Author: Editor

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…

UNITED States President Donald Trump has warned Hamas of dire consequences if it fails to disarm, while also threatening to “quickly eradicate” and “knock down” any attempts by Iran to rebuild its nuclear programme. Trump issued the threats on Monday, after holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Their discussions focused on advancing the ceasefire deal Trump brokered in Gaza, as well as addressing Israeli concerns over Iran, and over Hezbollah in Lebanon. Trump said that Israel has been doing its part in the Gaza ceasefire, despite launching near-daily strikes that have killed…

KHALEDA ⁠Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and a towering figure in the country’s turbulent politics, has died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness, according to her party. In a statement on Tuesday, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said Khaleda died at 6am local time (00:00 GMT). “Our beloved national leader is no longer with us,” the BNP said. “We pray for the forgiveness of her soul and request everyone to offer prayers for her departed soul,” it said. Khaleda died at the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where she was admitted on November 23 with symptoms of…

AT first light in Tanzania’s main city Dar es Salaam, some of its six million residents begin their day with a frantic search for water. Christmas is approaching, but the festive mood is dampened by the dry pipes, as the city experiences serious water shortages. In some homes, plastic containers are stacked outside the door, ready to be carried at a moment’s notice whenever word spreads that a nearby tap is flowing again. City authorities ration water. Homes get it once a week, but the wait can stretch for weeks for some families. The crisis, caused by a drought and…

THERE is growing anger in Malawi over a post-Christmas fortnight trip to the UK that one of the country’s vice-presidents is due to take. Jane Ansah’s visit will be in a private capacity but the reported size of both her entourage and overall cost of the trip has ignited fierce criticism. The details have been disputed by her office. The row began after the circulation of an alleged leaked letter to the Malawi High Commission in London, signed by Secretary for Foreign Affairs Chauncy Simwaka, listing 15 individuals set to accompany Ansah. In power since October, the vice-president’s government has…

ISRAEL has killed at least 706 family members of Palestinian journalists since the start of its genocidal war in Gaza in October 2023, according to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate. The syndicate’s Freedoms Committee said in a report released late on Saturday that Israeli forces are systematically targeting the families of journalists as part of what it called a war aimed at silencing Palestinian reporting. The report said the attacks represent a deliberate strategy rather than deaths as a result of war. Israeli violence against journalists has “evolved to take on a more dangerous and brutal dimension, represented by targeting the…

NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen a test launch of long-range strategic cruise missiles and called for the “unlimited and sustained” development of his country’s nuclear combat forces, according to state media. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Monday that Kim expressed satisfaction as the cruise missiles flew along their orbit, set above the sea west of the Korean Peninsula, and hit their target. The launch, which took place on Sunday, was the latest event Kim attended, in a flurry of activity by the North Korean leader to underscore the country’s military and economic progress before…

NIGER Republic’s military rulers have approved a general mobilisation and authorised the requisition of people and goods as they intensify the fight against armed groups across the country, according to a government statement. The decision followed a cabinet meeting on Friday and marks a major escalation by the military government, which seized power in a July 2023 coup that toppled the country’s democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum. “People, property, and services may be requisitioned during general mobilisation to contribute to the defence of the homeland, in compliance with the legislation and regulations in force,” the government said in a statement…

THE UK is to impose visa restrictions against people arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo after its government failed to agree to measures allowing the return of illegal migrants and foreign national offenders. Ministers say the DRC has not made changes required under the toughening up of the UK’s asylum rules announced in November. Fast-track visa processes will no longer apply to people from the country, while the Home Office said VIPs and politicians would no longer get preferential treatment when coming to the UK. Meanwhile, the Home Office said Angola and Namibia had agreed to step up efforts…