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Bangladesh’s First Female Prime Minister Khaleda Zia Dies

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Khaleda Zia, who shattered gender barriers to become Bangladesh’s first female prime minister in 1991 and subsequently dominated three decades of the nation’s politics through an increasingly bitter rivalry with Sheikh Hasina, died Tuesday following extended illness. She was 80 years old.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which Zia led through multiple electoral cycles and opposition periods, confirmed her death following complications from advanced liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Her physicians had been managing the constellation of conditions for several years as her health progressively deteriorated.

Zia traveled to London for specialized medical treatment in early 2025, remaining in the British capital for four months before returning to Bangladesh. Her decision to return home despite ongoing health challenges reflected her determination to remain physically present in the country whose political landscape she helped define, even as her active role in governance had ended nearly two decades earlier.

Her death arrives at a pivotal moment in Bangladeshi politics. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party enters February’s parliamentary elections as the frontrunner according to polling data, positioned to reclaim power after years in opposition. Her son Tarique Rahman, 60, who serves as the party’s acting chairman, returned to Bangladesh last week following nearly 17 years in self-imposed exile and is widely viewed as the leading candidate to assume the prime minister’s office.

The political environment surrounding the upcoming elections differs dramatically from previous cycles. Since August 2024, Bangladesh has operated under an interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace laureate renowned for pioneering microfinance initiatives. The transitional administration came to power following a student-led uprising that forced Sheikh Hasina from office after 15 years of increasingly authoritarian rule.

In November, Hasina received a death sentence in absentia from Bangladeshi courts for ordering deadly force against student protesters during the demonstrations that ultimately ended her tenure. The sentencing of Zia’s longtime rival occurred while Hasina remained outside Bangladesh, unable or unwilling to face domestic prosecution.

Khaleda Zia’s path to political prominence began through tragedy rather than ambition. Those who knew her in the 1970s described a shy woman focused on raising two sons, seemingly content with her role as the wife of military leader and President Ziaur Rahman. Her husband’s assassination during an attempted military coup in 1981 transformed her trajectory, though she did not immediately enter politics.

Three years after her husband’s death, Zia assumed leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party that Ziaur Rahman had founded. She pledged to fulfill his vision of “liberating Bangladesh from poverty and economic backwardness,” adopting his policy agenda while developing her own political identity. The transformation from political widow to party leader represented a significant departure from traditional expectations for women in Bangladeshi society.

Her initial entry into active politics came through coalition-building with Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and leader of the Awami League party. The two women joined forces to lead a popular democracy movement that successfully toppled military ruler Hossain Mohammad Ershad in 1990. Their collaboration demonstrated the potential for women’s political leadership in a predominantly Muslim nation where female participation in public life faced significant cultural barriers.

The partnership proved short-lived. What began as tactical cooperation against military rule rapidly deteriorated into a personal and ideological rivalry that would define Bangladeshi politics for three decades. International media dubbed them “the battling Begums,” employing an Urdu honorific for prominent women to describe their increasingly acrimonious relationship.

Their contrasting personalities amplified the rivalry’s impact on national politics. Supporters characterized Zia as polite, traditional, and carefully measured in her public statements, projecting quiet style and deliberate communication. Yet they also recognized her as uncompromising and bold when defending party interests or confronting political opponents. Hasina, by contrast, adopted a far more outspoken and assertive public persona, openly confronting adversaries and expressing positions with little diplomatic restraint.

Bangladesh conducted what international observers praised as its first genuinely free election in 1991. Zia secured a surprise victory over Hasina, having gained support from Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamic political party. The alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami provided crucial votes but would later generate controversy over the party’s role in Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war and its conservative social agenda.

The electoral victory made Zia Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and only the second woman to lead a democratic government in a predominantly Muslim nation, following Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto, who had won election three years earlier. The achievement carried symbolic weight across South Asia, demonstrating that gender need not constitute an insurmountable barrier to executive power in Muslim-majority democracies.

Zia’s first term brought significant structural reforms. She replaced Bangladesh’s presidential system with a parliamentary framework that concentrated power in the prime minister’s office rather than a ceremonial president. The constitutional change reflected her belief that parliamentary systems provided greater accountability and stability than presidential models. She lifted restrictions on foreign investment, opening Bangladesh’s economy to international capital flows and trade relationships that previous governments had limited. She mandated free and compulsory primary education, expanding access to schooling for children from families that historically could not afford tuition costs.

Hasina defeated Zia in the 1996 general election, but Zia mounted a comeback five years later with a landslide victory that surprised political analysts who had predicted a closer contest. Her second term as prime minister proved far more controversial than her first, marked by rising Islamist militancy and corruption allegations that tarnished her earlier reform achievements.

A grenade attack struck a political rally where Hasina was speaking in 2004. Hasina survived the assault, but more than 20 people died and over 500 sustained injuries in what investigators characterized as a coordinated assassination attempt. Public sentiment widely blamed Zia’s government and its Islamic political allies for either orchestrating or failing to prevent the attack, though Zia’s administration denied involvement.

In 2018, after Hasina had returned to power, Tarique Rahman faced trial in absentia and received a life sentence for alleged involvement in the grenade attack. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party denounced the prosecution as politically motivated retaliation designed to eliminate the party’s future leadership rather than legitimate justice for the attack’s victims.

Zia responded to the 2004 attack and subsequent criticism by launching crackdowns against Islamist radical groups, though critics argued the measures came too late and were insufficiently comprehensive. Her second tenure as prime minister concluded in 2006 when an army-backed interim government seized power amid escalating political instability and street violence between rival party supporters.

