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This photograph taken on December 19, 2025 shows Ali Hossain, who lost his leg to a landmine while collecting firewood, as he walks home at the Bangladesh-Myanmar frontier village of Naikhongchhari in Bandarban district. [AFP] In the dense hill forests along Bangladesh’s border with war-torn Myanmar, villagers are losing limbs to landmines, casualties of a conflict not of their making. Ali Hossain, 40, was collecting firewood in early 2025 when a blast shattered his life. “I went into the jungle with fellow villagers. Suddenly, there was an explosion, and my leg was blown off,” he told AFP. “I screamed at the…

A Japanese nuclear plant operator said it may have presented data underestimating earthquake risks to regulators, as Japan moves to revive nuclear power nearly 15 years after the Fukushima disaster. Chubu Electric Power’s Hamaoka plant — located in an area of central Japan at risk of a potential “megaquake” — is undergoing regulatory safety checks, with the aim of restarting two reactors. But the company’s president said late Monday that the estimated maximum seismic ground motion that the plant could experience during a quake “may have been underestimated”. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp “This incident could seriously affect the…

This courtroom sketch shows deposed President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, at Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse on January 5, 2026 in New York. [AFP] Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges at a defiant appearance in a New York court Monday, two days after being snatched by US forces in a stunning raid on his home in Caracas. Maduro, 63, told a federal judge in Manhattan “I’m innocent. I’m not guilty.” Smiling as he entered the courtroom and wearing an orange shirt with beige trousers, Maduro spoke…

Victor Osimhen scored twice as Nigeria made short work of Mozambique at the Africa Cup of Nations, cruising into the quarter-finals Published Date: 2026-01-06 00:11:01 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Captain Mohamed Salah scored after 124 minutes to clinch a 3-1 extra-time victory for Egypt over plucky minnows Benin in an AFCON 2025 last-16 thriller in Agadir Published Date: 2026-01-05 22:12:18 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Ruben Amorim arrived at Man United as one of Europe’s brightest young coaching talents, but just 14 months on, he leaves the club as the latest man unable to revive their fortunes Published Date: 2026-01-05 22:08:36 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Ruben Amorim has been sacked as Manchester United manager 14 months after arriving at Old Trafford, the club announced on Monday. Published Date: 2026-01-05 22:05:27 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

A man walks behind a graffiti in support of deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in Caracas. [Juan Barreto, AFP] The Swiss government said Monday that it had decided to freeze any assets held in Switzerland by the deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro or his associates “with immediate effect”. Bern said it had reached its decision after Maduro was seized in Caracas in a shock US military operation, and brought to New York to face narcotrafficking charges. Describing the situation as “volatile”, the Swiss government said in a statement that it wanted “to ensure that any illicitly acquired assets cannot be…

Protesters with flags and and a banner march during a demonstration condemning the US attack on Venezuela and the seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, near the US embassy in Manila on January 5, 2026. [ AFP] President Donald Trump’s claim that the United States is “in charge” of Venezuela will be underscored Monday when the oil-rich nation’s deposed leader is hauled before a New York court, while his successor offers to cooperate. Leftist strongman Nicolas Maduro, 63, faces narcotrafficking charges along with his wife, who was also seized and taken out of Caracas in the shock US assault Saturday,…

Goals by Junior Tchamadeu and Christian Kofane took Cameroon through to the AFCON 2025 quarter-finals at South Africa’s expense Published Date: 2026-01-05 00:11:27 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Brahim Diaz maintained his goal-a-game record at the AFCON 2025 by scoring to take Morocco into the quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory over Tanzania Published Date: 2026-01-05 00:08:02 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Protesters demonstrate against the US operation in Venezuela to capture Venezuelan President, in front of the US Consulate in Amsterdam, on January 4, 2026. [AFP] The United States is ready to work with Venezuela’s remaining leaders if they make “the right decision,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday after an audacious US operation removed the oil-rich country’s president, Nicolas Maduro. “We’re going to judge everything by what they do, and we’re going to see what they do,” Rubio told CBS News’ “Face the Nation.” “I do know this: that if they don’t make the right decision, that the United…

Armed police officers arrive at the Metropolitan Detention facility in the Brooklyn borough of New York, where ousted president Nicolas Maduro is expected to be held, on January 3, 2026 in New York City. [AFP] The United States, which on Saturday attacked Venezuela and is said to have abducted its president, has a long history of military interventions and support for dictatorships in Latin America. On multiple occasions, the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and his successor Nicolas Maduro — who US leader Donald Trump says is now in US hands — accused Washington of backing coup attempts. Here are…

