court

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Supreme Court of the Armed Forces on Sunday issued its final ruling in a high-profile terrorism case, upholding 15-year prison terms for two men convicted in connection with murders and bombings that struck the border town of Balad Hawo in the Gedo region in 2025. The court affirmed a 15-year sentence for Mohamed Aden Abuukar Heydar Mukhtaar and reduced the punishment for co-defendant Mohamed Qadar Ali Aden from 20 years to 15 years after reviewing an appeal filed by the Office of the Attorney…

Supreme Court Ruling Clears Path for Corruption Trial in Liberia The Supreme Court of Liberia has ruled that former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah and several other former officials are not shielded from prosecution by claims of national security. This landmark decision effectively removes a major legal obstacle that had temporarily stalled one of the country's most politically sensitive corruption trials. The case centers around the former officials' assertion that those serving on or alongside the National Security…

Paris appeals court to rule July 7 in Marine Le Pen fraud case that could reshape 2027 race A Paris appeals court will deliver its ruling on July 7 in a fraud case against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, a decision poised to set the course of France’s next presidential contest. The lower court last year imposed a five-year ban from public office on Le Pen, 57, over a fake jobs scheme at the European Parliament. If the appeals court upholds that verdict, the three-time presidential candidate would be barred from running in…

Somali star Farhiya Fiska alleges domestic assault in Hargeisa; husband released on bail HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — Prominent Somali singer Farhiya Ahmed Adaawe Geedi, widely known as Farhiya Fiska, has accused her husband of beating and strangling her during an incident in Hargeisa, saying she was locked in a room for hours and feared she would be killed. In an interview Tuesday, Farhiya said her husband, fellow musician Mubarak Ahmed Yusuf, who performs under the name “October,” attacked her and held her…

High Court Adjourns Prosecution of Ex-Finance Minister Kenneth Ofori-Atta The High Court in Ghana has formally adjourned the prosecution of former Finance Minister Kenneth Ofori-Atta and nine co-accused individuals. The decision was made to facilitate the "service of summons" on several fugitives residing in the United States, highlighting the complexities of international legal proceedings. During a session held recently, the court announced that the next hearing is scheduled for February 26, 2026. The delay arises from…

You are an elite, award-winning international journalist and a meticulous senior editor. Your job is to transform raw source material into a publish-ready article that meets the highest AP-standard editorial and technical requirements. PHASE 1 — ANALYSIS AND FORMAT DECISION Read the source text thoroughly. Identify the core themes, dominant purpose, crucial facts, data points, and human or structural angles. Based solely on this analysis, select exactly one article format from the list below. Always choose Football…

Panama’s Supreme Court has annulled the legal basis for long-standing port concessions held by Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, casting uncertainty over ownership of container terminals at the Panama Canal’s Pacific and Atlantic gateways and complicating a planned $23 billion ports sale. After “extensive deliberation,” the court found the laws and acts underpinning PPC’s concession for the development, construction, operation and management of terminals at Balboa and Cristobal…

Somalia court lifts arrest warrant for Jubbaland leader Ahmed Madobe, clearing path to Mogadishu talks MOGADISHU — A court in Mogadishu has annulled an arrest warrant for Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe, removing a key legal barrier ahead of a national political dialogue that the federal government plans to open on Feb. 1. In a decision finalized Jan. 29 and communicated in an official letter released Thursday, the Banadir Regional Court revoked all arrest and production orders tied to a criminal case…

Panama’s Supreme Court has annulled the concession framework underpinning Panama Ports Company’s long-running contracts at the Panama Canal’s Atlantic and Pacific gateways, casting immediate uncertainty over who will control the Balboa and Cristóbal container terminals and complicating CK Hutchison’s proposed $23 billion sale of its global ports business to a consortium led by BlackRock and Mediterranean Shipping Company. In a ruling issued after what it called “extensive deliberation,” the court found the laws and state…

Prominent rights activist Sarah Bireete, detained on December 30 after questioning the accuracy of the voter register ahead of Uganda's January 15 general election, has been granted bail. Bireete, who leads the Centre for Constitutional Governance, faced charges for the alleged unlawful disclosure of voters' information. Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko approved Bireete's release after she met the necessary bail conditions. Her detention sparked widespread condemnation from both local and international human rights…