MIAMI (BN24) — Argentina announced Friday that Lionel Messi will not play in the national team’s friendly match against Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, as the World Cup champions continue their preparations for 2026.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni had suggested on Thursday that he might experiment with the lineup, leaving open the possibility that Messi could feature. “Yes, we’ve spoken with [Messi], as we’ve spoken with everyone. We haven’t decided on the team yet. We’ll decide until late in the last training session,” Scaloni said. “It’s true that these are games to try out and to see, as I said the other day, and that’s what we’re going to do. But we’ll talk with him and decide today. It’s obvious I’d like to try out different options because that’s what these games are for, while always respecting the opponent.”
When the match began, Messi was pictured watching from the stands alongside his family, confirming that he would not take the field. Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul was in Argentina’s squad but did not start.
Scaloni has emphasized that Argentina’s upcoming friendlies are key to preparing for the 2026 World Cup. Argentina will face Puerto Rico on Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale at Chase Stadium, a match originally scheduled for Chicago but relocated partly due to low ticket sales.
Messi’s club team, Inter Miami, has a game scheduled for Saturday at Chase Stadium against Atlanta United FC. Head coach Javier Mascherano said he would welcome Messi’s presence for the final home game of the regular season but admitted there had been no discussions about his availability.
“I’d love it. Imagine being able to have Leo Messi, but the reality is he hasn’t been with us,” Mascherano said. “Messi can play at any time, obviously. The issue afterward is that I can’t talk to you about something that’s counterfactual because he’s not with us, and the truth is, I haven’t spoken to Leo. Now we’ll see tonight what happens.”
Inter Miami has already qualified for the 2025 MLS playoffs but continues to chase a higher finish in the Eastern Conference to secure home-field advantage in the postseason.
Argentina also announced that midfielder Franco Mastantuono would miss the remainder of the camp due to a left thigh injury, further shaping the lineup as Scaloni looks to test new combinations without Messi leading the squad.
WASHINGTON (BN24) — President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will impose an additional one hundred percent tax on Chinese imports starting November 1 or sooner, potentially escalating tariff rates to levels that in April sparked fears of a global recession.
The president said on his social media platform that he is imposing the new tariffs in response to export controls placed on rare earth elements by China. The announcement built on an earlier post Friday on Truth Social in which Trump said “there seems to be no reason” to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as part of an upcoming trip to South Korea.
“Starting November 1st, 2025 (or sooner, depending on any further actions or changes taken by China), the United States of America will impose a Tariff of 100% on China, over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” Trump stated.
The announcement came after financial markets closed Friday and threatened to throw the global economy into turmoil. The import taxes would be heaped on top of the thirty percent already being levied on Chinese goods, potentially causing trade to break down between the United States and China in ways that could cause worldwide growth to slump.
While Trump’s wording was definitive, he is known for backing down from threats. Some investors began engaging in what The Financial Times called the “TACO” trade, which stands for “Trump Always Chickens Out.”
The prospect of tariffs this large could compound the president’s political worries inside the United States, potentially pushing up inflation at a moment when the job market appears fragile and the effects of a government shutdown are compounding into layoffs of federal workers.
Trump also said the U.S. government would respond to China by imposing its own export controls “on any and all critical software” from American firms.
The United States and China have been jostling for advantage in trade talks after import taxes announced earlier this year triggered a trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Both nations agreed to reduce tariffs after negotiations in Switzerland and the United Kingdom, yet tensions remain as China has continued to restrict American access to the difficult-to-mine rare earths needed for a wide array of U.S. technologies.
Trump did not formally cancel the meeting with Xi, instead indicating it might not happen as part of a trip at the end of the month in Asia. The trip was scheduled to include stops in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, Japan, and South Korea, where he was slated to meet with Xi ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
“I was to meet President Xi in two weeks, at APEC, in South Korea, but now there seems to be no reason to do so,” Trump posted.
Trump’s threat shattered a monthlong calm on Wall Street. The S&P 500 tumbled two point seven percent on worries about rising tensions between the world’s largest economies. It was the market’s worst day since April when the president last discussed import taxes this high. The stock market closed before the president spelled out the full terms of his threat.
