dozens

It’s somewhere I keep returning to and never get tired of – in fact, I think it’s one of the loveliest market towns

Regular readers of journalist Portia Jones will be well aware of her unabashed affection for Welsh market towns. A mix of authentic pubs, independent retailers, and eccentric cafes offering local fare and quality coffee is Portia’s idea of bliss.

However, one stands out above the rest and she has finally settled on her favourite. Portia explains why…

I’ve visited a considerable number of market towns throughout Wales, and I’m often asked which one tops my list. It’s a tough question given the country is practically brimming with charm, but after much contemplation, mostly undertaken in pubs, I have an answer.

Rhayader. Always Rhayader. The place I find myself returning to time and again, and the one I rave about to anyone unfortunate enough to ask for recommendations. I could talk about it for hours!

Situated at the crossroads in mid-Wales, this is a vastly underappreciated gem that, despite its wealth of attractions, doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves, reports Wales Online.

Boasting the stunning dams and reservoirs of the Elan and Claerwen Valleys, I believe Rhayader ranks among the finest market towns in Wales and merits a lengthy visit when journeying along the A470.

This community-centric market town serves as an ideal base for biking, hiking, wildlife spotting, or simply unwinding with friends in traditional pubs.

Rhayader has long functioned as a mid-Wales hub for weary travellers, acting as a stopover for drovers and those journeying the lengthy route from London to Aberystwyth.

Today, it’s recognised as the entrance to the Elan Valley and is situated just outside the expansive estate. It serves as a handy base with numerous independent shops, cafes, and pubs, also branding itself as the ‘outdoors capital of Wales’.

In terms of pubs, you’ll be spoilt for choice in Rhayader, boasting an impressive number of quality establishments for a relatively small town, which is one of the many reasons it tops my list of market towns.

For a hearty Sunday lunch, make your way to The Crown for generous helpings of meat, vegetables, and Yorkshire pudding. It’s a Sunday roast just like mum used to make – no-nonsense, satisfying, and drenched in gravy.

You certainly won’t leave feeling peckish. The Historic Triangle, a beautiful 16th-century drover’s inn located a brief walk away in Cwmdauddwr, offers a cosy fire, real cask ales on tap, and homemade food featuring several pub favourites.

The Lamb and Flag is another great spot for ales, traditional bar meals, and Sunday carveries, while the vibrant green Elan Hotel’s bar boasts a decent selection of beverages.

Pop into The Lost Arc for lunch and coffee at this quirky community cafe. Be sure to try my favourite – a delicious Welsh rarebit consisting of toasted bread covered in warm mature cheddar, Welsh ale, and a touch of laverbread and mustard.

It’s truly divine, and I challenge you to find a better one in Wales. If you do, let me know – I’m always on the hunt for a top-notch rarebit. In addition to a god-tier Welsh classic, they also offer coffee, cakes, light lunches, and a variety of vegan options.

By evening, this trendy spot morphs into a live music venue, featuring up-and-coming acts and hosting popular pizza nights.

The Old Swan Tea Rooms is a charming, family-run tea room and cake shop that provides a delightful setting for homemade pasties, cakes, and lunches. Don’t miss their irresistibly tasty chicken curry, made from a family recipe.

For a top-notch caffeine hit in Rhayader, make a beeline for Narrative Coffee, the fresh face on the high street, already causing a stir and garnering glowing reviews.

This chic little place recently reached the finals of the UK Coffee Masters in London, an impressive achievement, and the team is thrilled to be acknowledged as one of Wales’ premier spots for speciality coffee.

Rhayader is not only home to pubs but also a lovely destination for shopping at independent and boutique stores. Along the main thoroughfare, you’ll discover a compact shopping area where you can peruse a range of antiques, local crafts, prints, pottery, upcycled clothing, and local souvenirs.

One of the more unique shopping experiences here is Hafod Hardware – a vintage, family-run hardware store that has been serving customers since 1895.

In addition to the usual DIY items and kitchenware, you can also snag vintage-style tourism prints of Wales, specially-crafted Elan Valley mugs, and chocolate bars that make perfect gifts.

Quillies is a must-visit for its splendid locally-produced crafts including pottery, textiles, jewellery, and fused glass. Get your shopping fix at the family-owned No8 Clothing where you’ll find clothing, accessories, and gifts for men, women, and children.

The two-storey shop stocks popular brands such as Joules, Brakeburn, Seasalt, Soya Concept, Mistral, Joe Browns, Wrangler, Pachamama, Jellycat, and Powder.

