According to the report, covering data as of Sunday, 371 patients were in isolation or hospitalized, while 112 people had recovered. A total of 202 suspected cases, including 60 deaths, were identified as of Sunday. The overall case fatality rate stood at 25.5 percent.
The report said the number of confirmed cases has continued to rise week by week, indicating ongoing community transmission. It warned that a rapid geographic spread remains possible if public health measures are not implemented promptly.
The current outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, was officially declared on May 15 by the DRC’s health ministry.
Red Cross workers bury an Ebola victim at the Rwampara Cemetery, in Rwampara, Congo, Saturday, May 23, 2026.
The Argentine captain scored twice in the Group J clash in Dallas to move onto 18 World Cup goals, surpassing former Germany striker Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record of 16. The brace also took Messi’s tally at the tournament to five goals in just two matches, following his hat-trick in Argentina’s opening 3-0 win over Algeria.
The historic evening did not begin smoothly for the 38-year-old. Messi had an early opportunity to break the record after Argentina were awarded a penalty in the eighth minute following a foul on Lautaro Martinez. However, the Inter Miami forward fired his effort wide, leaving the record temporarily out of reach.
Messi responded in trademark fashion. In the 38th minute, Thiago Almada cleverly allowed Facundo Medina’s pull-back to run through his legs, giving Messi the chance to sweep a first-time finish into the net from inside the penalty area. The goal sparked celebrations and confirmed his place alone at the top of the World Cup scoring charts.
Austria, managed by Ralf Rangnick, threatened to equalise in the second half, but goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez produced a fine save to deny Marcel Sabitzer’s powerful free-kick on his 100th international appearance.
Messi then put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time. After Julian Alvarez’s effort was blocked by goalkeeper Alexander Schlager, the Argentine star reacted quickest to fire home from a tight angle and seal victory.
The goals marked another milestone in an extraordinary career. Twelve of Messi’s 18 World Cup goals have come after turning 35, while he also became only the third player to score in six consecutive World Cup matches.
The victory lifts Argentina to six points and guarantees their progress to the knockout stage. They conclude their group campaign against Jordan on June 28, with Messi now aiming to extend a record that may stand for years to come.
World Cup top goalscorers
18 Lionel Messi (Argentina, 2006-2026)
16 Miroslav Klose (Germany, 2002-2014)
15 Ronaldo (Brazil, 1994-2006)
15 Kylian Mbappe (France, 2018-2026)
14 Gerd Muller (West Germany, 1970-1974)
13 Just Fontaine (France, 1958)
12 Pele (Brazil, 1958-1970)
11 Sandor Kocsis (Hungary, 1954)
11 Jurgen Klinsmann (West Germany and Germany, 1990-1998)
10 Helmut Rahn (West Germany, 1954-1958)
10 Gary Lineker (England, 1986-1990)
10 Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina, 1994-2002)
10 Harry Kane (England, 2018-2026)
10 Teofilo Cubillas (Peru, 1970-1982)
10 Thomas Muller (Germany, 2010-2022)
10 Grzegorz Lato (Poland, 1974-1982)
The Argentine captain scored twice in the Group J clash in Dallas to move onto 18 World Cup goals, surpassing former Germany striker Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record of 16. Messi celebrates after scoring his first goal against Austria.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday that he would resign as leader of the governing Labour Party and leave office once a successor is chosen.
Less than two years ago, Starmer led Labour to a landslide election victory that ended 14 years of Conservative rule. His early departure under mounting pressure from within Labour exposed the party’s governing difficulties and adds uncertainties to a prolonged political instability in Britain.
Analysts said the emphatic victory of Andy Burnham, then the mayor of Greater Manchester, in the recent Makerfield parliamentary by-election triggered Starmer’s resignation, but Britain’s deeper economic and political problems will confront whoever succeeds him.
