NEW ZEALAND: A mountain in New Zealand considered an ancestor by indigenous people has been recognised as a legal person, with a new law granting it all the rights and responsibilities of a human being.

On Thursday, Mount Taranaki, now known as Taranaki Maunga, its Maori name, became the latest natural feature to be granted personhood in New Zealand.

TURKEY: Police fired tear gas to disperse a group of protesters who clashed with officers today outside an Istanbul courthouse while rallying in support of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Mr Imamoglu of the Republican People’s Party, a possible challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was called to testify before prosecutors in connection with comments he made about a chief prosecutor and a court expert. 

BENIN: Two men close to President Patrice Talon were sentenced to 20 years in prison, following their arrest last year on suspicion of plotting a coup in the west African country.

Businessman Olivier Boko, a long-standing friend of Mr Talon, and former sports minister Oswald Homeky were found guilty on Thursday of “conspiracy against state security” and “corruption of a public official” by the court for financial crimes and terrorism in the capital Cotonou.

COLOMBIA: President Gustavo Petro called today on his compatriots working without legal status in the United States to leave their jobs and return home as soon as possible.

“Wealth is only produced by the working people,” he said.

Mr Petro said his government would provide loans to those who take up his offer to return home and enlist in one of its business start-up programmes.