A tense meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House ended in a dramatic confrontation, with Trump urging Kyiv to negotiate peace with Russia or risk losing American support.
During the Oval Office exchange, Trump told Zelensky to “make a deal or we’re out,” signaling a potential shift in U.S. policy toward Ukraine’s war with Russia.
He also accused the Ukrainian leader of “gambling with World War Three” and suggested that Kyiv should be more appreciative of American aid.
Zelensky, however, pushed back, insisting that Ukraine “should not compromise” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Following the heated exchange, Zelensky left the White House, without signing the minerals deal that had been a key topic of discussion.
He also did not hold the planned joint news conference with Trump and departed without speaking to the media, leaving in his motorcade.
Trump later posted on his Truth Social platform: “He can come back when he is ready for peace.”
Vice President JD Vance also questioned whether Zelensky had shown enough gratitude for U.S. support during the three-year war.
The BBC is seeking a rising star of African journalism for the BBC News Komla Dumor Award, which is now in its 10th year. Journalists from across Africa are invited to apply for the award, which aims to uncover and promote fresh talent from the continent. The winner will spend three months at the BBC headquarters in London, gaining skills and experience. Applications close on 20 March 2025 at 23:59 GMT. The award honours the legacy of Komla Dumor, a distinguished Ghanaian broadcaster and former BBC World News presenter, who died suddenly aged 41 11 years ago.
Dumor’s widow, Kwansema Dumor, said she was “proud” of her husband’s impact at the BBC, and also said her family were “thankful to the BBC for remembering him” through the prize.
The BBC is encouraging journalists from across Africa to apply for the prize, which seeks to promote and celebrate outstanding journalistic talent on the continent.
As well as receiving training, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to travel to a country in Africa to report on a story that they have researched, with the report broadcast to the BBC’s global audiences. Known for championing robust, dynamic journalism, Dumor made a significant impact on Africa and the rest of the world.
The BBC is committed to continuing his legacy through the award by empowering journalists from Africa to tell original and nuanced African stories to international audiences.
Rukia Bulle from Kenya was last year’s winner.
During her placement, she travelled to a Senegalese village to report on the Baye Fall, an unorthodox Muslim minority who are often misunderstood by others in the wider faith.
Jonathan Munro, BBC News global director and deputy CEO, said: “We are proud to launch this year’s BBC News Komla Dumor award and the search for the next recipient. “Marking its 10th anniversary is a testament to Komla Dumor’s powerful legacy of reporting on African stories with depth, insight and integrity.
“Past winners of the award reflect the exceptional talent across the continent so I look forward to welcoming this year’s winner and strongly encourage journalists to apply.”
Dumor was the presenter of Focus on Africa, the BBC’s first-ever dedicated daily TV news programme in English for African audiences. It was broadcast on BBC World News, which has now merged with the BBC News Channel to create a single 24-hour TV news service.
He was also one of the lead presenters for BBC World News’ European morning segment.
He joined the BBC in 2007 after a decade of broadcast journalism in his native Ghana where he won the Ghana Journalist of the Year award.
Between 2007 and 2009 he hosted Network Africa on BBC World Service, before joining The World Today programme.
In 2009 Dumor became the first host of the African business news programme on BBC World News, Africa Business Report. He travelled across Africa, meeting Africa’s top entrepreneurs and reporting on the latest business trends around the continent.
In 2013 Dumor featured in New African magazine’s list of the 100 most influential Africans.
Israel says it is indefinitely delaying the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners, in another potentially major setback in the ceasefire process.
Benjamin Netanyahu said the release was now going to be delayed until the next handover of hostages by Hamas was guaranteed – and without what the Israeli prime minister called the degrading ceremonies Hamas has put on each week. Only one more handover – of the bodies of four hostages who died in captivity – is due to take place in the first phase of the ceasefire deal, which is due to end on 1 March.
No arrangements for the release of other living hostages, due to take place in the second phase, have yet been made.