From winner to loser
Starmer entered Downing Street in July 2024 promising “change,” faster economic growth, better public services and tighter control of illegal immigration. Yet his government soon became caught between efforts to limit public spending and demands from Labour lawmakers, trade unions and traditional supporters for greater social investment.
Moves to restrict winter fuel payments for pensioners and reform disability benefits provoked strong opposition. Subsequent concessions and policy reversals brought further criticism that the government lacked a clear direction.
The controversy surrounding former British Ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson’s links with the late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein also raised questions about Starmer’s political judgment. The departure of senior Downing Street aides further weakened confidence in his administration.
A man leaves a polling station after voting for local elections in London, Britain, May 7, 2026.
What dealt another critical blow to Starmer were Labour’s heavy losses in May’s local and regional elections as Reform UK challenged it from the right, particularly on immigration, while the Green Party attracted some disillusioned voters on the left.
Stuart Wilks-Heeg, a political expert at the University of Liverpool, told Xinhua that Starmer could no longer remain in office once large numbers of Labour lawmakers and senior cabinet members concluded that he had to go.
“If you don’t have the command of your parliamentary party, you really are in trouble as a prime minister,” he said.
Wilks-Heeg said Starmer had succeeded in transforming Labour from a party widely considered unelectable after its 2019 defeat into the 2024 general election winner. However, he was unable to transfer that success into governance, with repeated policy reversals and “unforced errors” steadily eroding his authority.
Burnham emerges as front-runner
Burnham is widely regarded as the front-runner to succeed Starmer. He previously served as culture secretary and health secretary under former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and twice ran for the Labour leadership.
Burnham has returned to the House of Commons after winning the Makerfield by-election on Friday. On Monday, he voiced willingness to be “part of this process,” referring to the selection of Starmer’s successor.
This file photo taken on September 24, 2024, shows Keir Starmer in Liverpool, Britain. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in a speech outside No. 10 Downing Street on Monday that he would resign as leader of the governing Labour Party and set out a timetable for his departure from the government.
Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, previously regarded as a potential contender, expressed support for Burnham and called on other Labour figures to back him.
Burnham’s victory in Makerfield, where he defeated the Reform UK candidate Nigel Farage by a wide margin, strengthened his claim that he could halt the adversary’s advance. “It was almost like a jolt of electricity back into the Labour Party,” said David Bailey, an economics professor at the University of Birmingham.
Ian Scott, a professor at the University of Manchester, said Burnham combines long political experience, strong regional popularity and a direct style that resonates with voters. However, moving from Greater Manchester to Downing Street would be a major test. “He’s got an awful lot to prove,” Scott said.
Burnham’s policy agenda may distinguish him from Starmer, but it also raises questions about how additional investment and public service reform would be financed.
“The new prime minister faces a lot of the same constraints that the previous one faced,” Steve Nolan, a senior lecturer in economics at Liverpool John Moores University, said, adding, “There is wiggle room to play with, but not much.”
Britain’s Office for Budget Responsibility forecast in March that the country’s economy would grow by just 1.1 percent in 2026. Official statistics also showed that output per worker fell by 0.1 percent year on year in the first quarter.
A man walks past a shop in Manchester, Britain, May 11, 2023.
Nolan also noted bond markets would pay particular attention to whether the next government remained committed to Britain’s fiscal rules. High public debt and elevated borrowing costs would make any attempt to loosen those rules a “serious constraint” for a new leadership.
Set for seventh PM in decade
Starmer’s stepping down means his successor will become the seventh prime minister to enter Downing Street in roughly a decade since the 2016 Brexit referendum, highlighting the instability at the top of British politics.
Nolan said such frequent changes “do not signal a stable political economy.” He argued that replacing the prime minister does not alter Britain’s underlying conditions, as any new leader will face the same constraints of weak growth and public services.
Yang Fang, a researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said tensions between Britain’s political system and party culture and the needs of its modern economy and society have weakened governance and fueled public dissatisfaction.
