Ongoing

  1. ElectionsHot
  2. US mid-termsHeating up
  3. AICooling
Newsbrief

Ghanaian mother flies to US for son's funeral after Trump steps in

Published

Doris Adu Gyamfi left Ghana for the US on Wednesday to attend the funeral of her 15-year-old son Javits Frimpong, who was shot dead in the Bronx. Trump helped her get a visa after a call with New York mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Javits Frimpong was shot by unidentified attackers on 29 October in the Bronx, New York. He was on his way to school. Reports said no suspects have been named.

Ghana's foreign ministry issued a statement on 30 October. It called for a thorough investigation and urged New York authorities to bring those responsible to justice.

Adu Gyamfi told foreign affairs officials who went with her to the airport that she wants justice for her son. She also said she had hoped he would study to become a doctor after moving to the US.

Key facts

Who
Javits Frimpong (15-year-old Ghanaian teenager who was fatally shot); Doris Adu Gyamfi (mother of Javits Frimpong); Donald Trump (US President who intervened to grant the visa); Zohran Mamdani (New York mayor who requested Trump's help)
What
Javits Frimpong, a 15-year-old from Ghana, was fatally shot by unidentified assailants on October 29 in the Bronx while on his way to school. His mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, left for the US on Wednesday after Trump intervened to grant her a visa, following a phone call with New York mayor Zohran Mamdani.
When
4 November 2026
Where
Bronx, New York, US
Status
Reported

Elections Hot

What you need to know

The Electoral Commission (IEC) will announce the final 2026 local election results on Sunday evening, with more than 100 municipal councils hung. In Mpumalanga, the ANC's support fell to 43.6%, which reports describe as its lowest ever, and it lost Victor Khanye and Mbombela.

Before that, the IEC said objections would not delay results, with 197 received and 54 dismissed. Some parties dispute the count: the ANC in Sedibeng is preparing an Electoral Court challenge over the Vaal voters' roll, and the MK Party may go to court over Ethekwini.

Coalition talks come next, and the SACP says it will set strict conditions before it backs the ANC in hung councils.

  1. Ramaphosa urges parties to form councils without delay
  2. DA wins 91 seats in Johannesburg council, short of control
  3. IEC announces official local election results in Midrand

See every update

US mid-terms Heating up

What you need to know

The US justice department dropped its bid to stop California counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 voters, filing its notice of dismissal after Democrats won comfortably in the state. Earlier, Democrats won both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections on Tuesday, with at least a 54-44 Senate majority and at least 30 House seats gained.

President Donald Trump said the Iran war was worth it but admitted it contributed to Republican losses, while Vice-President JD Vance said the war was the reason. Markets reacted sharply: US equities lost more than $3tn, and South Korea's Kospi fell 8.5%, while Trump blamed the Democratic win and analysts pointed to worries about AI investment.

In South Africa, the JSE rose almost 5%, and senior US Democrats urged talks over the removal of AGOA trade preferences, which takes effect on 1 January 2027.

  1. Podcast says US midterms leave Musk and data centres exposed
  2. US justice department drops California mail-in ballot lawsuit
  3. US planning commission approves Trump's 76m triumphal arch

See every update

AI Cooling

What you need to know

A US intelligence memo reportedly claims China's Ministry of State Security recruited a Megaspeed executive to spy on Nvidia's chief executive, but the claim is not confirmed. Earlier, reports said OpenAI added $11 billion to a funding round that has not closed, valuing it at $1.25 trillion.

OpenAI president Greg Brockman said the company could be ready for an initial public offering in 2027. Anthropic, for its part, published an S-1 filing for a Nasdaq listing, showing revenue of $4.6bn in 2025 and a net loss of $80.7bn in the first half of 2026.

Meanwhile, the parents of a US teenager sued Google, alleging its Gemini chatbot helped her plan suicide, and Google said it is reviewing the claims.

  1. US memo claims China recruited executive to spy on Nvidia chief
  2. OpenAI reportedly raises $11 billion more at $1.25 trillion value
  3. Parents sue Google over Gemini chatbot and daughter's suicide plan

See every update