Sri Lankan Air Force peacekeepers have carried out a daring rescue operation in the Central African Republic, underlining Sri Lanka’s growing role in international peacekeeping efforts. Fourteen Central African soldiers were safely evacuated during a high-risk mission conducted as part of United Nations operations, despite heavy threats from an armed rebel group. Acting swiftly, the Sri Lankan aircrew evacuated the trapped soldiers from the conflict zone and airlifted them to safety in the town of Obo. The successful operation prevented potential casualties and ensured the continuity of UN peacekeeping work in the region.

The holidays are a moment not just for personal resolutions but for asking a bigger question: How can we help the world’s poor as effectively as possible? A decade ago, it committed everything to everyone through the Sustainable Development Goals - it would fix poverty, hunger, disease, unemployment, climate change, and war by 2030. We have to stop pretending that we can afford to do everything all at once, as the Sustainable Development Goals still do. But there are still hopeful ways to help in 2026. The lesson for 2026 is stark but powerful: When resources are scarce, we must stop promising everything and instead spend well.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's daughter Kim Ju Ae made her first public visit to the Kumsusan mausoleum to pay respects to North Korea's former leaders, according to state media photographs released recently. The appearance has drawn widespread attention as Kim Ju Ae continues to feature more prominently in official coverage. What We Know About Kim Ju AeKim Ju Ae is believed to have been born in the early 2010s, though North Korea has never officially confirmed her age. According to a BBC report from September 2025, Kim Jong Un is thought to have three children, but Kim Ju Ae is the only one who has appeared publicly. According to AFP, North Korean state media have referred to her as “the beloved child” and as a “great person of guidance,” or “hyangdo” in Korean.

Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan vowed victory against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), while emphasizing that national reconciliation remains possible. Speaking on Sudan’s 70th Independence Day, on Thursday January 1, Burhan said the conflict has united the Sudanese people and strengthened national resolve, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan, where fighting has displaced tens of thousands. The RSF controls most of Darfur, while the army holds large parts of the remaining states, including the capital Khartoum. Burhan also acknowledged political forces supporting the army and reiterated that reconciliation is open to all willing to join. The conflict, ongoing since April 2023, has killed thousands and displaced millions.

“In the Ivory Coast and in Gabon, every second of the tournament you felt that you were in a tournament,” Broos said. Others, however, felt Broos’ comments carried the stench of European essentialism. The tournament felt shared. Morocco, as host, was always going to struggle to replicate that environment. When you host as often as Morocco has, and when you have a World Cup on the horizon, novelty can fade.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) has closed its 2025 General Assemblies with a clear message: 2026 will be defined by discipline, safety, and long‑term structural reform. Held in the southern city of Sabha, the annual meetings brought together the NOC’s board, senior executives, and representatives from national and joint‑venture oil companies. Safety and Environmental Protection as Non‑NegotiablesAt the center of the NOC’s 2026 agenda is a renewed emphasis on safety and environmental stewardship. The corporation also underscored the need for long‑term strategic planning rooted in detailed analysis of Libya’s operational environment. Libya, Libya oil, Libyan economy, National Oil Corporation, NOC Libya, Libya energy sector, Libya oil production, Libya gas, gas flaring, oil safety, environmental protection Libya, Libya refineries, petrochemicals Libya, Libya drilling, National Drilling Company, NAGECO, North African Geophysical Exploration Company, Libya oil services, technology localization, oil measurement systems, Libya oil infrastructure, Libya oil workforce, Libya youth employment, Libya energy jobs, Libya economic recovery, Libya oil strategy, Libya oil reforms, Libya energy policy, Sabha Libya, Fezzan region, Libya oil governance, oil sector planning, Libya oil investment, Libya oil exports, crude oil Libya, Libya hydrocarbons, Libya production capacity, Libya refinery upgrades, Libya oil maintenance, Libya oil training, Petroleum Research Centre Libya, Oil Clinic Libya, Libya industrial safety, Libya environmental standards, Africa oil sector, North Africa energy, OPEC Libya, Libyan state companies, Libya joint ventures, Libya oil sustainability, Libya development programmes, Libya strategic planning, Libya institutional reform, Libya oil oversight, Libya financial discipline, Libya oil contractors, Libya upstream oil, Libya downstream oil, Libya energy transition, Libya economic stability, Libya public sector reform, Libya oil future, Libya energy outlook 2026

