Agbu Kefas, the governor of Taraba State, has signed and issued an executive order designating the state’s crisis-stricken Karim Lamido local government area as a special security concern.
Over the years of repeat crises in local council communities, the decision was made following thorough security assessments and consultations with relevant authorities.
Following a crucial security meeting with local stakeholders, the order was approved.
The decision, approved by Governor Kefas, was a preventive and stabilizing measure meant to protect lives, property, livelihoods, and peaceful coexistence in the area, according to a press release from his chief press secretary, Yusuf Sanda.
The government emphasized that all lawful activities, including farming, trading, worship, and local government, will continue uninterrupted, saying that the designation does not constitute a state of emergency, does not suspend civil authority, and does not discriminate against any community, religion, or ethnic group.
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Governor Kefas reassured residents that the law-abiding citizens had no fear and that the measure was only ever subject to periodic review and strict constitutional guidelines.
To promote peace, stability, and mutual trust, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth leaders, and community stakeholders were all encouraged to work with security organizations.
Gaza City: We have stopped counting the days, seasons, and passage of time over the past two years.
The life we knew before the start of Israel’s genocidal war is no longer days.
Instead, days sever as we experience every blemish and bitter cup-related occurrence except for the one that will give us our lives back.
We observe the world opening a blank page to welcome the upcoming year while celebrating achievements and the end of 2025.
However, the new year in Gaza means that the conflict is now in its third year.
Since the genocide began, it appears as though Gaza has its own calendar.
bringing up remorse and disbelief
Anyone who survived this year alive with their body has their soul eroded, and any woman or man who has been relocated for two years can tell you about it.
At the beginning of 2025, we were optimistic as we traveled back to northern Gaza, carrying our aches and disbelief, to our destroyed homes.
We believed the war was over and that a new beginning would follow in that ceasefire in January 2025.
But we made a mistake. The war broke out in post-war northern Gaza just six weeks later, and it was even more brutal.
We were awakened to the sounds of bombs in the middle of March, which had never really left us. Israel added the tactic of starvation, preventing everyone from entering, even aid, this time.
So it went: fighting, blood, hunger, and a never-ending hunger for a single meal.
Eid and feast days passed by while tables were empty during the seasons of abundance. No chocolate, coffee, or cookies for the holidays. Nothing .
Some stopped welcoming visitors, hiding their poverty, while others made do by offering water.
Store shelves at this year’s Eid were bare for months.
A vendor used sugar, sesame, and flour to set up a table with thin fingers of sweets his wife had prepared at home. One small piece sold for 10 shekels (roughly $3).
I wasn’t surprised, either. Like gold, sugar and flour were unaffordable and sold for nothing.
I searched everywhere for my children to find any signs of celebration that day.
I was surprised that I had hoped that Eid might alter things and that food might enter.
But I asked myself, “What would be the issue with Eid in Gaza?” Nothing alters. The reality is the same as today. A day in Gaza results in hunger and lack of joy on the ground, as well as bombs in the sky.
I returned home to my family in the north for Eid after making the decision to not visit them there.
Iyas, Maram Humaid’s son, has spent the majority of his life fighting.
I felt joy was dead, despite my best efforts, not just because I waited at a street corner for more than an hour and a half looking for a car or even an animal-drawn cart to take us north. So I came back hurt and with my children trailing behind me.
I had enough money to buy them new clothes, but I couldn’t buy them a cookie with it all.
While the rest of the world continued to celebrate Eid as famine consumed us, I slumped onto a couch at home and began to wonder at the wrath that appeared to have been unleashed on us in Gaza.
Days are passing.
They rained on us as the days went on.
I started to lose my drive to work, write, and continue to listen to other people’s stories day by day.
When the world has grown used to our protruding bones, what purpose does it serve to hear the stories of the hungry? What purpose does it serve to report on a massacre that doesn’t come to an end?
I ran out of energy. My mind would tell me to conserve the energy that was left over when I would consider writing a story.
