By Eniola Amadu  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has pardoned prominent Egyptian-British activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, ending years of detention that drew global criticism and repeated hunger strikes from the 43-year-old, state-linked Al Qahera News reported on Monday. Abd el-Fattah rose to prominence as one of Egypt’s most outspoken pro-democracy campaigners during and after the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that toppled longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak. Over the past decade, he…

By Eniola Amadu Tens of thousands of Brazilians took to the streets to oppose a bill that could grant former President Jair Bolsonaro and his allies amnesty, sparing them prison time despite convictions for plotting a coup. New Daily Prime reported that Bolsonaro was sentenced earlier this month to 27 years in prison for conspiring to overturn the 2022 election, though he remains under house arrest while appeals are pending.…

Erika Kirk, widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, delivered a moving message of forgiveness during a memorial service held Sunday in Arizona, saying she bore no hatred toward the man accused of killing her husband. The father of two was fatally shot earlier this month while speaking to students at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors allege the suspected gunman, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, told his partner beforehand that he had “had enough”…

By Eniola Amadu Britain, Canada and Australia have recognised a Palestinian state, joining more than 140 countries worldwide in a move aimed at advancing a two-state solution. The coordinated decision, announced on Sunday, comes against the backdrop of Israel’s nearly two-year war in Gaza following the October 2023 Hamas attack. Leaders of the three Western nations, historically close allies of Israel, said their recognition was driven by frustration over the…

By Eniola Amadu  California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a new law prohibiting law enforcement officers from wearing masks while on duty, except in cases involving riot gear, medical reasons, or undercover assignments. Newsom, a Democrat and outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, described the law as the first of its kind in the United States. He argued that masked detentions create “a climate of authoritarianism,” undermining transparency and accountability.…

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to advocate for greater global peace and security during high-level meetings in New York this week, as senior allies of US President Donald Trump caution that Australia’s planned recognition of Palestinian statehood could trigger punitive measures from Washington. Mr Albanese arrived in New York on Sunday morning, Australian time, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly and a possible first meeting with President Trump.…

President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation introducing an annual fee of $100,000 for H-1B visa applications, a move that could have significant repercussions for the US technology sector, which depends heavily on skilled workers from India and China. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed the measure at a press briefing on Friday, saying that “all the big companies” had been informed. Speaking alongside the president at the Oval Office,…

Humanitarian workers in northern Gaza have been told by the Israeli military that only hospitals will be considered protected sites, with all other aid infrastructure potentially subject to attack. Messages and conversations seen by the Guardian show the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stating that its evacuation order for “all Gaza residents and inhabitants” of Gaza City applies to “all humanitarian locations [there], except hospitals”. The IDF warned that, in order…

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has documented a rising trend of such cases.

By Eniola Amadu Iraq is set to commission its first industrial-scale solar power plant in Karbala on Sunday as part of efforts to address the country’s decades-long electricity crisis marked by widespread blackouts despite vast oil and gas reserves. The project, located in al-Hur area of Karbala southwest of Baghdad, covers about 1,000 acres (400 hectares) of desert land and is lined with tens of thousands of solar panels. At…

Flights have been delayed and cancelled at three major European airports, including London Heathrow, after a cyber-attack hit the software used for airline check-in and boarding. Airports in Brussels and Berlin have also reported disruption following the incident affecting Collins Aerospace, a company providing services to multiple airlines worldwide. The attack has prompted concerns over the resilience of systems underpinning critical infrastructure, with cybersecurity experts warning that the disruption could…

Five people in Louisiana have died this year after contracting a flesh-eating bacterium found in warm coastal waters, a figure that state health officials say is significantly higher than the annual average. The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed that, as of Wednesday, at least 26 people had been infected with Vibrio vulnificus in 2025, with every case requiring hospitalisation. Officials reported that 85 per cent of infections were linked to…