Category: News

Between Oct. 25 and Dec. 30, some 65,000 individuals were displaced from multiple locations across the Kordofan region, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, told a daily briefing, citing the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

In South Kordofan state, displacement has increased sharply in recent days, he said, pointing to estimates by the International Organization for Migration that between Dec. 31, 2025 and Jan. 4 this year, violence drove nearly 1,000 people to flee in Quoz locality, Kadugli town and Berdab village.

On Monday, another 2,000 people were uprooted from Um Dam Haj Ahmed locality in North Kordofan state, said the spokesperson, adding that UN humanitarians in the country reported a drone attack on Tuesday in the state’s capital, El Obeid, which allegedly claimed the lives of 13 civilians, including children.

“Once again, the UN reiterates its urgent call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the protection of civilians,” said Dujarric, adding that the United Nations also reiterates the need for rapid, safe and sustained humanitarian access so aid can reach those in need.

Several storage tanks caught fire on the premises following the blast, Gladkov said on social media. “According to preliminary information, there were no casualties.”

The attacked oil depot is located in the Stary Oskol district, the governor said. Firefighting crews are currently working to extinguish the blaze.

Gladkov said that details regarding possible casualties are still being verified, and emergency services remain on the scene.

In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, Trump said the oil would be transported by storage ships to US ports and sold at market prices.

He added that he would oversee the revenues to ensure they benefit both the American and Venezuelan people, and said he had instructed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to implement the plan “immediately”.

Trump’s announcement follows his earlier pledge to “take back” Venezuela’s oil resources and revive the country’s struggling energy sector, in the wake of his administration’s abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Energy analysts say the impact of the proposed transfer remains unclear. Mark Finley, an energy expert at the Baker Institute in Texas, said the significance depends on the timeframe involved.

“Thirty to 50 million barrels over what time frame? That’ll be key to assessing the significance of this,” Finley told Al Jazeera, noting that the volume would be substantial over a month but marginal if spread across a year.

Scott Montgomery, a global energy expert at the University of Washington, also questioned Trump’s assertion that he would control oil revenues.

“I have no real idea about how Trump might distribute the cash. There’s not much of a precedent for this kind of thing,” Montgomery told Al Jazeera.

Trump has claimed US oil companies are ready to invest billions of dollars to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, though major firms such as ExxonMobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips have not publicly commented. US media reports say company representatives are expected to meet Trump later this week.

Analysts caution that restoring Venezuela’s oil production to its 1990s peak of more than three million barrels per day would require years of work and massive investment. Rystad Energy estimates about $110bn would be needed to raise output to around two million barrels per day.

Once a leading global oil producer, Venezuela now accounts for less than one percent of global supply, following years of sanctions, mismanagement, corruption and underinvestment under former presidents Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro.

The document was signed in Paris by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The signing followed a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, which brought together leaders of several European countries, as well as White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.

Following the meeting, Zelensky noted that there is already a detailed understanding of the architecture of security guarantees for Ukraine.

For his part, Starmer said the declaration creates a legal basis for operations of partner countries’ troops on Ukrainian territory if a peace agreement is achieved.

The 20-year-old YouTuber and Twitch streamer made the remarks after travelling through South Africa, where he launched his Africa tour. In videos circulating on social media, he noted that South Africa, where his journey began, does not have mountain gorillas, adding that he intends to see them in Rwanda.

“There are no gorillas here. We’ll visit the gorillas in Rwanda. We won’t be able to do a livestream because there are too many trees, but I’ll do a video,” he said.

Rwanda’s mountain gorillas represent a major conservation success story. Once critically endangered, their numbers have risen significantly, now exceeding 1,000, making them the only great ape population increasing globally.

This success is largely driven by community-focused tourism, which funds protection and turns locals into “gorilla guardians” against threats such as poaching and habitat loss. This makes gorilla trekking not only a unique and precious wildlife encounter but also a powerful symbol of national pride and sustainable economic development.

IShowSpeed, born Darren Jason Watkins Jr, kicked off his 28-day tour, dubbed “Speed Does Africa Tour,” on December 21, 2025. During the tour, he plans to visit multiple African countries, conduct livestreams, and share his experiences with followers worldwide.

Wherever he has travelled so far, the internet personality has drawn large crowds of fans, offering them a glimpse into his experiences across the continent. He received an enthusiastic welcome in South Africa, the first stop on his tour.

In videos shared on X while announcing the tour, IShowSpeed said he plans to visit several countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Rwanda, among others.

The influencer recently concluded his “Speed Does America Tour”, during which he travelled across 25 states in the United States over a 35-day period.

According to IShowSpeedTracker.com, he has previously toured regions including South America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

The date of his visit to Rwanda is yet to be announced.

Protests have expanded beyond economic grievances to include wider criticism of Iran’s clerical leadership, according to human rights monitors. Organisations such as the Kurdish rights group Hengaw reported that the death toll includes at least four minors, and that more than 1,000 people have been arrested. Another rights network, HRANA, put the total at 29 deaths and 1,203 arrests.