Sports fixtures cancelled and zoo closed amid weather warnings for snow and ice9 hours ago Share Save Barra Best , Senior weather presenter and Niall Glynn , BBC News NI Share SaveBBC Snow on the top of Cavehill in north BelfastA new weather warning is in effect for Northern Ireland. The Met Office is warning that snow showers will affect many parts of Northern Ireland over the weekend, bringing some disruption to travel. Previously County Fermanagh had been excluded from the weather warning, but that decision has now been reversed. The Met Office said: "Cold northerly winds will bring sleet and snow showers across much of Northern Ireland on Friday afternoon, overnight and into Saturday morning, bringing the likelihood of ice on untreated surfaces. Weather watcher Ian A small cottage near Ballymena, County AntrimHeaviest snow in northIt added: "Snow showers will continue to affect many parts of Northern Ireland over the weekend, before gradually easing on Monday.

OccidentalHOUSTON, Jan. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Occidental (NYSE: OXY) announced today it has completed the sale of its chemical business, OxyChem, to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B) for $9.7 billion in cash, subject to customary purchase price adjustments. Occidental expects to expend funds for remediation over many years based on the approved workplans. About OccidentalOccidental produces , markets and transports oil and natural gas to maximize value and provide resources fundamental to life. Headquartered in Houston, Occidental primarily operates in the United States, Middle East and North Africa. Unless legally required, Occidental does not undertake any obligation to update, modify or withdraw any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Europe’s export finance ecosystem has long supported overseas energy investment but its focus is evolving. For investors, expanded ECA and DFI participation reduces political and payment risk and improves bankability for large, capital-intensive energy projects. European capital is increasingly looking outward, driven by both energy security considerations and opportunity in African hydrocarbons. As African project pipelines expand – from LNG prospects to integrated infrastructure – forums like IAE provide a practical venue to align European finance with African energy priorities and convert interest into bankable deals. IAE 2026 is an exclusive forum designed to connect African energy markets with global investors, serving as a key platform for deal-making in the lead-up to African Energy Week.

South Africa is undertaking one of the most ambitious power transmission infrastructure build-outs in its history as part of a broader strategy to tackle chronic energy shortages and enable a major shift toward renewables. Central to this effort is the Transmission Development Plan 2025–2034 published by the state-owned National Transmission Company South Africa, which lays out a 14,500 km new power transmission line and 133,000 MVA transformer expansion to integrate up to 56 GW of new generation capacity over the next decade. Medupi–Witkop 400 kV Transmission LineThe Medupi–Witkop 400 kV transmission line connects Medupi Power Station to the broader national grid and reinforces one of the most important corridors in the north of the country. By opening transmission pathways in the Northern Cape, the scheme is expected to stimulate further private investment and accelerate the integration of large-scale solar generation. Once commissioned, the upgrade will allow more power to flow into the local network, enhance voltage stability and create space for additional solar generation in nearby areas.

By 1925, almost 80,000 of about 130,000 Italians in Tunisia were Sicilians, coming mainly from the western provinces of Trapani and Palermo. The French occupation became a symbol of Italians’ colonial inferiority and brought Sicilians closer to the Tunisians, as victims of the same higher power. For three years, Tranchida collected oral histories from Sicilians of Tunisia who had returned to Marsala, like Pugliese. It has now morphed into an annual gathering that brings together Sicilians of Tunisia scattered around Europe. Much of her healing came through writing a series of partly autobiographical novels about the Sicilians of Tunisia.

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McNally Capital, a growth-focused private equity firm specialising in mid-market aerospace and defence, as well as industrial technology and services investments, has completed the acquisition of Airforce Turbine Service, Ltd. (ATS). ATS is an independent global aviation services provider with a strong reputation in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of the PT6A turboprop engine family. As part of the transaction, Turbine Engine Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (TEMRO) has joined ATS as a wholly owned operating subsidiary. McNally Capital sees ATS as a scalable platform with significant growth potential. Ravi P. Shah, Partner at McNally Capital, said the company is at an important inflection point, with opportunities to expand its capabilities and extend its global reach while continuing to deliver high levels of service.

Heavy rain is continuing to batter Queensland's north with rivers rising and large parts of the region on alert for flash flooding. Further north, Innisfail has seen about 700 millimetres of rain and Ingham about 600 millimetres. READ MORE: Search under way after man stabbed at NSW service station Flood warnings remain in place for rivers and creeks across Queensland's north. "For north-west Queensland, that severe weather warning for heavy rain has now been canceled, but we could see thunderstorms bringing pockets of heavy rain which could exacerbate some of those current flood and flash flooding conditions." "We could still see some heavy rain move onto the coast and we could still see further severe weather warnings as well as severe thunderstorm warnings into the weekend."

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