January 2026

Saudi Arabia Calls Yemen Southern Factions To Riyadh Talks

Saudi Arabia Calls Yemen Southern Factions To Riyadh Talks

January 3, 2026 3:07 am

Saudi Arabia called for urgent talks among Yemen’s southern political and military factions in Riyadh, after a sharp escalation in fighting exposed an unprecedented rift between Riyadh and its longtime ally, the United Arab Emirates.

The appeal followed days of clashes in southern Yemen that have pitted Saudi-backed government forces against UAE-supported separatists, raising fears the conflict could fracture the anti-Houthi alliance and destabilize territory along Saudi Arabia’s border.

In a statement published on social media, Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry urged the Yemeni government to convene “a comprehensive conference in Riyadh” bringing together all southern factions to seek “just solutions …

BBC/Trump Warning on Iran Protests Draws Fierce Tehran Response

Trump Warning On Iran Protests Draws Fierce Tehran Response

January 3, 2026 2:39 am

Iran’s foreign minister has condemned a warning issued by U.S. President Donald Trump over the treatment of protesters, calling the remarks “reckless and dangerous” as demonstrations over economic hardship continue across the country.

The comments came after Trump said the United States would intervene if Iranian authorities killed peaceful demonstrators, a statement that sharply escalated rhetoric at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.

In a brief social media post on Friday, Trump said Washington would “come to their rescue” if protesters were violently targeted, adding that the U.S. was “locked and loaded and ready to go.” …

Diseases That Pay:The Global Health Economy—Part 3

Diseases That Pay: The Global Health Economy—Part 3

January 3, 2026 2:38 am

The Price of Being Human

When health becomes currency, survival becomes conditional.

By Prof. MarkAnthony Nze

When Care Stopped Being a Moral Guarantee

There was a time when illness, though feared, did not immediately translate into financial dread. Health systems were imperfect, uneven, and often unjust—but the act of seeking care was not, in itself, an economic negotiation. That moral baseline has eroded.

Today, the experience of illness is inseparable from cost calculations. Before diagnosis comes coverage verification. Before treatment comes authorization. Before healing comes an invoice. The modern health system no longer asks first what does this patient need?…

Musk Targets Neuralink Chip Output With Automated Surgery AI

Musk Targets Neuralink Chip Output With Automated Surgery AI

January 2, 2026 8:22 am

Elon Musk’s Neuralink plans high-volume brain chip production in 2026 while automating implantation, expanding trials for paralysis and neurological patients.

Elon Musk says his brain-computer interface company, Neuralink, is preparing to move into high-volume production of its brain implants in 2026, alongside a major shift toward automating the surgical procedure used to place the devices in patients.

In a series of posts on X this week, Musk said Neuralink plans to scale manufacturing of its brain chips while streamlining implantation into what he described as an “almost entirely automated” process. The move signals a new phase for the startup as …

Bill Gates Warns AI Misuse Could Lead To Scary Outcomes Soon

Bill Gates Warns That AI Misuse Could Lead To Scary Outcomes

January 2, 2026 7:05 am

Microsoft founder Gates praises AI’s promise in healthcare but urges vigilance as leaders warn the fast-moving technology could displace jobs and be abused.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has warned that Artificial Intelligence (AI), could produce “scary” consequences if it falls into the wrong hands, even as he described the technology as one of the most powerful tools humanity has ever created.

Speaking in recent broadcast interviews, Gates said AI has the potential to transform daily life, particularly in healthcare, where he believes it could dramatically improve access and quality of care within the next decade. He said AI systems could

…
Otedola Exits Geregu Power In $750m Deal, Shifts Focus Ahead

Otedola Exits Geregu Power In $750m Deal, Shifts Focus Ahead

January 2, 2026 6:10 am

Deal values Geregu Power at $750 million as Nigerian billionaire Otedola reallocates capital toward banking and broader financial services investments growth.

Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola has sold his controlling interest in Geregu Power Plc in a deal valued at about $750 million, marking a major shift away from the power sector as he prepares to deploy fresh capital into financial services.

The transaction ends Otedola’s long-running involvement in Geregu Power, one of Nigeria’s largest electricity generation companies, and underscores his growing focus on banking and related investments. A source with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed the valuation.

