Author: Editor

STRASBOURG manager Liam Rosenior is the leading contender for the Chelsea job vacated by Enzo Maresca. Former Leicester boss Maresca, 45, left his role as Chelsea head coach on Thursday amid internal tensions with the club’s hierarchy and ownership. The process to replace the Italian is under way, and it is understood Englishman Rosenior is the frontrunner, though sources have stressed other candidates are also under consideration. Rosenior’s current employers are owned by investment vehicle BlueCo – the consortium set up to purchase Chelsea in 2022. The 41-year-old, who previously managed Hull, has significant backing internally at Chelsea and it…

SEVERAL countries in the Middle East and Asia have called on Israel to allow “immediate, full, and unhindered” deliveries of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as winter storms lash the bombarded Palestinian enclave. In a statement on Friday, the foreign ministers of Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, Pakistan and Indonesia warned that “deteriorating” conditions in Gaza had left nearly 1.9 million displaced Palestinians particularly vulnerable. “Flooded camps, damaged tents, the collapse of damaged buildings, and exposure to cold temperatures coupled with malnutrition, have significantly heightened risks to civilian lives,” the statement reads. They called…

PACKED with missile tests, propaganda hailing the great leaders and tirades against the United States, North Korea’s top newspaper was long considered so incendiary that South Korea banned its citizens from reading it. But dovish President Lee Jae Myung is now seeking better ties with Pyongyang and has joked that he does not believe the public will “become commies” by reading the Rodong Sinmun. That means from this week, South Koreans can access the publication, whose name means “Workers’ Newspaper” — at select locations without state approval. Prospective readers no longer have to identify themselves and submit an application explaining…

AT least seven people have died and many others are missing after a boat carrying about 200 migrants attempting to reach Europe capsized off the coast of The Gambia, authorities say. The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight near Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found “grounded on a sandbank”, the country’s defence ministry said in a statement. Ninety-six people have been rescued so far and a search is continuing for other passengers who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was heading towards Spain’s Canary Islands. The perilous journey over the Atlantic Ocean has become an…

GABON’s President Brice Oligui Nguema started the New Year with a major government reshuffle. It’s the latest step in the consolidating the political transition underway since the Nguema took power in 2023. Hughes Alexandre Barro Chambrier becomes Vice-President of the Republic, while Hermann Immongault leaves the Ministry of Interior to take over as Vice-President of the government. Immongault’s promotion is being seen as a reward for managing September’s legislative and parliamentary elections, which resulted in Nguema’s Democratic Union of Builders winning 101 of the 145 parliamentary seats. Nguema also signed a decree formalising the make up of the new government.…

GABON’s sports minister has announced the banning of veteran players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga, the suspension of the whole national team, and the sacking of the coaching staff following the Panthers’ disastrous showing at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). An injury-time winner by Bazoumana Toure condemned Gabon to a 3-2 defeat against defending champions Ivory Coast at the AFCON on Wednesday. A third consecutive defeat in as many outings ensured that they finished rock bottom of Group F, below heavyweights Ivory Coast and Cameroon, but also Mozambique. “Given the Panthers’ disgraceful performance at the AFCON, the government…

ISRAELI forces have killed a Palestinian child in northern Gaza as hundreds of thousands of families across the bombarded enclave continue to reel from Israel’s continued restrictions on shelter supplies and other humanitarian aid. A medical source at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City told Al Jazeera on Thursday that the child – identified as Youssef Ahmed al-Shandaghli was killed by Israeli forces in the Jabalia an-Nazla area in the north of the territory. The exact circumstances surrounding the boy’s killing were not immediately clear. It comes as Israel has continued to carry out attacks across Gaza despite a United States-brokered…

AT least six people have been killed as demonstrations over the soaring cost of living in Iran spread to more parts of the country. At least three people were killed and 17 others were injured at protests in the city of Azna in Lorestan province, some 300km (185 miles) southwest of Tehran, Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency reported on Thursday. Videos shared online appeared to show objects in the street ablaze and gunfire echoing as people shouted: “Shameless! Shameless!” Earlier, Fars said two people were killed during protests in the city of Lordegan, about 470km (290 miles) south of the…

SOMALILAND has rejected accusations that it agreed to host Israeli military facilities and resettle displaced Palestinians from Gaza in exchange for recognition by Israel. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday dismissed the claims as baseless, saying its engagement with Israel was “purely diplomatic” and conducted “in full respect of international law”. The denial came in response to allegations by Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who told Al Jazeera that Somaliland had accepted three conditions from Israel: The resettlement of Palestinians, the establishment of a military base on the Gulf of Aden coast, and joining the Abraham Accords to normalise…

ON the outskirts of Kosti, a city in south-central Sudan that has transformed into a giant way station for the desperate, Aziza sits with her children on the open sandy ground. There are no walls to protect them, and no roof to shield them from the sun or extreme weather. After a long and harrowing journey escaping the war, Aziza and her family have been reduced to sleeping under thin sheets repurposed into a basic shelter. Aziza spoke briefly, only touching on the desperation of her situation. “There is no man to lead us; our sons are in one place,…

