Seoul.Mr. Choi Jin-Young, CEO of Herald Media Group, delivering Welcome remarks during the Africa Day 2026 Korea celebration in Seoul.
The ministry says national milk production has increased sharply over the past two decades, rising from about 332,000 litres per day in 2005 to approximately 2.9 million litres in 2025.
The figures were highlighted on May 21, 2026 during the second celebration of “Cow Day,” an event initiated by Rubavu District to showcase the importance of cattle in improving livelihoods and driving local development.
Jean Claude Ndorimana is the Director General, Animal Resources Development for MINAGRI, praised the initiative and said there is a need to elevate the celebration to the national level.
He noted that cattle play a wide-ranging role in society, contributing not only to nutrition through milk but also to economic development through income generation, improved crop production via manure, and even social cohesion through practices such as bride price and livestock sharing.
“The benefits of cattle are well known. They provide milk that improves health and helps prevent child stunting, generate income, and produce manure that improves agricultural productivity. They also strengthen family and social ties,” he said.
Ndorimana attributed the rise in milk production largely to improvements in livestock farming, particularly the Girinka programme, which has transformed dairy production across the country.
He also urged farmers to take up livestock insurance, noting that the government subsidises 40% of the cost, while farmers contribute the remaining 60%.
Rubavu District Mayor Prosper Mulindwa said cattle play a central role in the district’s economy and culture, describing them as symbols of nutrition, unity, and agricultural productivity.
“A cow is like a factory. It is not an exaggeration to say so. That is why it deserves a special day, and it should reach everyone, as envisioned by the President who launched the Girinka programme,” he said. He added that modern dairy cattle in the district can produce 35 litres of milk or more per day.
Mulindwa also said Cow Day celebrations in Rubavu will be aligned with the number of cows ready to be passed on under the Girinka programme, to strengthen the system of cattle redistribution.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources further said Cow Day should be aligned with national development programmes, including the Rwanda Dairy Development Project Phase II (RDDP2), which aims to boost milk production in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and is implemented by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB).
According to a 2025 MINAGRI report, Rwanda had an estimated 1,727,913 cattle nationwide.
34 households in Rubavu District received cows under the Girinka programme.In Rubavu, a cow can cost up to Rwf3 million. Farmers with cows producing 35 litres of milk per day received equipment to support livestock farmingJean Claude Ndorimana is the Director General, Animal Resources Development for MINAGRI giving milk to children. Cattle continue to contribute to the development of RwandansMayor Mulindwa awarded a farmer who cultivated quality fodder, which increases milk production on a three-hectare farm.The event also featured livestock farming equipment related exhibition. Mayor Mulindwa said that livestock farming in Rubavu District continues to develop day by dayVarious leaders attended Cow Day celebrations in RubavuThe ‘Cow Day’ has been celebrated in Rubavu for second time.
According to BBC, the item was handed back to Rye Library in East Sussex, a county in the south-east of England, during an annual library amnesty that allows people to return overdue or lost books without being fined or judged.
The returned book, The Potter’s Book of Glaze Recipes by Emmanuel Cooper, is a guide for potters on creating ceramic glazes. Library staff said the due date stamped inside the book showed it should have been returned in June 1983.
East Sussex is a county in southern England, and its libraries run the amnesty scheme each year to encourage the return of long-overdue materials.
According to East Sussex County Council, the longest overdue item ever returned during such an amnesty remains the children’s book Havelok the Warrior by Ian Serraillier, which was returned 48 years later. It had originally been due back at Hastings Library in April 1975 before being returned in 2023.
This year’s amnesty has already seen thousands of returns. Since it began on 16 February, a total of 22,160 overdue loans and 683 lost books have been brought back or renewed across the county.
Nick Skelton, assistant director of communities at East Sussex County Council, said the scheme helps restore books to shelves while encouraging people to return items without fear of penalties.
“The annual amnesty is an effective way of reclaiming books without the public fearing being judged or fined,” he said. “The library service is simply happy to have them back.”
At the start of the amnesty, data showed that Hastings and Eastbourne libraries together had 13,454 overdue loans. The council also reported that 65.4% of overdue items were from the junior fiction section.