“Both Labour and the Conservatives have responded to crises by changing leaders to preserve power, but this approach cannot resolve deeper structural problems and instead risks creating ‘a low-efficiency cycle of repetition,’” she said.
The agreement was formalised on Sunday in Israel, bringing together Hapoel Hadera, Benfica Lisbon and the Tony Rwanda project in a partnership focused on youth development, professional training and creating opportunities for young players.
The signing in Israel also comes at a time when Tony Rwanda and Benfica have been discussing a wider project with the Government of Rwanda.
Sources involved in the talks said Tony Rwanda and Benfica have been in discussions with Rwandan authorities since early last year, following a visit to Portugal by Minister of Sports Nelly Mukazayire, over a broader partnership that would establish a large campus in Rwanda to serve as a regional hub for football talent development.
Some people close to the process say that, as the discussions with Hapoel Hadera have now materialised, Benfica and Tony Rwanda are also holding talks with other African countries over the possibility of establishing the proposed regional hub.
For Rwanda, the Hapoel Hadera and Benfica deal is important because it gives young talents connected to Tony Rwanda a possible pathway into a more competitive football environment outside the country.
In the first phase, a player from Rwanda is expected to join Hapoel Hadera’s youth setup, with the hope that more players could follow if the project succeeds.
The partnership comes as Hapoel Hadera enters a new phase under the leadership of Itay Ben-Zeev, the CEO of the Israel Stock Exchange, who recently bought the club. Asi Rahamim will serve as the owner’s representative, while continuing his role as sporting director of Tony Rwanda. He will also help strengthen Hapoel Hadera’s professional and operational structure.
Ben-Zeev said the idea was to connect different pieces of the same vision.
“For the past three years, Benfica Lisbon has been working together with Tony Rwanda,” he said during the launch. “When I spoke with Assi Rahamim and Hapoel Hadera, I said: ‘Why don’t we connect everything?’”
He said the project should not only benefit young players in Rwanda, but also create opportunities for children in Israel.
“Now this project will not only affect youth in Rwanda, but also in Israel, in Hadera,” he said.
The agreement was formalised on Sunday in Israel, bringing together Hapoel Hadera, Benfica Lisbon and the Tony Rwanda project in a partnership focused on youth development, professional training and creating opportunities for young players.The signing in Israel also comes at a time when Tony Rwanda and Benfica have been discussing a wider project with the Government of Rwanda.In the first phase, a player from Rwanda is expected to join Hapoel Hadera’s youth setup, with the hope that more players could follow if the project succeeds.
For Rwanda, the Hapoel Hadera and Benfica deal is important because it gives young talents connected to Tony Rwanda a possible pathway into a more competitive football environment outside the country.
The collaboration marks a major shift in digital retail, transforming conversational AI into a native commerce engine that touches consumer experiences, digital advertising, scientific research, and internal production.
The rollout integrates Maybelline’s Makeup Virtual Try-On, powered by L’Oréal’s ModiFace augmented reality (AR) technology, directly into standard ChatGPT threads.
Instead of switching to an external app, users will be able to upload a photo or use their camera directly within the chat window to view makeup shades mapped onto their own face while chatting about a desired aesthetic or skin tone.
L’Oréal’s beauty-tech services already see over 120 million global uses annually, but this integration scales exponentially across ChatGPT’s massive ecosystem, which OpenAI reports has reached 900 million weekly active users.
L’Oréal is also pioneering “AI-native advertising.” Its top brands, including Lancôme and Kérastase, are optimizing how they surface during organic product searches in the U.S. Simultaneously, brands like Garnier, CeraVe, and SkinCeuticals are participating in OpenAI’s exclusive ChatGPT global advertising pilot.
This strategy drops highly relevant brand interventions into conversational feeds precisely when users ask for beauty advice, capturing consumers at the peak moment of intent.
Beyond the consumer-facing tech, the partnership reaches into the scientific lab. L’Oréal is deploying GPT-Rosalind, OpenAI’s specialized life sciences model, to map the skin microbiome for its La Roche-Posay brand.