River Wood stands out as the UK’s only gallery-bookshop dedicated solely to wildlife and wild places, brimming with original paintings, prints, cards, and books. The upper floor houses a working artist’s studio and space for creative workshops.

For quality outdoor gear, Hill Walking offers a good selection of clothing, boots, and accessories from brands like Urban Road, Game, Regatta, Trespass, and Craghoppers. These brands are all well-suited to handle Wales’ wildly unpredictable weather conditions.

Beyond the town, there’s a wealth of activities and outdoor adventures to keep you entertained. Rhayader serves as the gateway to the stunning Elan Valley, home to the estate’s Victorian dams nestled among the rolling green hills.

Constructed over a century ago to provide water to a heavily urbanised Birmingham, these distinctive gravity dams attract photographers who flock to capture the cascading waters.

The tale of the Elan Valley originates in the late 19th century, during a time when Birmingham, a bustling city at the peak of the Industrial Revolution, was expanding rapidly.

In need of a dependable and clean water source, engineers turned their attention to the remote Elan Valley after extensive searching. The valley, with its high rainfall and steep, narrow terrain, was an ideal site for a series of reservoirs.

In 1892, one of the era’s most ambitious water supply projects commenced. Over 3,000 workers were enlisted to construct dams, reservoirs, and aqueducts manually, aided by steam-powered machinery.

By the project’s completion in 1904, the Elan Valley had undergone a significant transformation. Four primary dams were built – Caban Coch, Garreg Ddu, Pen y Garreg, and Craig Goch. Each dam is a marvel of engineering, constructed from local stone and designed to blend seamlessly into the landscape.

For instance, the Caban Coch Dam, viewed from afar, resembles a natural cliff face, but up close, its immense size and the sound of water cascading over its edge are truly breathtaking.

The reservoirs themselves, large and deep bodies of water, mirror the surrounding hills and sky, creating a picture-perfect scene. Maps of the estate can be obtained from the Elan Valley Visitor Centre, where staff are also on hand to recommend scenic routes to view the dams.

The ideal time for a leisurely drive around the estate is after a heavy downpour (a common occurrence in Wales), when reservoir water cascades over the steep ‘Birmingham Baroque’-style structures.

Fancy a guided tour by a local expert? You can arrange a customised tour of the Elan Valley and the Cambrian Mountains area with Cambrian Safaris, discovering all the hidden gems with a knowledgeable guide.

One of the top ways to explore Elan Valley is by walking or cycling along the Elan Valley Trail. This 13-mile (21km) path traces the old railway line that transported materials to the valley during the dam’s construction.

Today, a well-kept trail meanders through some of the valley’s most picturesque spots. Beginning in the quaint village of Cwmdeuddwr, just west of Rhayader, you’ll follow the old Birmingham Corporation Railway line, perfectly situated to showcase Elan’s finest Victorian dams.

The linear trail is mostly level, with a few slopes and tarmacked sections, making it suitable for cyclists of all skill levels, including older children. And if you fancy a bit of extra assistance, you can always hire an E-bike in Rhayader – who says you can’t traverse the valley in style?

If you’re not bringing your own bike, you can hire a push bike or an E-bike from either Neil’s Wheels or Clive Powell Mountain Bikes. The trail should take around three hours, so renting a bike for half a day should provide ample time for photo opportunities and coffee breaks.

The path ascends 165ft from the Elan Valley Visitor Centre, passing by the striking Caban Coch and Garreg Ddu reservoirs. When filled to capacity, millions of gallons of water tumble over the historic 120ft-high dam walls of Cabin Coch.

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is the owner of the nearby Elan Estate, though a significant portion is vested in the Elan Valley Trust. While its primary function is to provide clean water, the estate also serves as a meticulously managed beauty spot for intrigued visitors.

Over 80% of the valley is recognised as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), teeming with wildlife and extraordinary landscapes. Owing to its varied habitats and careful stewardship, the Elan Valley is a sanctuary for a broad spectrum of wildlife. The valley’s woodlands, moorlands, and wetlands offer habitats for a diverse array of species including birds, mammals, insects, and plants.

The expansive moorland acts as a hunting ground for birds of prey, with red kites, buzzards, and occasionally peregrine falcons soaring high above.

For a closer view of the resident red kites, head to Gigrin Farm, renowned for its red kite feeding. Situated half a mile from Rhayader, hundreds of red kites feed here, making it the best spot in the UK to see and photograph hundreds of wild red kites, including the rare leucistic red kites.

Small-scale cattle farming is a vital aspect of Elan Valley’s agricultural scene, with only a few farms still maintaining this tradition. Keep your eyes peeled and you’ll spot cattle leisurely grazing on the open hills and within some enclosed habitats.

