Author: Elizabeth Jenrola Oso

Israel has announced an escalation of its military operations in Gaza City, as the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, condemned the approval of a vast new settlement in the West Bank as a “flagrant breach of international law.” What Israel Defence Forces spokesperson said An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson, Effie Defrin, said the military had entered the second phase of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, launched in May, and would intensify strikes on Hamas in Gaza City, describing it as a “stronghold of regime and military terror.” The announcement coincided with a statement from the office of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu,…

Donald Trump is holding back from direct involvement in negotiations to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, instead urging Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy to hold a bilateral meeting before he joins the process. According to administration officials, the president wants the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to meet face-to-face as the next stage towards peace, with the prospect of a trilateral summit involving him only after such talks take place. In a radio interview on Tuesday, Trump said he believed it would be better for the two men to meet without him initially. “I just want to see what happens at…

Brazilian authorities have suspended one of the most significant agreements safeguarding the Amazon rainforest, the soy moratorium, raising fears of renewed destruction on a vast scale. The move, which conservation groups described as a devastating setback, comes less than three months before Brazil hosts the Cop30 climate summit in Belém. The decision could open an area the size of Portugal to clearance for farming, prompting warnings that the country risks undermining its own climate commitments. The moratorium, introduced in 2006, was a voluntary pact between farmers, traders, environmentalists and multinational food companies including Cargill and McDonald’s. Under the agreement, soybeans…

The World Health Organisation has warned that corporal punishment poses a serious global public health threat, harming children’s physical and mental wellbeing and increasing the risk of later criminal behaviour. A new WHO report found that children exposed to corporal punishment were 24% less likely to be developmentally on track compared with those who were not. The study examined data from 49 low and middle income countries. Corporal punishment, defined as “any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light”, affects an estimated 1.2 billion children worldwide each year.…

Frank Caprio, the retired Rhode Island municipal judge who became an online sensation for his compassionate approach on the television series Caught in Providence, has died aged 88. His family confirmed on his official social media accounts that he “passed away peacefully” following “a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.” Caprio presided over Providence municipal court for nearly four decades, retiring in 2023. His courtroom became the setting for Caught in Providence, a reality series that won international attention for its sympathetic handling of minor offences. Clips from the programme, often showing Caprio’s humour and kindness, have been viewed…

North Korea has constructed a secret military base close to its frontier with China that may house its latest long-range ballistic missiles, according to new research by a US thinktank.

France has launched an investigation into the death of a man whose violent mistreatment was regularly streamed live on the video platform Kick.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced that major technology companies, including Google, Microsoft and TikTok, deactivated more than 13.5 million accounts in 2024 in line with Nigeria’s Code of Practice for online safety. The disclosure came following the submission of the 2024 compliance reports under the Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms and Internet Intermediaries, a regulatory framework jointly issued by NITDA, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) The Code requires large platforms to register in Nigeria, comply with local laws, pay relevant taxes and adopt measures to protect users…

Online forums debated whether criticising recent US military actions abroad, or sharing satirical posts about politicians, could fall within the new criteria.

Dozens of Microsoft employees staged an occupation at the company’s east campus in Redmond, Washington, protesting against what they claim is the use of its technology by the Israeli military in Gaza and the surveillance of Palestinians.