By leveraging AI to decode bacterial and cellular behaviors, L’Oréal intends to drastically accelerate the development of advanced skincare formulas.
Internally, OpenAI’s newest models are feeding into CreAItech, L’Oréal’s secure platform for creative teams. The system generates high-fidelity marketing visuals while protecting unique brand identities.
This builds on a heavy internal tech push: L’Oréal has already upskilled 73,000 employees in generative AI and rolled out internal tools like L’OréalGPT to streamline operations.
Asmita Dubey, L’Oréal’s Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, emphasized that AI now enhances every stage of the company’s value chain, supporting both consumers and employees.
By weaving its beauty ecosystem directly into the world’s most popular AI assistant, L’Oréal is demonstrating exactly how legacy brands can claim the future of AI-native retail.
The rollout integrates Maybelline’s Makeup Virtual Try-On, powered by L’Oréal’s ModiFace augmented reality (AR) technology, directly into standard ChatGPT threads.
The commitment was announced following a Tripartite High-Level Ministerial Meeting held in Addis Ababa on Monday, June 22. There, the three parties reviewed progress under existing repatriation frameworks and adopted the 2026–2027 Tripartite Technical Working Group Road Map on Voluntary Repatriation and Reintegration.
The meeting was convened under the framework of the Tripartite Agreements signed in 2010 and comes amid efforts to improve relations between Kigali and Kinshasa following the signing of the Accords for Peace and Prosperity in Washington in December 2025.
In a joint communiqué issued after the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to durable displacement solutions, stating that the “voluntary, safe, dignified, and informed return” remains “a cornerstone of durable solutions and a contribution to peacebuilding and regional stability.”
According to UN data presented during the meeting, the DRC database holds records for 196,289 Rwandan nationals and asylum seekers, including 75,421 who have been biometrically registered, while Rwanda hosts 84,456 Congolese refugees and asylum seekers.
The parties noted steady progress in facilitating the return of Rwandan returnees from eastern DRC. Since January 2025, a total of 8,394 Rwandans have voluntarily returned home, including 2,347 repatriated during the first half of 2026. Encouraged by this momentum, the parties endorsed an operational planning target of 10,000 voluntary repatriations for 2026 and agreed on measures aimed at accelerating implementation.
Among the decisions taken was the organization of formal quarterly cross-border meetings to strengthen coordination among the governments and UNHCR, with the first meeting scheduled for September 2026.
The parties also agreed to utilize the Kamanyola border crossing in South Kivu and the Bugarama border post in Rwanda to facilitate the return of more than 3,600 Rwandan citizens currently dispersed across the southern part of South Kivu Province who have expressed a willingness to return home. To support the process, the DRC committed to establishing a viable transit route to the border crossing point for candidates located in outlying areas of southern South Kivu.
The communiqué further noted the situation of more than 400 Rwandan nationals who have been waiting for over a month in transit centres in North and South Kivu pending repatriation. Rwanda pledged to continue receiving these returnees while strictly observing the prevailing regional health situation and public health guidelines related to Ebola virus disease management.
The meeting also addressed the future return of Congolese refugees living in Rwanda. While no voluntary repatriation of Congolese refugees has yet taken place, the parties agreed that beginning in October 2026, the DRC will identify priority areas of return based on refugee intention surveys and location data provided by the Rwandan authorities.
The ministers welcomed recent political and technical developments between the two countries and acknowledged the support of the African Union, the United Nations, and the Office of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region in advancing peace, security, and durable solutions for displaced populations.
The next Tripartite High-Level Ministerial Meeting is scheduled for June 2027, with the date and venue to be communicated through diplomatic channels.
The commitment to continue repatriation processes was announced following a Tripartite High-Level Ministerial Meeting held in Addis Ababa on Monday, June 22.
The meeting was convened under the framework of the Tripartite Agreements signed in 2010 and comes amid efforts to improve relations between Kigali and Kinshasa following the signing of the Accords for Peace and Prosperity in Washington in December 2025.