On Thursday, the Chinese government restricted access to rare earths ahead of the scheduled Trump-Xi meeting. Beijing announced it would require foreign companies to obtain special approval for shipping the metallic elements abroad. It also announced permitting requirements on exports of technologies used in mining, smelting and recycling rare earths, adding that any export requests for products used in military goods would be rejected.
Trump said China is “becoming very hostile” and is holding the world “captive” by restricting access to metals and magnets used in electronics, computer chips, lasers, jet engines and other technologies.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment.
Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, said Beijing reacted to U.S. sanctions of Chinese companies this week and upcoming port fees targeting China-related vessels but noted room for deescalation to keep the leaders’ meeting alive. “It is a disproportional reaction,” Sun said. “Beijing feels that deescalation will have to be mutual as well. There is room for maneuver, especially on the implementation.”
Trump said the move on rare earths was “especially inappropriate” given the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza so remaining hostages from Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack can be released. He raised the possibility without evidence that China was trying to steal the moment from him for his role in the ceasefire, saying on social media, “I wonder if that timing was coincidental?”
There is already a backlog of export license applications from Beijing’s previous round of export controls on rare earth elements, and the latest announcements “add further complexity to the global supply chain of rare earth elements,” the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said in a statement.
Gracelin Baskaran, director of the Critical Minerals Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said China signaled it is open to negotiations but also holds leverage because it dominates the market for rare earths with seventy percent of mining and ninety-three percent of production of permanent magnets made from them that are crucial to high-tech products and the military.
“These restrictions undermine our ability to develop our industrial base at a time when we need to. And then second, it’s a powerful negotiating tool,” she said. The restrictions can hurt efforts to strengthen the U.S. military amid global tensions because rare earths are needed for defense applications.
The outbreak of a tariff-fueled trade war between the United States and China initially caused the world economy to shudder over the possibility of global commerce collapsing. Trump imposed tariffs totaling one hundred forty-five percent on Chinese goods, with China responding with import taxes of one hundred twenty-five percent on American products.
The taxes were so high as to effectively constitute a blockade on trade between the countries. That led to negotiations that reduced the tariff charged by the U.S. government to thirty percent and the rate imposed by China to ten percent so further talks could take place. The relief those lower rates provided could now disappear with the new import taxes Trump threatened, likely raising the stakes not only of whether Trump and Xi meet but also of how any disputes are resolved.
Differences continue over American access to rare earths from China, U.S. restrictions on China’s ability to import advanced computer chips, sales of American-grown soybeans and a series of reciprocal port fees being levied by both countries starting Tuesday.
Nebraska Republican Representative Don Bacon said “China has not been a fair-trade partner for years,” but the Trump administration should have anticipated China’s restrictions on rare earths and refusal to buy American soybeans in response to the tariffs.
Wendy Cutler, senior vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute, said Trump’s post shows the fragility of the détente between the two countries and it remains unclear whether the two sides are willing to de-escalate to save the bilateral meeting.
Cole McFaul, a research fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, said Trump appeared in his post to be readying for talks on the possibility that China had overplayed its hand. By contrast, China sees itself as having come out ahead when the two countries have engaged in talks.
“From Beijing’s point of view, they’re in a moment where they’re feeling a lot of confidence about their ability to handle the Trump administration,” McFaul said. “Their impression is they’ve come to the negotiating table and extracted key concessions.”
Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said Trump’s post could “mark the beginning of the end of the tariff truce” that had lowered the tax rates charged by both countries.
It remains unclear how Trump intends to follow through on his threats and how China plans to respond.
“But the risk is clear: Mutually assured disruption between the two sides is no longer a metaphor,” Singleton said. “Both sides are reaching for their economic weapons at the same time, and neither seems willing to back down.”
NGAMDU, Borno (BN24)— A deadly attack by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants has left several Nigerian soldiers feared dead and others injured, following an assault on a military base in Ngamdu, Borno State, in the early hours of Friday.
The attackers launched their assault on the Ngamdu military super camp around 2 a.m. on Friday, taking the military by surprise. Sources familiar with the incident confirmed that the insurgents stormed the camp with heavy gunfire, targeting soldiers who were on duty at the time. At least several soldiers are feared to have been killed, with additional military personnel reported to be seriously wounded.
