Rorisang Modiba brings you daily global updates.
Lebanon – Four Ghanaian UN peacekeepers were injured in southern Lebanon as fighting between Hezbollah and Israel intensified. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that its bases and patrols came under attack from rockets and gunfire. An Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed five people and injured 31. US envoy Amos Hochstein is working to end the 13-month war. His plan includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the relocation of Hezbollah, and the deployment of additional UN and Lebanese soldiers to the area.
Cameroon – The European Union has pledged €91 million to Cameroon over the next three years to repair roads, build energy projects, and connect Cameroon to Equatorial Guinea via a new bridge. The funds will also support the construction of a railway to Chad. Cameroon’s infrastructure has been severely affected by underfunding and a violent conflict in the west that has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced 760,000.
USA – President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Linda McMahon, the co-founder of WWE wrestling, as his education secretary. Trump, who has proposed shutting down the Department of Education, may ask her to oversee this process. McMahon, a major supporter and donor to Trump’s campaign, is expected to use her business acumen to reform the education system.
Hong Kong – Jimmy Lai, the 77-year-old founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, appeared in court for his trial. He faces charges of colluding with foreign powers and promoting sedition under a strict security law. Lai denied advocating for Hong Kong or Taiwan’s independence, calling the accusations a “conspiracy.” He stated that he never supported violence during the 2019 protests. If convicted, Lai could face a life sentence. His trial forms part of a broader crackdown on dissent against Beijing’s control over Hong Kong.
Pictured above: UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.
Source: United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon/X