The interim government imprisoned both Zia and Hasina on corruption and abuse of power charges, holding each woman for approximately one year before releasing them ahead of general elections scheduled for 2008. The dual prosecutions suggested the military-backed government viewed both leaders as obstacles to political stability, though neither woman accepted that characterization.

Zia never regained executive power following her 2008 release. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party boycotted elections in 2014 and 2024, refusing to participate in contests the party characterized as rigged in favor of Hasina’s Awami League. The boycott strategy kept Zia’s vitriolic feud with Hasina at the center of Bangladeshi politics even during periods when the BNP held no parliamentary representation.

Tensions between their respective parties regularly triggered strikes, street violence, and deaths that impeded Bangladesh’s economic development. The nation of approximately 175 million people, already struggling with widespread poverty and vulnerability to devastating floods due to its low-lying geography, faced additional challenges from political instability that deterred foreign investment and disrupted commerce.

In 2018, courts convicted Zia, Rahman, and several aides of embezzling approximately $250,000 in foreign donations intended for an orphanage trust established during her final term as prime minister. Zia maintained the charges represented a fabricated plot to permanently exclude her family from political participation rather than legitimate prosecution of financial crimes. The conviction resulted in imprisonment, though authorities transferred her to house arrest in March 2020 citing humanitarian concerns as her health declined.

Zia gained freedom from house arrest in August 2024 following Hasina’s ouster, emerging into a dramatically altered political landscape. Bangladesh’s Supreme Court acquitted her and Rahman of the corruption charges that had resulted in 2018 jail sentences in early 2025. Rahman received acquittal for the 2004 grenade attack allegations one month earlier, clearing legal obstacles that had prevented his return to Bangladesh.

The legal vindications came too late for Zia to actively participate in her party’s campaign for the February elections. Her deteriorating health limited her ability to engage in public rallies or intensive political organizing, though her symbolic importance to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party remained significant even as day-to-day leadership responsibilities had passed to her son.

Zia’s political legacy defies simple categorization. She pioneered opportunities for women in Bangladeshi politics, demonstrating that female leaders could win elections, implement significant reforms, and command party loyalty across multiple election cycles. Her economic liberalization policies opened Bangladesh to international investment that contributed to subsequent industrial development, particularly in the garment manufacturing sector that now employs millions.

Yet her tenure also featured troubling elements including alliances with Islamic parties whose social conservatism conflicted with women’s rights advocacy, corruption allegations that undermined public trust in governance, and a political rivalry with Hasina that prioritized partisan advantage over national stability. The personalized nature of her conflict with Hasina contributed to political polarization that made consensus-building and institutional development extraordinarily difficult.

International relations scholars have noted that Zia and Hasina’s rivalry exemplifies how personality-driven politics in post-colonial states can override institutional checks and balances. Their decades-long feud created a binary political culture where Bangladeshi citizens felt compelled to align with one camp or the other, with limited space for independent political movements or coalitions that bridged the divide.

The economic cost of their rivalry proved substantial. Frequent hartals (strikes) called by opposition parties to protest government actions disrupted commerce, closed businesses, and prevented workers from reaching jobs. Foreign investors cited political instability and street violence as factors limiting capital commitments to Bangladesh despite the country’s large labor force and strategic location.

Zia’s relationship with Islamist political forces remained controversial throughout her career. Her electoral alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami provided crucial votes but connected her to a party many Bangladeshis associated with collaboration with Pakistani forces during the 1971 independence war. Critics argued she legitimized conservative religious politics for tactical electoral advantage, while supporters maintained she pragmatically built coalitions necessary to win power in a religiously conservative society.

Her legacy for women’s political participation in South Asia carries particular significance. While Benazir Bhutto preceded her as a female Muslim leader, Zia’s longevity and multiple election victories demonstrated that women’s executive leadership need not be an anomaly. Her example influenced subsequent generations of Bangladeshi women who entered politics, even as many of those women joined parties opposing the BNP.

The February elections will provide the first clear indication of how Bangladeshi voters view the Bangladesh Nationalist Party without Khaleda Zia as its symbolic leader. Tarique Rahman inherits a party with deep organizational roots and significant popular support, but he lacks his mother’s three decades of political experience and her status as the founder’s widow that initially legitimized her leadership.

Political analysts suggest the interim government period under Muhammad Yunus has created unusual opportunities for the BNP’s return to power. The student uprising that toppled Hasina reflected widespread frustration with authoritarianism and corruption that extended beyond the Awami League to encompass governance failures across Bangladesh’s political class. Whether Rahman can capitalize on that sentiment while avoiding the corruption and polarization that characterized previous BNP governments remains uncertain.

Khaleda Zia’s death closes a chapter in Bangladeshi politics defined by personal rivalries, dramatic reversals of fortune, and the persistent challenge of building stable democratic institutions in a poor, densely populated nation vulnerable to natural disasters and regional geopolitical pressures. Her life encompassed Bangladesh’s transition from military rule to flawed democracy, its economic evolution from aid dependency toward export-driven growth, and its ongoing struggle to balance religious identity with secular governance.

Reuters

Woman alleges brutal arrest, days-long detention by Delta police, Nigeria, over condom possession

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A 28-year-old woman from Nigeria’s Enugu State has accused police officers attached to the Asaba Area Command in Delta State of assaulting, dehumanising and unlawfully detaining her for several days after a condom was found in her bag during a late-night stop in Asaba.

The woman, identified as Chinenye Nnaji, said officers seized her late on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at Pinnacle Junction, where she had stopped to buy food while returning home. She said police operating from a marked Sienna vehicle descended on the area, rounding up young men and women without explanation and forcing them into custody.

