A year ago, a poolside phone call changed Archie Goodburn’s life. The Scottish 50m breaststroke record holder was dreaming of the Paris Olympics but his training had been hindered by some unusual factors. Seizures. Numbness on his left side. A feeling of deja-vu. He had tests and his scan results were due. When he emerged from his latest session in Edinburgh’s Commonwealth pool, his phone showed a missed call from an unknown number. He called back. The news that followed was devastating. “It was a pretty unlikely time to get a phone call,” Goodburn says, speaking this month at the...

A South African court has halted plans to bury former Zambian President Edgar Lungu at a private ceremony in South Africa just as the ceremony was due to start. This is the latest twist in a row between the government and Lungu’s family over his burial, after the family opted for a private ceremony in South Africa, rather than a full state funeral at home. The Zambian government had filed an urgent case in the Pretoria High Court seeking to stop the burial planned by his family. The court said that the funeral would not go ahead following an “agreement...

When he isn’t preaching the word of God, Reverend Joo Yeong-bong is raising dogs for slaughter. Business is not going well though. In fact, it’s on the brink of becoming illegal. “Since last summer we’ve been trying to sell our dogs, but the traders just keep hesitating,” Mr Joo, 60, tells the BBC. “Not a single one has shown up.” In 2024, the South Korean government implemented a nationwide ban on the sale of dog meat for consumption. The landmark legislation, which was passed last January, gives farmers like Mr Joo until February 2027 to shutter their operations and sell...

Babajide Sanwo-Olu: “Sixty years of experiences, lessons and blessings. I woke up this morning feeling grateful, not just for the years, but for the journey itself. “Today is a moment to pause and reflect. I’ve learned that public service is one of the highest callings. It’s not always easy, but it’s deeply fulfilling. Every day, I wake up knowing there’s more to do, more to give, more to build. “Public service teaches you a great deal. It teaches patience. It teaches you how to listen, and how to keep going even when the path is difficult. I’m still learning. I’m...

“We discussed ways to partner more closely, especially to ensure that our children get the full support of the ministry whenever they need to travel for international chess tournaments.”