WRAPPING up his first international trip as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday he would like to visit Algeria in 2026 as part of a voyage to Africa, which could be his next overseas destination. “I hope to make a trip to Africa, which could be my next trip,” the US pope said during a press conference aboard the papal plane during his return from a six-day visit to Turkey and Lebanon. “Personally, I hope to go to Algeria to visit the places from the life of Saint Augustine,” he said, in reference to the fifth-century saint from the North…
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ERLING Haaland became the quickest player to reach 100 goals in Premier League history on a night when Manchester City ramped up pressure on leaders Arsenal by fending off Fulham’s impressive fightback. Norway international Haaland got his landmark goal in the 17th minute of Tuesday’s game at Craven Cottage, firing in first time from Jeremy Doku’s cross. It meant he reached the century in 111 league games, 13 fewer than it took previous record holder Alan Shearer. The goal also ended a mini drought for Haaland, having gone three consecutive games without scoring. It was his 15th goal in 14…
ISRAELI forces have killed two Palestinian teenagers in separate incidents in Hebron and Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli army said 17-year-old Muhannad al-Zughair was shot dead in the Abu Daajan area of Hebron after what it claimed was a ramming attack that injured two soldiers. Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Ramallah, said, “We do not know whether that attack occurred because no investigation has been launched.” “The teenager was injured and fled towards Hebron. He was later found and killed inside a car. The body is now being withheld by Israeli forces in what is now…
RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Russia was “ready” for war if Europe seeks one, accusing the continent’s leaders of trying to sabotage a deal on the Ukraine conflict before he met with US envoys. The comments came as US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were in Moscow for high-stakes talks on ending the nearly four-year war, which were preceded by days of intense diplomacy. “We are not planning to go to war with Europe, but if Europe wants to and starts, we are ready right now,” Putin told reporters in Moscow. “They have…
POPULAR Zambian-American influencer and political vlogger has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for hate speech for making insulting remarks about Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema. Zambian-born Ethel Chisono Edwards, who also holds US citizenship and works as an estate agent in New York, has a large following across various social media accounts. Known as “One Boss Lady”, she has become renowned for her rants about the president over the last two years. The 42-year-old was arrested at Zambia’s main airport three months ago after arriving to attend her grandmother’s funeral. She pleaded guilty in a magistrate’s court in the…
A RADIO presenter with South Africa’s public broadcaster has appeared in court on a charge related to the alleged recruitment of men for the Russian military. Nonkululeko Patricia Mantula is among five people who prosecutors say are facing charges for contravening a law which prohibits South Africans from joining a foreign army without official permission. They have not yet been asked to plead. The arrests are the first since the South African government said in November that 17 citizens had “seemingly” been lured to join mercenary forces in the Russia-Ukraine war. Police told the BBC that at this stage, they…
THE White House on Monday confirmed US President Donald Trump would attend the draw for the FIFA World Cup finals in Washington later this week. The United States will co-host the 2026 tournament alongside Canada and Mexico. “On Friday, President Trump will attend the FIFA World Cup final draw at the Kennedy Centre,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. Trump has made the World Cup a centrepiece event of both his second presidency and the 250th anniversary of US independence next year. But the giant sporting extravaganza has not escaped the political turmoil caused by Trump’s hardline stance…
ISRAEL’s defence ministry announced on Monday the completion of a laser air defence system known as “Iron Beam”, which will be deployed by the end of December. “The Iron Beam laser system is expected to fundamentally change the rules of engagement on the battlefield,” Daniel Gold, head of defence ministry research and development, told a defence summit in Tel Aviv. “With development complete and a comprehensive testing programme that has validated the system’s capabilities,” he added, promising to deliver “initial operational capability” by the end of the year. The announcement comes as Israeli military steps up its strikes against the…
A COURT in Dhaka has sentenced former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in absentia to five years in prison and her niece, British MP Tulip Siddiq to two, for corruption in a case involving the acquisition of plots of land. Rabiul Alam, the judge of Dhaka’s Special Judge’s Court, said on Monday that Hasina – who has lived in exile in India since being toppled in an uprising last year misused her power as premier in the transaction. Siddiq, an MP for the United Kingdom’s governing Labour party, was found guilty of corruptly influencing Hasina to help her mother –…
LEFT-WING Cameroonian opposition figure Anicet Ekane has died in detention, five weeks after he was arrested, his lawyers and party have announced. Ekane, 74, was among the leaders of an opposition coalition who endorsed Issa Tchiroma Bakary in October’s presidential election. Tchiroma Bakary says he was the rightful winner of the poll, officially won by 92-year-old incumbent Paul Biya. Tchiroma Bakary has since fled to The Gambia. No official cause of Ekane’s death has been announced. His party has accused the authorities of denying him access to his medication – a charge the government has denied. According to a spokesman…