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, the Nigerian military secured the area and began emergency operations. To prevent further violence and protect civilians, security forces closed off the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway a critical artery connecting major towns in the northeastern region. Hundreds of travelers and motorists were left stranded, as the closure affected both local commuters and long-distance travelers.
“Reports indicate that the insurgents launched a late-night attack, inflicting heavy casualties on military personnel stationed at the Ngamdu camp,” one source, who asked to remain anonymous, told reporters. “Some injured soldiers were evacuated early this morning in military ambulances to the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital in Damaturu.”
Though the exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed, the scale of the attack points to a well-coordinated effort by the militants, known for their brutality in the region. The assault on the military base is part of a broader pattern of ISWAP attacks targeting Nigerian military positions across the northeast, particularly in Borno and Yobe states.
ISWAP has become a significant threat in the region, following a series of attacks on military and civilian targets in recent months. The group has capitalized on the ongoing instability in the area, exploiting the absence of adequate security in some zones. Nigerian security forces have increased their operations against the insurgents but continue to face challenges in maintaining control over vast and volatile areas.
Local residents have reported hearing heavy gunfire and explosions during the assault, but exact details of the confrontation remain scarce. Security agencies have not yet provided an official death toll, and the military is expected to issue a statement later in the day.
In the wake of the attack, there are rising concerns over the safety of both military personnel and civilians in Borno, as ISWAP continues to expand its operations across northern Nigeria. The disruption to travel on the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway has further exacerbated tensions, with many travelers left stranded at military checkpoints.
Authorities have vowed to intensify their efforts to combat ISWAP militants and restore order, though the growing insurgency has strained Nigeria’s resources and security forces. The attack in Ngamdu highlights the persistent threat of violence as the government continues its battle against the insurgent group.
PARIS (BN24) — French President Emmanuel Macron reappointed Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister on Friday, just four days after accepting his resignation, in a surprise move that immediately drew condemnation across the political spectrum and threats of a no-confidence vote.
Lecornu, thirty-nine, whose resignation was accepted Monday just weeks after he initially took office, is now tasked with forming a new cabinet, Macron’s office said in a statement. His return comes after the president and political parties held days of negotiations aimed at ending a political impasse that has paralyzed the country.
“I accept – out of duty – the mission entrusted to me by the President of the Republic to do everything possible to provide France with a budget by the end of the year and to address the daily life issues of our fellow citizens,” Lecornu wrote on X. “We must put an end to this political crisis that exasperates the French people and to this instability that is harmful to France’s image and its interests.”
The reappointment represents the latest dramatic twist in French politics after Macron’s gamble on snap elections last year ended in a hung Parliament and more seats for the far right, leaving the country politically deadlocked.
Macron, forty-seven, met with leaders of all political parties except the far-right National Rally and the far-left France Unbowed party earlier Friday at the presidential palace, according to informed sources. Shortly before the meeting, the presidency issued a statement calling on all parties to recognize the “moment of collective responsibility,” appearing to imply that Macron could dissolve the French Parliament if they did not rally behind his preferred candidate.
Following the meeting, party leaders expressed frustration that Macron was disconnected from their concerns and failed to understand their agenda items, suggesting the discussions had worsened rather than improved the situation.
Lecornu now faces formidable challenges as he must form another government and deliver the budget for two thousand twenty-six by Monday in accordance with the French constitution so that it can be voted on by a deeply fragmented Parliament before year’s end.
The difficulty in forming a government stems from the fact that many politicians, even those on the right who previously supported Macron, now refuse to join Lecornu’s cabinet, leaving him with a limited pool of potential ministers.
Lecornu had resigned Sunday after his proposed list of ministers sparked criticism from both right and left for containing too many familiar faces from the previous administration of former Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. First appointed just a month ago, Lecornu had come under increasing pressure as he struggled to pass a budget through the fractured French Parliament amid a debt crisis.
