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UK food prices for Christmas are up 5% overall, with some items rising sharply. Supermarkets are countering inflation with increased promotions, especially Aldi and Lidl, offering a full festive meal for less than £12 for eight people. Despite inflation, some prices, like potatoes and Yorkshire puddings, have fallen.
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England became the first European team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, with other teams from Africa, Asia, and Oceania also securing spots. Forty-three teams will qualify through continental tournaments, with two more in intercontinental playoffs scheduled for March. The three host nations qualify automatically.
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Cameroon's presidential election has led to protests, accusations of vote tampering, and a unilateral declaration of victory by opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary. The official results are pending, with President Paul Biya expected to secure another term amid unrest and allegations of irregularities.
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Cameroon’s President Paul Biya begins an eighth term amid protests and allegations of electoral fraud, while Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan is re-elected in a vote marked by repression and opposition disqualification. Both countries face international criticism over democratic processes and human rights abuses.
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The change means they now include less cocoa mass and a higher proportion of vegetable fats.
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Mali faces escalating insecurity as jihadist groups, notably JNIM, intensify attacks, impose fuel blockades, and cause regional refugee flows. Despite government claims of mitigation, insurgents expand into neighboring Ivory Coast, worsening economic and humanitarian conditions amid regional instability.
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On December 7, 2025, mutinous soldiers in Benin briefly seized state television, declared a coup removing President Patrice Talon, and suspended the constitution. Loyalist forces, supported decisively by Nigerian airstrikes and ECOWAS standby troops, swiftly regained control. Fourteen arrests were made; the coup leader, Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, remains at large. The incident underscores regional instability amid rising military takeovers in West Africa.