Centuries ago, pandas were widespread across Asia, but climate shifts and human expansion dramatically reduced their habitat. Biologically belonging to the carnivore family, pandas adapted uniquely to a diet made up of 99 percent bamboo. Because bamboo is low in nutrients, they spend up to 14 hours a day consuming 26 to 84 pounds of it, using a specialized “pseudo-thumb” wrist bone to grasp the stalks.
By the late 20th century, deforestation and habitat loss caused the wild panda population to drop to a dangerously low estimate of just 1,100 individuals. This crisis sparked massive conservation programs, including the establishment of the massive Giant Panda National Park. Due to these intense efforts, the giant panda population has achieved an extraordinary recovery.
Today, the total global population of giant pandas has reached approximately 2,708. This includes nearly 1,900 pandas living dynamically in the wild, alongside 808 pandas thriving in dedicated breeding centers and zoos.
Because wild giant pandas exclusively exist in China, the country holds almost the entirety of the global population. Out of all the pandas on Earth, only about 40 to 50 individuals live in overseas zoos across 16 countries under official research loan agreements.
Within China, wild pandas are strictly concentrated in three specific provinces: Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu. Sichuan Province acts as the primary stronghold for the species, containing nearly 65 percent of the world’s entire wild population.
Despite their highly concentrated geography, the giant panda’s cultural footprint is truly international. In 1961, Chi Chi, a panda living at the London Zoo, inspired the founding sketch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) logo, cementing the animal as the definitive global face of environmental preservation.
This international fame was further elevated by China’s practice of “panda diplomacy,” where the loaning of these rare animals to foreign capitals routinely captured worldwide media attention, turning them into beloved global ambassadors.
This remarkable ecological turnaround and worldwide adoration prompted international wildlife organizations to officially upgrade the giant panda’s status from Endangered to Vulnerable.
For international travelers making the journey to China, seeing these gentle giants up close is a bucket-list experience. Because wild pandas remain hidden in dense, inaccessible mountains, visitors can see them at several world-renowned conservation and breeding facilities.
The heart of panda tourism is located in Sichuan Province, specifically at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which is highly famous for its nursery rooms filled with panda cubs. Visitors seeking a deeper experience can travel to the Dujiangyan Panda Base, which offers experiential volunteer programs where participants help keepers prepare bamboo.
Additionally, the Wolong National Nature Reserve offers a pristine alpine environment focused on rewilding pandas. Outside of Sichuan, excellent panda pavilions can also be visited at the Beijing Zoo and Hong Kong’s Ocean Park.
Ultimately, the giant panda stands as a powerful reminder that human action can both threaten and protect life on Earth. Its ongoing survival story is not just about a single species, but about hope, responsibility, and the true possibility of restoring balance between people and nature.
A symbol of peace and friendship, the giant panda holds a special place in Chinese culture.The giant panda rests peacefully in the bamboo forests of southwestern China, its natural habitat.Feeding for hours each day, the panda relies almost entirely on bamboo for survival.Conservation efforts in China have helped protect the panda from extinction and secure its future.
The investment, announced on June 22, follows Spiro’s earlier $215 million equity funding round backed by a consortium of institutional, international and regional investors. The latest financing reinforces investor confidence in Africa’s rapidly growing electric mobility sector and positions Spiro among the continent’s best-funded clean energy and e-mobility companies.
The company said the fresh capital will accelerate the expansion of its battery-swapping network, manufacturing capabilities and next-generation EV infrastructure across high-growth African markets.
Spiro currently operates in seven countries, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Cameroon, where it is helping replace fuel-powered motorcycles with electric alternatives.
The company has deployed more than 100,000 electric motorcycles, established over 2,500 battery-swapping stations and completed more than 30 million battery swaps, making it Africa’s largest operator of battery-swapping infrastructure for electric two-wheel vehicles.
Spiro has deployed more than 100,000 electric motorcycles across its seven markets.