By naming Lecornu again, Macron risks the wrath of political rivals who have argued that the best way out of the country’s deepest political crisis in decades would be for Macron to either hold snap parliamentary elections or resign.
Politicians from across France’s political spectrum united in condemning the reappointment. The National Rally vowed to immediately seek to bring down the new French government led by Lecornu through a no-confidence motion in Parliament.
Labeling the move by an “isolated and disconnected” Macron a “bad joke,” National Rally leader Jordan Bardella said his party will “immediately of course censure this coalition which does not have any future.”
Francois Kalfon, a member of the Socialist Party, said his party’s skepticism grows daily. “We want something concrete on the pension reform. We are not afraid to return to the polls,” he stated.
Mathilde Panot, president of France Unbowed in the National Assembly, condemned the reappointment in sharp terms. “Never before has a president wanted so much to govern by disgust and anger. Lecornu, who resigned on Monday, was reappointed by Macron on Friday. Macron miserably postpones the inevitable: his departure,” Panot said.
Yael Braun-Pivet, president of the National Assembly, struck a different tone. “I note the reappointment of Sebastien Lecornu as Matignon,” she said, referring to the French prime minister’s residence. “For weeks now, the National Assembly has been in full working order, ready to play its role to the full: debating, scrutinizing and voting. Now it’s time to get down to work. It’s about time!”
The political crisis has deepened since Macron called snap elections hoping to consolidate power but instead produced a hung Parliament with no clear majority. The resulting deadlock has left France struggling to pass essential legislation, including a budget, while facing a mounting debt crisis.
Lecornu’s reappointment demonstrates that Macron has run out of options as he attempts to navigate France’s most severe political crisis in decades. The president faces mounting pressure from across the political spectrum, with some calling for his resignation and others demanding new parliamentary elections.
The immediate threat of a no-confidence motion means Lecornu’s second tenure as prime minister could be even shorter than his first if opposition parties unite to bring down his government. French politics remains unpredictable, with observers noting that everything has been so volatile that no one knows what to expect next.
WASHINGTON (BN24)— Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that Qatar will construct a new air force facility at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho as part of a deepening military partnership between the two nations.
Speaking at the Pentagon alongside Qatari Minister of Defense Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Hegseth said the finalized agreement will allow Qatari pilots to train alongside U.S. forces on American soil.
“I’m proud that today we’re signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri Air Force Facility at the Mountain Home Air Base in Idaho,” Hegseth said. “The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, and interoperability. It’s just another example of our partnership. And I hope you know, your excellency, that you can count on us.”
While no foreign military bases exist within the United States, foreign militaries maintain training presences. Singapore’s air force already operates from Mountain Home under a similar arrangement. The new Qatari facility will expand that cooperative model.
The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s executive order last month “assuring the security of the state of Qatar” after Israel launched a military strike on Doha, Qatar’s capital. “The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States,” the order states.
Qatar has also played a substantial role in recent diplomatic efforts, including the Israel–Hamas peace deal, which U.S. officials have described as pivotal to regional stability. Hegseth praised Qatar’s involvement during the announcement, emphasizing the shared defense objectives of both countries.
Trump’s acceptance of a luxury Boeing 747-8 jetliner from Qatar to serve as a future Air Force One has also drawn scrutiny in Washington, with critics raising concerns over ethics and national security.
The Mountain Home project marks a new chapter in U.S.–Qatar defense cooperation, reflecting both nations’ strategic alignment in military training and security commitments.
KYIV, Ukraine (BN24) — Russia launched a sweeping aerial attack against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure early Friday, killing civilians and plunging large areas of the country into darkness, as the onset of winter deepens concerns about humanitarian conditions across the war-torn nation.
Ukrainian officials said the strike, which began before dawn on October 10, was among the most intense in recent months. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the barrage as a “massive attack” involving more than 450 Iranian-made Shahed drones and over 30 missiles, aimed deliberately at civilian and energy targets.
“It is a cynical and calculated attack,” Zelensky said in a statement. “Russia’s goal is to leave us in darkness, without water and heat, as winter sets in. This is terrorism with clear intent.”