A witness who said he saw the arrest described officers manhandling Nnaji and dragging her into a police vehicle before taking her to the Asaba Area Command. The witness, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, said the officers targeted her solely because a condom was discovered during a search of her belongings.

Nnaji said she was verbally abused, labeled a prostitute and criminal, and locked inside a private room at the command alongside other detainees. She said she was held there for three days without food or water and was subjected to physical abuse severe enough to leave her in degrading conditions.

“What happened to me was torture,” Nnaji said, speaking through tears. “My only offence was that they found a condom on me.”

She said the officers involved were led by a policeman identified to her as Chidi and alleged that senior officers at the command were aware of the detention. Nnaji further accused the Asaba Area Command of routinely carrying out nighttime arrests of young people and demanding large sums of money for their release.

A witness echoed those allegations, saying officers frequently detain people at random and demand bail payments ranging from 150,000 to 250,000 naira, often under threats of imprisonment. The witness alleged that victims are assaulted and intimidated as a means of extortion.

Attempts to obtain a response from the Asaba Area Commander, ACP Udeze Alex Mbanefo, were unsuccessful, as his phone line was unreachable. Calls and messages sent to Delta State Police Public Relations Officer SP Bright Edafe were not answered by the time of publication.

The allegations add to longstanding concerns raised by rights groups about arbitrary arrests, abuse and extortion by some police units in Nigeria, particularly during late-night patrols in urban areas.

SaharaReporters

U.S. set to deport Nigerian man linked to street gang violence, drug sales and police escape

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U.S. immigration authorities said Monday they are preparing to deport a Nigerian national identified as Ibrahim Tunde Ijaoba, citing a lengthy criminal record that includes violent offenses, gang involvement, drug sales and an escape from police custody.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement described Ijaoba as a “criminal illegal alien” who entered the United States unlawfully and later became affiliated with the Bloods, a street gang widely known for violent crime and organized criminal activity in several states. ICE said his convictions demonstrate a sustained pattern of behavior that posed a threat to public safety.

According to the agency, Ijaoba’s criminal history includes aggravated assault on a police officer involving a firearm, multiple assault and aggravated assault convictions, armed robbery, obstruction of justice, drug trafficking offenses and fleeing from lawful custody. ICE said those convictions formed the legal basis for his removal from the United States.

In a statement posted to its official X account, ICE said Ijaoba is currently being held in immigration custody under a final order of removal and will be deported to Nigeria. The agency did not disclose when the deportation is expected to take place.

ICE said the Bloods gang, with which Ijaoba was previously associated, has long been linked to violent crime, narcotics distribution and armed robberies across the country. Federal authorities have intensified efforts in recent years to remove noncitizens convicted of serious crimes as part of broader public safety enforcement operations.

Ijaoba’s case highlights ongoing U.S. immigration enforcement actions targeting individuals with felony convictions and gang ties, particularly those who entered the country illegally and later accumulated violent criminal records, ICE said.

SaharaReporters/Punchng

Trump says U.S. struck Venezuelan drug-loading hub as pressure campaign against Maduro escalates

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President Donald Trump said Monday that U.S. forces carried out a strike on a Venezuelan coastal facility used to load boats with narcotics, a disclosure that signals a significant escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro and appears to mark the first acknowledged U.S. land-based action inside Venezuela during Trump’s renewed confrontation with the government in Caracas.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said a “major explosion” hit a dock area where drugs were being transferred onto vessels for export. He said the strike destroyed both boats and the infrastructure used to move narcotics out of the country. “We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area,” Trump said, adding that the site used to coordinate trafficking operations “is no longer around.”

The president declined to specify which U.S. agency carried out the operation or the precise location of the target. Asked directly whether the Central Intelligence Agency was responsible, Trump said only that he knew who conducted the strike but did not want to identify the unit involved.

CNN, citing people familiar with the matter, reported Monday that the CIA conducted a drone strike earlier this month against a remote port facility along Venezuela’s coast. According to CNN, U.S. intelligence assessed that the dock was being used by the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua to store narcotics and load them onto boats bound for international trafficking routes. Trump has previously said he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela.

Neither the CIA, the White House nor the Pentagon provided further details, declining to comment on questions from Reuters. The Venezuelan government also offered no immediate response, and there were no independent confirmations from inside the country of the strike Trump described.

Speculation surrounding Trump’s remarks had circulated online in recent days, particularly after a fire broke out at the Primazol chemical plant in Zulia state on Christmas Eve. Primazol said the blaze was accidental, was quickly extinguished and was under investigation, rejecting claims that it was linked to any U.S. action. Residents near the facility told Reuters they heard an explosion, saw flames and smelled chlorine, though the company denied any connection to U.S. operations.

The lack of official detail from U.S. national security agencies has fueled questions over whether the strike was conducted covertly, a status that would sharply limit public disclosures. Trump, however, has increasingly spoken openly about actions aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks linked to Venezuela, even as formal confirmations remain scarce.

Reuters reported last month that the Trump administration was preparing a new phase of operations tied to Venezuela as it intensified pressure on Maduro’s government. Two U.S. officials told Reuters at the time that covert actions were expected to be among the first steps in the expanded campaign.

U.S. operations have largely focused on maritime interdictions and strikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. According to U.S. officials, more than 20 such strikes have killed at least 100 people, prompting close congressional oversight. Earlier this month, U.S. military leaders briefed lawmakers on a September incident in which an American strike killed 11 people, followed by a second strike ordered by Adm. Frank Bradley that killed survivors. Congressional Democrats have questioned whether the second attack complied with international law.

