A new international security force, led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will only be able to support countries that Israel is “comfortable with.” He reiterated that UNRWA would not play a role in Gaza’s governance and that Hamas would not be involved.
Published On 24 Oct 2025
By 2027, Welsh rugby’s governing body has announced that it will cut one professional team.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) stated that it would continue to provide funding for all four of its regions.
Deals exist between Cardiff and Dragons until 2028, and Ospreys and Scarlets until 2028.
However, the WRU plans to “as soon as possible” reduce the number of teams receiving funding to just three, possibly by the end of the regular season in 2026-27.
The three teams will receive annual funding of £6.4 million, rising to £7.8 million, with one based in the east, one in Cardiff, and one in the west.
Only three professional teams can compete or remain viable due to the pool of talent and finances, according to the WRU.
The WRU claimed at the start that the most effective professional teams were just two, but that it had also taken into account the opinions of players, coaches, supporters, and other interested parties during the consultation process.
Scarlets revealed new potential investors in August, despite former WRU chief executive David Moffett’s resignation from that US-based company this week, while St Helen’s in Swansea has already been announced as their new home ground for the 2026-27 season.
Owners of the Dragons fought for their position, calling for Gwent to continue elite rugby.
The two-team model was met with overwhelming public opposition in September, as well as the threat of legal action or even a player strike if that was approved by more than 7, 000 people.
The announcement from today will not help to calm the frequently erupting cauldron of Welsh rugby, particularly in west Wales.
Only one of the three upcoming Welsh teams, according to the WRU, will be based in the west, close to Ospreys (Swansea) and Scarlets (Llanelli) respectively.
After refusing to sign the new participation agreement earlier this year, Scarlets and Ospreys are now funded by a previous funding agreement that is only worth £4.5 million annually until 2027.
The governing body still believes that the teams could combine, but they would instead start a tender process.
Even so, it’s unlikely that one of those teams, with headquarters in Cardiff or East Wales, will submit an application for the license.
The league would need to change the number of regions competing because the WRU is a stakeholder in the URC, along with the four other national governing bodies.
A majority of Welsh rugby fans would like the WRU to approach English clubs to inquire about the possibility of an Anglo-Welsh league, according to surveys.
The option was not on the table, according to Dave Reddin, the head of rugby and performance at WRU, and the organization is still committed to the URC.
Published On 24 Oct 2025
On Friday, at the station in Ovruch, which is close to Belarus’ border, 12 people were hurt.
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A border guard and two civilians, ages 29, 58, and 82, were among the dead, according to a statement from the service.
A 23-year-old resident of Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, who had recently been detained for trying to cross the border, detonated the explosive device. After the explosion, he passed away while receiving medical care in an ambulance.
No mention of Russia’s conflict in Ukraine was made of any link to the statement.
Marjana Rewa, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, claimed the man detonated the device while conducting an identity check on a train in the northwest of Zhytomyr.
The Ukrainian border guard service posted a photo of rescuers assisting victims of the platform explosion on an image from the scene.
The 23-year-old’s actions remain a mystery, as do the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, martial law has been in effect for the past three and a half years.
Men between the ages of 22 and 60 are not permitted to leave the country without receiving special permission, and they are also eligible to join the military.
Katie Archibald, a two-time Olympic champion, became the first British cyclist to take home a medal at the World Track Cycling Championships in Santiago when she took silver in the women’s elimination round.
MORE: GB take team pursuit gold with Archibald.
Vitor Pereira, the club’s head coach, was given a £15,000 fine for a misconduct he committed during the team’s Premier League draw against Brighton on October 5th.
In the 19th minute of the game, Pereira, 57, admitted to an FA charge of improper behavior.
Referee Jarred Gillett sent off the Portuguese after striking a person with a spare match ball in the direction of the dugout.
After an independent regulatory body did not feel it was necessary, Pereira avoided a touchline ban.
However, it was determined that the incident warranted a more expensive sanction than a “standard case” fine of £8,000.
At his next press conference, Pereira apologized, saying, “I know football is emotional and I’m an emotional guy.
“But my behavior was inappropriate,” I said. Ball kicked, and it has never happened again. I’m sorry.
Governor Uba Sani has been commended by a coalition of state employees who work in Kaduna State for implementing the new national minimum wage and making necessary adjustments.
READ MORE: Ondo Workers Demand 256, 950 Minimum Wage
At a joint press conference in Kaduna, the unions, the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), and the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), presented the commendation.
The governor’s actions were characterized by their leaders as a display of compassion, fairness, and commitment to the welfare of workers, according to Rayyanu Turunku (NULGE), Ibrahim Dalhatu (NUT), and Umar Fatika (MHWUN).
Following the governor’s approval, the wage adjustments for all local government employees, including those under SUBEB and the Primary Healthcare Board, will be effective from October 2025. They also announced that their planned warning strike will be suspended.
They praised the governor’s choice to implement the new wage structure in the face of financial constraints, citing compassion, sincerity, and respect for the dignity of labor.
The administration’s efforts to transform the fields of education and healthcare were commended by the labor unions.
Major milestones were identified as the renovation and modernization of classrooms in all 23 local government areas, the enactment of the 65-year retirement age or teacher’s 40-year service policy, and the refund of more than $500 million in ENDWELL savings deductions.
The workers also praised the government’s decision to correct check-off fees and the successful staff verification exercise, which improved accountability across the public service, noting that the welfare scheme provided crucial support for teachers and their families.
The unions applauded Governor Sani’s reforms, including the hiring of 1,800 health workers each year for the next five years, and the revitalization of 255 Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) that have already been established.
They also acknowledged Kaduna’s rise as the North West Zone’s champion of the 2024 Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge and the implementation of the 2024 CONMESS and CONHESS salary scales.
The governor’s leaders also praised the governor for launching 100 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to provide free transportation for both employees and students, citing the initiative as a timely way to lessen living expenses and reduce the impact of the elimination of fuel subsidies.
They reaffirmed their commitment to peaceful engagement and pledged to continue working with the Kaduna State Government to improve the progress made under the Uba Sani administration.
They urged their members to show commitment, discipline, and professionalism in response to the government’s goodwill.