Nigerian-born, Los Angeles-based artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby has captured global attention with her vibrant new portrait of former U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, unveiled as the first official joint painting of the couple for the Obama Presidential Center.

The artwork, titled The Obamas: Springing Forth, was revealed in a heartfelt video shared by the Obamas on social media. In the post, Michelle Obama expressed deep honor at commissioning the piece, praising Akunyili Crosby’s “artistic brilliance” and the way she infused “life and joy” into the composition.

“It was great joining @NjidekaAkunyiliCrosby — a gifted Nigerian-born, Los Angeles-based artist — to unveil our first portrait together,” Barack Obama wrote. “This piece reflects so many chapters of Michelle and my story, and we’re thrilled that it will be on display in the Hope and Change lobby at the Obama Presidential Center starting this Juneteenth.”

Akunyili Crosby, daughter of the late Dora Akunyili — Nigeria’s renowned former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) — is known for her distinctive collage-style works that blend painting, photo transfers, and personal narratives. The portrait incorporates symbolic elements from the Obamas’ lives, including references to Michelle’s childhood home, a Harvard Law Review volume, and cultural touches like Stevie Wonder’s album.

The painting will greet visitors when the Obama Presidential Center opens to the public on Juneteenth (June 19, 2026) in Chicago’s South Side. Reactions have been largely positive, with many celebrating the representation of Black excellence and the artist’s Nigerian-American heritage, though some online commentators noted the work’s richly detailed, layered style.

This commission marks a significant milestone for Akunyili Crosby, a MacArthur Fellowship recipient, further elevating African diaspora voices in major American cultural institutions.

•UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Children under 16 will be banned from using social media in the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday, saying such platforms were making youngsters “unhappy”.

Some children’s charities welcomed the sweeping change, which is likely to trigger a major fight with US tech giants, but others warned it could make teenagers less safe online.

Starmer, likely to face a leadership challenge in the coming weeks, said social media sites were exposing children to content that is “dangerous” and “designed to be addictive”.

The ban will “include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X” but not messaging services such as WhatsApp, the government said.

Some young people gave a mixed response to the move.

“I think it’s a good thing, to be honest, because I don’t even remember what age I was when I got Instagram, but it was just way too early,” student Connie Skitt, 19, told AFP in Buxton, central England.

“You’re making friends with people you don’t know. It’s like, not that safe.”But 18-year-old tour guide Tom Warvell expressed concerns that 16 was “a little bit high”, arguing younger teens were “a better age to focus on”.

“Times have changed so it is important for people to still be able to use it.”

•US/IRAN flags

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif­, revealed that both the United States and Iran have reached a landmark peace agreement to the immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.

The formal signing ceremony is scheduled to take place on June 19 in Switzerland.

According to Sharif, the agreement is the result of extensive mediation efforts involving several regional and international stakeholders.

He commended both Washington and Tehran for choosing diplomacy over continued conflict and acknowledged the roles played by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye in facilitating the talks.