Venezuelans living in Colombia celebrate in Cucuta, Colombia, on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. [AFP] Some of the nearly eight million Venezuelans who fled economic collapse and repression under Nicolas Maduro gathered in their thousands in cities worldwide Saturday to celebrate the strongman’s ouster by US forces. Thousands massed in the capitals of Chile, Mexico, Argentina and in Miami, dancing and hugging and waving Venezuelan flags. “At last we’ll be able to go back home,” street vendor Yurimar Rojas told AFP, straining to make himself heard over an ebullient crowd gathered in Santiago, many…

Armed police officers arrive at the Metropolitan Detention facility in the Brooklyn borough of New York, where ousted president Nicolas Maduro is expected to be held, on January 3, 2026 in New York City. [AFP] Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was in a New York jail Saturday, hours after American special forces seized and flew him out of his country — which Donald Trump said would come under effective US control. The US president’s announcement followed a lightning pre-dawn attack in which commandos grabbed Maduro and his wife while air strikes pounded sites in and around Caracas. Unlock the Full Story…

El Bilal Toure scored the winning spot-kick as 10-man Mali beat Tunisia 3-2 on penalties to reach the AFCON 2025 quarter-finals after their last-16 tie finished 1-1 at the end of extra time. Published Date: 2026-01-04 01:24:43 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Teenager Ibrahim Mbaye scored four minutes after coming off the bench to clinch a 3-1 victory for Senegal over Sudan in Tangiers in the first Africa Cup of Nations last-16 match. Published Date: 2026-01-03 21:33:36 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

An illustration shows an electric car being recharged at a Belib charging station in Paris, France, on December 16, 2025. [AFP] Tesla’s sales fell in 2025, the company reported Friday, ceding its position as the world’s biggest electric vehicle maker for the year to Chinese auto giant BYD. The American company led by Elon Musk logged 418,227 deliveries in the final three months of the year, taking its full-year sales figure to around 1.64 million EVs. This marked a drop in sales of more than eight percent compared with 2024. A day prior, BYD said that it sold 2.26 million…

This photograph shows screens displaying the logo of Grok, a generative artificial intelligence chatbot developed by US artificial intelligence company xAI, in Toulouse, southern France, on January 15, 2025. [AFP] Elon Musk’s Grok on Friday said it was scrambling to fix flaws in the artificial intelligence tool after users claimed it turned pictures of children or women into erotic images. “We’ve identified lapses in safeguards and are urgently fixing them,” Grok said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) is illegal and prohibited.” Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp Complaints of abuses began hitting X…

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi disembarks from his plane upon his arrival in Muscat on December 17, 2025. [AFP] Sacred ancient gems linked to the Buddha were unveiled on Saturday in India for the first time since their colonial-era removal. The Piprahwa gems, a collection of more than 300 precious stones and ornaments believed to have been buried with relics of the Buddha at a stupa site in northern India, were formally displayed at an exhibition in New Delhi. “This historic event marks the reunification of the Piprahwa gem relics of Lord Buddha, repatriated after 127 years,” the Ministry of…

An injured survivor (right) at a makeshift memorial near the site of a fire that ripped through a bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Crans-Montana, in Crans-Montana on January 2, 2026. [AFP] Swiss investigators worked Saturday to identify the last victims and exact cause of the blaze that killed 40 New Year’s revellers at a packed bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana. Dozens of people badly burnt in the fire early Thursday at the glitzy Alpine town were taken to nearby countries for urgent treatment, while authorities pointed the finger at lit sparklers stuck inside champagne bottles for…

Hugo Broos is hoping to lead South Africa to Cup of Nations glory in Morocco but standing in his team’s way in the last 16 on Sunday are Cameroon. Published Date: 2026-01-03 10:32:11 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

US President Donald Trump welcomes Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 28, 2025. [AFP] Ukraine is hosting security advisers for crunch talks on Saturday as Kyiv insists negotiations are zeroing in on a deal, while Russia claims a deadly New Year strike torpedoed the efforts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said around 15 countries would attend the talks, along with representatives from the European Union and NATO, with a US delegation joining via video link. Leaders from the so-called coalition of the willing are expected to convene in France next week after Saturday’s…

