Anthony Joshua has shared his first public update since being injured in a car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his close friends, offering a poignant glimpse into his recovery and solidarity with the families affected.

The 36-year-old British boxer was a passenger in a Lexus SUV that collided with a stationary truck on a major expressway near Lagos. The crash resulted in the deaths of Joshua’s close friends and long-time team members, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, a loss that has deeply affected both Joshua and the wider boxing community.

On Sunday morning, Joshua posted two photographs on Instagram, marking his first social media activity since the incident. One image shows him seated alongside his mother and members of the victims’ families, including the mothers of Ghami and Ayodele. In the photograph, one family member is seen holding a framed picture of Ghami, underscoring the shared grief and mutual support among those closest to the victims.

The post was accompanied by a short but powerful caption: “My Brothers Keeper.” The message was widely interpreted as a tribute to the bond he shared with his friends and a reflection of his commitment to standing with their families during a profoundly difficult period.

The former two-time heavyweight world champion was taken to hospital following the crash and was discharged on Wednesday. He has since returned to the UK, where he continues to recover surrounded by family. The funerals of Ghami and Ayodele took place at a London mosque on Sunday, bringing together friends, relatives and members of the boxing world to pay their respects.

Meanwhile, legal proceedings related to the crash are under way in Nigeria. The driver of the vehicle, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, was charged at Sagamu Magistrates’ Court on Friday. The charges include causing death by dangerous driving. He was granted bail of five million naira (£2,578) and remanded pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions. The case has been adjourned until 20 January.

Joshua’s connection to the area remains deeply personal. Born in Watford, he has family roots in Sagamu, a town in Ogun State located near the crash site. That connection has added another layer of significance to the tragedy, while also highlighting the strong ties between the boxer and the community.

Swiss police have identified the bodies of 16 additional victims following the devastating fire at a bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, bringing greater clarity to families and authorities as the investigation continues.

Among the newly identified victims is a 14-year-old Swiss girl, the youngest confirmed so far. Police said that nine of the victims were under the age of 18. The group reflects the international nature of the resort, with victims holding Swiss, Italian, Romanian, Turkish and French nationalities.

With these latest identifications, the total number of people formally confirmed to have died in the fire now stands at 24. One of those identified is 16-year-old Swiss national Arthur Brodard, a fact confirmed by his mother. Each identification, while deeply painful, represents an important step in providing certainty to grieving families.

Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into those responsible for operating Le Constellation bar, as they seek to establish the circumstances that led to the tragedy. The process is ongoing, and investigators are working methodically to determine accountability and prevent similar incidents in the future.

For many families, the wait for news remains agonising, as some people are still officially listed as missing. Police acknowledged the emotional toll on relatives and said no further details about the identities of the victims would be released at this stage, out of respect for the privacy and dignity of those affected.

Despite dramatic statements from US President Donald Trump suggesting that Washington will “run” Venezuela following the detention of Nicolás Maduro in New York, the reality on the ground remains unchanged: power in Caracas is still firmly in the hands of Maduro’s allies, not the United States.

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, is not a peripheral figure but a long-standing and influential member of Maduro’s inner circle of loyalists. Her position was formalised through a swearing-in by the Supreme Court, an institution widely regarded as loyal to Maduro’s political movement and dominated by his supporters. This process underscores the fact that Venezuela’s governing structures continue to operate under the control of those aligned with the former president.

It is therefore important to emphasise that, notwithstanding Trump’s rhetoric, the US does not currently exercise direct authority over Venezuela. Rodríguez and other Maduro allies remain in charge of state institutions and decision-making. While Rodríguez has publicly stated that Venezuela would defend itself against external pressure, Trump has hinted that cooperation could still emerge, particularly in areas of strategic interest such as increased US access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.

At present, US influence is not being exerted through military deployment. There are no American troops on Venezuelan soil, although Trump has not ruled out that possibility in the future. Instead, Washington appears to be relying on a different and highly symbolic form of leverage. The image of Maduro being taken into US custody and held in a New York detention centre has been presented as a powerful signal to those who remain loyal to him.

For Maduro’s allies, the message is clear. They are likely to be acutely aware that they, too, could face legal and political consequences if they resist US demands. While they retain formal control of the Venezuelan state, questions inevitably arise about how much freedom they feel they have to openly defy Washington’s pressure. On paper, authority remains theirs; in practice, the psychological impact of Maduro’s detention may weigh heavily on their calculations.

Maduro himself has been charged by US authorities with a range of serious offences, including “narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States”. Summarising these allegations, President Trump described them as evidence of Maduro’s “campaign of deadly narco-terrorism” directed at the US and its citizens.

Maduro has consistently denied the accusations, rejecting claims that he led or coordinated a drug cartel.