Iranian officials have acknowledged the deaths of at least two members of security forces, but have not confirmed figures for protesters and dispute rights group tallies. Authorities have characterised many demonstrators as “rioters” and blamed foreign influence, while also promising dialogue to address economic concerns.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has pledged economic reforms, including a new subsidy system and changes in central bank leadership, aimed at stabilising the currency and protecting citizens’ purchasing power. Despite these measures, the currency continued to fall, worsening public frustration.

Protests have taken place in 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces, and many demonstrators have broadened their demands to include political reforms, with chants against the country’s clerical rulers. Meanwhile, authorities have vowed to take a firm approach against those they label as instigators and extremists.

Speaking at an engagement ceremony in Uasin Gishu County on Saturday, January 3, the Head of State said the government is drafting a law that would make drug-related offences a capital crime, punishable by hanging. He emphasised that the legislation is a response to the failure of current penalties, which have not deterred traffickers and have left communities and families vulnerable to the devastating impact of drugs.

“For all these people who are involved in the illicit alcohol trade, we are going to change the law. In the past, we had a law with a clause that if you were caught selling substances, including hard drugs such as heroin, the only penalty was a fine of Ksh1 million (approximately 11 million Rwandan francs). Now we are changing that so that you can be hanged,” Ruto said.

He added that the law will also empower authorities to confiscate assets obtained through illicit drug and alcohol trade, including vehicles and property.

The President called on Members of Parliament to support the new legislation, noting that over five million Kenyans are affected by drug and alcohol abuse, which he described as a national crisis that threatens the country’s social and economic development.

The announcement follows Ruto’s plans to strengthen the government’s law enforcement response. In his New Year’s address at Eldoret State Lodge on December 31, the President outlined plans to establish a robust Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The unit, he said, will be trained to operate at the level of Kenya’s elite Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, with capabilities in intelligence, surveillance, forensics, and financial investigations.

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen supported the move, noting that countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, and China impose the death penalty for serious drug offences.

“We cannot achieve first-world status while the most productive generation is being wiped out by drugs and alcohol,” he said, highlighting the ineffectiveness of current fines in curbing trafficking.

Murkomen added that the government’s crackdown will target major drug barons and operators of illicit alcohol, with special attention to young people from well-off families who are increasingly becoming addicted.

Currently, one in every six Kenyans aged 15 to 65 uses at least one substance, with alcohol being the most prevalent, affecting over 3.2 million people.

Voter turnout was approximately 52.43% in the December 28, 2025, elections, which included presidential, legislative, regional, and municipal votes. The final results will be confirmed by the Constitutional Court in mid-January.

Analysts credit Touadéra’s victory to his efforts to restore peace and security in a country long plagued by armed groups and civil conflict. These efforts were bolstered by support from Rwandan and Russian forces, which helped the government regain control over much of the territory.

Following the pacification of key armed factions, Touadéra’s administration negotiated peace agreements aimed at ending hostilities and promoting collaboration on national development projects.

During his campaign, Touadéra highlighted that while his nine years in office had brought significant progress, challenges remained that he aimed to address in a third term. The election outcome suggests that a majority of citizens continue to place their confidence in his leadership.

Touadéra has been in power since March 2016. He was permitted to run for a third term following a constitutional amendment in 2023, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in November 2025.

“I am innocent. I am not guilty,” Maduro told the court, according to journalists present at the hearing. He told the court he had been “kidnapped” from his residence in Caracas and insisted that, despite being in US custody, he was still the president of Venezuela.

Maduro appeared alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, who also rejected all charges levelled against her by US prosecutors, saying she was completely innocent.

The court set March 17 as the date for the next hearing in the case.

The courtroom proceedings were tense and closely watched, coming just days after Maduro and Flores were seized in a dramatic US military operation. According to US officials, special forces extracted the pair from their residence within the heavily guarded Fort Tiuna military complex in the Venezuelan capital early on Saturday before flying them to New York.

During Monday’s hearing, a brief but heated exchange broke out between Maduro and a member of the public in the courtroom. At one point, Maduro described himself as a “prisoner of war”.

Earlier in the day, images circulated showing Maduro and Flores being transferred to the courthouse in handcuffs, surrounded by heavily armed officers. The scenes fuelled strong reactions both inside Venezuela and internationally.

In Caracas, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president, a move that Venezuelan authorities said was aimed at ensuring continuity of government. During the ceremony, Rodríguez praised Maduro and Flores as “heroes,” accusing the United States of carrying out an illegal act against a sovereign nation.

Outside the New York courthouse, protesters gathered to denounce the US action. Demonstrators waved banners reading “Free Maduro,” “No War on Venezuela,” and “USA hands off Venezuela,” while chanting slogans against what they described as foreign intervention.

The US operation has triggered widespread condemnation and raised serious concerns across the international community, with critics warning that it represents a dangerous escalation in Washington’s long-running campaign against Maduro.

US officials have said the operation was planned for months and carried out without prior congressional authorisation. The Trump administration has defended the move as part of broader efforts to combat alleged drug trafficking networks linked to the Venezuelan leadership.