Trump’s remarks come as his administration oversees a substantial U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, including more than 15,000 troops, a posture officials say is aimed at countering narcotics trafficking and deterring hostile actions by Maduro’s government. Critics warn the strategy risks deeper entanglement in Venezuela’s internal crisis, while supporters argue aggressive action is necessary to disrupt transnational criminal networks that fuel regional instability.

By publicly describing the strike, Trump has signaled a willingness to blur the line between covert action and overt policy, underscoring how counternarcotics operations have become a central pillar of his Venezuela strategy. Whether the attack marks a one-off operation or the beginning of a broader campaign inside Venezuelan territory remains unclear, but analysts say it raises the stakes in an already volatile standoff between Washington and Caracas.

Reuters

Saudi Airstrikes Target UAE Arms Shipments as Gulf Allies Clash Over Yemen Strategy

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Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes against Yemen’s port city of Mukalla on Tuesday, destroying weapons and military vehicles that Riyadh says arrived aboard vessels from the United Arab Emirates destined for separatist forces, marking an extraordinary rupture between two Gulf monarchies traditionally aligned in regional conflicts.

The kingdom’s Foreign Ministry issued an unusually sharp rebuke hours after the strikes, directly accusing the UAE of pursuing “extremely dangerous” policies by supporting the Southern Transitional Council’s territorial expansion. The warning represents one of the most serious public disputes between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi in recent memory, exposing deep fractures in what had appeared to be a unified anti-Houthi coalition.

Yemen’s internationally recognized anti-Houthi government responded by declaring a state of emergency Tuesday evening, terminating all cooperation with the Emirates and ordering Emirati forces to evacuate Yemeni territory within 24 hours. The government imposed a 72-hour ban on all border crossings, airport operations, and seaport activities in areas under its control, with exceptions only for movements authorized by Saudi Arabia.

The escalation highlights how Saudi Arabia and the UAE, despite their membership in the Gulf Cooperation Council and close coordination on many regional issues, have increasingly pursued competing agendas in Yemen’s complex civil war. What began as a joint military intervention against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in 2015 has evolved into a proxy struggle where the two Gulf powers back different factions with divergent visions for Yemen’s future.

According to a military statement distributed through the state-run Saudi Press Agency, the coalition conducted limited airstrikes targeting weapons and combat vehicles offloaded from two ships that arrived in Mukalla from Fujairah, a port on the UAE’s eastern coastline facing the Gulf of Oman. Saudi military officials said the vessels’ crews had disabled tracking devices aboard the ships before delivering what the statement characterized as “a large amount of weapons and combat vehicles in support of the Southern Transitional Council’s forces.”

The Saudi military justified the overnight operation by asserting the weapons “constitute an imminent threat, and an escalation that threatens peace and stability.” Military planners said they conducted the strikes during nighttime hours to minimize what they termed “collateral damage,” though authorities provided no immediate casualty figures.

The Associated Press reported that the UAE did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The National, Abu Dhabi’s English-language state-linked newspaper, published coverage of the strikes. The Council’s AIC satellite news channel acknowledged the attacks occurred but offered no detailed information about damage or casualties.

Analysts identified the likely target as the Greenland, a roll-on, roll-off cargo vessel registered in St. Kitts and Nevis. Tracking data examined by the Associated Press showed the ship departed Fujairah on December 22 and reached Mukalla on Sunday. Investigators could not immediately identify the second vessel referenced in Saudi military statements.

Mohammed al-Basha, founder of the Basha Report risk advisory firm and a Yemen specialist, cited social media footage purportedly showing new armored vehicles moving through Mukalla streets following the ship’s arrival. The vessel’s owners, operating from Dubai, could not be reached for immediate comment.

“I expect a calibrated escalation from both sides. The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council is likely to respond by consolidating control,” al-Basha told journalists. “At the same time, the flow of weapons from the UAE to the STC is set to be curtailed following the port attack, particularly as Saudi Arabia controls the airspace.”

Saudi state television later broadcast surveillance footage, apparently filmed from reconnaissance aircraft, showing armored vehicles traveling from Mukalla’s port area to what analysts described as a military staging ground. The vehicle types visible in the official footage matched equipment seen in earlier social media posts from the city.

The strikes occurred as the Southern Transitional Council consolidates territorial gains across Yemen’s southeastern regions. Mukalla sits in Hadramout governorate, which Council forces seized in recent days through operations that pushed out the National Shield Forces, a separate Saudi-backed militia within the broader anti-Houthi coalition. The port city lies approximately 480 kilometers northeast of Aden, which has functioned as the seat of government for Yemen’s internationally recognized authorities since Houthi forces captured the capital Sanaa in 2014.

Tuesday’s bombing represented the second Saudi military action against Council positions within five days. The kingdom conducted airstrikes Friday against separatist forces that analysts interpreted as warnings for the Council to halt territorial expansion and withdraw from Hadramout and Mahra governorates. The Council has ignored those warnings, instead accelerating its campaign to establish control over Yemen’s southeastern corridor.

Demonstrators aligned with the Council have increasingly displayed the flag of South Yemen, which existed as an independent Marxist state from 1967 until unification with North Yemen in 1990. According to the Associated Press, rallies have continued for multiple days supporting political movements demanding South Yemen’s secession from the unified republic. The separatist sentiment reflects long-standing grievances among southerners who believe they have been politically and economically marginalized since unification.

The competing Saudi and Emirati strategies in Yemen reflect broader regional dynamics where the two Gulf powers maintain close diplomatic and economic ties while simultaneously pursuing divergent interests. Both kingdoms are OPEC members with deeply interconnected energy policies, yet they increasingly compete for influence across Middle Eastern conflicts and vie for position as regional business hubs attracting international investment and tourism.