The latest wave of strikes inflicted widespread damage across Ukraine’s energy grid, which has already been under near-daily assault since late September. Officials said energy production, distribution systems, and gas facilities were hit, resulting in casualties, severe infrastructure damage, and power outages in multiple regions.
In Zaporizhzhia, a missile strike killed a 7-year-old boy, local authorities confirmed. More than a dozen others were injured nationwide, including at least 12 in Kyiv. Emergency responders shared footage of firefighting efforts and rescue operations, including residents being evacuated from burning buildings in the capital.
Kyiv and its surrounding regions bore the brunt of the attack. According to Kyiv regional governor Mykola Kalashnik, approximately 28,000 households in Brovary and Boryspil districts lost electricity. The capital’s left bank also experienced serious disruptions in both power and water supplies.
In the Poltava region, over 16,500 households and 800 businesses were left without power. Blackouts were also reported in Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia, where ongoing repair efforts continue amid threats of renewed strikes.
Ukraine’s largest private energy producer, DTEK Group, confirmed its facilities were directly targeted. This marked the third strike on DTEK infrastructure in a single week. The latest attack caused major equipment damage and injured at least one energy worker.
“Our facilities are under targeted assault,” the company said in a statement. “Repair crews are working around the clock to restore services, but the damage is extensive.”
Ukraine’s Emergency Services released images and videos from the aftermath, showing flames engulfing energy facilities and workers pulling people to safety. Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk reassured the public that swift measures are underway to restore power and secure vital infrastructure before the arrival of peak winter temperatures.
“This attack once again shows that Russia is not just fighting a war against our military,” Grynchuk said. “They are trying to break the civilian spirit by freezing our homes, crippling our hospitals, and disrupting our lives.”
Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly warned that Moscow is resuming a winter campaign of energy terror, similar to the strikes seen last year that left millions without heating for extended periods during sub-zero weather.
International monitors, including the United Nations and the International Energy Agency (IEA), have previously condemned these attacks on civilian infrastructure as potential violations of international law.
While Ukraine’s air defense systems intercepted many incoming threats, the sheer volume of drones and missiles overwhelmed some defense sectors. Zelensky again called on Western allies to expedite the delivery of air defense systems and energy recovery aid to bolster Ukraine’s resilience ahead of another brutal winter.
Military analysts say Russia appears to be repeating a strategy designed to exhaust Ukraine’s power grid and strain civilian morale, after its battlefield momentum slowed. Targeting energy hubs not only causes human suffering, experts say, but also disrupts supply chains, slows military logistics, and strains Ukraine’s economy.
“This isn’t just an attack on infrastructure, it’s an attack on national survival,” said Serhii Kovalenko, a Ukrainian energy analyst based in Lviv.
The Kremlin has not publicly commented on Friday’s strikes. Russian state media has previously framed such attacks as attempts to disable Ukraine’s “military command and logistics.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s repair teams continue their work under the threat of renewed attacks. “Our people are exhausted,” said a DTEK engineer in a video shared by the company. “But we’ll keep going. We have no choice.”
HUMPHREYS COUNTY, Tenn. (BN24) — A powerful explosion tore through a Tennessee explosives manufacturing facility on Friday morning, leaving at least 19 people missing and prompting a massive emergency response across the region.
The blast struck Accurate Energetic Systems, an explosives manufacturer located near McEwen in Humphreys County, around 7:45 a.m. CDT. Sheriff Chris Davis described the explosion as “devastating,” saying it obliterated the building and created the most catastrophic scene he had witnessed in his career.
“Can I describe the building? There’s nothing to describe,” Davis said, visibly emotional during an afternoon news briefing. “It’s gone. It’s, again, the most devastating scene that I’ve seen in my career.”
Authorities are currently searching for 19 people who remain unaccounted for, some of whom are feared dead. “I can tell you that we’re missing 19 souls,” Davis said. He noted that it could take days or even a week to thoroughly sift through the wreckage.
Earlier in the day, officials confirmed that several individuals had died, though the exact number of fatalities has not yet been released. Emergency crews from multiple counties responded to the blast, which shook the Bucksnort area about 60 miles southwest of Nashville.