The flora of Elan Valley is equally captivating. Dense forests house ancient oaks while the moorlands are blanketed in a lush layer of heather, bilberry, and mosses.

Come spring and summer, the valley’s meadows come alive with wildflowers, adding vibrant hues to the landscape. Did you know that Rhayader and the Elan Valley boast some of the world’s darkest, clearest, and least polluted skies?

With its 45,000 acres of safeguarded land, Elan Valley has been at the forefront of this movement since it was awarded International Dark Sky Park status in 2015, making it the first privately owned, publicly accessible park in the world to achieve this.

This prestigious status now protects the Elan Valley from light pollution, providing a haven for the rich wildlife and nature that call the estate home.

Since earning its dark-sky designation, Elan Valley has gained recognition as one of the premier stargazing destinations globally, featuring in numerous stargazing guides, talks, and books.

But what does this mean for astronomy enthusiasts? Simply put, it means minimal light pollution and crystal-clear skies where you can observe the Milky Way, meteor showers, and even the faint glow of neighbouring galaxies with the naked eye.

The valley’s secluded setting and dedicated conservation efforts make it a top choice for those yearning for a profound connection with the universe.

This location boasts several prime spots for stargazing. Remember to bring a red-light torch to maintain your night vision, and give your eyes 20 minutes to adapt to the darkness for the full celestial experience.

For a more engaging encounter, keep an eye out for organised stargazing events in the area to connect with the cosmos or try your hand at astrophotography.

The Elan Valley Trust and Dark Sky Wales frequently organise guided tours and workshops that provide expert knowledge and telescope access. For dark sky events, check the Elan Valley’s What’s On webpage, Facebook (ElanValley), and Instagram (@elanvalley).

Where to stay

Mid Wales Holiday Lets

These affordable holiday lets can accommodate up to 44 people, with Glandwr House, Afonwy House, The Old Drapers, The Bakehouse, and The Cwtch all available.

The attractive red-brick converted townhouses are ideal for groups of friends or families visiting the Elan Valley area. They also cater well to cyclists, offering secure bike storage to safeguard your equipment. After a long day exploring, you can relax in the outdoor hot tub, perfect for easing those tired muscles.

Ty Morgans

For a stay in the heart of Rhayader, Ty Morgans is a historic townhouse that seamlessly blends traditional charm with a contemporary feel. This charming, reasonably priced boutique hotel is nestled at the heart of Rhayader, making it an ideal base for exploring both the town and the Elan Valley.

The snug rooms retain original features such as oak beams and stone fireplaces, whilst providing all the contemporary comforts you’d anticipate, including en suite bathrooms. Ty Morgans also boasts an on-site bar and restaurant where guests can savour a range of meals from hearty Welsh breakfasts to evening dinners. Its central location means local shops, pubs and the Riverside Walk are just a short amble away.

Elan Valley Hotel

Just a brief drive from the Elan Valley, the Elan Valley Hotel is a top pick for those seeking a blend of comfort and convenience in a boutique hotel setting. Here, you’ll discover well-furnished rooms with stunning views of the surrounding countryside. Each room is designed with relaxation in mind, featuring plush beds and modern amenities.

The hotel’s restaurant is famed for its outstanding menu, which uses locally-sourced ingredients to deliver a truly authentic taste of Wales. It’s the perfect spot for easy access to the Elan Valley’s numerous trails and reservoirs, all while enjoying a dash of luxury.

Getting to Rhayader

Rhayader, the gateway to the Elan Valley, is easily reachable from various parts of Wales and England.

By car

If you’re hitting the road, Rhayader is conveniently accessible via the A470 and A44, offering a picturesque drive from cities like Cardiff (roughly 2.5 hours), Birmingham (just over two hours), or Shrewsbury (about 90 minutes). The roads leading into mid Wales meander through charming countryside, so do factor in some extra time for leisurely rural routes and photo opportunities.

Public transport

You can also opt to travel by train and bus, although services are somewhat limited in this rural region. The closest train station is in Llandrindod Wells, approximately 12 miles away, with connections provided by Transport for Wales. From there, a local bus service can take you to Rhayader. For more details and timetables, consult Traveline Cymru or use transport apps to assist in planning your journey.

Opposition groups say release triggered by ‘political chess moves’ following US abduction of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro.

Nicaragua’s left-wing government has announced the release of dozens of prisoners following pressure from United States President Donald Trump’s administration.

The government of President Daniel Ortega said in a statement on Saturday that “tens of people who were in the national penitentiary system have gone home to their families”.

The statement did not specify the exact number of people freed, or whether they had been detained for political reasons.