The tensions extend beyond Yemen into other Red Sea conflicts. In Sudan, where civil war has raged since April 2023, Saudi Arabia and the UAE support opposing military factions. The kingdom has traditionally backed Sudan’s army leadership, while the Emirates has developed ties with the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group. The parallel support for rival forces in two separate Red Sea nations suggests a pattern of competing regional strategies rather than isolated policy disagreements.

A statement from Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday represented the first instance where Riyadh directly and publicly attributed the Southern Transitional Council’s military advances to Emirati support. “The kingdom notes that the steps taken by the sisterly United Arab Emirates are extremely dangerous,” the ministry declared, using diplomatic language that barely concealed sharp criticism.

The rebuke carries particular significance given the careful attention Gulf monarchies typically pay to maintaining public unity, especially within the Gulf Cooperation Council framework. For Saudi Arabia to openly criticize Emirati policy suggests the kingdom views the situation as sufficiently serious to warrant breaking with diplomatic convention.

The separatist advances and resulting Saudi response occur amid broader instability across the Red Sea maritime corridor. The Associated Press noted that in a separate development, Israel formally recognized Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent nation, becoming the first country to grant such recognition in over three decades. The move has triggered threats from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have warned they will attack any Israeli presence in Somaliland.

The Houthi threats add another layer of complexity to Red Sea security calculations. The Iranian-backed rebels have previously attacked commercial shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb strait and launched missiles at Saudi and Emirati targets. The prospect of Houthi operations against Israeli interests in Somaliland could further destabilize maritime routes that handle significant portions of global trade between Asia and Europe.

The UAE’s backing of the Southern Transitional Council appears rooted in Abu Dhabi’s long-term strategic interests in controlling key ports and commercial infrastructure along Yemen’s coastline. The Emirates has historically invested in developing port facilities in Aden and other southern cities, viewing them as crucial nodes in maritime trade networks connecting the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and Mediterranean.

Saudi Arabia’s opposition to separatist territorial expansion likely stems from concerns that an independent or autonomous South Yemen would complicate efforts to achieve a comprehensive political settlement ending the decade-long war. Riyadh has invested substantial military and financial resources in supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government, and a separatist entity controlling strategic southern territories would undermine that government’s legitimacy and territorial integrity.

The conflict has created a humanitarian catastrophe, with the United Nations estimating that more than 377,000 Yemenis have died from direct violence and indirect effects including malnutrition and preventable diseases. Millions face food insecurity, and basic services including healthcare and education have collapsed across much of the country.

The Saudi-Emirati split threatens to further fragment Yemen’s anti-Houthi coalition at a moment when the rebels control Yemen’s most populous regions including the capital and major northern cities. A divided opposition reduces prospects for either military victory over the Houthis or successful negotiations toward a political settlement.

International diplomatic efforts to broker peace in Yemen have repeatedly stalled, with talks complicated by the multiplicity of armed factions, competing regional powers’ interests, and fundamental disagreements about Yemen’s political future. The latest Saudi-Emirati tensions add another obstacle to peace initiatives that were already facing long odds.

The 24-hour deadline for Emirati forces to leave anti-Houthi territory creates immediate pressure for Abu Dhabi to either comply, risking loss of influence over events in southern Yemen, or defy the ultimatum, potentially triggering direct military confrontation between forces backed by the two Gulf powers. Either scenario carries significant risks for regional stability and the broader effort to contain Iranian influence through the Houthi proxy.

Beyoncé Enters Billionaire Ranks Through Strategic Control of Music Empire

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NEW YORK — Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has crossed into ten-figure wealth territory, cementing her position among an exclusive group of five musicians who have built personal fortunes exceeding $1 billion, according to Forbes estimates released Monday.

The achievement represents the culmination of a carefully constructed business strategy that extends far beyond traditional recording contracts, positioning the 35-time Grammy winner as both artist and entrepreneur in an industry where musicians historically surrendered control and profits to record labels, promoters, and management companies.

Forbes confirmed the milestone valuation following an extraordinary period of commercial success that saw Beyoncé dominate global touring markets while simultaneously expanding her business portfolio. The assessment places her alongside her husband Jay-Z, as well as Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Bruce Springsteen in the rarefied atmosphere of music billionaires. Other publications have identified Paul McCartney, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Selena Gomez as billionaires using different valuation methodologies, though Forbes maintains a more conservative approach to wealth estimation.

The transformation from successful performer to billionaire businesswoman accelerated dramatically in 2025, driven primarily by touring revenue that shattered industry expectations. Billboard Boxscore documented that her Cowboy Carter tour generated $407.6 million across 1.6 million tickets sold during a concentrated summer run. The trek claimed distinction as the highest-grossing country music tour in Billboard Boxscore history, a remarkable achievement given Beyoncé’s relatively recent entry into the genre.

What makes the Cowboy Carter tour particularly noteworthy is its efficiency. The tour reached the $400 million threshold in just 32 performances, establishing a new benchmark as the shortest tour ever to exceed that revenue mark. This stands in stark contrast to traditional touring models where artists perform hundreds of shows over extended periods to generate comparable revenue. The economics reflect both Beyoncé’s unprecedented ticket pricing power and her ability to create cultural events that transcend conventional concert experiences.

The financial foundation extends beyond a single touring cycle. According to NBC, her 2023 Renaissance World Tour encompassed 39 cities across 56 performances, attracting more than 2.7 million concertgoers and generating over $500 million in gross revenue. The Renaissance tour’s commercial performance positioned it among the most lucrative music tours ever mounted, comparable to ventures by legacy acts with decades-long careers.