Police officers and rescuers stand next to a firefighters vehicle on the site of a fire that ripped through the bar Le Constellation in Crans-Montana on January 1, 2026. [AFP] Dozens are presumed dead after a fire ripped through a crowded bar in the luxury Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana as young revellers rang in the new year Thursday, with witnesses describing scenes of “panic”. Horrified bystanders told of people trying to break through the windows of the bar to escape, as others, covered in burns, poured into the street. Police, firefighters and rescuers rushed to the popular resort, which…

Enzo Maresca has left his role as Chelsea head coach after 18 months in charge, the Premier League club announced Thursday. Published Date: 2026-01-01 15:48:07 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Relatives mourn as the body of Palestinian journalist Ahmad Abu Mutayr, who was killed in an Israeli attack on Deir al-Balah despite the ceasefire, is carried from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for burial in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, on October 20, 2025. [AFP] A total of 128 journalists were killed around the world in 2025, more than half of them in the Middle East, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said Thursday. The grim toll, up from 2024, “is not just a statistic, it’s a global red alert for our colleagues,” IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger told AFP. The press group voiced…

Saudi authorities executed 356 people in 2025, according to an AFP tally, setting a new record for the number of inmates put to death in the kingdom in a single year. Analysts have largely attributed the surge in executions to Riyadh’s ongoing “war on drugs” launched in recent years — with many of those first arrested only now being executed, following legal proceedings and convictions. Official data released by the government said 243 people were executed in drug-related cases in 2025 alone, according to AFP’s tally. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp The figures from 2025 mark the second consecutive…

People celebrate as they watch the traditional New Year’s fireworks from the water at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 1, 2026. [AFP] Revellers around the world toasted the start of 2026 on Thursday, bidding farewell to a volatile year when temperatures soared, US President Donald Trump upended global trade, and the brutal conflict in Ukraine raged on. While a fragile truce took hold in devastated Gaza, violence in Sudan continued unabated. A new American pope was installed at the Vatican, the world lost pioneering zoologist Jane Goodall, and Labubu dolls sparked a worldwide frenzy. In Sydney,…

Migrants picked up at sea attempting to cross the English Channel from France, disembark from Border Force vessel ‘Ranger’ after it arrived at the Marina in Dover, south-east England, on May 21, 2025. [AFP] The second-highest annual number of migrants arrived on UK shores in small boats since records were started in 2018, the government was to confirm Thursday. The tally comes as Brexit firebrand Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration party Reform UK surges in popularity ahead of bellwether local elections in May. With Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer increasingly under pressure over the thorny issue, his interior minister Shabana Mahmood has…

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for a New Year’s Eve event at his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 31, 2025. [AFP] An alleged leader of the notorious Sinaloa cartel wanted by the United States has been arrested in Mexico on drug and terrorism charges, Mexican government sources said Wednesday. Pedro Inzunza Noriega was accused by the United States in May of trafficking large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and heroin into the country as the second-in-command of the Beltran Leyva Organization, a faction of the cartel now believed to be defunct. He was taken…

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae during a New Year’s concert at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, on January 1, 2025. [AFP] North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has praised his troops fighting abroad as forging an “invincible alliance” with Russia in a new year’s message, state media said Thursday. Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to support Russia’s nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies. At least 600 have died and thousands more have sustained injuries, according to South Korean estimates. Follow The Standard channel on…

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te delivers a speech during National Day celebrations at the Presidential Palace in Taipei on October 10, 2025. [AFP] Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te vowed on Thursday to defend the democratic island’s sovereignty in a New Year’s speech, after China carried out military drills. Beijing launched missiles and deployed dozens of fighter jets, navy ships and coastguard vessels this week to encircle Taiwan’s main island, in exercises condemned by Taipei as “highly provocative”. China claims democratic Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to annex it. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp “My…

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has been discharged from hospital, state officials said, after surviving a car accident in Nigeria that killed two of his close friends. Published Date: 2026-01-01 08:26:00 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Sudan must face 2022 champions Senegal in the last 16 of the 2025 AFCON after losing 2-0 to Burkina Faso in their final group game, while Algeria beat Equatorial Guinea 3-1 Published Date: 2026-01-01 08:21:03 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