While the government described the move as a gesture to commemorate 19 years of Ortega’s government, Nicaragua is under considerable pressure from the US over its human rights record and a years-long crackdown on opposition leaders and activists.

Saturday’s prisoner release also reflects the growing pressure that left-wing governments in Latin America face to appease demands from the Trump administration, which has moved to exert greater dominance across the Americas region.

Tensions have soared since the US military attacked Venezuela on January 3 and abducted the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, who is facing US charges of narcoterrorism and drug trafficking, which he denies.

On Friday, the US Embassy in Nicaragua praised the release of opposition figures in Venezuela following Maduro’s removal from power, calling on Ortega’s government to follow suit.

“In Nicaragua, more than 60 people remain unjustly detained or missing, including pastors, religious workers, the sick, and the elderly. Peace is only possible with freedom!” the Embassy posted on social media.

A human rights NGO that tracks political prisoners in Nicaragua identified 19 people released on Saturday, the Reuters news agency reported.

Opposition leader and former prisoner Ana Margarita Vijil told Reuters that she did not know the exact number of people released, but said the group included a former mayor, Oscar Gadea, and an evangelical pastor, Rudy Palacios.

Palacios was detained in July after criticising the Nicaraguan government for human rights violations. He had also supported demonstrators who took to the streets to demand Ortega’s removal in 2018.

Ortega responded to those protests with a crackdown that left at least 350 people dead and hundreds detained.

Liberales Nicaragua, a coalition of opposition groups, praised the prisoners’ release on Saturday.

They said in a statement that there was “no doubt” that it resulted from “political pressure exerted by the US government on the dictatorship” and “political chess moves triggered by events in Venezuela”.

A collapse of garbage at a landfill in Cebu city, Philippines killed one worker, injured at least 12 and left 27 missing. Rescuers pulled multiple people alive from the debris as search efforts continued Friday.

A mountain of rubbish collapsed at a landfill in the central Philippines on Thursday, killing a 22-year-old woman and leaving more than 30 people missing, authorities have said.

Rescuers pulled 12 injured sanitation workers from debris at the Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City, who were later hospitalised.

Many of the missing are believed to be workers at the landfill. The mayor of Cebu told news outlet ABS-CBN that it may be difficult to reach survivors because of the potential for further collapse.

The cause of the collapse is still unclear, but Cebu City councillor Joel Garganera said it was likely the result of poor waste management practices.

Some 300 people from various government agencies and civilian groups have been deployed to the privately-owned landfill. Several excavators, ambulances and fire trucks have also been seen on site.

“All response teams remain fully engaged in search and retrieval efforts to locate the remaining missing persons,” Cebu Mayor Nestor Archival said in a Facebook post on Friday.

“This is not like other landslides that you can just excavate. If you pull from the top, the bottom is soft. Let’s say there is a person there, when you get the debris, it might get worse,” he said, ABS-CBN reported.

Cebu City councillor Joel Garganera said the incident may have happened suddenly, but was likely a result of poor waste management practices.

Operators had been cutting into the mountain, mining the soil, and then piling garbage to form another mountain of waste, Garganera told local newspaper The Freeman.

“It’s not a sanitary landfill. It’s already an open dumpsite,” he said.

Families are waiting for updates on their loved ones trapped in the debris.

One Binaliw resident, Belen Antigua, told Rappler that her son had survived the landslide but she was still waiting for her other relatives to be found. Another said that families had been gathered at the landfill to look for their children since Friday morning.

“I could not understand my emotions. They said those trapped are calling for help, so there is a possibility that my brother is still there,” Michelle Lumapas, whose brother works at the landfill, told ABS-CBN.

The Binaliw landfill is about 15 hectares (37 acres).

Landfills are common in major Philippine cities like Cebu, which is the trading centre and transportation gateway of the Visayas, the archipelago nation’s central islands.

The sweeping changes will see the US quit major forums for cooperation on climate change, peace and democracy.

United States President Donald Trump has announced that he plans to withdraw the US from 66 United Nations and international organisations, including major forums for cooperation on climate change, peace and democracy.

In a presidential memorandum shared by the White House on Wednesday evening, Trump said that the decision came after a review of which “organizations, conventions, and treaties are contrary to the interests of the United States”.

The changes would see the US cease participation and also cut all funding to the affected entities, Trump added.

The list shared by the White House included 35 non-UN organisations, including notably the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Although the IPCC was included in the list of non-UN bodies by the White House, it is a UN organisation that brings together top scientists to assess the evidence related to climate change and provide periodic scientific assessments to help inform political leaders.