Forbes emphasized that touring represents only one component of Beyoncé’s wealth portfolio, with the publication noting that “most of her personal wealth comes from her music, by controlling the rights to her enormously valuable catalog and earning a massive income from her global tours.” This ownership structure distinguishes her from earlier generations of performers who typically sold or licensed their catalogs to labels and publishers, forfeiting long-term value in exchange for immediate cash advances.

The strategic architecture underlying her wealth traces directly to Parkwood Entertainment, the company Beyoncé established in 2010. This entity functions as a vertically integrated entertainment conglomerate, maintaining in-house control over virtually every aspect of her creative and commercial output. According to Forbes, Parkwood Entertainment “produces all of her music, documentaries and concerts, fronting most of the production costs in order to capture more of the back-end economics.”

This business model represents a fundamental departure from traditional entertainment industry structure. Rather than partnering with separate entities for recording, management, tour promotion, merchandise, and visual content, Beyoncé internalized these functions within Parkwood. The approach requires substantial capital investment upfront but yields dramatically higher profit margins by eliminating intermediaries who would otherwise claim significant percentages of gross revenue.

The vertical integration strategy has proven particularly effective in the streaming era, where recorded music generates comparatively modest per-stream royalties. By controlling her catalog and supplementing recording income with touring, merchandise, visual content, and brand partnerships managed through Parkwood, Beyoncé captured revenue streams that would otherwise flow to multiple external companies.

Billboard noted that Beyoncé “crossed into 10-digit territory in 2025,” marking the culmination of a wealth trajectory that has accelerated in recent years. In December 2023, analysts documented her net worth expanding from $500 million to $800 million in a single twelve-month period, driven primarily by Renaissance tour proceeds. The subsequent leap from $800 million to billionaire status within another year illustrates the extraordinary earning power of contemporary superstar touring.

The business expansion extends beyond music into adjacent markets. Forbes cited her Cécred haircare line and SirDavis Whisky brand as contributing factors to her billionaire valuation, though these ventures represent relatively small percentages of overall wealth compared to music-related income. The diversification nonetheless demonstrates a comprehensive approach to brand monetization, leveraging her celebrity to enter premium consumer products markets.

Her “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” topped box office charts during its December 2023 opening weekend, grossing $21 million according to NBC. The film provided additional revenue while extending the Renaissance project’s cultural reach beyond those who attended live performances. This multi-platform approach to content distribution maximizes return on the creative investment in developing tour production, music, and visual concepts.

The 2024 release of “Cowboy Carter” marked a bold artistic pivot into country music that proved both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. The album captured album of the year honors at the 2025 Grammy Awards, where Beyoncé claimed three total awards. The project demonstrated her ability to successfully navigate genre boundaries while maintaining commercial viability, a rare combination that few artists achieve.

The career trajectory extends back three decades to 1990, when a nine-year-old Beyoncé formed the singing-rapping group “Girl’s Tyme,” which evolved into Destiny’s Child. According to NBC, the group won two Grammy Awards in 1999 for “The Writing’s on the Wall,” establishing Beyoncé’s presence in mainstream popular music. Destiny’s Child’s commercial success provided the platform for her 2003 solo debut “Dangerously in Love,” which dominated international charts.

Since launching her solo career, Beyoncé has released eight studio albums, all of which reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart. She has scored nine number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, demonstrating consistent commercial performance across changing musical landscapes and evolving consumption patterns from physical media through streaming.

Her status as the most decorated artist in Grammy history reflects sustained critical recognition alongside commercial success. The 35 Grammy Awards span categories from traditional R&B and pop to visual media and innovative approaches to album releases, documenting her evolution as an artist willing to challenge industry conventions.

The billionaire milestone arrives during a period of unprecedented wealth concentration among elite touring artists. The live music industry recovered dramatically from pandemic shutdowns, with consumers demonstrating willingness to pay premium prices for experiences with superstar performers. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour generated over $2 billion in gross revenue, establishing new benchmarks for what artists with sufficient cultural influence can command.

Beyoncé’s achievement also highlights the growing importance of catalog ownership in music industry wealth creation. As streaming platforms dominate music consumption, artists who control their master recordings and publishing rights capture significantly higher percentages of revenue compared to those operating under traditional label contracts where ownership typically resides with the record company.

The Cowboy Carter tour’s remarkable performance against traditional country acts illuminates the genre’s commercial potential when approached with major-market production values and marketing sophistication. Billboard noted the tour outperformed every country music trek in history despite Beyoncé being a relative newcomer to the genre, suggesting significant untapped commercial opportunity in country music when executed at stadium scale.

Industry analysts view Beyoncé’s business model as increasingly influential among younger artists seeking to maintain control over their creative output and financial destiny. The Parkwood Entertainment structure requires substantial initial capital and organizational capacity, making it difficult for emerging artists to replicate. However, mid-career artists with established fan bases and access to investment capital have begun adopting similar vertical integration strategies.

The billionaire valuation likely understates total wealth generated by her career, as Forbes methodologies typically exclude assets difficult to precisely value such as real estate portfolios, private equity investments, and illiquid holdings. The publication focuses on readily documentable income sources and business valuations, suggesting actual net worth could exceed stated figures.

Her achievement also reflects broader economic trends in entertainment where intellectual property ownership and direct-to-consumer distribution models generate substantially higher margins than traditional intermediated structures. Artists capable of financing their own production and distribution can capture economic value historically claimed by labels, promoters, and distributors.

The concentration of wealth among a small number of superstar musicians raises questions about the industry’s economic structure. While Beyoncé, Swift, and a handful of others generate billions, most professional musicians struggle to earn sustainable middle-class incomes from their craft. The streaming economy and tour market consolidation have created winner-take-most dynamics where cultural influence and economic returns concentrate at the very top of the talent distribution.

