Ceasefire Deal: Hamas Set To Hand Over Bodies Of Four Israeli Hostages
On Thursday, Hamas is scheduled to turn over the bodies of four hostages, including the Bibas family, who have come to represent the hostage situation that has engulfed Israel since the start of the Gaza War. The transfer of the bodies is the first such handover of remains by Hamas since its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the...
Niger Republic Bans Nigerians Holding ECOWAS Passports
Nigerians using the ECOWAS passport are now subject to restrictions from the Republic of Niger, which forbids entry to those without a valid international passport. This move follows the country’s recent withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States alongside Mali and Burkina Faso. Despite maintaining an open border with Nigeria, new immigration measures are being implemented at crossings such...
Trump Strikes Hard, Orders Dismissal Of Biden-Era US Attorneys
President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that he had ordered the removal of all US attorneys nominated by his predecessor, Joe Biden. “Over the past four years, the Department of Justice has been politicized like never before,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “Therefore, I have instructed the termination of ALL remaining ‘Biden Era’ U.S. Attorneys,” he said. “We must ‘clean...
Zelensky Accuses US Of Trying To Please Russia Amid Ongoing War
Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has stated that the US was merely attempting to “please” President Vladimir Putin as negotiations to end the nearly three-year conflict begin in Saudi Arabia today. The talks would go on without the involvement of Ukraine or the European Union, one of President Donald Trump’s decisions that has led European leaders into crisis talks in Paris. Zelensky...
Japan Targets 60% Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction By 2035
Japan Tuesday pledged to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent in the next decade from 2013 levels but climate campaigners said the target fell short of what was needed under the Paris Agreement to limit global warming. Under the Paris accord, each country is supposed to provide a headline figure to the United Nations for cutting heat-trapping emissions by...
10 Dead, 8 Injured As Building Collapses In Egypt
A building collapse in the Egyptian capital killed 10 people and injured eight more on Monday, with several others believed to be missing under the rubble, state media reported. Ambulances were dispatched to the scene in the working-class neighborhood of Kerdasa, where civil defense teams searched for people thought to be missing under the rubble, according to the Al-Akhbar Al-Youm...
DeepSeek AI App Blocked In South Korea Over Data Privacy Concerns
Seoul officials announced Monday that the Chinese AI app DeepSeek will not be accessible for download in South Korea until its user data handling practices are reviewed. DeepSeek’s R1 chatbot stunned investors and industry insiders with its ability to match the functions of its Western competitors at a fraction of the cost. But a number of countries have questioned DeepSeek’s storage...
Gay Imam Killed After Conducting Lesbian Wedding In South Africa
According to a Sunday BBC report, Muhsin Hendricks, the first openly gay imam in history, was shot and killed in South Africa. The 57-year-old cleric, who led a Cape Town mosque known for welcoming LGBTQ+ and marginalized Muslims, was ambushed on Saturday near the southern city of Gqeberha. South African police said two masked gunmen fired multiple shots at the vehicle...
US Judge Temporarily Lifts Freeze On Aid Program Funding
According to court documents seen by AFP on Friday, a federal judge has temporarily lifted a freeze on funding for US aid and development programs that was imposed by the Trump administration. Judge Amir Ali, who was appointed by Joe Biden in November, prohibited the Trump administration from “suspending, pausing, or otherwise preventing” foreign assistance funds, according to Thursday’s ruling. The...
Pope Francis Admitted To Hospital For Bronchitis, Vatican Confirms
The Vatican announced on Friday that Pope Francis was admitted to a hospital in Rome for bronchitis testing and treatment. The 88-year-old, who has been breathless in recent days and has delegated officials to read his speeches, was admitted following his morning audiences, the Vatican stated. He was hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for “some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue...