Delegations from Israel and Hamas were due to negotiate the exact terms of the second phase while the first was ongoing – but have yet to meet. Mediators will be working overtime to get the deal back on track and avert a possible collapse after both Israel and Hamas accused one another of breaking the terms of the agreement.
Netanyahu accused Hamas of “repeated violations”, including the “cynical use of the hostages for propaganda purposes”.
In response, Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq strongly condemned the decision to postpone the release of the prisoners in a statement on the morning of Sunday, February,23.
said that Israel’s claim that the handover ceremonies were humiliating was a “false claim and a flimsy argument” aimed at evading its obligations under the ceasefire agreement. Netanyahu’s statement came after four hostages taken captive on 7 October – Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen and Omer Wenkert – were released on Saturday.
The two other released hostages, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, were held in Gaza for years – Mr Mengistu since 2014 and Mr al-Sayed since 2015.
In exchange, Israel was supposed to release 602 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas accused Israel of violating the agreement by delaying the release.
The six Israeli hostages are the final living hostages to be returned as part of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, outside the Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank, family and friends waited for the release of Palestinian prisoners. According to Palestinian authorities, 50 prisoners who were going to be released were serving life sentences, 60 had long sentences, and 445 were detained by Israel since 7 October.
There are 62 hostages taken on 7 October 2023 still being held by Hamas, about half of whom are believed to be alive.
Hamas began releasing hostages, facilitated by the Red Cross, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners after the ceasefire agreement took effect on 19 January. Initial chaotic scenes have become more choreographed, with hostages flanked by fighters on stages before the handovers. On Saturday, Mr Shoham, 40, and Mr Mengistu, 39, were passed to the Red Cross in Rafah in southern Gaza before being transferred to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Mr Shoham was visiting family at Kibbutz Be’eri in October 2023 when he and others, including his wife and two children, were kidnapped by Hamas. His captured family members were released after 50 days.
In a statement, his family said, “This is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions are rapidly mixing. Our Tal is with us.”
Mr Mengistu, who is Ethiopian-Israeli, had been held by Hamas since September 2014 when he crossed into northern Gaza. and Mr al-Sayed, a Bedouin Arab Israeli who entered Gaza in 2015, had both suffered from mental health problems in the past, according to their families.
Mr al-Sayed’s release was conducted privately in Gaza City on Saturday.
“After nearly a decade of fighting for Hisham’s return, the long-awaited moment has arrived,” his family said in a statement. “During these days, we need privacy for Hisham and the entire family so we can begin to care for Hisham and ourselves.”
Separately, at Nuseirat in central Gaza, Mr Shem Tov, 22, Mr Cohen, 27, and Mr Wenkert, 23, were freed in another public show by Hamas.
All three were taken captive at the Nova music festival.
Mr Shem Tov had initially escaped by car when Hamas fighters descended on the festival but was captured when he went back to rescue his friends.
Mr Cohen had hidden with his girlfriend Ziv Abud in a shelter at the festival but was found and driven away. The shelter was bombed, but Ms Abud survived and escaped.
Mr. Wenkert managed to send text messages to his family when festival-goers were being attacked, to tell them he was going to a safe shelter, but they lost contact with him.
Crowds in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square greeted the public releases with cheers as they watched them unfold on a live feed.
Families celebrating the return of the six men called for all remaining hostages to be released.
“Our only request is to seize this window of opportunity to secure a deal that will… return all hostages home,” Mr Shoham’s family said.
The remaining hostages include Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier captured on 7 October.
His mother, Yael Alexander, who was watching Saturday’s hostage release, told the BBC it was “amazing” to see them freed, but for her family it is “very tough” waiting. “There are more than dozens of young men alive, like my son, still waiting to be released,” she said. “This is the main goal, to release the live people now from Gaza.”
Saturday’s joyful scenes contrasted with earlier this week, when the bodies of hostages Shiri Bibas, her two young sons and another captive Oded Lifschitz were returned to Israel.
About 1,200 people – mostly civilians – were killed in the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023 and 251 others were taken back to Gaza as hostages.
