Fela Kuti becomes the first African to be honored with Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Supermodel Anok Yai reveals a congenital lung defect and undergoes surgery, Anthony Joshua knocks out Jake Paul in the sixth round of their fight in Miami. Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest, which summarizes five of the hottest global news stories you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix.
Here is a rundown of five of the hottest news topics…
1. Fela Kuti becomes the First African to be Honored with Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
Fela Kuti to Receive Posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award at 2026 Grammy pic.twitter.com/zSd9JFS3Us
— Blackish Press (@blackishpress) December 20, 2025
Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the pioneering architect of Afrobeat and one of Africa’s most uncompromising cultural voices, has become the first African musician to receive a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The Recording Academy announced the posthumous honour on December 19, recognizing Fela’s “creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording.” The accolade places the Nigerian icon, who died in 1997, alongside global legends such as The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, and Bob Marley. Senegalese superstar Youssou N’Dour hailed the recognition, describing Fela’s music as “a fearless voice for Africa” whose rhythms carried “truth, resistance, and freedom.”
Affectionately known as the “Black President,” Fela revolutionised global music by fusing traditional African rhythms with jazz, funk, and psychedelic brass, while using Nigerian Pidgin English to amplify his pan-African, anti-establishment message. His work became increasingly political after a 1969 trip to the United States, where he connected with Black Panther activists, and he later emerged as one of the most vocal critics of Nigeria’s military rule and South African apartheid. That defiance came at immense personal cost, including a brutal 1977 military raid on his Lagos commune following the release of “Zombie.” Yet Fela’s influence only deepened: “Zombie” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame last year, his funeral drew more than a million mourners, and his life inspired the hit Broadway musical Fela!. For generations of artists across Africa and beyond, his legacy endures as a symbol of fearless artistic freedom and political resistance.
2. Supermodel Anok Yai reveals a Congenital Lung Defect and Undergoes Surgery
Supermodel Anok Yai, 28, diagnosed with congenital defect that’s ‘destroying’ her lungs https://t.co/eW8hNEr20x pic.twitter.com/qaP4L68sMO
— Page Six (@PageSix) December 20, 2025
World-renowned supermodel Anok Yai has revealed she has been battling a serious health condition after being diagnosed with a congenital lung defect, a struggle she says she kept private for more than a year. In a social media post shared on December 20, the 28-year-old model explained that the defect caused her heart to overwork, gradually damaging her lungs. Yai shared images and videos from her hospital recovery, describing how the condition went unnoticed for most of her life before symptoms emerged, beginning with a persistent cough and progressing to chest pain, coughing up blood, and difficulty breathing. “I thought I could overcome it with work… but in the end, my health forced me to stop,” she wrote.
Despite continuing to work as her condition worsened, Yai said she eventually realized surgery could no longer be delayed and recently underwent successful robotic lung surgery. She expressed gratitude to her medical team, including Dr. Robert Cherfolio and staff at New York University Langone Health, as well as family and friends who supported her recovery. Robotic thoracic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure used to remove diseased lung tissue, and Yai confirmed she is now recuperating and plans to return to her career. The revelation comes at the height of her success, with the South Sudanese-American model recently named 2025 Model of the Year at a British fashion awards ceremony, prompting an outpouring of support from fans and figures across the fashion industry.
3. Multiple Gunmen Open Fire at a South African Pub, Killing 9 and Wounding 10
A gunman killed at least 10 people and wounded 10 others in an attack at a township outside Johannesburg, police said Sunday, in the second mass shooting in South Africa this month.