Otedola, who …

Lagos: New Year Fire Destroys Ikotun Electronics Market Hubs

Lagos: New Year Fire Destroys Ikotun Electronics Market Hubs

January 2, 2026 4:26 am

Early morning fire tears through Ikotun Market plaza, destroying electronics shops worth billions as firefighters struggle with smoke and water shortages.

A massive fire swept through the electronics section of Ikotun Market in Lagos early on New Year’s Day, destroying goods worth billions of naira and raising renewed concerns over fire safety in Nigeria’s commercial hubs.

The blaze broke out around 12:05 a.m. on January 1, 2026, at the market’s electronics plaza, a densely packed cluster of shops that serves as a major distribution point for phones, computers, and household electronics in Africa’s most populous city. By the time firefighters …

Bolsonaro House Arrest Ruling Denied After Hospital Discharge

Bolsonaro House Arrest Ruling Denied After Hospital Discharge

January 2, 2026 3:30 am

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was returned to custody in Brasilia after being discharged from hospital, hours after a Supreme Court justice rejected his request to serve his sentence under humanitarian house arrest.

Bolsonaro, 70, had been hospitalized for medical procedures to treat a hernia and persistent hiccups. Once doctors cleared him for discharge, he was transferred to the Federal Police Superintendency, where he is serving a 27 year prison sentence for plotting a coup following his defeat in the 2022 presidential election, according to Reuters.

The decision underscores the court’s firm stance as Brazil continues to reckon with the …

US: Tests Record-Range Helicopter Weapon Far Beyond Hellfire

US: Tests Record-Range Helicopter Weapon Far Beyond Hellfire

January 2, 2026 3:17 am

U.S. Marine Corps fires Red Wolf munition from AH-1Z, showing strike range ten times Hellfire, networking abilities and a push for Pacific-ready airpower.

United States Marine Corps has completed a key live-fire test of a new helicopter-launched munition designed to dramatically extend the reach of its attack aircraft, signaling a shift in how U.S. forces plan to fight in high-threat environments.

The test, conducted over the Atlantic Test Range, involved the launch of L3Harris Technologies’ Red Wolf system from an AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter. According to the Marine Corps and the company, the munition successfully struck a sea-based target, marking …

Indore Diarrhoea Outbreak Kills Nine After Water Contamination

Indore Diarrhoea Outbreak Kills Nine After Water Contamination

January 2, 2026 3:04 am

At least nine people have died and more than 200 others have been hospitalized in Indore after a diarrhoea outbreak that local officials say was caused by contaminated drinking water in one neighborhood of the central Indian city.

Health authorities said the outbreak was traced to a leak in a water pipeline in the Bhagirathpur area, where tests later confirmed bacterial contamination. Emergency measures are now underway as officials try to contain the spread and prevent further illnesses.

The situation has drawn attention because Indore, located in Madhya Pradesh state, has been ranked India’s cleanest city for eight consecutive years …

Reuters/Kim Jong Un Daughter Ju Ae Appears At Kumsusan Mausoleum

Kim Jong Un Daughter Ju Ae Appears At Kumsusan Mausoleum

January 2, 2026 2:46 am

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appeared alongside his wife and daughter at the country’s most sacred mausoleum on New Year’s Day, marking the first time his child, Ju Ae, has been shown paying respects to past leaders in a highly symbolic public setting.

State media photographs released on Friday showed Ju Ae standing between her parents inside the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, where the embalmed bodies of state founder Kim Il Sung and former leader Kim Jong Il lie in state. Analysts say the appearance adds to growing signs that Kim’s daughter is being gradually introduced …

Venus Williams Australian Open Return Confirmed With Wildcard

Venus Williams Australian Open Return Confirmed With Wildcard

January 2, 2026 2:19 am

Venus Williams is set to return to the Australian Open after tournament organizers confirmed she has been awarded a wildcard entry, marking her first appearance at Melbourne Park in five years.

The seven time Grand Slam champion last competed at the Australian Open in 2021, when she was eliminated in the second round by Italy’s Sara Errani. Her comeback at the season’s first major will also see her make history as the oldest woman ever to appear in the Australian Open main draw.

“I am excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the summer,” Williams …

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𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬, 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤, is a nonpartisan online news portal founded on the truth to provide you with weekly, insightful articles written with precision and current updates on current events from Africa in particular and the rest of the world in general. All of our reports undergo extensive fact-checking to ensure their veracity, and we adhere strictly to the facts, no matter whose ox is gored.

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