Author: Elizabeth Jenrola Oso

Israel has announced it will suspend the operations of dozens of humanitarian organisations working in Gaza within 36 hours, citing their failure to comply with new registration requirements that demand detailed personal information on Palestinian and international staff. Among the organisations affected are some of the world’s best-known aid groups, including ActionAid, the International Rescue Committee and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The decision, announced on Tuesday by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, comes as fierce winter storms have destroyed thousands of tents across Gaza, worsening an already dire humanitarian situation. Foreign ministers from 10 countries have voiced alarm over what…

Mali and Burkina Faso have announced that they will ban US citizens from entering their countries, in retaliation for a decision by Donald Trump to block Malian and Burkinabe nationals from travelling to the United States. The announcements were made on Tuesday in separate statements issued by the foreign ministries of the two west African nations, marking a further deterioration in relations between military-led governments in the region and Washington. On 16 December, Trump expanded existing US travel restrictions to include 20 additional countries, among them Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. All three are governed by military juntas and have…

Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and a central figure in the country’s politics for more than three decades, Khaleda Zia, has died aged 80. Her death was announced on Tuesday morning by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which she led for many years. Zia was one of the most influential and polarising figures in Bangladesh since independence, with her long-running rivalry with Sheikh Hasina shaping the country’s political life for a generation. She was the widow of Ziaur Rahman, a former president and military leader who played a key role in Bangladesh’s struggle for democracy before being assassinated in a…

News of a fatal car crash in Nigeria involving a former heavyweight champion, Antony Joshua has drawn attention away from boxing schedules and future bouts, placing the focus firmly on loss and perspective. The incident claimed two lives while investigations are ongoing. The news prompted reactions from across the combat sports world, with many figures stressing that the tragedy outweighs any sporting considerations. Jake Paul was among those to respond publicly. In a message shared shortly after reports emerged involving Anthony Joshua, Paul wrote: “Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and…

Saudi Arabia carried out airstrikes on Yemen’s port city of Mukalla on Tuesday, saying it was targeting a shipment of weapons destined for a separatist force and allegedly delivered from the United Arab Emirates. The UAE did not immediately acknowledge the strike. The attack marks a sharp escalation in tensions between Riyadh and the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group backed by Abu Dhabi. It also highlights growing strains between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, long-time allies who have supported rival factions in Yemen’s decade-long war. In a statement published by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi military…

She is also reported to have earned about $50m for her 2024 “Beyoncé Bowl” half-time performance.

Pelosi announced in November that she would retire at the end of her current term in early 2027.

Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet Donald Trump at the US president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Monday evening, amid growing concern that Israel could launch new military offensives against regional adversaries, further destabilising the Middle East. The Israeli prime minister left Israel on Sunday for his fifth visit to see Trump in the United States this year. A central focus of the talks will be the Gaza ceasefire, which came into force in October and brought an end to a devastating two-year war. While the initial phase of the agreement has largely been implemented, serious obstacles remain to advancing…

China has launched large-scale live-fire military drills around Taiwan, simulating a blockade of key ports, strikes on maritime targets and the deterrence of international involvement, in what Beijing described as a warning to “separatist” forces on the island. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said naval, air force and rocket units were deployed on Monday morning to surround Taiwan. Chinese coast guard vessels were also sent to conduct what Beijing called “law enforcement inspections” in waters around Taiwan’s outlying islands. The exercise, named Justice Mission 2025, was described by the PLA’s eastern theatre command as a “stern warning” to Taiwan independence…

Brigitte Bardot, the French actor and singer who became one of the most recognisable sex symbols of the 20th century before abandoning cinema for animal rights activism, has died aged 91. Her death was announced on Sunday by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in a statement sent to Agence France-Presse. No details were given about when or where she died. Tributes poured in from across France’s political and cultural spectrum. President Emmanuel Macron said Bardot had “embodied a life of freedom” and described her as “a legend of the century”. Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally party, which Bardot…