Israel launched a massive military campaign against Hamas in response, which has killed at least 48,319 Palestinians – mainly civilians – according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
A British couple in their seventies have been arrested by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75, were returning to their home in Bamiyan on 1 February when they were detained.
The couple have been running training projects in Afghanistan for 18 years and their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, told the BBC she had not heard from her parents in more than two weeks.
It is not known exactly what the couple were arrested for but projects run by them include one training mothers and children, which had apparently been approved by the local authorities despite a ban by the Taliban on women working and on education for girls older than the age of 12. The couple, who originally met at the University of Bath, married in Kabul in 1970. Since 2009 they have been running training projects in five schools in Kabul and one project in Bamiyan training mothers and children.
While the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 saw most of their staff leave—along with most westerners—Mrs. and Mrs Reynolds insisted on staying put.
After their arrest, the couple were initially able to keep in touch with their four children by text message. The family knew that their parents were being held by the interior ministry and were assured by them that they were “fine.”
Three days later, however, the texts stopped. The children have heard nothing since.
Ms Entwistle, who lives in Daventry, Northamptonshire, told the BBC: “It’s been over two weeks since the messages stopped, and they were taken into custody.
“We would like the Taliban to release them to go back to their home and continue their work.”
She told the Sunday Times: “They said they could not leave when Afghans were in their hour of need.
“They were meticulous about keeping by the rules even as they kept changing.”
Their daughter told the Times: “My mother is 75 and my father almost 80 and [he] needs his heart medication after a mini stroke. They were just trying to help the country they loved. The idea they are being held because they were teaching mothers with children is outrageous.”
The couple were arrested alongside their American friend Faye Hall and a translator from their business, the PA news agency reported quoting an employee. The employee, who described the pair as “the most honourable people I have ever met,” said Mr Reynolds had been denied access to heart medication and his condition was “not good.”
Ms Entwistle and her three siblings have written a letter to the Taliban, pleading with them to release their parents.
“We do not understand the reasons behind their arrest,” they wrote. “They have communicated their trust in you, and that as Afghan citizens they will be treated well.”
“We recognise that there have been instances where exchanges have been beneficial for your government and western nations. However, our parents have consistently expressed their commitment to Afghanistan, stating that they would rather sacrifice their lives than become part of ransom negotiations or be traded.”
The Foreign Office is aware two British nationals have been detained in Afghanistan. But assistance is limited by the fact that the UK does not recognise the Taliban and has no embassy in Kabul.
Taliban official sources have told the BBC they arrested British nationals, who they believe were working for an non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Bamiyan province.
An official claimed they had been arrested, about 20 days ago, after using a plane without informing Bamiyan police headquarters or the border security forces.
The Taliban announced women would be banned from working for NGOs in 2022 and in December last year Al Jazeera reported the government had said it would close any NGOs employing women.
Singapore’s biggest bank says it expects to cut 4,000 roles over the next three years as artificial intelligence (AI) takes on more work currently done by humans.
“The reduction in workforce will come from natural attrition as temporary and contract roles roll off over the next few years,” a DBS spokesperson told the BBC.
Permanent staff are not expected to be affected by the cuts. The bank’s outgoing chief executive Piyush Gupta also said it expects to create around 1,000 new AI-related jobs.
It makes DBS one of the first major banks to offer details on how AI will affect its operations.
The company did not say how many jobs would be cut in Singapore or which roles would be affected.
DBS currently has between 8,000 and 9,000 temporary and contract workers. The bank employs a total of around 41,000 people.
Last year, Mr Gupta said DBS had been working on AI for over a decade.
“We today deploy over 800 AI models across 350 use cases, and expect the measured economic impact of these to exceed S$1bn ($745m; £592m) in 2025,” he added.
Mr Gupta is set to leave the firm at the end of March. Current deputy chief executive Tan Su Shan will replace him.
The ongoing proliferation of AI technology has put its benefits and risks under the spotlight, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) saying in 2024 that it is set to affect nearly 40% of all jobs worldwide.