In addition, the White House said it was withdrawing from 31 UN entities, including the UN’s top climate change treaty body, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Democracy Fund and the top UN entity working on maternal and child health, the UNFPA.

Several of the UN entities targeted also focused on protecting at-risk groups from violence during wars, including the UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children in Armed Conflict.

In a note to correspondents on Wednesday evening, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that the UN expected to respond to the announcement by Thursday morning.

Despite publicly claiming he wants the US to have less involvement in UN forums, Trump has not held back from influencing decision-making at the international level.

In October last year, Trump threatened to impose sanctions on diplomats who formally adopted a levy on polluting shipping fuels that had already been agreed to at an earlier meeting, effectively sinking the deal for 12 months.

The Trump administration also imposed sanctions on UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, after she published a report documenting the role of international and US companies in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

In 2017, Trump also threatened to cut aid from countries that voted in support of a draft UN resolution condemning the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the US also holds considerable power at the United Nations, as one of only five countries able to veto measures it doesn’t like, a power the US repeatedly used to block efforts to end Israel’s war on Gaza before mediating a ceasefire late last year.

Since beginning his second term in January last year, Trump has already withdrawn the US from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Paris climate agreement and the UN human rights council.

Trump also quit these three organisations during his first administration, but the withdrawals were all later reversed by the administration of former US President Joe Biden.

The US withdrawal from the WHO is set to come into effect on January 22, 2026, one year after it was ordered by the White House.

Between 2024 and 2025, the US contributed $261m in funding to the WHO, amounting to about 18 percent of the funding the organisation receives for its work encouraging global cooperation on a wide range of pressing health issues, including tuberculosis and pandemics, like COVID-19.

The Trump administration has also continued a US funding ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, that began under Biden.

Jan. 7 (UPI) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday night that he will withdraw the United States from dozens of international organizations and treaties, escalating the U.S. policy shift from multilateral engagement under his second administration.

The 66 international organizations, conventions and treaties affected were those deemed “contrary to the interests of the United States,” according to a statement from the White House.

The withdrawal was initiated via a presidential memorandum, which names 35 non-United Nations organizations and 31 U.N. entities. Among them are the landmark U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, established in 1992, and several others that fight climate change, the U.N. Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, U.N. Oceans and the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations.

“The Trump administration has found these institutions to be redundant in their scope, mismanaged, unnecessary, wasteful, poorly run, captured by the interests of actors advancing their own agendas contrary to our own, or a threat to our nation’s sovereignty, freedoms and general prosperity,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

“President Trump is clear: It is no longer acceptable to be sending these institutions the blood, sweat and treasure of the American people, with little to nothing to show for it.”

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has used his executive powers to expunge left-leaning ideology and initiatives from U.S. domestic and foreign policy. Rubio argued that the dozens of organizations and treaties the United States was exiting are those where progressive ideology “detached from national interests.”

“From DEI mandates to ‘gender equity’ campaigns to climate orthodoxy, many international organizations now serve a globalist project rooted in the discredited fantasy of the ‘End of History,'” he said.

“These organizations actively seek to constrain American sovereignty,” he continued. “Their work is advanced by the same elite networks — the multilateral ‘NGO-plex’ — that we have begun dismantling through the closure of USAID.”

A fact sheet from the White House claims that many of the organizations named Wednesday “promote radical climate policies, global governance and ideological programs that conflict with U.S. sovereignty and economic strength.”

“By exiting these entities, President Trump is saving taxpayer money and refocusing resources on America First policies.”

Trump has frequently rallied against international organizations that have stood counter or even criticized his policies. He has twice removed the United States from the World Health Organization, first during his first term and again on his first day in office of his second after President Joe Biden reinstated the United States’ membership in the world’s leading health organization.

The same day he pulled the United States from the WHO he directed the withdrawal from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as the Paris Agreement.

He has also twice withdrawn the United States from The U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, better known as UNESCO. He also withdrew the United States from the U.N. Human Rights Council and prohibited future funding to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for the Near East.

During his first term, he withdrew the United States from the landmark Obama-era multinational accord that aimed to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

“I’ve always felt that the U.N. has tremendous potential. It’s not living up to that potential right now — it really isn’t — hasn’t for a long time,” Trump said Wednesday before signing the memorandum in the Oval Office.

“There are great hopes for it, but it’s not being well run, to be honest.”

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration will withdraw from dozens of international organizations, including the U.N.’s population agency and the U.N. treaty that establishes international climate negotiations, as the U.S. further retreats from global cooperation.

President Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order suspending U.S. support for 66 organizations, agencies and commissions following his instructions for his administration to review participation in and funding for all international organizations, including those affiliated with the United Nations, according to a White House statement on social media.