Looking forward, Beyoncé’s business trajectory suggests continued wealth accumulation as her catalog appreciates and touring remains viable. Artists in their forties and fifties can maintain extensive touring schedules, and Beyoncé’s production sophistication positions her to command premium pricing indefinitely. The strategic control over her intellectual property ensures that her music continues generating income long after active performance careers conclude.

Kenya Property Empire Built on American Pandemic Fraud Faces Federal Seizure

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NAIROBI/MINNEAPOLIS — Federal authorities are mounting an aggressive campaign to seize high-end properties scattered across Kenya’s capital and coastline, tracing their origins to one of America’s largest pandemic-era fraud schemes that siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars meant to feed vulnerable children.

The investigation centers on approximately KSh 32.3 billion diverted from Minnesota’s child nutrition and housing assistance programs during the COVID-19 crisis, with prosecutors establishing a direct pipeline from fraudulent claims processed in Minneapolis to luxury apartments, beachfront plots, and even aircraft purchases in East Africa.

Kenyan blogger Sirat Musa disclosed the impending enforcement action through social media channels, describing what she characterized as a “major shake-up” threatening Kenya’s premium real estate sector. The scope of the alleged fraud has expanded far beyond initial estimates, with U.S. federal prosecutors now suggesting that as much as half of the roughly $18 billion disbursed through 14 Minnesota state programs since 2018 may have been compromised.

The scale of the theft has stunned investigators accustomed to healthcare and benefits fraud. More than $250 million vanished from federal programs designed to provide meals to children during pandemic lockdowns, but that figure represents merely the documented losses from a single scheme. Court filings paint a picture of industrial-scale exploitation of emergency programs rushed into existence with minimal oversight.

According to Fox 9, a Minnesota television station that has extensively documented the scandal, suspects channeled stolen taxpayer funds into Kenya’s property market with particular focus on Nairobi’s upscale neighborhoods. Luxury apartments in Eastleigh, South C, Parklands, and Donholm attracted significant investment, along with prime beach parcels in Diani and properties in the coastal city of Nyali. The sophistication of the money laundering operation became apparent when investigators discovered fraud proceeds had financed an aircraft purchase in Nairobi.

The human cost of the scheme contrasts sharply with the luxury it financed. Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future program, established to ensure children from low-income families received adequate nutrition during school closures, became instead a vehicle for systematic theft. Prosecutors detailed how operators submitted claims for meals never prepared, programs never operated, and children never served.

Abdiaziz Shafii Farah received a 28-year prison sentence in August 2025 after federal courts convicted him of orchestrating the scheme’s core operations. Prosecutors presented evidence that Farah systematically funneled millions of dollars to Kenya, converting American taxpayer funds into tangible assets including luxury apartments and vehicles that would be difficult for U.S. authorities to trace or recover.

The international dimensions of the case expanded in September 2025 when prosecutors indicted Ahmednaji Maalim Aftin Sheikh, a Kenyan national, on charges of laundering more than $40 million through a Kenyan real estate company. The indictment marked a significant escalation, demonstrating that the fraud network extended beyond expatriate communities to include sophisticated money laundering infrastructure within Kenya itself.

Asha Farhan Hassan faced separate charges later in 2025 connected to a $14 million fraud targeting autism-related services, with investigators linking portions of those stolen funds to Kenyan property acquisitions. The autism program case revealed how fraudsters had systematically exploited multiple vulnerable populations, using the cover of disability services to process fraudulent claims.

The Housing Stabilization Services program, created in 2020 to help vulnerable adults find housing during the pandemic, proved equally susceptible to exploitation. Fox 9 detailed how the program, initially projected to cost approximately $12 million over five years, instead consumed $302 million in taxpayer funds. Federal investigators characterized the program as “extremely vulnerable to fraud,” with court documents revealing that providers billed Medicaid for millions of dollars in services never rendered.

Eight suspects faced charges in September 2025 for their roles in the housing fraud operation: Moktar Hassan Aden, 30; Mustafa Dayib Ali, 29; Khalid Ahmed Dayib, 26; Abdifitah Mohamud Mohamed, 27; Christopher Adesoji Falade, 62; Emmanuel Oluwademilade Falade, 32; Asad Ahmed Adow, 26; and Anwar Ahmed Adow, 25. According to Fox 9, prosecutors alleged the group stole more than $8 million through shell companies including Brilliant Minds Services LLC, Leo Human Services LLC, Faladcare Inc., and Liberty Plus LLC.

The charging documents detailed a pattern of conspicuous consumption. Four suspects allegedly pocketed as much as $400,000 each, sharing an American Express credit card that accumulated nearly $500,000 in charges. Another defendant used stolen funds to invest in Kenyan real estate while simultaneously leasing a luxury apartment in Roseville, Minnesota, and driving a BMW. A third suspect leased a Mercedes while channeling money into investment accounts.

The investigation gained momentum following coordinated FBI raids across the Minneapolis metropolitan area on July 16, 2025. Agents descended on more than half a dozen homes and businesses, executing search warrants that revealed the breadth of the fraudulent operation. Court documents showed that 14 providers collected $22 million from the housing program over just 16 months, with prosecutors asserting that most claims were fabricated.

Minnesota authorities shut down the Housing Stabilization Services program in August 2025, shortly after the raids. Federal prosecutors indicated the investigation remains active with additional indictments anticipated.

