World news summarised in English: the UN, summits, conflicts and major powers — what happens outside Africa and matters to the continent. 99 articles published.
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The Saudi Pro League has postponed three matches, including Al-Nassr’s, after an escalation in attacks by Houthi rebels against Saudi Arabia. Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad are scheduled to play on 19 December, while Al-Nassr will return on 6 March 2027, according to the Saudi league, cited by Vanguard.
Source: Vanguard
The war between the United States, Israel and Iran is disrupting energy markets after the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes, was affected. Higher prices could accelerate investment in clean energy despite increased reliance on coal, according to Egypt Independent.
Source: Egypt Independent
A ballistic missile struck the Aramco complex in Dhahran, damaging the top three floors of a tower and starting a fire, but causing no casualties. The attack follows several Houthi missile and drone strikes on Saudi sites, according to Saudi authorities and sources cited by Reuters.
Source: Daily Maverick
Charles Michel, former president of the European Council and former Belgian prime minister, becomes co-president of the Africa-Europe Foundation alongside Mo Ibrahim. The foundation has also announced the appointment of 18 new members to its high-level group of personalities, according to Jornal Tropical.
Source: Jornal Tropical
Saudi Arabia spent 83 billion dollars on defence last year, but is still struggling to protect its airports, refineries and pipelines from Houthi missiles and drones. Recent attacks on Riyadh airport highlight the limits of a system equipped with advanced American and European weapons, according to Egypt Independent.
Source: Egypt Independent
Russian drone and missile strikes have damaged sites linked to Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, McDonald’s and Oreo in Ukraine, according to Andy Hunder, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine. He denounced the White House’s silence as Washington presses Kyiv to stop its attacks on Russian refineries, reports CNN.
Source: Egypt Independent
Turkish authorities placed the Halk TV channel under provisional administration after a raid on its premises, the halt of its live broadcasts and the arrest of 11 people. Its chairman, Cafer Mahiroğlu, denounced a dark day for Turkey and said that seven members of his family were among those detained, reports France 24.
Source: France 24
South African Navi Pillay has received the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts against impunity and genocide. In an interview with RFI, the former judge discusses Rwanda, the International Criminal Court and Gaza, while calling on the international community to do more.
Source: RFI
A Ukrainian drone reportedly targeted Sberbank’s vast regional data centre in Balakovo, Russia, according to preliminary reports. The complex of more than 55,000 square metres was intended to accommodate up to 120,000 servers, but its systems were still undergoing reliability tests, reports Zambianobserver.
Source: Zambianobserver
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung warned the European Union that dependence on Chinese suppliers threatens its freedom and sovereignty. His remarks in Warsaw come ahead of a European summit where trade relations with Beijing will be central to discussions, according to Citizen.
Source: Citizen
China is no longer content merely to export cars and is now establishing complete automotive production ecosystems in Europe, with local partnerships. According to Philipp Seidel, an Arthur D. Little expert cited by France 24, tariffs can slow this progress, but European carmakers must above all strengthen their competitiveness.
Source: France 24
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed new discussions with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to move towards ending the war with Russia. He also says he supports Donald Trump’s proposed energy truce, provided Moscow respects it, according to Daily Maverick.
Source: Daily Maverick
Seven US senators, including four Republicans and three Democrats, are asking Donald Trump to cancel the agreement authorising Russian diesel deliveries to the United States. They cite the 2022 law against Russian energy imports and condemn the lack of consultation with Congress, according to Reuters.
Source: Lapresse
Around 3,000 Africans are believed to have joined the Russian army since the start of the war in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian services cited in an investigation by the French Institute of International Relations. The recruits come notably from Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, Uganda, Gambia, Zimbabwe and the Central African Republic.
Source: Congo B
South African jurist Navi Pillay, recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, is calling on states to take concrete action to defend the global legal order. She spoke in The Hague in an interview with the Associated Press, according to Africanews.
Source: Africanews
General Alexus Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, is urging NATO to clearly define Russian actions that could trigger a response. He cites sabotage, cyberattacks, arson and covert operations, among other actions, to reduce the risk of miscalculation, according to the ANG agency.
Source: Ang
The 2026 report by the United Nations Development Programme estimates that 1.2 billion people out of the 6.3 billion studied live in acute multidimensional poverty. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rate, with 616 million people affected, or 51.4% of its population, according to data published by the UNDP.
Source: Ang
Cristiano Ronaldo scored in Al-Nassr’s 3-1 win over Neftchi Fergana in the Asian Champions League after the match was delayed by an hour because of a missile alert in Riyadh. Saudi Civil Defence had issued a safety warning before kick-off, reports Nile Post.
Source: Nile Post
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