Most of the targets are U.N.-related agencies, commissions and advisory panels that focus on climate, labor and other issues that the Trump administration has categorized as catering to diversity and “woke” initiatives, according to a partial list obtained by The Associated Press.

“The Trump Administration has found these institutions to be redundant in their scope, mismanaged, unnecessary, wasteful, poorly run, captured by the interests of actors advancing their own agendas contrary to our own, or a threat to our nation’s sovereignty, freedoms, and general prosperity,” the State Department said in a statement.

Trump’s decision to withdraw from organizations that foster cooperation among nations to address global challenges comes as his administration has launched military efforts or issued threats that have rattled allies and adversaries alike, including capturing autocratic Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and indicating an intention to take over Greenland.

This is the latest U.S. withdrawal from global agencies

The administration previously suspended support from agencies like the World Health Organization, the U.N. for Palestinian refugees known as UNRWA, the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO as it has taken a larger, a-la-carte approach to paying its dues to the world body, picking which operations and agencies they believe align with Trump’s agenda and those which no longer serve U.S. interests.

“I think what we’re seeing is the crystallization of the U.S. approach to multilateralism, which is ‘my way or the highway,’” said Daniel Forti, head of U.N. affairs at the International Crisis Group. “It’s a very clear vision of wanting international cooperation on Washington’s own terms.”

It has marked a major shift from how previous administrations — both Republican and Democratic — have dealt with the U.N., and it has forced the world body, already undergoing its own internal reckoning, to respond with a series of staffing and program cuts.

Many independent nongovernmental agencies — some that work with the United Nations — have cited many project closures because of the U.S. administration’s decision last year to slash foreign assistance through the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID.

Despite the massive shift, the U.S. officials, including Trump himself, say they have seen the potential of the U.N. and want to instead focus taxpayer money on expanding American influence in many of the standard-setting U.N. initiatives where there is competition with China, like the International Telecommunications Union, the International Maritime Organization and the International Labor Organization.

The global organizations from which the U.S. is departing

The withdrawal from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC, is the latest effort by Trump and his allies to distance the U.S. from international organizations focused on climate and addressing climate change.

UNFCC, the 1992 agreement between 198 countries to financially support climate change activities in developing countries, is the underlying treaty for the landmark Paris climate agreement. Trump — who calls climate change a hoax — withdrew from that agreement soon after reclaiming the White House.

Mainstream scientists say climate change is behind increasing instances of deadly and costly extreme weather, including flooding, droughts, wildfires, intense rainfall events and dangerous heat.

The U.S. withdrawal could hinder global efforts to curb greenhouse gases because it “gives other nations the excuse to delay their own actions and commitments,” said Stanford University climate scientist Rob Jackson, who chairs the Global Carbon Project, a group of scientists that tracks countries’ carbon dioxide emissions.

It also will be difficult to achieve meaningful progress on climate change without cooperation from the U.S., one of the world’s largest emitters and economies, experts said.

The U.N.’s population agency, which provides sexual and reproductive health across the world, has long been a lightning rod for Republican opposition and Trump himself cut funding for the agency during his first term in office. He and other GOP officials have accused the agency of participating in “coercive abortion practices” in countries like China.

When President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, he restored funding for the agency. A State Department review conducted the following year found no evidence to support these claims.

Other organizations and agencies that the U.S. will quit include the Carbon Free Energy Compact, the United Nations University, the International Cotton Advisory Committee, the International Tropical Timber Organization, the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, the Pan-American Institute for Geography and History, the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies and the International Lead and Zinc Study Group.

The State Department said additional reviews are ongoing.

Lee and Amiri write for the Associated Press. Amiri reported from the United Nations. AP writer Tammy Webber reported from Fenton, Mich.

Gambian authorities say 96 people rescued after boat capsizes along popular West African migration route.

At least seven people have died after a boat carrying more than 200 people capsized along a popular migration route off the Gambian coast, with dozens more believed to be missing, local authorities say.

The boat was reported to have capsized around midnight on Thursday in the vicinity of a village in The Gambia’s North Bank region, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Authorities said seven bodies were recovered, and at least 96 people were rescued, many of whom were seriously wounded.

Alerted by a distress call, the Gambian navy launched a search-and-rescue operation after midnight, involving several naval vessels and a fishing boat that came to assist, according to the statement.

The shipwrecked vessel was later found “grounded into a sandbank”, the Defence Ministry said.

Several of the victims have been identified as not being of Gambian nationality, and the authorities are currently verifying their identity, the statement added.