The IMF’s managing director Kristalina Georgieva said that “in most scenarios, AI will likely worsen overall inequality”.
The governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, told the BBC last year that AI will not be a “mass destroyer of jobs” and human workers will learn to work with new technologies.
Mr. Bailey said that while there are risks with AI, “there is great potential with it”.
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo) , a renowned Ghanaian medical doctor and politician, delivered a keynote speech at the Alliance for Science Global Consortium, emphasizing the urgent need for Africa to address its sustainability challenges.
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who has served as Ghana’s Minister for Education and Energy, highlighted the delicate balance between development and sustainability in Africa.
He stressed that achieving sustainable socio-economic growth, lifting millions out of poverty, and preserving natural resources for future generations are critical challenges that require immediate attention.
Sustainability Challenges in Africa
Prempeh identified several key sustainability challenges facing Africa, including:
– Climate Change: Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events threaten agriculture, water resources, and human settlements. – Environmental Degradation: Widespread deforestation, land degradation, and pollution affect biodiversity, soil health, and water quality. – Poverty and Inequality: Significant income inequality and limited access to basic services exacerbate social and economic disparities. – Food and Water Security: Water scarcity and limited agricultural productivity threaten industry, human consumption, and economic growth.
The Role of Political Champions
Prempeh emphasized the crucial role of political leaders in driving sustainability in Africa. He argued that politicians must champion sustainability through policy development, public awareness, cross-sector collaboration, and international advocacy.
Prempeh cited examples of political champions in Africa, including President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, who have implemented policies promoting sustainable development.
BP is expected to announce it will slash its renewable energy investments and instead focus on increasing oil and gas production. The energy giant will outline its strategy later following pressure from some investors unhappy its profits and share price have been much lower than its rivals. Shell and Norwegian company Equinor have already scaled back their plans to invest in green energy. Meanwhile US President Donald Trump’s “drill baby drill” comments have encouraged investment in fossil fuels and a move away from low carbon projects.
Some shareholders and environmental groups have voiced concerns over any potential ramping up on production of fossil fuels. Five years ago, BP set some of the most ambitious targets among large oil companies to cut production of oil and gas by 40% by 2030, while significantly ramping up investment in renewables.
In 2023, the company lowered this oil and gas reduction target to 25%.
It is now expected to abandon it altogether while confirming it is cutting investments in renewable energy by more than half in what chief executive Murray Auchincloss called a “fundamental reset”.
In 2024, BP’s net income fell to $8.9bn (£7.2bn) down from $13.8bn the previous year. Mr Auchincloss is under pressure to boost profits from some shareholders including the influential activist group Elliot Management, which took a near £4 billion stake in the £70 billion company to push for more investment in oil and gas.
Since 2020 when former chief executive Bernard Looney first unveiled his strategy, shareholders have received total returns including dividends of 36% over the last five years. In contrast, shareholders in rivals Shell and Exxon have seen returns of 82% and 160% respectively.
BP’s under performance has prompted speculation that it may be a takeover target or may consider moving its main stock market listing to the US where oil and gas companies command higher valuations.
Not all shareholders want the company to change course so radically.
Last week, a group of 48 investors called on the company to allow them a vote on any potential plans to move away from its previous commitments to renewables.
A spokesperson for one of the signatories, Royal London Asset Management, said: “As long-term shareholders, we recognise BP’s past efforts toward energy transition but remain concerned about the company’s continued investment in fossil fuel expansion.”
The environmental group Greenpeace UK has warned BP could expect “pushback and challenge at every turn if it doubles down on fossil fuels – not just from green campaigners but from its own shareholders”.
Senior climate adviser Charlie Kronick said: “Government policies will also need to prioritise renewable power, and as extreme weather puts pressure on insurance models – policymakers will be looking to fossil fuel profits as a way to fund extreme weather recovery. BP might want to seriously put the brakes on this U-turn.”
AJ Bell analyst Russ Mould said this was one of the most significant moments for BP in the last four or five years.
“Other energy companies have been clearer about their intentions thus far than BP,” he said.