My days consisted of counting the leftovers of sugar, rice, and flour. For my children, I cooked lentils over an open, smoking fire. I was concerned about the last of the yeast, worried about finding more firewood, and longed for a cup of coffee like a dream while browsing through photos of tables that had previously been sparse.
We witnessed people passing away in aid distribution centers at night as a result of a bag of flour or a food parcel.
Throughout the entire war, I had been considering leaving Gaza, but my motivation changed as the thoughts advanced.
I had a dream in which place I could take my kids to eat whatever they wanted.
In my memory, I want to say, “So we do not forget,” all this suffering and humiliation.
How could I forget that every time I pass a stand full of fruits and vegetables, I gasp and look, my heart pounding in hope that this blessing won’t vanish once more?
How could I forget when I saw the food shelves in a supermarket in late September and was shocked and emotional? I started to buy things.
I ate some of the following: canned goods, chocolate, chips, cream cheese, flour, and legumes. Even at twice the price, I still felt like I was carrying treasures.
Since then, I’ve been overburdened with anxiety, fear, and exhaustion whenever I go into a grocery store. I only purchase what I need and what I don’t.
My mind tells me that this abundance will not last, despite the fact that there is more food available. Deprivation, empty shelves, and severed supply lines are what we are conditioned to experience.
[Maram Humaid/Al Jazeera] Hunger is the weapon we never expected to use against Gaza.
A constant sense of food will disappear is a result of this severe trauma. I can’t deny the terror and fear that surrounds food, but I detest the terror and fear.
Every door knocks, every rug slams, every passing truck’s sound, and every gunshot makes you feel the same. We are in a state of emergency as a result of everything, waiting for a missile’s sound.
‘Achievements’
I was joking with my father and my siblings, who have been residing with us since September when Israel ordered people to leave the north the next day.
We attempted to imitate the social media “achievements” trend, where friends and families gather around a cake and share their accomplishments.
Because of the lack of electricity for months, we started under dim LED lights.
When it was my turn, I said that retaining both my mental and psychological faculties was my best accomplishment this year.
Before everyone started to laugh, I wasn’t even finished my sentence.
Who informed you that you still possess both your mental and psychological faculties? My sister suffocated from her laughter.
When I realized the weight of what I had said, I sat there, stunned, and then laughed along with them.
You fool, what is this? What psyche and sanity are there? God merciful, Maram.
Is there still room for talking about mental and emotional stability after what you mentioned above, what you didn’t mention, and everything you’ll never mention?
The conclusion of this year was the most sincere.
An ending where I realized I had reached the limit of my strength and that I had to give up, but somehow managed to persevere.
This is neither strength nor defiance. Souls and minds are squandered by prolonged survival in this state.
As she and her son Damian and new partner Billy Ray Cyrus ring in the new year with a bang, Liz Hurley looked every inch the Bond girl.
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Liz Hurley channelled Bond Girl Ursula Andress for a 007 New Year’s Eve bash(Image: Instagram )
Elizabeth Hurley celebrated the start of 2026 in style by dressing up as iconic Bond girl Ursula Andress for a 007 New Year’s Eve bash with her new love, Billy Ray Cyrus.
The 60-year-old, who was obedient, put on a white bikini with a toy gun tucked into her bottoms. She also put on a matching white fur coat to finish her femme fatale outfit because it was winter.
Striking a pose with her hands on her hips, model and actress Liz’s taut abs were clear to see. In another snap she playfully posed next to a cardboard cut out of Daniel Craig as Bond. Her 23-year-old lookalike son Damian Hurley also joined in the celebrations.
“Happy New Year. Starting 2026 with a bang #007Party,” Liz wrote in the caption. Her country star love Billy Ray, 64, was one of the first to comment underneath. Showing their relationship is still going strong after going public with their romance in April 2025, he sweetly wrote: “Talk about a banger of a way to welcome in the New Year. I love you Baby.”
READ MORE: Liz Hurley lifts lid on Billy Ray Cyrus romance and their unusual hobby
How does she stay so trim despite the fact that she is in her 60s and has always looked good since she stole the show in that safety pin Versace dress when she appeared as ex-Hugh Grant’s date at the 1994 premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral?
The Austin Powers legend told the Associated Press, “I think you need to stay active, to look young.” I believe that sitting for hours and hours on end will not help anything, both physically and mentally. So, I urge you to stay active.
We must also take care of our skin, they say. That significantly influences how. You need to look after your skin, so I’m not being glib; instead, I’ve had great products and plenty of them because I’ve worked for the Estée Lauder brand for 27 years.
“And I believe you need to eat well,” she said. In many ways, I believe you must be very careful about your weight. Your body needs to be in good health, too. If so, I believe you’ll glow more.”
Liz continued, “I believe you should move, care about your skin, and eat really well.” There is a lot of water, but not a lot of processed food, if any at all. And then just go over everything in detail and get plenty of sleep.
When asked what kind of exercise she does, Liz said she prefers “gentle exercise” and “many of it.” She discussed going for walks, stretching, and maybe some yoga or pilates in a conversation with Us Weekly. However, high-impact, high-energy sports are not my thing. I don’t believe they do you much good.
Liz claimed she walks every day, tries to hit her 10,000 steps, and does some stretching each day to keep herself in shape. “Sometimes I do a little more, but that’s really enough for me.”
The former Gossip Girl star said she always has something for breakfast because it’s the most important meal of the day and that her go-to breakfast would be an omelette or an avocado on toast.
Sharing her age-defying “hacks,” her biggest advice was to take good skincare. You need to use a really good moisturiser, she said. You need to use more body cream, eye cream, and moisturiser as your skin gets drier as you age. Everything, including elbow cream. It is also very significant. Therefore, I believe that the most crucial factor is moisture.
After losing her grandmother to the disease in the Nineties, Liz, who has campaigned for women’s health and breast cancer awareness, said: “We know that a woman’s health is absolutely crucial. Our organs must remain healthy, as are our hearts, lungs, and organs. We must eat well, sleep well, and unwind.
Continue reading the article.
Doctors advise doing all those things because it is one of the most crucial for our health, so I try. Not always easy, of course. It’s very difficult to manage stress and maintain calm, but it’s a very important component of our overall health.
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Iga Swiatek, the former Wimbledon champion, claims that the “Battle of the Sexes” between Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka was unnecessary because the women’s game “stands on its own.”
In a highly anticipated exhibition in Dubai a week ago, the male player Kyrgios and the female player Sabalenka squared off.
In straight sets, Kyrgios triumphed in the match, which was played on a modified court to provide a level playing surface.
However, Swiatek claims tennis has advanced significantly since the first “Battle of the Sexes” between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King in 1973, which highlighted the women’s game’s struggle for legitimacy and prize money.
The world number two said, “I don’t watch stuff like that, I haven’t watched Sabalenka v. Kyrgios.”
“I believe it certainly attracted a lot of attention. Although it was entertaining, I wouldn’t say that had anything to do with social change or any significant subjects.
“I believe the name was identical to the one from the 1973 Billie Jean King performance. That is it. Because I believe women’s tennis is currently on its own, there were no more similarities.
We don’t necessarily need to compete with men’s tennis because we have so many great athletes and inspiring stories to share.
There is no need for any competition, to be honest.
The mixed-team United Cup, which took place on Friday in Australia, is a better way to celebrate both men and women’s tennis, according to Swiatek.
One men’s and one women’s singles match, as well as a mixed doubles match, make up the United Cup tie.
She said, “Events like this, the United Cup, bring tennis together, and WTA fans and ATP fans can watch this event with such excitement.”
Playing these kinds of matches with singles players, which typically don’t have room for mixed doubles, is what, in my opinion, makes our sport much more intriguing and better.
Emma Kenny, a psychologist who studies television, warns viewers that while a TV program is only for a short while, its emotional effects may be long-lasting. ”
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The Rooneys are exposing their lives to TV camera in a 10-part series(Image: Getty Images)
Wayne and Coleen Rooney could be gambling with the stability of their relationship by exposing their private lives to TV cameras, a top psychologist has claimed.
The couple, who have endured more than their fair share of ups and downs throughout their 23-year relationship, may be put under an unmanageable strain by their 10-part Disney+ docu-series, which promises to show them “like we’ve never seen them before.”
“So many celebrity couples break up after being on reality TV because the show doesn’t just reflect the relationship, it reshapes it,” says TV psychologist Emma Kenny. “Coleen and Wayne must remember that a TV show is only temporary – but the emotional consequences can be permanent.”
According to a source, the show, which has the working title The Rooneys, is the brainchild of Coleen, 39, who, following the success of her Disney+ documentary, Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story, and her stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2024, is keen to be seen as more than just another WAG.
Our source claims that Coleen really wants this because their Disney documentary will be very long. She wanted to return to television, but the decision had to be hers. She kind of proves a point, and this is all about her. She grew weary of people calling her a footballer’s wife. ”
While Wayne, 40, will switch footie training for the school run, the series will highlight Coleen’s new entrepreneurial endeavors. Emma warns against sharing their private life with the general public despite the mother-of-four’s reasons for wanting to participate.
Big-name celebrity couples who sign up for reality television are entering a difficult relationship, she explains.
Reality TV replaces privacy with constant monitoring, manufactured conflict, and public opinion. Moments that would ordinarily be resolved are quietly replayed, dissected, and criticised by millions because producers are encouraged to expose fault lines rather than protect intimacy. ”
There are concerns that a reality TV show might cause the couple to reach breaking point, despite the couple having endured numerous storms over the years, including Wayne sleeping with sex workers.
When one partner is perceived as more likeable or when public support differs, says Emma, “power dynamics change.” Suddenly, strangers validate or deny private grievances, and the relationship becomes suffocated by external noise.
When one partner feels exposed or undervalued for entertainment, shame, humiliation, and perceived betrayal can develop. When trust is damaged in such a public way, especially when the media continues to comment on the scenes after the filming ends, it is incredibly difficult to rebuild it. ”
The couple has already had a lot of success diving their toes into reality TV’s occasionally treacherous waters. The documentary Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story, which was a huge hit, and Wayne Rooney’s Prime Video series, Rooney, also won over viewers.
However, Emma, who are parents to Kai, 16, Klay, 12, Kit, 9, and Cass, 7, fears that a longer series may continue to intrigue them.
Even stable couples may find themselves emotionally dysregulated, defensive, or resentful when combined with exhaustion, competitive environments, and separation from their traditional support systems, she explains. What appears to be ‘authentic access’ to viewers is frequently a manufactured environment created to arouse vulnerability without providing management tools. ”
Our source claims that the couple are taking it seriously given that the show is already being filmed. Our source claims that despite their own ups and downs, this show is improving their relationship.
It has changed the way that Wayne sees her, and Coleen has never been happier with her. He had a strong sense of her support and motherly nature when she was younger, but now that she is doing it with Disney and following the [Wagatha] court case, he really sees her in a new light and with admiration. Their relationship is in a very good place because he realizes how fortunate he is to have her. ”
While fellow WAG Victoria Beckham’s Netflix documentary was branded too “polished and controlled” by some critics, our source says that Wayne and Coleen have been surprisingly relaxed as far as filming their lives, warts and all, is concerned.
Our source claims that there are no rules or limitations. Because she believed that the big editing that Victoria Beckham did, making them appear glossy and nice and refraining from mentioning the negative aspects, was wrong, Coleen is not going to do it. Coleen wants it to be more authentic and uncut. ”
Although Coleen is admirable for her adroitness, Emma thinks it’s important to establish strict guidelines before allowing cameras into your home.
Prevention begins with clarity and boundaries, according to Coleen and Wayne. Before entering any reality television program, they must be in tune with what is prohibited, what will not be discussed on camera, and how to protect one another if one of them becomes stressed out. Reality TV thrives on conflict; couples survive by choosing to show one another solidarity. ”
The aftermath of explosions that occurred across Venezuela on early Saturday morning are seen in a video from La Guaira, a port city. After the US claimed to have struck the nation, President Maduro has declared a state of emergency.