An Israeli military excavator tears down one of 25 residential buildings earmarked for demolition in the Nur Shams camp Palestinian refugees east of the northern Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, amid an ongoing offensives in the occupied-West Bank on December 31, 2025. [AFP] Israel plans to ban 37 aid organisations from operating in Gaza from Thursday unless they hand over detailed information on their Palestinian staff, despite mounting criticism from the United Nations and the European Union. Several NGOs have told AFP the new rules will have a major impact on food and medical shipments to Gaza, and humanitarian…

Senegal saw off Benin to go through to the last 16 of the AFCON 2025 as winners of Group D, leaving the DR Congo to settle for second, which means they will play Algeria Published Date: 2025-12-31 08:46:45 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Residents wave Somali flags as they attend a rally denouncing Israel’s recent announcement recognizing the breakaway Somaliland region, during a gathering calling for Somalia’s territorial unity at Mogadishu Stadium in Mogadishu on December 30, 2025. [AFP] Turkey’s president on Tuesday called Israel’s recognition of Somaliland “illegitimate and unacceptable” as he hosted a visit by his Somali counterpart. “Preserving the unity and integrity of Somalia in all circumstances holds special importance in our view. Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland is illegitimate and unacceptable,” Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a press conference alongside Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Israel sparked…

Yemeni members of the Sabahiha tribes of Lahj, during a rally to show their support for the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), in Khormaksar Square, Aden, on December 14, 2025. [AFP] A Saudi-led coalition said it targeted Tuesday a large quantity of weapons and combat vehicles destined for separatist forces that were being offloaded from ships at a port in Yemen, coming from the UAE. Yemen has been fighting a crippling war, as armed factions loosely grouped under the government and backed by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia turn on each other. The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC),…

Shopkeepers and traders walk over a bridge during a protest against the economic conditions and Iran’s embattled currency in Tehran on December 29, 2025. [AFP] Iran’s president urged his government to listen to the “legitimate demands” of protesters, state media reported Tuesday, after several days of demonstrations by shopkeepers in Tehran over economic hardships. Shopkeepers in the capital had shut their stores for the second day in a row on Monday, after Iran’s embattled currency hit new lows on the unofficial market. The US dollar was trading at around 1.42 million rials on Sunday — compared to 820,000 rials a year…

A vendor sells vegetables to a customer at a market in Naypyidaw on December 29, 2025, a day after the first phase of Myanmar’s general election. [AFP] Myanmar’s junta on Tuesday accused rebels of “malicious and brutal” attacks on the day and eve of military-run elections, wounding at least five civilians with drones, rockets and bombs. The armed forces snatched power in a 2021 coup that triggered civil war, but on Sunday, opened voting in a phased month-long election they pledged would return power to the people. Campaigners, Western diplomats and the United Nations’ rights chief condemned the vote, citing…

Taiwan’s national flag is raised following China’s People’s Liberation Army move to conduct live-fire drills in five designated maritime and airspace areas around Taiwan, in Taipei on December 30, 2025. [AFP] China launched missiles and deployed dozens of fighter aircraft and navy vessels around Taiwan on Tuesday for a second day of live-fire drills aimed at simulating a blockade of the self-ruled island’s key ports and assaults on maritime targets. The two-day war games, code-named “Justice Mission 2025”, began Monday and were slammed by Taipei as “highly provocative and reckless”. China claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and…

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (centre) and Japan Business Federation Chairman Yoshinobu Tsutsui during the 14th Keidanren Council Meeting in Tokyo on December 25, 2025. [AFP] Japanese premier Sanae Takaichi may have extra trouble sleeping after she moved into the prime minister’s official residence, where ghosts of Japanese soldiers from a century ago are reputed to reside. Japan’s first woman prime minister transferred on Monday into the stone-and-brick mansion, which adjoins her offices in central Tokyo, more than two months after taking office. Until now she had been staying in accommodation for members of parliament, but drew criticism for taking 35…

Uganda and Tanzania will co-host the 2027 AFCON with neighbours Kenya and the countries are getting a sense of how much progress they must still make on the pitch Published Date: 2025-12-30 08:48:53 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua was in a “stable condition” in hospital after a car accident in Nigeria that killed two close friends and associates Published Date: 2025-12-30 08:42:34 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Ayoub El Kaabi scored twice as hosts Morocco eased to a 3-0 victory over Zambia at the AFCON on Monday to secure progress to the last 16 as winners of their group. Published Date: 2025-12-30 08:38:28 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Oswin Appollis converted a late penalty to give South Africa a 3-2 Africa Cup of Nations victory over Zimbabwe in Marrakesh on Monday, and qualification for the knockout stage. Published Date: 2025-12-29 23:00:33 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Sadio Mane’s equaliser earned 2022 champions Senegal a 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo in their heavyweight Africa Cup of Nations clash on Saturday. Published Date: 2025-12-27 23:15:28 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