“They need to prove to people that after a difficult operational and share price performance compared to their peers, that they’re looking to do something about it, not just let things drift along, he added.
BP has already placed its offshore wind business in a joint venture with Japanese company Jera and is looking to find a partner to do the same with its solar business.
The refocus on oil and gas could also see sales of other businesses in order to get “non-core stuff off the books” as insiders describe it.
It is over 20 years since former chief executive Lord John Browne said BP could stand for “Beyond Petroleum” as he launched the company’s first tentative moves away from oil and gas.
Today’s strategy shift could be dubbed “Back to Petroleum” – to the delight of some shareholders and to the dismay of others.
Both BP and Elliott management declined to comment.
A Chinese delegation led by Deputy Ambassador Li Yang has paid a courtesy call on Ghana’s Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two nations. During the visit, Li Yang highlighted China’s commitment to advancing education in Ghana, citing the establishment of a Teacher Trainee Institute at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) as a key initiative. He also emphasized the importance of trade relations between Ghana and China.
“China and Ghana enjoy a tone of friendship which keeps bearing new fruits. Last year, we elevated our relationship to a strategic partnership, and Ghana has supported China many times in terms of many topics in the multilateral forums.
“We appreciate that very much. On the economic front, China remains the largest partner and the main source of investment. Last year, the bilateral trade reached a height of $11.84 billion, an increase of more than 7% year-on-year. Many Chinese businesses invest in local enterprises, boosting revenue and industrialization.
“Also, the people-to-people exchange is a highlight that established the teacher’s training at the University of Cape Coast and we think that is very important for us to promote the exchange in the educational field,” he stated.
Li Yang expressed optimism about strengthening bilateral relations under the Mahama-led administration. Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang welcomed China’s efforts to support local research institutes, stressing their critical role in shaping effective policies. “I am happy to note your desire to strengthen local research institutes. We find that very very important, some of us feel like research is you’ve gone on a vacation but the answer is no. Because you need the research and the result to be able to make policy changes that work otherwise you cannot make it because people feel so.
“The feeling is important, but you can’t base your feelings only on your feelings—you have to back it on something else.”
Mali’s military government says it is investigating allegations that soldiers “coldly executed” at least 24 civilians in the north of the country on Monday. That claim was made by a separatist Tuareg rebel alliance, called Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), which is battling the Malian government in the same region. The FLA accuse Malian forces and Wagner mercenaries of intercepting two passenger vehicles travelling to Algeria from the Malian city of Gao and killing the civilians on board, including women and children.
In a statement, army chief Gen Oumar Diarra said the allegations “relayed by terrorist networks, allies and sponsors” follow other “unfounded” claims against state forces.
For many years, the Malian government has been struggling against both Tuareg rebels seeking a breakaway state in the north and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. The military which seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021 hired Russian mercenaries from the paramilitary group Wagner to help improve security in the country.
Both government forces and the Russians have often been accused by rights groups of committing gross human rights abuses against civilians, which they deny. Last month, Mali was one of three countries under military rule to leave the West African regional bloc Ecowas, after refusing its demands to restore civilian rule.
The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger dealt a huge blow to Ecowas, which at 50 years old is considered Africa’s most important regional group.
Mali’s military leaders also ended ties with former colonial power France, whose troops left the country in 2022 after more than a decade fighting Islamist insurgents.
The following year, all 12,000 UN peacekeepers left Mali on the junta’s instructions.
A dispute over a cigarette turned violent when a sex worker stabbed her colleague at a taxi rank in Verulam CBD, South Africa, on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
The altercation occurred while the women were waiting for customers.
Members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) responded to a distress call at approximately 10:29 PM and arrived to find a woman lying on the ground with a stab wound to her neck.
The victim, who identified herself as a sex worker in the area, said the suspect—also in the same line of work—had approached her for a cigarette.
When she refused, an argument ensued, leading to the suspect pulling a knife and stabbing her before fleeing the scene.
Emergency responders provided medical assistance, and the victim survived the attack. Authorities have since launched an investigation to track down the suspect.