A DELEGATION from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has visited Guinea-Bissau for mediation talks with leaders of last week’s coup, as regional pressure mounts on the military leaders who seized power after a disputed election. The mission, led by ECOWAS chairman and Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, came to Guinea-Bissau on Monday to urge the military authorities for a “complete restoration of constitutional order.” The military has tightened restrictions in the country, banning all demonstrations and strikes. “We’ve had today very fruitful discussions,” said Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Timothy Musa Kabba. “Both sides have expressed their…
MAKESHIFT striker Mikel Merino scored a crucial equaliser against 10-man Chelsea as leaders Arsenal moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League. The game’s big moment came in the 38th minute, when Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was sent off following a video assistant referee (VAR) review for a late tackle that connected with Merino’s shin – his side’s sixth red card of the season. But 10-man Chelsea took the lead shortly after half-time when Trevoh Chalobah’s flicked header from a corner looped over David Raya and into the bottom corner. Arsenal levelled 11 minutes later when Spain…
ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accused in long-running corruption cases, has submitted a formal pardon request to President Isaac Herzog. “The Office of the President is aware that this is an extraordinary request which carries with it significant implications. After receiving all of the relevant opinions, the president will responsibly and sincerely consider the request,” Herzog’s office said in a statement on Sunday. Netanyahu is up against three separate cases of corruption filed in 2019, which include allegations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. He denies the charges and has pleaded not guilty. Netanyahu’s request came as United States…
POPE Leo XIV arrived in Lebanon on Sunday with a message of peace for the crisis-hit nation, still reeling from a war between Israel and Hezbollah and the conflict’s lingering aftereffects. The pope had previously visited Turkey, where he kicked off his maiden overseas tour after being elected leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics in May. Leo arrived in Beirut shortly before 3:45 pm (13:45 GMT) and was met by officials, including President Joseph Aoun, the Arab world’s only Christian head of state. The two-nation tour is a test for the first American pope, whose understated style contrasts with…
SOUTH African police have arrested four Russia-bound men at Johannesburg’s airport suspected of having signed up to fight for the Russian army, the force said on Saturday. The announcement comes in the wake of revelations that police were investigating a daughter of ex-president Jacob Zuma over claims she was involved in recruiting men to join Russian mercenaries in the Ukraine war. The four, arrested at OR Tambo airport on Thursday and Friday following a tip-off, were to be brought before a court near Johannesburg on Monday. Police suspect them of having breached South Africa’s law against citizens fighting for a…
SENEGAL’s prime minister and Nigeria’s former president have both said they believe the ousting of Guinea-Bissau’s president this week was staged. Umaro Sissoco Embaló’s apparent removal by the military on Wednesday came a day before authorities were due to announce election results. The military has since suspended the electoral process and blocked the release of the results, insisting it thwarted a plot to destabilise the politically unstable country. Senegal’s PM Ousmane Sonko and Nigeria’s ex-leader Goodluck Jonathan did not provide evidence to support their claim that the coup was fabricated. Embaló has previously faced accusations of using crises to quash…
PHIL Foden spared Manchester City’s blushes with the last-gasp winner after the Premier League title challengers blew a two-goal lead in a dramatic 3-2 win over lowly Leeds on Saturday. Pep Guardiola’s side were in danger of losing more ground in the title race following a second half collapse at the Etihad Stadium. Foden and Josko Gvardiol put City two up before the interval, but third-bottom Leeds hit back through Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha. Foden clinched a nerve-jangling victory that lifted City into second place, four points behind leaders Arsenal, who travel to third-placed Chelsea on Sunday. It was…
THE death toll from Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza has surpassed 70,000, the Health Ministry in the enclave says, as Israeli military attacks continue. The ministry said on Saturday that at least 70,100 people have been killed across the Gaza Strip since Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza began on October 7, 2023. More than 170,900 others have been wounded. The grim milestone comes as Israel has continued to launch attacks on Gaza despite a United States-brokered ceasefire with Hamas that came into effect last month. Medics reported earlier on Saturday that two…
A RUSSIAN attack on Ukraine has killed six people and wounded dozens of others, officials said, while emergency crews restored power to more than 400,000 households in Kyiv after strikes on the grid, as the US attempts to broker peace talks. “While everyone is discussing points of peace plans, Russia continues to pursue its ‘war plan’ of two points: to kill and destroy,” Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Saturday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had launched about 36 missiles and nearly 600 drones in the attack. The Kyiv City Military Administration said two people…
GUINEA-BISSAU’s former president, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, has travelled to the Republic of Congo, the AFP and Associated Press news agencies are reporting, days after he was deposed in a military coup. Califa Soares Cassama, Embalo’s chief of staff, confirmed to AP that the former president was in the Congolese capital, Brazzaville. Unnamed Congolese government sources also told AFP that Embalo was in Brazzaville. Embalo had initially sought refuge in neighbouring Senegal after a group of military officers on Wednesday announced that they had taken “full control” of Guinea-Bissau ahead of the release of provisional presidential election results. The true motives…