  President Donald Trump calls children as he participates in tracking Santa Claus’ movements with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Santa Tracker on Christmas Eve at the Mar-a-Lago resort on December 24, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. [AFP] Bold Reporting Takes Time, Courage and Investment. Stand With Us. Support Bold Journalism Unlimited access to all premium content Uninterrupted ad-free browsing experience Mobile-optimized reading experience Weekly Newsletters MPesa, Airtel Money and Cards accepted Already a subscriber? Log in `; } else { teaserEl.innerHTML = “”; } activeEl.innerHTML = “”; paywallEl.style.display = “block”; } else if (now >= saleStart &&…

Morocco missed the chance to guarantee their spot in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations after Lassine Sinayoko’s second-half penalty earned Mali a 1-1 draw with the hosts Published Date: 2025-12-27 01:17:59 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Mohamed Salah scored as 10-man Egypt beat South Africa 1-0 in Agadir on Friday to become the first qualifiers for the knockout stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Published Date: 2025-12-27 01:13:58 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Veteran Knowledge Musona scored as Zimbabwe came from behind to draw 1-1 with Angola in Marrakesh on Friday as the second round of AFCON group matches kicked off. Published Date: 2025-12-27 01:10:05 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Organisers at AFCON in Morocco are allowing supporters in for free after kick-off in matches where stadiums are not full, a Confederation of African Football source told AFP. Published Date: 2025-12-25 15:46:02 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Captain Riyad Mahrez scored in each half as 2019 champions Algeria eased to a 3-0 win over 10-man Sudan in their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations. Published Date: 2025-12-24 20:14:47 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez is confident his side can make up for poor showings at the last two editions of the AFCON as the 2019 champions begin their campaign today Published Date: 2025-12-24 11:41:10 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Nicolas Jackson scored twice as much-fancied Senegal began their AFCON 2025 bid with a convincing 3-0 win over Botswana, while Nigeria’s Super Eagles beat Tanzania Published Date: 2025-12-24 11:36:45 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Elias Achouri’s double helped Tunisia ease to a 3-1 win over Uganda in their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday. Published Date: 2025-12-24 11:33:22 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

The DR Congo edged out Benin 1-0 in their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday, with Theo Bongonda scoring the only goal of the Group D clash. Published Date: 2025-12-23 20:03:21 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

This photo provided by the US Justice Department on December 19, 2025 shows an undated picture of former US president Bill Clinton (C) with US singers Michael Jackson (L) and Diana Ross at an undisclosed location. (Handout / US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE / AFP)  Victims of disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein joined a chorus of criticism on Monday over the Trump administration’s slow release and heavy redaction of records from the investigation into his alleged sex crimes. President Donald Trump said meanwhile, in his first comments since the release of the files, that people who “innocently met” Epstein in the…

Armed members of the militant group Al-Shabaab. [File, AP] A Kenyan member of the Al-Shabaab militant group who received pilot training in the Philippines was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for conspiring to mount a 9/11-style attack in the United States. Cholo Abdi Abdullah was convicted last year of conspiring to murder US nationals, conspiring to commit aircraft piracy and other offenses. “Cholo Abdi Abdullah was a highly trained Al-Shabaab operative who was dedicated to recreating the horrific September 11 terrorist attacks on behalf of a vicious terrorist organization,” US Attorney Jay Clayton said in a statement. “Abdullah…

Armed members of the militant group Al-Shabaab. [File, AP] A Kenyan member of the Al-Shabaab militant group who received pilot training in the Philippines was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for conspiring to mount a 9/11-style attack in the United States. Cholo Abdi Abdullah was convicted last year of conspiring to murder US nationals, conspiring to commit aircraft piracy and other offenses. “Cholo Abdi Abdullah was a highly trained Al-Shabaab operative who was dedicated to recreating the horrific September 11 terrorist attacks on behalf of a vicious terrorist organization,” US Attorney Jay Clayton said in a statement. “Abdullah…

Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua knocked out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in their controversial Netflix-backed bout in Miami on Friday. Published Date: 2025-12-20 09:38:48 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