Librarians have welcomed back books that had been missing for more than 40 years
The planet, known as TOI-199b, is about the size of Saturn and orbits a star located more than 330 light years from Earth. The findings were published in the Astronomical Journal on May 20 by researchers from Penn State and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s most powerful space telescope. Launched in 2021, it was designed to study distant planets, stars and galaxies using advanced infrared technology that can detect heat and light invisible to human eyes.
Scientists said giant planets are usually either extremely cold, like Jupiter and Saturn, or extremely hot planets known as “hot Jupiters” that orbit very close to their stars. However, TOI-199b falls somewhere in between, making it a rare “temperate” giant planet.
Researchers estimate the planet’s temperature at around 175 degrees Fahrenheit. While still too hot for humans, it is much cooler than many giant planets previously discovered.
Using the James Webb telescope, scientists studied the planet’s atmosphere as it passed in front of its star. By analyzing how the starlight changed, they identified gases present in the atmosphere.
According to researcher Aaron Bello-Arufe from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the telescope detected methane, while signs of ammonia and carbon dioxide were also observed.
Scientists say studying planets like TOI-199b could improve understanding of how planets and atmospheres form and evolve, including Earth’s own atmosphere.
Artist’s impression of a gas giant planet orbiting its distant host star. New research, led by astronomers at Penn State and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to analyze the atmosphere of a gas giant planet about the size of Saturn but with Earth-like temperatures and found it to be rich in methane. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The findings were published in the journal Aging-US by researchers David Gems, Alexander Carver and Yuan Zhao.
According to the scientists, the first stage begins earlier in life when the body experiences damage from infections, injuries or genetic changes.
Although the body repairs much of this damage, some hidden problems may remain for years without causing illness.
The second stage happens as people grow older and the body gradually becomes weaker. Researchers say this makes it harder for the body to control earlier damage, allowing diseases to slowly develop.
The scientists believe this may explain why some illnesses appear mainly in old age even though their causes may have started decades earlier.
For example, viruses that stay inactive in the body for years can become active again when the immune system weakens, leading to diseases such as shingles. Injuries suffered during youth may also later contribute to arthritis as body tissues age and lose strength.
The review also suggests that some inherited genetic mutations may remain harmless for many years before increasing the risk of diseases like cancer later in life.
Researchers say the new model could help doctors and scientists find better ways to prevent chronic diseases by reducing damage earlier in life and improving health during aging.
The study presents aging as a complex process caused by many factors working together over time.
Researchers are offering a new way to understand why aging is so closely connected to chronic illness. AI generated photo
The comet, officially named C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), was not the original object researchers intended to observe. According to researchers from Auburn University, technical challenges forced them to switch to another target, only for the comet to suddenly split during observation.
A comet is a giant icy object made of frozen gases, dust and rock that travels through space. Scientists consider comets to be ancient remains from the birth of the solar system billions of years ago. When they move close to the Sun, heat causes their ice to melt, creating bright glowing tails visible from Earth.
Research professor John Noonan said the team only realized what had happened after reviewing Hubble’s images the next day. Instead of seeing one comet, they found four separate pieces.
The researchers explained that the comet likely broke apart after passing very close to the Sun, where extreme heat and pressure weaken such icy bodies. Before splitting, the comet was estimated to be about eight kilometers wide.
According to the scientists, the breakup may help reveal ancient material hidden inside the comet for billions of years, giving researchers a better understanding of how the solar system formed.
The study also revealed another mystery. Scientists expected the comet to brighten immediately after splitting, but the increase in brightness happened more slowly than expected.
The comet fragments are now drifting farther away from Earth and are unlikely to ever return to the solar system.
This diagram shows the path the long-period comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), or K1 for short, took as it swung past the Sun and began its journey out of the Solar System. On November 10, 2025, Hubble captured the inset image of the fragmenting comet. Hubble took this image just a month after K1’s closest approach to the Sun, called perihelion. During perihelion, a comet experiences its most intense heating and maximum stress. Just past perihelion is when some long-period comets like K1 tend to fall apart. K1’s perihelion was inside Mercury’s orbit, about one-third the distance of the Earth from the Sun. This is the first time Hubble has witnessed a comet so early in the process of breaking up. Credit: NASA, ESA, R. Crawford (STScI)
