Experts uncover evidence of ancient Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians

Archaeologists excavating the City of David in Israel’s Jerusalem Walls National Park have uncovered charred wood, grape seeds, pottery, fish scales and bones and numerous rare artifacts that date back to the city’s demise at the hands of the Babylonians more than 2,600 years ago.

Among the findings, which depict the affluence and character of ancient Jerusalem, capital of the Judean Kingdom, were dozens of jars used to store grain and liquids. Many of them have stamped handles and seals that depict a rosette.

Trump: Transgender people 'can't serve' in US military

US President Donald Trump says transgender people cannot serve in "any capacity" in the military.

He tweeted that he had consulted with military experts and cited "tremendous medical costs and disruption".

The Obama administration decided last year to allow transgender people to serve openly in the military.

But in June, Defence Secretary James Mattis agreed to a six-month delay in the recruitment of transgender people.

How has Mr Trump justified his decision?

Supreme Court’s verdict ends 14-month battle in PDP

Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmed Makarfi (right); Committee Secretary, Senator Ben Obi and others after the ruling of the Supreme Court on the leadership tussle of the party in Abuja …yesterday. PHOTO LUCY: LADIDI ELUKPO.

• Judges declare Makarfi authentic chair, upturn appeal court judgment

• It’s victory for democracy, say party chiefs Obi, Ihedioha, Metuh

The Supreme Court yesterday ended a 14-month leadership squabble within the country’s main opposition — the Peoples Democratic Party — and gave it a new lease of life ahead of an important general election in 2019.

Senator Ahmed Makarfi, the former governor of Kaduna State and his counterpart from Borno, Senator Alli-Modu Sheriff, have been locked in a protracted legal battle for the soul of the party, forcing the main opposition to lose critical elections, including governorship seats in Edo and Ondo states and legislative seats in many others.

Across the country, the opposition party has been grappling with a loss of membership to President Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) after it suffered an embarrassing defeat in the 2015 presidential election under the leadership of former President Goodluck Jonathan and had to face the ruling party’s crackdown on corruption. The campaign trains of selected PDP candidates in the affected states lost steam as rival candidates arose within the party to challenge the credibility of the faction that nominated them for the election. In many of the instances, as was the case in Ondo, the litigations were resolved few days to the election, giving candidates in rival political parties a better chance of winning the elections.

Mystery of the missing president fuels political intrigue in Nigeria

High hopes for Muhammadu Buhari’s four-year term have diminished at the midpoint after months spent on medical leave

 President Muhammadu Buhari seen addressing members of his cabinet on his return to Abuja in March. He has since headed back to London. Photograph: Sunday Aghaeze/AFP/Getty Images

Nigeria’s ailing president has not been seen in two months and has spent over a third of the year so far abroad, with no known plans to return.

More than a month since the two-year midpoint of his presidency, Muhammadu Buhari is still in London receiving treatment for a mystery illness that many believe to be cancer.

Falana: man giving Igbo quit notice lives in Lagos

Rights activist and constitutional lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) said yesterday that the leader of the northern youth group that issued a three months ultimatum to the Igbo to vacate the North does not live in the North, but in Lagos.

Falana however said the restructuring and true federalism must be resolved now for Nigeria to make progress. He spoke at a news conference organised by organised labour in Abuja.

To Falana, it is laughable that certain individuals will sit down in the comfort of their homes to issue ultimatum to others to vacate their land.

He said: “The founding fathers of our country opted for federalism. Ours is not the only federation in the world. The United States that we copy almost recklessly is a federation of over 50 states. If you look at the motto of the United States, it is out of many, one nation has emerged.

Turkish schools to stop teaching evolution, official says

Board of education chairman says subject is debatable, controversial and too complicated for students

Evolution will no longer be taught in Turkish schools, a senior education official has said, in a move likely to raise the ire of the country’s secular opposition.

Alpaslan Durmuş, who chairs the board of education, said evolution was debatable, controversial and too complicated for students. 

To remain one of us, close Al Jazeera TV, Arab states tell Qatar

The Arab States have counselled Qatar to shut down Al Jazeera Televison for good if it wants to remain a part of the influential Middle East body.

This is one of the 13-point agenda handed down to Qatar, which is currently facing diplomatic row with many countries, including its brother Arab states.

The Saudi Arabia-led alliance regards Al Jazeera, the most widely watched broadcaster in the Arab world, as a propaganda tool for Islamists, which they believe also undermines support for their governments.