January 20 was a turning point for the entire world: The day that Donald Trump moved back into the White House marked a significant change in the course of global politics. Within a few months, Trump had introduced punitive tariffs and restrictive visa policies, had withdrawn the US from major international structures such as the Paris climate agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO), and had dismantled most of the work of US development agency, USAID.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he plans to meet with US President Donald Trump this Sunday in Florida. Zelenskyy earlier posted to social media that a meeting would take place in the coming days (see below). But Ukrainian media and others earlier reported a meeting between the two leaders was likely going to take place on Sunday, at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Trump is spending his Christmas break there.
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
Cambodian and Thai officials were in their third day of talks at a border checkpoint on Friday, with defence ministers from both countries scheduled to meet on Saturday. However, Cambodia's defence ministry said Thailand's military carried out a heavy bombardment of disputed border areas in Banteay Meanchey province on Friday morning. From 6.08am to 7.15am, the Thai military deployed F-16 fighter jets to drop as many as 40 bombs, to intensify its bombardment in the area of Chok Chey village, it said in a statement.
The militants targeted by US airstrikes The armed groups in Africa's most populous country include at least two affiliated with the Islamic State - an offshoot of the Boko Haram extremist group known as the Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast, and the lesser-known Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) known locally as Lakurawa and prominent in the northwest.
In 2025, the continent's top Facebook markets reveal where the largest user bases are and how gender shapes social media engagement. Despite increasing competition from short-form video platforms such as TikTok and X, Facebook's combination of low data consumption, wide smartphone compatibility, and deep integration with WhatsApp has preserved its dominance in Africa's digital ecosystem. Based on 2025 data from World Population Review, the African countries with the largest Facebook user bases are:
A cohort of 168 Palestinian doctors have received their advanced medical certifications in Gaza amid the rubble of what was once the Palestinian territory's largest hospital. The graduation took place in front of the destroyed facade of the al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City on Thursday. It was a symbolic act of resilience as the doctors, calling themselves the Humanity Cohort, completed their Palestinian Board certifications under extraordinary circumstances after two years of Israel's war.
The draft defence budget for the next fiscal year approved on Friday is more than 9tn ($58bn) and 9.4% bigger than the previous budget, which will end in April. The increase comes in the fourth year of Japan's five-year program to double its annual arms spending to 2% of GDP. The budget plan focuses on fortifying strike-back capability and coastal defences with surface-to-ship missiles and unmanned arsenals.
In Beijing's view, Washington's escalation which includes seizing Venezuelan oil tankers, striking alleged drug-smuggling boats and imposing a blockade off the Venezuelan coast is a textbook example of American unilateralism, infringing on another country's sovereignty and violating the United Nations Charter. During a December 17 call with his Venezuelan counterpart, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi voiced opposition to US unilateral bullying and expressed his support for Venezuela's right to defend its sovereignty and national dignity.
A giant banner Greenpeace activists unfurled on the 341ft-tall Estela de la Luz tower in Mexico City in late September read: "The Mayan jungle cries out!" It was one of the most high-profile actions to date denouncing ecological damage caused by the Maya Train and other industries in Mexico's south east. The action followed years of protests over the train's growing ecological impacts as it expands into freight and is expected to be extended into Guatemala and Belize.
I've always wanted to play in the Ashes, if it's home or away, and this obviously feels very special. Being here at the MCG with all my family in as well makes it even better. The match situation is already stacked in Australia's favour, 46 runs ahead on first innings and batting again on an alarmingly sporty pitch that may now settle on day two.
Diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh have hit a critical juncture with Dhaka suspending visa and consular services at its missions in New Delhi and Agartala on December 22 following protests outside the facilities. India has also suspended visa services at its Chittagong visa application center in Bangladesh following widespread violent protests triggered by the death of prominent Bangledeshi activist Sharif Osman Hadi.
Algeria's parliament unanimously approved on Wednesday a law declaring France's colonisation of the country a crime, demanding an apology and reparations in a move Paris condemned as "hostile". Standing in the chamber, lawmakers wearing scarves in the colours of the national flag chanted "long live Algeria" as they applauded the passage of the bill, which states that France holds "legal responsibility for its colonial past in Algeria and the tragedies it caused".
Two foreigners seeking medical evacuation are among those killed in the crash on Africa's highest mountain. Five people have been killed in a helicopter crash on Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, authorities say. The accident took place on Wednesday evening on one of the most popular tourist climbing routes in what police said was a rescue mission to pick up patients on the mountain.
Five people have been killed in a firefight between border guards and intruders on Tajikistans border with Afghanistan, the Tajik border protection agency says. Heavily armed raiders from Afghanistan crossed into Tajikistan at the village of Kavo in the Shamsiddin Shokhin district on Tuesday and were located on Wednesday, according to a statement by the border agency published by Tajik news agency Khovar.
Israeli officers closed an event celebrating Christmas on Sunday, confiscating equipment, and arresting the Palestinian Santa Claus, as well as a DJ and a street vendor. In a video, police can be seen pushing the men to the ground and handcuffing them as bystanders watched. The Israeli police said in a statement that the man wearing the Santa Claus costume resisted arrest and assaulted an officer.