Beyond expanding its network, the partnership with NewTrails Capital is expected to strengthen Spiro’s manufacturing ambitions by supporting the localisation of production and supply chains in Africa, particularly through collaboration with Chinese suppliers.
Spiro Founder and Chairman of Equitane, Gagan Gupta, welcomed the investment, saying it reflects growing confidence in the company’s vision and progress.
“Partnering with NewTrail Capital’s deeply experienced team marks a powerful new chapter for Spiro as we prepare for the next steps of our pan-African and international expansion”, he stated.
NewTrails Capital Founding Partner Yufan Zhang said the investment reflects the firm’s confidence in Spiro’s business model and long-term prospects.
“Spiro’s core strengths lie in its deeply localized operating capabilities, vertically integrated supply chain, digitally enabled ecosystem, sound unit economics, and strong ability to scale rapidly,” Zhang noted.
The latest financing reinforces investor confidence in Africa’s rapidly growing electric mobility sector and positions Spiro among the continent’s best-funded clean energy and e-mobility companies.
Zhang added that the company has successfully integrated electric vehicles, batteries, energy replenishment, payments and service networks into a solution tailored to African markets, and that Chinese financing and supply chains can play an increasingly important role in supporting Africa’s clean energy transition.
The investment comes as many African countries seek to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, strengthen energy security and modernise urban transport systems. It also highlights increasing global investor interest in scalable EV infrastructure across the continent.
Founded to accelerate Africa’s transition to clean mobility, Spiro is expanding regional production and assembly operations with the goal of manufacturing electric vehicles in Africa for African and international markets.
Beyond expanding its network, the partnership with NewTrails Capital is expected to strengthen Spiro’s manufacturing ambitions by supporting the localisation of production and supply chains in Africa, particularly through collaboration with Chinese suppliers.
The 6-foot-10 former Tennessee Volunteers forward, who is a projected lottery pick, expressed deep pride in his Rwandan heritage and praised the explosive growth of the sport in his mother’s homeland.
Ament, who is just days away from hearing his name called in the draft, described a mix of excitement and reflection as the big moment approaches.
“Super excited, definitely a little reflective of just all I’ve gone through in my basketball process. You know, it was funny when I’m in, like inviting the people to come out and celebrate with me and watch,” he said.
“I just, you know, think about how much they’ve impacted my career and how much they helped me. I just want to give, you know, a bunch of thanks to those people.”
When asked which NBA teams have shown the most interest in him during the pre-draft process, Ament revealed the franchises he has worked out for.
“Well, I’ve only done four workouts. I’ve done Chicago, Brooklyn, OKC, and the Clippers. So they’ve shown a lot of love.”
With draft projections placing him around the top 10, including a mock selection to the Milwaukee Bucks, Ament said draft position matters less than impact.
“Honestly, I mean, for me, it’s just, you know, the fit, wherever I get drafted, I could, it doesn’t really matter, you know, if I get drafted high or low, I just want to be able to come in and impact the game immediately. So that sounds good to me as long as I’m playing.”
The young star, who grew up admiring Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, said the Oklahoma City Thunder trio of Durant, Westbrook, and James Harden was especially influential in his development.
“I was a big KD guy. I loved KD and I also love Russell Westbrook. I loved that OKC team when they had the KD. I had him, Harden, and Russ. That was my favourite team.”
Asked what it would feel like to face Kevin Durant in the NBA, Ament admitted it would be a surreal moment.
“It would be surreal. I mean, I’ve studied so much from his game. We’re from the same area and you hear about, you know, stories about him and, you know, how competitive he was in high school and then all the way into where he is now. So that would just be a surreal moment.”
He also shared a light-hearted remark about his college coach, Rick Barnes, who previously coached Durant at Texas.
“He’ll make comparisons to say that I’m not like KD. He’ll try to make fun of me and try to say like I’m not there yet and light a fire under my butt. But no, he’s great.”
