Author: Elizabeth Jenrola Oso

Israel has intercepted a pro-Palestinian flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, with the majority of vessels stopped by the Israeli navy approximately 75 nautical miles off the coast. However, one vessel, the Mikeno, reportedly evaded the blockade and entered Palestinian territorial waters before contact was lost. This marks the closest an unauthorised aid mission has come to Gaza since Israel imposed its naval blockade in 2009. The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed that “one last boat of the provocation remains in the distance,” adding that any attempt to breach the blockade would be prevented. The Global Sumud flotilla comprised…

Local media reported that construction at the school had been ongoing for nine months.

The United States government entered a shutdown on Wednesday after congressional Democrats declined to support a Republican funding proposal that lacked concessions on healthcare policy. The Republican Party, which holds majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, rejected Democratic demands, triggering a legislative impasse that persisted until midnight, when both parties failed to advance their respective funding bills in the Senate. This marks the first government shutdown since the 35-day closure that began in December 2018 during President Trump’s first term. It comes as Democrats seek to recover politically following last year’s general election, which saw Trump…

Moldova’s ruling pro-European Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) has retained its parliamentary majority following Sunday’s closely watched election, a result seen as a decisive test of President Maia Sandu’s efforts to steer the country towards European Union membership. With more than 99.5 per cent of ballots counted, PAS secured 50.03 per cent of the vote, according to figures released by the Central Election Commission. The result translates into a majority in the 101-seat parliament. By contrast, a Moscow-leaning alliance of parties led by former president Igor Dodon won 24.26 per cent. The outcome exceeded expectations for Sandu’s party, which had…

The state of Oregon has launched legal action in federal court to prevent the deployment of 200 National Guard troops to Portland, accusing President Donald Trump of misrepresenting the city as “war ravaged”. Governor Tina Kotek said she had been informed by the Pentagon that the president had assumed control of the state’s reservists, citing powers to quell “rebellion” or disorder. Speaking at a press conference, she insisted there was no justification for military intervention. “When the president and I spoke yesterday, I told him in very plain language that there is no insurrection, or threat to public safety that…

Sandu’s electoral hopes rest heavily on the Moldovan diaspora, which has traditionally supported PAS, as well as younger, urban voters.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

A Polish adventurer has become the first person to climb Mount Everest and ski back down without the use of supplementary oxygen. Andrzej Bargiel, 37, reached the summit of the world’s highest peak, standing at 8,849 metres (29,032ft), on his third attempt. Dangerous conditions forced him to abandon earlier efforts in 2019 and 2022. “The summit itself was arduous and difficult. I’d never spent so much time at such an altitude in my life, so that was a challenge in itself,” he said. “Skiing down Everest without oxygen was a dream that had been growing inside me for years.” According…

Democratic lawmakers have released a tranche of documents from the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, revealing apparent links between the disgraced financier and several prominent conservative figures, including Elon Musk, Steve Bannon and Peter Thiel.

Argentina has been shaken by the torture and murder of two young women and a teenage girl, whose ordeal was livestreamed to a private Instagram group by suspected drug traffickers.