US President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order easing restrictions on marijuana in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on December 18, 2025. [AFP] US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, paving the way for more medical research on the use of cannabis products. The long-awaited move will take marijuana out of the most hazardous  category of narcotics alongside heroin and LSD, although it does not legalize its use across the United States. But Trump said that while it “no way sanctions its use…

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro speaking during an event marking the anniversary of the death of Liberator Simon Bolivar in Caracas on December 17, 2025. [AFP] The leaders of Brazil and Mexico on Thursday offered to step in to try and avert the risk of war between the United States and Venezuela. The Latin American heavyweights are looking on in dismay as Washington ramps up military and economic pressure on Nicholas Maduro’s government, raising fears of a direct effort to unseat the Venezuelan leader. The United Nations Security Council will meet next Tuesday at the request of Caracas — backed by…

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) and the Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani at the State Department in Washington, DC, on December 17, 2025, in Washington, DC. [AFP] The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on two more judges of the International Criminal Court after they rejected an attempt by Israel to end a war crimes probe in Gaza. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had already ordered sanctions on judges and prosecutors in the case, explicitly linked the new measures to a vote Monday in which the two judges sided with…

US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during an event with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC, on November 6, 2025. [AFP] The US health department on Thursday announced proposed measures that would effectively ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth, significantly expanding the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back protections for trans people. The series of sweeping proposals announced by US health chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other officials would cut off vital federal funding from hospitals that provide pediatric gender transition services — including puberty blockers and surgical interventions –…

PSG player seems to have recovered and will play a part in helping hosts in chase for glory.He is a key figure in Moroccan plans to end a five-decade wait and lift the trophy a second time. Published Date: 2025-12-18 12:29:06 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

A judge gavel and cuffs. [Courtesy/GettyImages] A former morgue manager at the prestigious Harvard Medical School was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison for stealing and selling body parts donated for scientific research, the US Justice Department said. Cedric Lodge, 58, pleaded guilty in May to trafficking the stolen remains, which include internal organs, brains, skin, hands, faces and dissected heads, from 2018 through at least March 2020. He was fired from the university in May 2023, Harvard has said. Investigators said Lodge and his wife, Denise, took body parts from the school near Boston to their home in…

Colonel Oscar Perez, chief of the Providence Police Department, speaks during a press conference into the ongoing investigation into the December 13 mass shooting at Brown University. [AFP] FBI experts on Tuesday combed through the vicinity of a weekend mass shooting that killed two students at the elite Brown University, as the hunt for the gunman dragged into a fourth day. Images posted by the bureau on social media showed laboratory specialists  and evidence response teams conducting a forensic search on the snow-covered grounds outside the Providence, Rhode Island campus. The shooting happened Saturday, when a man with a rifle…

Mourners attend the funeral of Yaakov Levitan Halevi, a victim of Sunday’s Bondi Beach attack, at the Magnolia Chapel at Macquarie Park Cemetery in Sydney on December 17, 2025. [AFP] A young girl and Holocaust survivors were among 15 people allegedly shot and killed by a father and his son at a Jewish Hanukkah festival gathering on Australia’s Bondi Beach. The elder gunman, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was killed in a shootout with police. His 24-year-old son, Naveed, is in hospital, under police guard and charged on multiple counts including terrorism and 15 murders. The shooting victims, some killed while trying…

Maresca insists that he “absolutely” remains committed to his job as Chelsea coach after saying at the weekend he had suffered his “worst 48 hours” since joining the club. Published Date: 2025-12-16 13:28:11 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Osimhen has never forgotten the role Amuneke played in launching his career, lavishing praise on him during an acceptance speech when voted the best player in Africa. Published Date: 2025-12-16 13:10:03 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

A woman weeps after laying flowers outside Bondi Pavilion in Sydney on December 16, 2025, to honour victims of the Bondi Beach shooting. [AFP] The father and son allegedly behind one of Australia’s deadliest mass shootings spent nearly the entire month of November in the Philippines, authorities in Manila confirmed Tuesday, with the father entering as an “Indian national”. Sajid Akram and his son Naveed, who allegedly killed 15 people and wounded dozens of others at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, entered the country on November 1 with the southern province of Davao listed as their final destination.…