ENZO Maresca has left his role as Chelsea manager with the club sitting fifth in the Premier League. The Italian, 45, departs less than six months after winning the Club World Cup at the end of his first season at Stamford Bridge. “With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the Club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track,” Chelsea said. The Blues have won just one of their past seven league matches and took only six points from six games…

ANTOINE Semenyo’s future is entering a crucial 48 hours, with the Bournemouth attacker eager to have his departure concluded by 1 January. BBC Sport reported last week that Manchester City’s move for the player, who has a £65m release clause, is at an advanced stage following discussions between his representatives and the Etihad club. It is understood further discussions between parties are scheduled to take place in the next two days with a view to wrapping up Semenyo’s move to the Etihad. But until a deal is signed, Semenyo’s future remains open. Indeed, it still remains to be seen as…

ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reached the end of his latest trip to the United States and appears to have gained what he wants from President Donald Trump. Trump hailed Netanyahu after their meeting on Monday, calling him a “hero” and saying Israel and by extension its prime minister had “lived up to the plan 100 percent” in reference to the US president’s signature Gaza ceasefire. That is despite reports emerging last week that US officials were growing frustrated over Netanyahu’s apparent “slow walking” of the 20-point ceasefire plan imposed by the US administration in October – suspecting that…

IRANIAN protesters demonstrating over economic hardship and a plummeting currency attempted to break into a local government building as the unrest continued for a fourth day. State media reported on Wednesday an organised group of “rioters” attempted to get into the local governorate building in Fasa in the southern province of Fars. Footage broadcast showed a group of people trying to break open the gate of the building. “Their attack failed with the intervention of security forces,” state media said. “The leader of these rioters, a 28-year-old woman, was arrested.” The semi-official Tasnim news agency cited a local official ‍as…

MALI and Burkina Faso say they will bar US citizens from entering their countries in response to a similar move by the Trump administration. The two West African states were recently placed under full entry restrictions under US President Donald Trump’s expanded travel ban. In separate statements, they said they would apply the same measures on US nationals. Burkina Faso’s foreign affairs minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré said his government was acting on the “principle of reciprocity”, while Mali’s foreign ministry called for “mutual respect and sovereign equality”. The latter said it regretted the US’s move, adding that “such an important…

GUINEA’s junta chief Gen Mamady Doumbouya has won the presidential election by a landslide, getting 86.7% of the vote, according to provisional results published by the election commission. The general is hoping to legitimise his rule after seizing power in a coup in 2021. A civil society group calling for the return of civilian rule has condemned the election as a “charade” after Gen Doumbouya’s main rivals were barred from contesting, while opposition candidates said the poll was marred by irregularities. The Democratic Front of Guinea’s flagbearer, Abdoulaye Yero Balde, came a distant second with 6.6%, followed by the Liberal…

ISRAEL says it will suspend more than three dozen humanitarian organisations, including Doctors Without Borders, for failing to meet its new rules for aid groups working in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. Organisations facing bans starting on Thursday didn’t meet new requirements for sharing information on their staffs, funding and operations, Israeli authorities said. Other major organisations affected include the Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE International, the International Rescue Committee, and divisions of major charities such as Oxfam and Caritas. Israel accused Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, of failing to clarify the roles of some staff members, alleging…

IRAN has promised to respond harshly to any aggression after United States President Donald Trump threatened further military action, should Tehran attempt to rebuild its nuclear programme or missile capabilities. President Masoud Pezeshkian issued the warning on X on Tuesday, a day after Trump met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Florida estate, where he firmly leaned into the Israeli regional narrative yet again. The US had not previously said it would target Iran’s missile capabilities, which has long been an Israeli aspiration, focusing instead on Tehran’s nuclear programme. Iran has repeatedly said its nuclear activities are for civilian purposes…

GUINEA’s junta leader Gen Mamady Doumbouya has taken a huge lead in a presidential election his main challengers were barred from contesting, initial results show. Gen Doumbouya is hoping to legitimise his rule after seizing power in a coup four years ago. A civil society group campaigning for the return of civilian rule condemned the election as a “charade”, while opposition candidates said the poll was marred by irregularities. On Monday, internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks reported that access to social media platforms TikTok, YouTube and Facebook had been restricted as Guineans waited for the full results. There has been no…

IVORY Coast has signed a major bilateral health agreement with the United States aimed at strengthening the country’s health system and improving its capacity to prevent and respond to disease. The deal, valued $487 million, focuses on boosting disease detection systems and expanding health services to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Ivorian Prime Minister Beugre Mambe said the agreement aligns with the United States’ new global health strategy, which emphasizes stronger national ownership of health priorities. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mambe said the partnership encourages countries to mobilize domestic resources while working with international partners to address critical health…