Author: News Desk

For the second year in a row, the city of Ouidah in Benin is playing host to Vodun Days – a celebration of the region’s long spiritual traditions. France 24’s correspondent Lilaafa Amouzou visited the festival and found out about efforts to dismantle myths about Vodon. Celebrating Benin's Vodun heritage

The United States and the United Kingdom imposed further sanctions on Russia’s energy sector on Friday in an attempt to curb funding for Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The US Treasury Department said it was designating two of Russia’s largest oil companies, Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, fulfilling “the G7 commitment to reduce Russian revenues from energy.” The sanctions also apply to 183 vessels that the US government believes are part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet” of ships allegedly used to evade existing sanctions on the transport of Russian oil. In addition, the measures target specific projects and infrastructure for liquefied natural…

Mayorkas extends deportation shield for eye-popping number of immigrants ahead of Trump admin The Biden administration on Friday announced the extension of deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals from a slew of countries, just weeks before the incoming Trump administration is expected to launch a historic deportation operation.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it is extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Venezuela, Sudan and Ukraine for an additional 18 months beyond their current expirations.TPS grants protection from deportation and work permits for nationals living in the U.S. from countries deemed unsafe for them to…

The union of technicians of the Ministry of Finance, Gestha, has assured that almost half of the taxpayers would not have to pay the Inheritance and Donation Tax even with the elimination of the bonuses that the autonomous communities currently grant to this tax, which benefits “a minority of wealthier households.” According to Gestha data based on statistics from the Bank of Spain, half of Spanish households with heads of household between 65 and 74 years old have less than the median wealth, 225,800 euros. Lower figures when the head of the family is 75 years old or older, in…

The death toll from the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area rose to at least ten, the authorities said, even as new fires continued to spring up. US President Joe Biden pledged extra federal funds and resources to deal with “the most… devastating fire in California’s history.” News of the growing toll, announced late Thursday by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, came as swaths of the United States’ second-largest city lay in ruins. A vast firefighting operation continued into the night, bolstered by water-dropping helicopters thanks to a temporary lull in winds, even as new fires continued to spring up.…

Government opponents in Venezuela have reported a new wave of repression ahead of Friday’s inauguration of President Nicolas Maduro for a third term, including a brief arrest of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado amid murky circumstances.  Venezuela's Maduro set for third presidential term despite domestic, global outcry

Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked for a meeting with Donald Trump to try to end the “bloody mess” of the Ukraine war, the US president-elect revealed Thursday, just days before his January 20 inauguration. Trump has often criticised the massive military aid Washington has sent to Kyiv.

Friday’s front pages cover the ongoing LA wildfires as exhausted firefighters battle to contain the fires spreading over the iconic city. The front pages reflect the growing death toll and the more than 100,000 homes reduced to ash.

The latest from Downing Street – and the UK economy – also find space on the front pages this morning as the pound sinks to its lowest level since 2023. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing criticism from several publications as she jets off to China amid economic uncertainty. However, the chancellor’s trip is an attempt to revive closer ties with Beijing for economic benefits.


Elon Musk continues to find a scrap of space on the front pages, as the foreign billionaire has said he wants to oust Keir Starmer – and Labour – from power. Elon Musk is an American billionaire who does not live in Britain. His continued interference in British politics continues to infuriate the public. The tech billionaire is also facing a probe by a counter-extremism unit to see if they create a risk to Britain.

Several papers carry a newly released image of Princess Kate, who celebrated her birthday yesterday. Other papers carry images from Jimmy Carter’s funeral – as the previous five American presidents came together.

The world has just experienced the first full year in which global temperatures exceeded 1.5C above pre-industrial times, scientists have said. The milestone was confirmed by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) on Friday, which said the climate crisis is pushing the planet’s temperature to levels never before experienced by modern humans. “The trajectory is just incredible,” C3S director Carlo Buontempo told the Reuters news agency, describing how every month in 2024 was the warmest or second-warmest for that month since records began. The planet’s average temperature in 2024 was 1.6 degrees Celsius higher than in 1850-1900, the…

Reform level with Labour in new poll as Treasury responds to gloomy economy update: Politics live Sir Keir Starmer has been dealt a further blow with a new poll predicting Labour would lose its overall majority if an election was held now. The poll by FindOutNowUK has put Reform level pegging with Labour on 25 per cent and the Tories five points behind on 20 per cent. According to the calculations, if the result was repeated in a general election Labour would lose 173 seats but remain the largest party on 238. Reform would leap into second place from the…