Author: Elizabeth Jenrola Oso

Sébastien Lecornu has been appointed France’s fifth prime minister in two years, assuming office on Wednesday against a backdrop of widespread anti-government demonstrations that underscored the country’s deepening political crisis. Lecornu, a conservative ally of President Emmanuel Macron and former defence minister, arrived at the Hôtel de Matignon at midday to meet his predecessor, François Bayrou. Bayrou was removed from office by parliament on Monday following controversy over plans to reduce France’s substantial budget deficit. In his first remarks, Lecornu pledged a “profound break” with previous administrations and promised to outline his political approach “in the coming days”. He said…

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has urged the suspension of free trade with Israel, citing Europe’s “painful” inability to respond effectively to the war in Gaza and the resulting humanitarian crisis.

A South Korean court has overturned the 1965 conviction of Choi Mal-ja, a woman who was found guilty six decades ago of causing grievous bodily harm after biting off part of a man’s tongue during an alleged sexual assault. The Busan District Court ruled on Wednesday that Choi’s actions constituted justifiable self-defence under South Korean law. The incident occurred in 1964 when Choi, then 19, was attacked by a 21-year-old man in the southern town of Gimhae. According to court records, the man pinned her to the ground and repeatedly forced his tongue into her mouth, at one point obstructing…

Poland activated its own and NATO air defences on Wednesday morning to intercept and destroy multiple drones that entered its airspace, in what officials described as the most serious spillover of Russia’s war on Ukraine into NATO territory since the full-scale invasion began more than three years ago. Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened an emergency meeting of the council of ministers at 8am local time and said he was in constant contact with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “We are dealing with a large-scale provocation… We are ready to repel such provocations. The situation is serious, and no one doubts…

US President Donald Trump has called on the European Union to impose tariffs of up to 100% on imports from India and China in a bid to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, according to multiple media reports. The proposal was made during a meeting in Washington on Tuesday between senior US and EU officials to discuss further measures aimed at tightening economic restrictions on Moscow. The Financial Times, BBC and Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the talks, reported that the Trump administration is prepared to act immediately if European partners agree to…

A flotilla attempting to break Israel’s aid blockade of Gaza has claimed it was targeted by a drone for the second time in less than a day. The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), carrying pro-Palestinian activists including Greta Thunberg, said in a statement early on Wednesday that one of its vessels, the British-flagged Alma, was struck while moored in the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said. The group alleged that a drone dropped an incendiary device onto the boat, causing a fire on its top deck. No injuries were reported and the vessel sustained no structural damage. A video posted by…

Six people have been shot dead in two days in a crime-ridden area of Cape Town, intensifying concerns over the city’s entrenched gang-related violence. Police said that at 11.30pm on Monday, two women aged 19 and 25 were killed and a 24-year-old woman injured in a shooting in Wallacedene, an informal settlement on the city’s north-eastern outskirts. Around ten minutes later, two other women in their 20s were found shot in the head in a bedroom in the same area. Investigators believe the incidents may be linked. The killings followed the deaths of two people, aged 20 and 22, in…

The World Health Organization Foundation has accepted an increasing volume of undisclosed corporate donations since its creation in 2020, prompting warnings from public health experts and campaigners about the potential influence of big business on the UN agency’s work. According to a new report by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, the foundation received approximately $83m (£65m) from corporate donors by the end of 2023, with the identities of contributors withheld for around 60 per cent of that sum. The proportion of anonymous donations has grown sharply, accounting for 80 per cent of the foundation’s income in 2023, compared with…

Apple is preparing to unveil what is expected to be its thinnest iPhone yet during its annual product event on Tuesday. The presentation, promoted under the tagline “awe-dropping”, will take place at the Steve Jobs Theatre at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, at 10am Pacific Time. The forthcoming iPhone 17 range is anticipated to include the standard, Pro and Pro Max models, alongside a new addition named the iPhone Air. Industry observers believe the iPhone Air will be the lightest flagship handset Apple has produced, drawing comparisons with the company’s slim MacBook Air laptops. Apple has not confirmed the…

A Gaza-bound flotilla carrying humanitarian aid and pro-Palestinian activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, has alleged that one of its vessels was struck by a drone while docked in Tunisia. The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) released footage appearing to show a flaming object hitting the Family Boat at Sidi Bou Said port, near Tunis. The Portuguese-flagged vessel was carrying six passengers and crew, all of whom were unharmed. Dozens of supporters gathered at the port following the incident, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Free Palestine”. Organisers said Thunberg had been aboard the vessel earlier in the mission but was…