“We can confirm there has been an explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems in the Bucksnort area,” the Hickman County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Emergency services are currently on the scene working to address the situation. Important: Please avoid the area to allow emergency responders to do their work. If you are in the area, stay clear and follow the instructions from local authorities.”
Founded in 1980, Accurate Energetic Systems produces, handles, and stores high-quality energetic materials used in both defense and commercial industries. The cause of Friday’s deadly explosion has not yet been determined.
Authorities have urged residents to stay away from the area while search and recovery operations continue.
BEIJING (BN24) — Togolese international footballer Samuel Asamoah faces a potentially career-ending injury after breaking his neck in a freak accident during a Chinese League One match, his club confirmed this week.
The 31-year-old midfielder, currently playing for Guangxi Pingguo, was injured on Sunday after he was shoved by an opponent while competing for the ball. Video footage from the match shows Asamoah crashing head-first into an LED advertising board positioned just off the field. The impact resulted in multiple fractures to his neck and significant nerve damage.
Following the incident, Asamoah underwent surgery. On Monday, Guangxi Pingguo released a statement warning of the severity of the injury, saying he was at risk of “high-level paraplegia” and would miss the remainder of the season. The club also acknowledged the possibility that the injury could threaten his professional football career.
By Wednesday, the team reported that Asamoah was in stable condition and recovering post-surgery. “Guangxi Pingguo FC sincerely thanks all fans and all walks of life for their concern and support for Samuel Asamoah,” the statement read. The club added that updates on his recovery would follow further medical examinations.
Asamoah, who joined Guangxi Pingguo last year after spending much of his career in Belgium, has represented Togo internationally on six occasions.
The incident has sparked concern over player safety in Chinese football. However, Chinese authorities and state-backed media outlet The Paper stated the advertising board was placed three meters (approximately 10 feet) from the pitch, aligning with international safety regulations.
The opposing player involved in the collision, Chongqing Tonglianglong midfielder Zhang Zhixiong, received a yellow card for the challenge.
As football fans await further news, Asamoah’s condition has prompted an outpouring of support from across the sporting world, with attention now focused on his long road to recovery.
OSLO, Norway (BN24) — María Corina Machado, a long-time champion of democracy and human rights in Venezuela, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, an international recognition of her unwavering opposition to the regime of President Nicolás Maduro and her leadership in Venezuela’s struggle to restore democratic governance.
The Nobel Committee hailed the 58-year-old opposition leader as a symbol of civilian courage in Latin America. The award was announced Friday at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, where committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes said Machado had demonstrated “exceptional bravery and resilience in the face of state repression,” describing her as a figure of hope for millions living under authoritarian rule.
Machado’s selection comes at a time of growing international concern over the erosion of democratic institutions worldwide. Frydnes warned that “democracy is in retreat,” noting that Venezuela’s decline into authoritarianism has become emblematic of a wider global trend where governments weaponize institutions, silence media, and suppress dissent.
A former member of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Machado has spent more than two decades opposing the country’s socialist regimes, first under Hugo Chávez and then under Nicolás Maduro, whose government she has consistently denounced as a dictatorship. Over the last year, Machado has been forced into hiding after facing threats of arrest and persecution by the Maduro administration, particularly after her successful mobilization of opposition forces in the 2023 presidential election.
In her response to the Nobel announcement, Machado described the award not as a personal achievement but as a recognition of collective resistance. “This immense recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is an impetus to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom,” she said in a written statement. In a separate video posted to social media, she expressed shock at the announcement, stating, “I am just one person. I certainly do not deserve this. It is the achievement of a whole society.”
Machado’s political trajectory reached new heights last year when she won a landslide victory in opposition primaries, positioning her as the leading candidate to challenge Maduro in the 2024 presidential election. However, the Venezuelan Supreme Court, widely seen as loyal to Maduro, disqualified her from running on spurious legal grounds, drawing condemnation from international observers. Despite being barred from the ballot, Machado united Venezuela’s historically fractured opposition and endorsed Edmundo González, a consensus candidate who replaced her in the race.