A rabbi addresses mourners at a tribute outside Bondi Pavilion in Sydney on December 16, 2025, honouring victims of the Bondi Beach shooting. [AFP] A father and son were driven by “Islamic State ideology” when they fired on crowds at Bondi Beach in one of Australia’s deadliest mass shootings, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday. Sajid Akram and his son Naveed opened fire on people thronging the famous beach for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on Sunday evening, killing 15 people and wounding dozens more. Authorities said the attack was designed to sow panic among the nation’s Jews, but have…

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the 2025 International Conference of the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling at the European Commission In Brussels, on December 10, 2025. [AFP] The EU must take “very important” decisions on funding Ukraine at a crunch summit this week, but talks over using frozen Russian assets are getting harder, the bloc’s top diplomat said Monday. “We are not there yet, and it is increasingly difficult, but we’re doing the work and we still have some days,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told journalists. “We will not leave the meeting before we…

Mohamed Salah heads for Morocco this week to captain Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) amid uncertainty over his future at Liverpool. Published Date: 2025-12-15 09:26:08 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Reporters gather outside the headquarters of Unification Church in Seoul on December 15, 2025, as police raid the building. [AFP] South Korean police raided the headquarters of the cult-like Unification Church on Monday and named its leader as a suspect in the bribery of several high-profile politicians. The church, known for its mass weddings, is at the centre of a mounting scandal in South Korea over alleged payments to lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties. Prosecutors raided the church’s headquarters in Seoul on Monday as well as the imposing countryside residence of leader Han Hak-ja, who is already on…

Mourners gather by floral tributes at the Bondi Pavillion in memory of the victims of a shooting at Bondi Beach, in Sydney on December 15, 2025. [AFP] A father and son opened fire on a Jewish festival at Australia’s Bondi Beach in a shooting spree that killed 15 people, including a child, authorities said Monday, denouncing the attack as antisemitic “terrorism”. The duo fired into crowds packing the Sydney beach for the start of Hanukkah on Sunday evening, sending people fleeing in panic across the tourist hotspot. A 10-year-old girl was among the dead in the country’s worst mass shooting for…

Health workers move a woman on a stretcher to an ambulance after a shooting incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 14, 2025. [AFP] Two gunmen opened fire at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing 11 people and wounding multiple others in a “terrorist incident” aimed at a gathering for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah in Australia. Emergency responders rushed at least 29 people to local hospitals from the beach, one of the biggest tourist draws in Australia’s largest city, said New South Wales police. One of the alleged shooters was killed, and the second was in a critical…

First responders with the Providence Fire Department near the Barus & Holley building, the site of a mass shooting, at Brown University campus in Providence, Rhode Island, on December 13, 2025. [AFP] Hundreds of police officers hunted Sunday for a gunman who killed two people and wounded nine others at Brown University, plunging the eastern US campus into lockdown. The streets around the university in Providence, Rhode Island were filled with emergency vehicles hours after the shooter opened fire Saturday at a building where exams were taking place. The violence is the latest in a long line of school attacks…

A displaced resident at a temporary camp in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province on December 14, 2025, amid clashes along Cambodia-Thailand border. [AFP] Renewed border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand entered a second week Sunday after Bangkok denied US President Donald Trump’s claim that a truce had been agreed to halt the deadly fighting. The conflict, rooted in a colonial-era demarcation dispute along their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border, has displaced around 800,000 people, officials said. “I have been here for six days and I feel sad that the fighting continues,” 63-year-old Sean Leap told AFP at an evacuation centre in Cambodia’s border…

Former champions Senegal and DRC is one of the main matches to watch at Afcon battle. Published Date: 2025-12-13 12:08:20 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Morocco included injured captain Achraf Hakimi in a 26-man squad named on Thursday for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Published Date: 2025-12-13 11:57:03 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

League leaders Arsenal seeking to fire back as they host Wolves today. Published Date: 2025-12-13 11:34:27 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said he was “completely relaxed” about his side’s dip in form as he seeks greater consistency ahead of today’s home match vs Everton. Published Date: 2025-12-13 07:56:09 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Mohamed Salah has been included in Liverpool’s squad for their Premier League match at home to Brighton following talks with manager Arne Slot Published Date: 2025-12-13 07:52:35 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

