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NewsFeedSeveral recent elections have strengthened conservative forces across parts of Latin America. But is the region really shifting to the right? Al Jazeera’s Hannah Raslan looks at what’s driving voters and what it could mean for the region.Published On 15 Jul 202615 Jul 2026Click here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharegoogleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo

Nigeria’s healthcare system may need more hospitals and doctors, but fixing the industry’s hidden operational inefficiencies will have a bigger impact on improving patient care than simply building new health facilities, according to health technology company Medismarts. The company said while conversations around healthcare reform often focus on expanding infrastructure and increasing funding, the real challenge slowing healthcare delivery lies in the administrative processes that happen before and after a patient receives treatment. From patient verification and health insurance approvals to claims processing, reconciliation and payments, these behind-the-scenes activities determine how quickly patients receive care and how efficiently hospitals, healthcare…

The Star Wars director, George Lucas, has added his voice to the growing chorus of film-makers receptive to the rising use of AI tools in moviemaking.Speaking in an interview with A Rabbit’s Foot, Lucas, 82, said: “Artificial intelligence means it’s much easier for us to make movies.”Resistance to the technology, he said, was “very much like sitting here saying: ‘Well, I believe the horse and the buggy is really where it’s at. These cars, they break down, they need gas, there’s all kinds of problems with them and pretty soon they’ll be making them into tanks, and then they’ll be…

Nigel Farage told senior figures in Reform UK he would need “a million a year” to cover lost earnings if he stood for parliament in the 2024 general election, sources have told the Guardian, raising further questions about why he was given £5m by a crypto billionaire.Sources say the discussion took place in March 2024 – shortly before the undeclared gift was made by Christopher Harborne on 5 April, according to the Thailand-based crypto billionaire’s lawyers.At that time Farage believed he would be forced to give up his lucrative GB News presenting role, which then paid him more than £1m…

The felt-tip pen Buzz Aldrin used to fix a broken circuit-breaker and escape from the moon in 1969 has sold at auction in New York for more than $850,000 (£630,000).The dented silver plastic Duro Rocket pen – used by the second man on the moon to save Neil Armstrong and himself from being “stuck on the moon for ever” – had a sale price estimated by Sotheby’s at between $800,000 and $1.2m and went for $857,600 after being pursued by five bidders. The victor got the broken piece of circuit breaker, too, as part of the lot. Both came from…

Soren Waerenskjold caught the big guns by surprise with a long-range sprint to win the fastest-ever stage of the Tour de France.Racing in his fourth Tour, the 26-year-old Norwegian claimed his first stage win and just the second for his team, Uno-X Mobility.Overall race leader Tadej Pogacar remains three minutes and 36 seconds ahead of Jonas Vingegaard in the general classification standings.The peloton completed stage 11 at an average speed of 50.9km per hour, beating the previous record of 50.3kph from 1999.A sprint finish was expected on Wednesday, a flat 161.3km route from Vichy to Nevers, and Cees Bol made…

Multi-genre musician Meshell Ndegeocello is back with a new covers collection. Synonym will feature duets with artists including soul legend Chaka Khan and avant-garde visionary Anohni, and it arrives on Oct. 2 via Blue Note. The lead single, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” featuring Cynthia Erivo, is out now. Synonym is bolstered by duets with artists across several genres. The record features collaborations with Cat Power, Brandi Carlile, Bill Callahan, Lianne La Havas, Moses Sumney, Destin Conrad, Willow, Robert Glasper, Nick Hakim, Madison Cunningham, Laura Lee (of Khruangbin), Chris Thile, Lizz Wright, Emily King, Evann Mcintosh, and Ink.…

NewsFeedA pro-government Yemeni militia said it intercepted a boat carrying ‘weapon-making equipment for the Houthis’ in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The crew has been arrested, and the seized material is under investigation.Published On 15 Jul 202615 Jul 2026Click here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharegoogleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo

Immigration – especially undocumented migration – has become a highly contentious political issue in South Africa, with protesters accusing them of placing pressure on public services, as well as being involved in crime.March and March had set an unofficial deadline of 30 June for all migrants without papers to leave the country. Protesters have promised to stage weekly marches until their demands are met.The South African government has said more than 53,000 foreign nationals have been deported or repatriated since it launched a “migration management” campaign five weeks ago.Xenophobia has long been an issue in South Africa, which is Africa’s…

By Peter Egwuatu Stanbic IBTC Bank has affirmed its commitment to accelerating the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across Nigeria through strategic partnerships with state governments and institutions committed to creating enabling environments for businesses to thrive. The bank made this commitment during its Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour held in Aba, in partnership with the Abia State Government, to deliver business enlightenment sessions, funding masterclasses, enterprise advisory services and capacity-building programmes for entrepreneurs. Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Industry and SMEs, Mazi Michael Enyinnaya Akpara, reiterated Abia State Government’s commitment to building one of Nigeria’s…