Independent observers and polling station data later showed González had won the election by a wide margin. Still, the National Electoral Council, controlled by Maduro’s allies, declared the incumbent the victor. The disputed outcome triggered protests and international outcry, with multiple foreign governments refusing to recognize the results as legitimate. From hiding, Machado continued her campaign of civil resistance, refusing to flee the country despite escalating threats.
“She chose to remain in Venezuela despite personal danger,” Frydnes said during the announcement. “That choice to stand her ground rather than go into exile has inspired millions and embodies the kind of moral clarity that the Peace Prize exists to honor.”
Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González called the award a “well-deserved recognition for the long struggle of a woman and of an entire people for our freedom and democracy.” Human rights organizations also applauded the decision, describing Machado’s recognition as a win for oppressed peoples worldwide.
The prize also drew political reaction from the United States, where former President Donald Trump, a vocal contender for the award, was notably passed over. Trump had long argued that his foreign policy record, including efforts to end wars and broker peace agreements, merited Nobel recognition. Supporters of the former president had submitted nominations through foreign governments and public campaigns, including endorsements from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and officials in Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
In a post on X, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said the committee “proved they place politics over peace,” adding that Trump “has the heart of a humanitarian” and would continue to pursue peace initiatives. The Nobel Committee declined to directly address Trump’s remarks, with Frydnes saying only that “we base our decision solely on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.”
While the names of nominees are kept confidential for 50 years, the Nobel Committee confirmed this year’s prize was selected from 338 candidates, one of the highest tallies in the award’s recent history.
Machado’s victory is the first Nobel Peace Prize awarded to a Venezuelan and the first in several years to go to an individual campaigning for democratic transition in a country under authoritarian rule. The award places her in a historical lineage of laureates such as Aung San Suu Kyi, Lech Wałęsa, and Nelson Mandela, who were all recognized for similar struggles under repressive regimes. However, some of those legacies have since become controversial.
Frydnes emphasized that the Nobel Peace Prize should serve as a reminder of the individual courage that sustains democracy in the darkest of times. “Those in control are abusing the rule of law. Free media is being silenced. Critics are imprisoned. We see it not only in Venezuela, but globally. Machado’s fight is not just for Venezuela, it is a call to protect democratic values everywhere.”
Despite safety concerns, the committee expressed hope that Machado would be able to travel to Oslo in December to accept the award in person. The event is traditionally held at Oslo City Hall and attended by global dignitaries and members of Norway’s royal family.
In a final remark after the announcement, Machado reaffirmed her commitment to Venezuela’s future: “We are on the threshold of victory. Today, more than ever, we count on the democratic nations of the world, on our allies, and on the courage of our people. Venezuela will be free.”
Burkina Faso’s military-led government has rejected a U.S. proposal to deport migrants to its territory, delivering a sharp rebuke to one of President Donald Trump’s central immigration policies. The refusal underscores the junta’s increasingly confrontational stance toward Western powers and Washington’s migration crackdown.
Since Trump’s return to the White House, his administration has intensified efforts to deport migrants to third countries, including states where deportees often have no personal or national ties. Several African nations — including Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda and South Sudan — have agreed to receive expelled migrants in recent months as part of Trump’s broader immigration enforcement strategy.
Burkina Faso, however, has broken ranks. In a televised statement late Thursday, Foreign Affairs Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore said the West African nation rejected the U.S. overtures outright.
“Naturally, this proposal, which we considered indecent at the time, runs completely contrary to the principle of dignity,” Traore said on national television.
Hours earlier, the U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou announced it was suspending regular visa services for most applicants living in Burkina Faso, a move perceived locally as pressure tactics from Washington.
“Is this a way to put pressure on us? Is this blackmail? Whatever it is… Burkina Faso is a place of dignity, a destination, not a place of expulsion,” Traore declared, rejecting the U.S. plan in unequivocal terms.
Burkina Faso is currently ruled by a military junta led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in a coup in September 2022. He has positioned himself as a staunchly anti-imperialist Pan-African leader, distancing the country from its former colonial power, France, and other Western allies while forging closer ties with Russia.
The refusal to participate in Trump’s migrant relocation policy marks another diplomatic rupture between Ouagadougou and Western capitals, highlighting the junta’s determination to assert national sovereignty and resist foreign pressure.