The Gambia has become a jumping-off point for migrants and asylum seekers seeking to reach Spain’s Canary Islands, a gateway to continental Europe, by boat from West Africa.

According to the European Union, more than 46,000 migrants reached the Canary Islands in 2024.

More than 10,000 people died attempting the journey across the Atlantic, a 58 percent increase over 2023, according to the rights group Caminando Fronteras.

However, irregular migration into the EU along the West African route fell 60 percent during the first 11 months of 2025, according to the Frontex border agency, which credited stronger prevention efforts by departure countries for the drop.

Still, migrants and asylum seekers continue to try to reach Europe on flimsy and often overcrowded vessels.

In May, seven women and girls died when a small boat transporting more than 100 people capsized while approaching the Canary Islands.

Israel is revoking the licenses of 37 international organisations, forcing them to stop operations in Gaza. Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud explains how the new restrictions will worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Israel says it will suspend more than two dozen humanitarian organisations, including Doctors Without Borders, for failing to meet its new rules for aid groups working in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.

Organisations facing bans starting on Thursday didn’t meet new requirements for sharing information on their staffs, funding and operations, Israeli authorities said.

Other major organisations affected include the Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE International, the International Rescue Committee and divisions of major charities such as Oxfam and Caritas.

Israel accused Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, of failing to clarify the roles of some staff members, alleging they cooperated with Hamas.

“The message is clear: Humanitarian assistance is welcome. The exploitation of humanitarian frameworks for terrorism is not,” Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said.

MSF – one of the largest medical groups operating in Gaza, where the health sector has been targeted and largely destroyed – said Israel’s decision will have a catastrophic impact on its work in the enclave, where it supports about 20 percent of the hospital beds and one-third of births. The organisation also denied Israel’s accusations about its staff.

“MSF would never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity,” it said.

International organisations said Israel’s rules are arbitrary. Israel said 37 groups working in Gaza didn’t have their permits renewed.

‘Appalling conditions’

Aid organisations help with a variety of social services, including food distribution, healthcare, mental health and disability services, and education.

Amjad Shawa from the Palestine NGOs Network said the decision by Israel is part of its ongoing effort  “to deepen the humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza.

“The limitations on the humanitarian operations in Gaza are in order to continue their project to push out the Palestinians, deport Gaza. This is one of the things Israel continues doing,” Shawa told Al Jazeera.

Israel’s move comes as at least 10 countries expressed “serious concerns” about a “renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation” in Gaza, describing it as “catastrophic”.

“As winter draws in civilians in Gaza are facing appalling conditions with heavy rainfall and temperatures dropping,” Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland said in a joint statement.

“1.3 million people still require urgent shelter support. More than half of health facilities are only partially functional and face shortages of essential medical equipment and supplies. The total collapse of sanitation infrastructure has left 740,000 people vulnerable to toxic flooding.”

The countries urged Israel to ensure international NGOs can operate in Gaza in a “sustained and predictable” way and called for the opening of land crossings to boost the flow of humanitarian aid.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the joint statement “false but unsurprising” and “part of a recurring pattern of detached criticism and one-sided demands on Israel while deliberately ignoring the essential requirement ‌of disarming Hamas”.

‘Needs in Gaza are enormous’

Four months ago, more than 100 aid groups accused Israel of obstructing life-saving aid from entering Gaza and called on it to end its “weaponisation of aid” as it refused to allow aid trucks to enter the battered Gaza Strip.

More than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023. Hundreds have died from severe malnutrition and thousands more from preventable diseases because of a lack of medical supplies.

Israel claims it’s upholding the aid commitments laid out in the latest ceasefire, which took effect on October 10, but humanitarian groups dispute Israel’s numbers and say a lot more aid is desperately needed in the devastated enclave of more than two million Palestinians.

Israel changed its registration process for aid groups in March, which included a requirement to submit a list of staff, including Palestinians in Gaza.

Some aid groups said they didn’t submit a list of Palestinian staff for fear those employees would be targeted by Israel.

“It comes from a legal and safety perspective. In Gaza, we saw hundreds of aid workers get killed,” said Shaina Low, communications adviser for the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Desperately needed lifelines

The decision not to renew aid groups’ licences means their offices in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem will close and organisations won’t be able to send international staff or aid into Gaza.

“Despite the ceasefire, the needs in Gaza are enormous, and yet we and dozens of other organisations are and will continue to be blocked from bringing in essential lifesaving assistance,” Low said. “Not being able to send staff into Gaza means all of the workload falls on our exhausted local staff.”

Israel’s decision means the aid groups will have their licences revoked on Thursday and, if they are located in Israel, they will need to leave by March 1, according to the ministry.