A vendor arranges newspapers on a stall in Cotonou, on December 8, 2025. Benin’s president said the “situation is completely under control” after the government thwarted an attempted coup. [AFP] Some 200 Nigerian and Ivorian troops are in Benin as part of a security mission supporting the government after a weekend coup attempt, the country’s foreign minister said Thursday. The small west African nation was rocked by a failed putsch Sunday, which saw Nigeria, France and Ivory Coast mobilise in support of the civilian government. “There are currently around 200 soldiers present, who came to lend a hand at the…

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and Russian President Vladimir Putin. [AFP] Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday reaffirmed his support to Venezuela in a phone call with long-time ally President Nicolas Maduro, the Kremlin said. The call comes after the United States seized an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast, the latest escalation in the long-standing friction between the two countries. Russia has fostered warm ties with Venezuela, and Maduro visited Moscow earlier this year, attending an annual military parade and signing a broad partnership agreement with Putin. Follow The Standard channel on WhatsApp In a phone call on Thursday, “Vladimir…

This aerial photo shows a general view of Peusangan river after flash floods in Bireuen district Indonesia’s Aceh province on December 9, 2025.[AFP] The death toll in Indonesia’s devastating floods closed in on the 1,000 mark Thursday as hundreds of thousands more continued to face shortages, with frustration growing over relief efforts. Disaster mitigation agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said 990 people had died by late Thursday in the deluge, which laid waste to the northwestern island of Sumatra — the biggest disaster of its kind in recent years. More than 220 people are still missing. Tropical storms and monsoon rains…

 Pile of tasks are placed on the ground at the immigration office during a news conference in Bangkok. A global ban on ivory in 1989 halted widespread poaching but it has steadily worsened since 2004, mostly going to Asia to be carved into chopsticks, statues and jewelry.[AFP] Demand for exotic pets drove seizures of live animals to a record high in 2025, the Interpol police agency said Thursday as it announced a clampdown that led to the interception of nearly 30,000 animals. Interpol said that wildlife crime is now an industry worth more than $20 billion a year, ranging from the movement of thousands…

Former Man United and England star Jesse Lingard signed off with a goal in his final game for FC Seoul before bidding a tearful farewell to South Korean football. Published Date: 2025-12-11 12:56:12 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said he feels backed by his squad to stay at the helm despite a 2-1 Champions League defeat by Manchester City Published Date: 2025-12-11 12:50:39 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Victor Osimhen-inspired Nigeria are hurting after another unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign, and the quickest route to recovery would be winning the 2025 AFCON Published Date: 2025-12-11 12:31:01 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

A person whistles as US Customs and Border Patrol agents conduct operations in Kenner, Louisiana, on December 6, 2025.[AFP] Back in 2018, President Donald Trump disputed having used the epithet “shithole” to describe some countries whose citizens emigrated to the United States. Nowadays, he embraces it and pushes his anti-immigrant and xenophobic tirades even further. Case in point: during a rally in the northeastern state of Pennsylvania on Wednesday that was supposed to focus on his economic policy, the 79-year-old Republican openly ranted and reused the phrase that had sparked an outcry during his first term. “We had a meeting…

South Korean Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo (C) speaks to reporters upon his arrival at Incheon international airport, west of Seoul on December 11, 2025.[AFP] A South Korean minister resigned on Thursday after being accused of receiving illegal funds from the Unification Church, a cult-like movement linked to widespread influence-peddling. The church, known for its mass weddings, is currently being investigated on charges of unlawful donations linked to the country’s former first lady Kim Keon Hee. Kim’s conservative husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, was ousted in April and is now in prison following a disastrous but brief imposition of martial law, with…

RB Leipzig have appointed Tatjana Haenni as the club’s new chief executive, making her the first woman club boss in German football history. Published Date: 2025-12-10 16:12:44 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

At a cafe in a bustling Cairo neighbourhood, Liverpool games once drew wall-to-wall crowds, but with Salah off the pitch, his Egyptian fans would now rather play cards. Published Date: 2025-12-10 16:03:41 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Liverpool great Steven Gerrard believes the club still need Mohamed Salah as he urged the star forward to “reverse away” from his extraordinary outburst Published Date: 2025-12-10 15:59:33 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Gabriel Jesus has been added to Arsenal’s Champions League squad as the Brazil striker steps up his long-awaited return from injury. Published Date: 2025-12-10 12:34:03 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Lionel Messi won his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals. Published Date: 2025-12-10 12:29:28 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Defending champions Ivory Coast have recalled 33-year-old former Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Published Date: 2025-12-10 12:23:58 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard