In a three-decade quest for international legitimacy, the breakaway region’s first nation has been officially recognized as Israel.
Israel and the Republic of Somaliland have signed a diplomatic agreement, which includes the appointment of ambassadors and the opening of embassies in both countries, according to Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s announcement on Friday.
Somaliland, which formally proclaimed its independence from Somalia in 1991 but hasn’t received recognition from any of the member nations of the UN, is in for a major breakthrough with the historic agreement.
The northern portion of what is now northern Somalia is controlled by Somaliland, which is located northwestern of the former British Protectorate.
In a video call with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, the Israeli prime minister invited him to Israel and described it as a “great opportunity to expand their partnership,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the new friendship as “seminal and historic.”
Saar claimed that the deal was the result of a year-long, fruitful discussion between the two governments and was based on a decision made by Netanyahu and Abdullahi.
Saar stated on social media that he had given his ministry the directive to immediately institutionalize ties across a range of fields, adding that “we will work together to promote regional stability, economic prosperity, and good relations between our countries and nations.”
Who: Nick Kyrgios vs. Aryna Sabalenka What: “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition tennis match Where: Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates When: Sunday at 7.45pm (15:45 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 13:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s top female player, will face Australian superstar Nick Kyrgios on Sunday in a “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition tennis match in Dubai.
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In a contemporary adaptation of Billie Jean King’s 1973 showdown with fellow American Bobby Riggs, which turned out to be a turning point for both tennis and the women’s movement, Sabalenka, 27, will square off against the 30-year-old former Wimbledon finalist.
Before their much-anticipated showdown, here is everything:
What caused the Sabalenka-Kyrgios match to occur?
At the US Open in September, Kyrgios, who was ranked as high as 13 in the men’s singles world, said he would beat the Belarusian with ease without having to “100 percent to win” in an interview.
He claimed he would defeat the world’s top-ranked female player and that women cannot return professional men’s serves.
Sabalenka responded by saying she was ready to “kick a**,” which eventually led to Evolve, the marketing firm that represents both players, organizing the matchup for this weekend.
Amanda Anisimova and Aryna Sabalenka met in the women’s singles final of this year’s US Open on September 6, 2025.
What is the origin of the “Battle of the Sexes” in history?
King, 29, and Riggs, 55, engaged in the first “Battle of the Sexes” at the Houston Astrodome in 1973.
King, a 12-time Grand Slam champion, defeated the former men’s amateur player with 6-4, 6-3, and 6-3 in a matchup that attracted an estimated 90 million TV viewers worldwide.
King’s victory in straight sets established her status as a sports and feminist icon of her generation, which was then regarded as a turning point for women’s sport at the time.
What are the “Battle of the Sexes” rules?
It would be “really tough” to compete against a male player of Kyrgios’ standard using a full court and standard rules, according to Sabalenka, who appeared on the Piers Morgan Uncensored YouTube show on December 9.
In consequence, this match’s rules have been modified a few times:
Instead of two, the players will have one serve.
The court’s side by Sabalenka will be 9% smaller than a typical tennis court.
A 10-point tiebreaker will be used in the final set of the best-of-three game, if necessary.
What was Sabalenka’s opinion of the match?
In a press release, Sabalenka stated, “I’m proud to represent women’s tennis and be a part of this contemporary adaptation of the renowned Battle of the Sexes match.”
I call Dubai my home, and I am aware that this city enjoys large, entertaining events. I respect Nick and his talent greatly, but let’s face it, I’m ready to bring my A-game.
What has Kyrgios said about the game?
Kyrgios predicted he wouldn’t have to work hard to defeat the four-time Grand Slam champion.
She “is the kind of player who genuinely believes she will win,” Kyrgios said.
She won’t beat me, she said. Do you really believe that I must give it my all? Because I’m playing for the men’s side, I’ll try. I’d say like 6-2 maybe”.
“I believe I’ll be fine,” I’m going there, but I’m not interested in seeing her win. That is certain, he continued.
Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios, left, finished second in the 2022 Wimbledon men’s final.
Are Kyrgios frequently injured preparing to play tennis again?
As he prepares to compete in the 2026 Australian Open, Kyrgios will compete at the Brisbane International on March 24 after receiving a wildcard entry, according to organizers’ announcement on Sunday.
He has had a difficult injury history his entire career, and he only played five singles matches in 2025, the most recent of which was at the Miami Open in March.
Kyrgios, the 2018 Brisbane champion, will need a wildcard to compete at Melbourne Park, which is currently ranked 673rd in the world without a protected ranking.
How can I watch the “Battle of the Sexes”?
The game is being streamed on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, and it is live, no cost, in the United Kingdom.
Following the demise of their most recent TV project, Sam Faires and Billie Shepherd’s fans have grown worried that the sisters may not be as close as they once were.
Insiders claim the viewing figures were a factor in the show being axed(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
What is important to know about the rumored feud between Sam Faiers and Billie Shepherd.
Since appearing in the 2010 cast of ITV’s The Only Way Is Essex, Sisters Billie Shepherd and Sam Faiers have been in the spotlight. The sisters later appeared on ITV’s The Baby Diaries and The Mummy Diaries, which were also on the network.
As the sisters’ posts about their homes, vacations, and shopping trips are shared on social media, fans have been welcomed into their lives. Fans have expressed concern about a rift between the once close siblings in recent months, though.
Sam, her partner Paul Knightley, and their three children, shared some gimmicks on social media during a recent festive trip. Although sister Billie and their mother Sue are well known for accompanying Sam on her travels abroad, they were noticeably absent from the trip to the Arctic Circle. At least Billy used love heart emojis to comment on Sam’s posts.
After only one season, the sisters’ most recent reality series, Sam and Billie: Sister Act, was cut. Last month, they suffered humiliation. A more plausible explanation has since been discovered, despite Sam’s claim that she and her sister were simply too busy making more episodes.
A source told The Sun about the failed TV show, saying that Sam hadn’t been on TV in a while and that viewers didn’t seem to miss her. Viewing figures didn’t go as well as they had anticipated, and the majority of the show was built around the sisters selling goods, which resembled a lengthy advertisement.
The siblings appeared to spend Christmas 2025 separately, with reports suggesting Sam has been “iced out” by her former friends in Essex and only hangs out with friends. Despite Billie and her husband Greg Shepherd’s and their three children pointing out that Dave’s passing in September caused his father’s death, their Christmas was tinged with sadness this year.
Billie Faiers shares “emotional” posts on Christmas Day amid “rift” with sister Sam. READ MORE HERE.
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Local authorities claim that a man sprayed the victims with a chemical substance in addition to a mass stabbing attack at a Japanese tire factory.
The Fujisan Nanto Fire Department reported that on Friday at the Yokohama Rubber Co tyremaker in Mishima, southwest of Tokyo, eight people were stabbed and seven others injured after being sprayed with bleach-like material.
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The suspect, 38, is currently being held in custody, was identified by Japanese media. According to the Shizuoka prefectural police, he is facing an attempted murder charge, according to Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper.
According to investigators cited in the Asahi report, the suspect was carrying a survival knife and a mask that appeared to be a gas mask. Although there was no specific information about a potential motive, the report added that police believed him to have acted alone.
Five of the stab victims are said to be in serious condition, but they are conscious, according to the fire department, according to the Associated Press news agency.
A nearby car dealership employee described the incident as “shocked” by the news that it occurred in a “quiet” part of the city.
The unnamed employee told Asahi Shimbun, “I’m scared, but I’m also shocked that it could have happened there.”
Japan, which has one of the toughest gun laws in the world, and a low murder rate, is a relatively uncommon place to commit violent crime.
However, there are occasionally shootings and stabbings, including Shinzo Abe’s assassination in 2022.
After he was found guilty of killing and dismembering nine people he met on social media, Japan executed a man in June dubbed the “Twitter Killer.” The execution marked the first execution in nearly three years in the nation.
According to officials, a stabbing and car-ramming attack in northern Israel left two people dead.
A Palestinian from the Israeli-occupied West Bank attacked and killed a man and a woman on Friday, according to Israeli police and emergency personnel. He was also wounded and shot.
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A Palestinian man was praying on a roadside in the West Bank when an Israeli military reservist who had earlier opened fire on the area hit the victim.
The Israeli military said in a statement about the attack that “an armed individual ran over a Palestinian individual,” adding that the Israeli reservist’s military service had been terminated. After the attack, the Palestinian man returned home and had checks taken there.
A 68-year-old man was killed when the attacker’s vehicle crashed into people in Beit Shean, Israel’s northern city, on Friday, according to Israeli police, before speeding onto a highway.
After an intervention by a civilian bystander, the suspect fatally stabbed a 20-year-old woman near the highway, according to police, who later took the victim to a hospital.
According to Israel’s rescue services, paramedics performed the murders of both victims at the scene. Bystanders reported that a teenage boy received minor injuries as a result of the car-ramming.
According to the Israeli military, the attacker “infiltrated into Israeli territory several days ago.”
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have died there since Israel’s genocidal war broke out in October 2023.
Israeli forces carry out regular raids and arrests in the West Bank, but Israeli settlers have also escalating violence there, seizing Palestinian land and harassing civilians.
Since October 7, 2023, more than 1, 000 Palestinians have died in the West Bank, mostly as a result of settler violence and security forces, according to the UN.
In the same time, 57 Israelis were killed in Israeli attacks.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed that he had given the military a directive to retaliate forcefully in the West Bank town of Qabatiya after the incident on Friday. Katz claimed the assailant claimed to have been a Palestinian.
Len Ikitau, an Australian centre from Exeter, is likely to miss three months due to a shoulder injury.
The 27-year-old is scheduled to have surgery for the concussion he sustained last week in the Six Nations against Saracens, and is likely to miss the rest of the tournament until March 31.
Ikitau made his first major summer signing appearance at Exeter earlier this year, signing a one-season deal with Sandy Park.
He played for the Wallabies in the summer rugby championship against the British and Irish Lions.
23 April
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Ikitau scored his first try in Exeter’s victory earlier this month against the South African side Cheetahs, which was his fifth appearance in the Prem and European Challenge Cup.
The good news is that we can get him in for surgery fairly quickly, although it does mean he won’t play for a while over the holiday season and into the new year’s cup, according to Exeter’s rugby director, Rob Baxter, who posted on the club website.
Len has been playing out of his skin for us and was in excellent form, which is unfortunate. He deserves praise and apologie for both because he has contributed greatly to what we have accomplished this season.
However, it will give him a little break and give his body some time to recover and rejuvenate after a fairly long period of intense rugby.