This isn’t the first time Israel has tried to crack down on international humanitarian organisations. Throughout the war, it accused the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, of being infiltrated by Hamas and Hamas of using UNRWA’s facilities and taking its aid. The UN has denied that.

In October, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion saying Israel must support UN relief efforts in Gaza, including those conducted by UNRWA.

The court found Israel’s allegations against UNRWA – including that it was complicit in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel – were unsubstantiated.

The court also said Israel, as the occupying power, must ensure the “basic needs” of the Palestinian population of Gaza are met, “including the supplies essential for survival”, such as food, water, shelter, fuel and medicine.

A number of countries halted funding for UNRWA after Israel’s accusations, jeopardising one of Gaza’s most desperately needed lifelines.

Mexico’s Navy says the train was carrying 250 people when it derailed partially near the town of Nizanda in Oaxaca.

A train carrying 250 people has derailed partially in southern Mexico, killing at least 13 people and injuring 98, according to officials.

The Mexican Navy said that the Interoceanic Train linking the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz went off the rails on Sunday as it passed a curve near the town of Nizanda.

It said that 98 people were injured and that, “unfortunately, 13 people lost their lives”.

The train was carrying nine crew members and 241 passengers at the time of the accident. Of those on board, 139 were reported to be out of danger, while 36 of the 98 injured were still receiving medical assistance.

In a statement posted on X, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that at least five of those injured were in “serious” condition.

Sheinbaum said she has directed the secretary of the navy and other senior personnel to travel to the area and assist the families of those affected. She added that the Ministry of Interior is coordinating the response to the incident.

Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office said it was opening an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

Uno Noticias Television, a Mexican channel, reported that emergency units were near the site of the accident but faced difficulty in accessing the area.

Images circulating on social media and posted by Mexican news outlets showed one of the carriages of the train on its side, while another was completely separated from the train tracks.

Translation: Passenger train derailed. Interoceanic in the Isthmus. This Sunday, the Interoceanic passenger train derailed, 5 kilometres south of Nizanda, belonging to Asuncion Ixtaltepec, Oaxaca. Injuries have been reported; the train had departed from Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, and was heading to Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz. Emergency units are near the area, but the difficult access to the site is complicating rescue efforts.

Video clips posted online also showed some of the passengers trapped in the derailed carriages.

A passenger was quoted by Mexico’s La Razon newspaper as saying that before the derailment, the train “was coming very fast”.

“We don’t know if it lost its brakes,” the passenger told La Razon.

In a statement posted on X, Oaxaca Governor Salomon Jara Cruz expressed his government’s “heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this unfortunate accident”.

The train runs between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, and carries both passengers and freight.

On December 20, a train on the same route collided with a cargo truck attempting to cross the tracks, although the incident did not result in any deaths.

The line was inaugurated in 2023 as a major infrastructure project under then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to develop southeast Mexico.

The initiative was designed to modernise the rail link across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a land bridge connecting Mexico’s Pacific port of Salina Cruz with Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast.

The Mexican government has sought to develop the Isthmus into a strategic trade corridor, expanding ports, railways and industrial infrastructure with the goal of creating a route that could compete with the Panama Canal.

Families celebrate Christmas releases while calling for full freedom of detainees.

Authorities in Venezuela have released at least 60 people arrested during protests against President Nicolas Maduro’s re-election, according to a human rights advocacy group, though campaigners say hundreds remain behind bars.

The releases began early on Thursday, over Christmas, according to the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners, a group of rights activists and relatives of detainees arrested during unrest that followed July’s presidential election.

“We celebrate the release of more than 60 Venezuelans, who should never have been arbitrarily detained,” committee head Andreina Baduel told the AFP news agency.

“Although they are not entirely free, we will continue working for their full freedom and that of all political prisoners.”

Maduro secured a third term in office in the July 2024 vote, a result rejected by parts of the opposition amid allegations of fraud. The disputed outcome triggered weeks of demonstrations, during which authorities arrested about 2,400 people. Nearly 2,000 have since been released, according to rights groups.

Despite the latest releases, Venezuela still holds at least 902 political prisoners, according to Foro Penal, an NGO that monitors detentions.

Relatives said many of those freed had been held at Tocoron prison, a maximum-security facility in Aragua state, roughly 134km (83 miles) from the capital Caracas. Officials have not publicly clarified the conditions under which detainees were released.

“We must remember that there are more than 1,000 families with political prisoners,” Baduel said. Her father, Raul Isaias Baduel, a former defence minister and once an ally of the late president, Hugo Chavez, died in custody in 2021.