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Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown   The 2016 theme for International Women’s Day is “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”. The United Nations observance on 8 March will reflect on how to accelerate the 2030 Agenda, building momentum for the effective implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals. It will equally focus on new commitments under UN Women’s Step It Up initiative, and other existing commitments on gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s human rights. Events

Nigerians in South Africa have called on the Federal Government to prevail on the country’s authority to adequately compensate the victims of the 2015 xenophobia outbreak. The President of Nigeria Union, South Africa (NUSA), Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday. Anyene urged President Muhammad Buhari to use the occasion of President Jacob Zuma’s two-day visit to Nigeria from Tuesday to address their concerns.

Now Playing U.S. strikes terror camp in... The strike took place Saturday, 120 miles north of Mogadishu at a training site U.S. official: Al-Shabaab fighters were standing outside in military formation when the strike occurred Washington (CNN)In a move to stop what the U.S. military said was an imminent threat against U.S. troops and African peacekeeping forces in Somalia, a U.S. strike in Somalia killed as many as 150 suspected Al-Shabaab fighters, the Pentagon said Monday.

GERARD JULIEN/Getty Images Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has rubbished talk of Cristiano Ronaldo being sold by the club, insisting that he wants the player to stay even if some supporters don’t. There were audible jeers from the Santiago Bernabeu crowd on Saturday as the Portuguese turned in a disappointing first-half performance, before the forward went on to score four goals in the second half, helping his team to a 7-1 win; the 31-year-old celebrated by pointing to his ear.

 Asisat Oshoala is one the biggest names in African women's football Nigeria international striker Asisat Oshoala has been granted a UK work permit, clearing the path for her to complete a switch to Arsenal Ladies from rivals Liverpool Ladies. Arsenal Ladies' bid was "reluctantly accepted" by their fellow Women's Super League One side in January. The Gunners activated a release clause in Oshoala's contract, subject to her gaining a work permit for 2016.

Maria Sharapova reveals Australian Open failed drugs test Former world number one Maria Sharapova has revealed she failed a drugs test at the Australian Open. The Russian, 28, tested positive for meldonium, a substance she has been taking since 2006 for health issues. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said the five-time Grand Slam champion would be provisionally suspended from 12 March.

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will not run as a third-party candidate for US president. He had recently considered running as an independent in November's election. Mr Bloomberg said he was concerned about the unconventional and insurgent campaigns of Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders. The owner of the Bloomberg news organisation said his candidacy would risk letting in Mr Trump or his fellow Republican Ted Cruz.

  Malaysia and Australia say they remain "hopeful" that flight MH370 will eventually be found, two years on from its disappearance. The aircraft disappeared between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing on 8 March 2014 with 239 people on board. Australian-led search teams are combing a 120,000 sq km (46,330 sq mile) area of the southern Indian Ocean. Only one confirmed piece of debris, a part of wing called a flaperon, has been found, on Reunion Island.