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Reuters/Benin Citizenship Program Invites Diaspora To Reclaim Roots

Benin Citizenship Program Invites Diaspora To Reclaim Roots

January 14, 2026 4:29 am

Benin has begun granting citizenship to people of African descent whose ancestors were enslaved and taken across the Atlantic, a move aimed at reconnecting the diaspora with one of the most significant departure points of the transatlantic slave trade.

Among the first to be naturalised is Isaline Attelly, a 28 year old content creator originally from the Caribbean island of Martinique. Attelly had been living in Benin for nearly a year when genealogical research confirmed that her great grandmother was born in what is now Benin before being trafficked during the height of the slave trade.

The discovery led Attelly …

Grok Deepfake Investigation Launched by UK Regulator

Grok Deepfake Investigation Launched by UK Regulator

January 13, 2026 12:05 pm

Britain’s media regulator has opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s social platform X over concerns that its Grok tool may be generating sexually explicit synthetic images, raising alarms about potential violations of UK laws designed to protect the public from illegal online content.

The probe, announced Monday by Ofcom, comes as the British government prepares to activate new legislation that makes the creation of sexual deepfake images a criminal offence. Officials say the move is aimed at curbing the spread of images they describe as weapons of abuse.

Technology Minister Liz Kendall told lawmakers that the government is …

Jimmy Lai Mitigation Hearings Conclude In Hong Kong

Jimmy Lai Mitigation Hearings Conclude In Hong Kong

January 13, 2026 5:13 am

Hong Kong’s High Court on Tuesday wrapped up mitigation hearings for media tycoon Jimmy Lai, moving his long running national security case into its final phase ahead of sentencing.

The hearings mark the last major step in a trial that has drawn sustained international attention and diplomatic concern, with a sentencing date to be announced later by the court.

Lai’s lawyers and counsel for eight co defendants, including senior former editors and executives at the now closed Apple Daily newspaper, spent two days arguing for reduced sentences based on the defendants’ roles and circumstances. “There are a lot of …

Kevin Rudd US Ambassador Resignation Confirmed

Kevin Rudd US Ambassador Resignation Confirmed

January 13, 2026 2:28 am

Australia’s ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, will leave his post months ahead of schedule, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Tuesday, following a tenure marked by diplomatic successes and political friction with President Donald Trump.

Rudd, a former Australian prime minister, will conclude his posting in March and return to lead the Asia Society think tank. Albanese said the move was initiated by Rudd himself and would not alter the strength of ties between Canberra and Washington.

“Australia and the United States are the closest of friends and allies, and this will never change,” Albanese told reporters. …

Starlink Persists Despite Iran Internet Shutdown

Starlink Persists Despite Iran Internet Shutdown

January 13, 2026 2:00 am

Some Iranians continue to access the internet through Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service despite a sweeping nationwide communications blackout imposed by authorities, according to multiple people inside the country.

The continued access highlights how satellite based connections are once again being used to bypass state ordered shutdowns during periods of political unrest, even as Iran intensifies a crackdown on protests.

Iran’s government has sharply restricted online access in recent days, cutting services delivered through fiber optic cables and mobile phone networks as demonstrations spread across the country. The near total blackout has left most residents unable to communicate online.

Yet …

South Korea Drone Investigation Targets Possible Civilian Flights

South Korea Drone Investigation Targets Possible Civilian Flights

January 12, 2026 4:52 am

South Korean authorities on Monday opened an investigation into whether civilians were responsible for drones that North Korea says crossed into its airspace, a case that has raised new security concerns on the Korean peninsula.

The inquiry comes after Pyongyang accused Seoul of carrying out provocations by sending unmanned aircraft across the border, an allegation South Korea’s military has firmly denied.

The Defence Ministry said the probe will focus on determining whether private individuals or groups may have operated the drones without government approval.

President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a swift investigation, warning that unauthorized drone flights would amount …

Jimmy Lai National Security Trial Enters Final Sentencing

Jimmy Lai National Security Trial Enters Final Sentencing

January 12, 2026 4:40 am

Hong Kong’s High Court on Monday began hearing mitigation arguments for pro democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, bringing his landmark national security case to its final stage before sentencing in a trial that has drawn global scrutiny.

Lai, 78, could face life in prison after being convicted last month on multiple charges under the city’s sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing.

The hearing marks the last opportunity for Lai’s legal team to argue for a reduced sentence in a case widely viewed as a test of press freedom and political dissent in the China ruled city.

According …

Myanmar Election Enters Second Phase

Myanmar Election Enters Second Phase

January 11, 2026 2:00 am

Voters in Myanmar headed to polling stations on Sunday for the second phase of a military organised election that critics say is designed to entrench junta rule rather than restore democratic governance.

The vote comes nearly four years after the armed forces seized power in a 2021 coup, triggering a nationwide conflict that has displaced millions and left large parts of the country outside government control. International observers and rights groups have repeatedly questioned the credibility of the election, citing the absence of a genuine opposition and widespread violence.

The first round of voting, held on December 28, produced a …

Japan Early Election Talk Grows Under PM Takaichi

Japan Early Election Talk Grows Under PM Takaichi

January 11, 2026 1:30 am

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may be moving closer to calling an early general election, according to the leader of her coalition partner, following reports that a snap vote could be held as early as February.

Hirofumi Yoshimura, head of the Japan Innovation Party, said on Sunday that recent discussions with Takaichi suggested her thinking on election timing had entered what he described as a new phase. His remarks came after domestic media reported the prime minister was weighing a February election.

An early election could allow Takaichi, Japan’s first woman prime minister, to seek a fresh mandate while public …

Pope Leo Foreign Policy Speech Warns Against War

Pope Leo Foreign Policy Speech Warns Against War

January 9, 2026 3:09 pm

Pope Leo delivered a forceful annual foreign policy address on Friday, condemning the use of military force in international diplomacy and calling for the protection of human rights in Venezuela. Speaking to some 184 ambassadors at the Vatican, Leo warned that “war is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading.”

The first U.S.-born pope emphasized the growing weakness of international organizations in addressing global conflicts. “A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force,” he said in the 43-minute speech.

Referring indirectly to last weekend’s U.S. …

Yoon Suk Yeol Insurrection Trial Sentencing Delayed

Yoon Suk Yeol Insurrection Trial Sentencing Delayed

January 9, 2026 2:58 pm

A South Korean court hearing insurrection charges against former President Yoon Suk Yeol delayed prosecutors’ sentencing request on Friday after an unusually long session, pushing the closely watched decision into next week in a case that could carry the death penalty.

The Seoul Central District Court said proceedings would resume on January 13 after more than twelve hours of arguments, as defence lawyers were still presenting their case late into the evening. Prosecutors had been expected to formally request a sentence for Yoon and seven co defendants before the session ended.

The trial centers on accusations that Yoon orchestrated an …

Israeli strikes killed at least four Palestinians in Gaza, raising fears the fragile ceasefire with Hamas could collapse amid stalled negotiations.

Gaza Ceasefire Strained As Israeli Strikes Kill Palestinians

January 8, 2026 10:27 am

Israeli forces killed at least four Palestinians in separate strikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, according to local medics, underscoring the growing fragility of a ceasefire that has struggled to move beyond its initial phase.

The deaths were reported just hours after Israel’s military said it had struck the site of a failed militant rocket launch inside Gaza, accusing Hamas of violating the truce. There was no immediate Israeli response to the reported civilian casualties.

Medical officials said an Israeli airstrike hit a tent in western Khan Younis, killing at least three people and wounding three others, including children. …

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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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