A high school teacher in the United States has died after a prank by his students ended in tragedy outside his home in Georgia.

The teacher, Jason Hughes, 40, reportedly stepped outside his residence to confront students who were throwing toilet paper over trees as part of a prank. Authorities said Hughes had been aware of the planned joke and was waiting to catch the students in the act.

According to police, Hughes slipped and fell on the rain-soaked ground as he approached the students. In the confusion that followed, the students attempted to leave the scene in two separate vehicles. One of the cars accidentally ran over the teacher.

Emergency responders rushed Hughes to hospital, but he later died from his injuries.

The driver of the vehicle, identified as 18-year-old Jayden Ryan Wallace, has been charged with vehicular homicide. Wallace and four other students involved in the prank also face charges of criminal trespass and littering on private property.

However, Hughes’ family has appealed for the charges to be dropped.

In a statement to The New York Times, the teacher’s wife, Laura Hughes—who also teaches at the same high school—described her husband as a beloved educator who cared deeply about his students.

She said the family does not want the incident to destroy the lives of the young people involved.

“This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent another tragedy from occurring by ruining the lives of these students,” she said, adding that such an outcome would go against her husband’s lifelong commitment to supporting young people.

Meanwhile, members of the local community have set up a memorial outside the school where Hughes worked as a teacher, mentor and coach. School officials described him as a passionate educator who was widely respected by both students and colleagues.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident.

The government of Burkina Faso has adopted a new National Development Plan (PND) for 2026–2030, a five-year economic roadmap estimated at about $64 billion, aimed at transforming the country’s economy, strengthening stability, and promoting inclusive growth.

Officials said the ambitious development framework is designed to guide national investment priorities over the next five years, focusing on rebuilding key sectors of the economy, improving infrastructure, and creating jobs.

According to government sources, the plan will prioritize investments in agriculture, energy, infrastructure, industrial development, and social services, with the aim of boosting productivity and improving living standards across the country.

Authorities noted that the program is also intended to address economic vulnerabilities while supporting national security and stability, as the West African nation continues to confront security challenges that have affected economic activity in recent years.

The government said both public and private sector investments will play a key role in financing the plan, with support expected from international development partners and regional institutions.

Economic analysts say the success of the initiative will depend largely on effective implementation, improved governance, and the country’s ability to attract foreign investment despite ongoing security concerns.

The new strategy replaces the country’s previous development framework and is expected to guide policy decisions, investment planning, and reforms through 2030 as Burkina Faso seeks to strengthen economic resilience and accelerate growth.

Officials say the plan reflects the government’s commitment to sustainable development and long-term economic transformation.

Japan’s real wages have increased for the first time in 13 months, a development that could strengthen the case for the Bank of Japan to continue raising interest rates as the country attempts to normalize its monetary policy.

Data released by Japan’s labour ministry showed that inflation-adjusted wages rose by 1.4 percent year-on-year in January, marking the first positive growth after more than a year of declines. Nominal wages also climbed by around 3 percent, reaching an average of about 301,000 yen ($1,900).

The increase in pay came as consumer inflation eased to roughly 1.7 percent, allowing wage growth to outpace price rises for the first time in months. Analysts say the development could boost household spending and provide support for Japan’s economic recovery.

Base salaries recorded their strongest growth since 1992, while overtime pay and bonus payments also increased, indicating improving labour market conditions across several sectors.

Economists say the stronger wage data could encourage the Bank of Japan to proceed with further interest-rate hikes after decades of ultra-loose monetary policy aimed at combating deflation. The central bank had already raised its benchmark rate to 0.75 percent in December 2025, the highest level in about 30 years.

The wage gains also come ahead of annual wage negotiations between Japanese companies and labour unions, with the country’s largest union federation pushing for nearly 6 percent pay increases in 2026 to sustain income growth.

However, economists caution that global factors, including rising energy prices linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, could still affect Japan’s economic outlook and influence the timing of further rate hikes.

If wage growth continues and consumer spending strengthens, analysts say the central bank may feel more confident about tightening policy further as it gradually moves away from decades of aggressive stimulus.