One of the most notable aspects of Ament’s story is his strong connection to Rwanda through his mother’s side of the family.
“Yeah, my mother was born and raised there. I’m half Rwandan. My mom’s brother lives out there.”
Reflecting on his visits to Rwanda, he said each trip has helped him better understand his heritage.
“It’s great. I mean, it’s a different story each time. Just getting older and me being able to understand more about the country. But not only do I learn more about the country, I learn more about my family and our lineage and just what it means to be Rwandan.”
When asked directly whether he would consider playing for Rwanda’s national team, Ament did not hesitate.
“I would entertain it for sure, for sure. I mean, basketball is huge in that country and it means so much to their fans and their community. So I would definitely entertain it.”
Beyond basketball, Ament also spoke about his sporting versatility, including golf, soccer, and a memorable experience working with professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau.
“Yeah, he signed a Reebok, so am I. So it was, they kind of set it up for me. It was great. I don’t know if you saw that video, but I broke his driver. So that was, it was kind of awkward, but no, it was great.”
Explaining the incident, he added humorously:
“Well, it wasn’t his driver. He would never let me use his driver because he’s going to play with it in the tournament. It was the clubhouse’s driver, but he was just teaching me swings. And he was like, this was like my last swing before we had to get going. He was like, I just want you to give everything you have on this swing, let it rip. And I think I let it rip a little too hard and the driver had to go off.”
Despite the mishap, Ament said the experience was motivating.
“IT definitely motivated me a lot. I haven’t played in a minute, so we’ll see next time I get out there, but it definitely motivates me to keep going.”
As the NBA Draft approaches, Ament says he is ready for the next chapter of his career, wherever it begins.
Nate Ament has expressed openness to representing Rwanda ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft.Rwandan-American NBA prospect Nate Ament exchanged jerseys with Sports Minister Nelly Mukazayire during a weeklong visit to Rwanda, his mother’s homeland, from August 9 to 13, 2025.
Starmer said he would step down as both prime minister and leader of the Labour Party, but would remain in office until the party elects a successor to ensure an orderly transition of power.
Speaking outside 10 Downing Street in London, an emotional Starmer described becoming prime minister as “the proudest moment of my life,” saying his government had helped restore Britain’s international standing, attract investment and strengthen workers’ rights.
However, he acknowledged that many Labour lawmakers no longer believed he was the right person to lead the party into the next general election.
“I have heard the answer from my parliamentary party. I accept that answer with good grace. I will resign as leader of the Labour Party,” he said.
Starmer’s resignation follows months of growing dissatisfaction within Labour after the party suffered heavy losses in local elections held in May. His government also faced criticism over fiscal policy, welfare reforms and a series of political controversies that weakened his standing among MPs and the wider public.
An Ipsos poll published last week found that 52% of Britons believed Starmer should step down, while only 35% wanted him to remain in office.
His departure comes less than two years after he led Labour to one of its biggest parliamentary majorities in the 2024 general election, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.
The resignation is expected to trigger a leadership contest that could make Britain home to its seventh prime minister in just 10 years. Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who recently returned to Parliament after winning a by-election, is widely viewed as the frontrunner, although other senior Labour figures could also enter the race.
The next prime minister will inherit significant economic challenges, pressure over public spending and an increasingly complex international environment.
For Rwanda, Starmer’s legacy is associated with his decision to cancel the UK-Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership on his first day in office in July 2024. The agreement, signed under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government in 2022, had sought to relocate some asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda as part of efforts to deter illegal Channel crossings.
Although Starmer scrapped the policy, his government continued to face criticism over rising irregular migration, an issue that remained politically sensitive throughout his premiership.
Political analysts say the outcome of Labour’s leadership contest could influence the party’s future direction on immigration, public spending and foreign policy as it seeks to rebuild public confidence ahead of the next general election.
Starmer’s departure comes less than two years after he led Labour to one of its biggest parliamentary majorities in the 2024 general election, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.