The motive for the attack in Bekkersdal, 25 miles southwest of the city, was not clear, police… pic.twitter.com/tjfpIb2b6r
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 21, 2025
Nine people were killed and at least 10 others wounded after multiple gunmen opened fire at a pub in South Africa during the early hours of Sunday, authorities said. The shooting happened shortly before 1 a.m. at the KwaNoxolo tavern in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal, a township about 46 kilometers (28 miles) west of Johannesburg. Police said around 12 suspects arrived in a white minibus and a silver sedan and began shooting at patrons inside the tavern before continuing to fire randomly as they fled the scene. Some victims were shot in nearby streets, and an e-hailing driver who had just dropped off a passenger was among those killed, according to police.
Major General Fred Kekana, acting provincial commissioner of Gauteng, said some of the attackers wore balaclavas and were armed with an AK-47 rifle and several 9mm pistols. The motive for the attack remains unknown, and a manhunt has been launched by Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations with support from specialized tracing units. The shooting marks the second mass attack in South Africa in three weeks, amid growing concern over repeated violence at taverns and shebeens. The Democratic Alliance has called for a special task force to investigate the recent incidents, as authorities continue to grapple with gun violence fueled by illegal firearms in a country that recorded nearly 26,000 homicides in 2024.
4. Wiz Khalifa hit with 9-month Romanian jail sentence
Wiz Khalifa Sentenced to 9 Months in Jail for Drug Possession in Romaniahttps://t.co/QeNNqxfouj
— billboard (@billboard) December 19, 2025
Rapper Wiz Khalifa has been sentenced to nine months in jail by a Romanian court on drug possession charges, more than a year after an onstage incident at a music festival on the Black Sea coast. The ruling was delivered on Thursday by the Constanta Court of Appeal and is final under Romanian law. Prosecutors said the 38-year-old artist, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was stopped by police in July 2024 after allegedly smoking cannabis during his performance at the Beach, Please! festival in Costinești. Authorities reported he was carrying about 18 grams of cannabis and had already consumed some on stage.
The case drew international attention after footage showed Khalifa smoking a large hand-rolled cigarette while performing, prompting him to later apologize on social media for the incident. A lower court had initially fined him 3,600 lei (about $830), but prosecutors appealed, arguing for a tougher punishment. The appeals court subsequently convicted him of illegal possession of dangerous drugs for personal use and imposed a nine-month jail sentence, citing Romania’s strict drug laws. It remains unclear whether Romanian authorities will seek Khalifa’s extradition from the United States to serve the sentence.
5. Anthony Joshua knocks out Jake Paul in the sixth round of their fight in Miami
🚨 ANTHONY JOSHUA KNOCKS OUT JAKE PAUL 🚨
It took him six rounds to do it but the job got done 😰 pic.twitter.com/kPzwCfI1oc
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) December 20, 2025
Anthony Joshua stopped Jake Paul with a brutal sixth-round knockout in their highly anticipated bout in Miami. He finally overpowered the YouTube star after a frustrating start. Fighting at the Kaseya Center, the former two-time heavyweight world champion struggled early to pin down the elusive Paul, who spent much of the opening rounds backpedaling and avoiding exchanges. Joshua gradually increased the pressure and broke through in the sixth round, landing a huge right hand that sent Paul crashing to the canvas by the ropes. The referee waved off the contest as Paul rose unsteadily, later confirmed to have suffered a broken jaw.
The fight had been scheduled for eight rounds, with Joshua widely expected to secure an earlier stoppage, and the 36-year-old admitted afterward that it “wasn’t the best performance.” Still, he praised Paul’s resilience before calling out long-time rival Tyson Fury for a future showdown. Paul, who was taken to the hospital following the fight, acknowledged the defeat but remained defiant, crediting Joshua’s power and vowing to continue his boxing journey. The loss brings a decisive end to one of boxing’s most talked-about crossover events, with Joshua reasserting his dominance against a high-profile but novice opponent.
Featured image: Laurent Rebours/AP Photo
Our Weekday News Digest brings you a curated selection of the most compelling stories from around the globe. This week, we delve into the latest celebrity headlines, from Hollywood to Nollywood, explore trending global news, and highlight the most exciting sports developments of 2025.
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