The political fallout has been severe. A coalition of Minnesota Republican legislators called for Governor Tim Walz to resign, citing what they described as persistent fraud occurring under his administration’s watch. State Senators Bill Lieske and Nathan Wesenberg, along with State Representatives Marj Fogelman, Drew Roach, and Mike Wiener, invoked Article 8, Section 6 of the Minnesota Constitution, which addresses official malfeasance.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson’s suggestion that up to half of $18 billion paid through 14 Medicaid waiver programs could be fraudulent ignited intense political controversy. Fox 9 documented how a YouTube influencer visiting child care centers in Minnesota reportedly uncovered more than $100 million in additional fraud, prompting FBI Director Kash Patel to characterize the findings as “just the tip of the iceberg.”

House Speaker Lisa Demuth, speaking for Minnesota Republicans, outlined six specific actions she demanded from the Walz administration: release documents related to fraud investigations requested by media and legislative committees, publish records of inspections at suspect facilities, redirect resources toward unannounced site visits, conduct comprehensive reviews of payments to non-governmental organizations, consider suspending payments for 13 other high-risk programs, and request that Attorney General Keith Ellison withdraw litigation against federal officials seeking to halt redetermination processes.

Governor Walz’s office responded defensively, asserting he had “worked for years to crack down on fraud” and requested additional authority from the legislature. The administration pointed to specific actions including investigations into facilities identified in viral videos, hiring an outside audit firm to examine high-risk programs, creating a new statewide program integrity director position, and supporting criminal prosecutions.

The implications for Kenya’s real estate sector remain uncertain but potentially severe. The U.S. Department of Justice has confirmed active pursuit of asset seizure and forfeiture for properties located in Kenya purchased with stolen funds. However, Kenyan authorities face mounting criticism for failing to move aggressively to identify, freeze, or prosecute properties allegedly acquired through money laundering.

Kenya’s real estate market has historically attracted significant cash investment, particularly in Nairobi’s expanding middle and upper-class neighborhoods. The sector’s relative opacity regarding funding sources has made it attractive for money laundering operations. International enforcement actions targeting Kenyan properties could trigger increased scrutiny of cash transactions and foreign investment throughout the market.

Legal experts suggest the cross-border nature of the asset seizures will prove complex. International asset forfeiture requires cooperation between U.S. and Kenyan law enforcement, judicial approval in both jurisdictions, and resolution of competing claims from legitimate creditors or subsequent purchasers who may have acquired properties without knowledge of their fraudulent origins.

The reputational damage to Kenya’s property sector could extend beyond the specific properties identified in federal indictments. International investors and financial institutions may demand enhanced due diligence for Kenyan real estate transactions, potentially slowing capital flows into what has been one of East Africa’s most dynamic markets.

The fraud’s revelation raises fundamental questions about program oversight during emergency conditions. The pandemic created enormous pressure to distribute aid rapidly, but the Minnesota cases demonstrate how speed and scale can overwhelm fraud detection mechanisms. Analysts note that similar vulnerabilities likely existed in emergency programs nationwide, suggesting the Minnesota cases may represent a broader pattern yet to be fully documented.

Federal prosecutors have indicated the investigation continues with additional charges anticipated. The international dimensions of the money laundering operation suggest investigators are tracing funds beyond Kenya to other jurisdictions where suspects may have purchased assets or established financial infrastructure designed to obscure the origins of stolen funds.

Federal Agents Descend on Minnesota in Daycare Fraud Sweep Following Viral Exposé

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MINNEAPOLIS — Federal agents fanned out across Minnesota neighborhoods Monday, executing door-to-door investigations into what authorities characterize as a sprawling network of fraudulent childcare operations that allegedly siphoned millions from taxpayer-funded assistance programs.

Homeland Security Investigations initiated the coordinated enforcement action targeting facilities implicated in schemes involving the state’s Child Care Assistance Program. The intensified scrutiny follows independent investigative videos by journalist Nick Shirley that documented what appeared to be non-operational daycare centers continuing to receive substantial government payments. One facility featured in the videos, Sweet Angel Child Care, collected $1.26 million in public funds despite showing no signs of active operation and listing a contact number that reportedly connected to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s office.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced Sunday that his agency has deployed additional investigative personnel and resources to Minnesota, marking an escalation in federal scrutiny of potential fraud within the state’s social service programs. “Recent social media reports in Minnesota” prompted the bureau’s heightened response, Patel indicated in a statement posted to social media platform X, though he declined to provide specifics about the investigations’ scope or targets.

The director’s announcement came two days after Shirley’s video documentation gained widespread attention on social media. U.S. Representative Tom Emmer, a Minnesota Republican, amplified the footage Friday in a public appeal demanding answers from Walz’s administration. Vice President JD Vance subsequently shared the investigative report with his social media followers Saturday, further elevating national attention on the allegations.

The FBI has not elaborated on operational details regarding the investigation. Walz’s office did not respond to inquiries seeking comment on the federal enforcement actions or the allegations surrounding the phone number connection.

These latest allegations emerge against the backdrop of Minnesota’s largest-ever fraud prosecution, which concluded with 59 individuals convicted of orchestrating a scheme that diverted more than $250 million from federal child nutrition programs. That case, which unfolded over several years, involved elaborate networks of shell companies and fraudulent billing practices that exploited pandemic-era emergency funding mechanisms designed to feed children in need.

The current investigations signal potentially broader systemic vulnerabilities. State audits have identified as much as $9 billion in questionable billing patterns across multiple government service programs, with preliminary findings suggesting the involvement of shell companies and fictitious service providers similar to those used in the nutrition fraud cases.

According to CBS News, which cited information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Minnesota, the majority of defendants charged in recently announced major fraud cases are of Somali descent. This demographic pattern has sparked tension between federal prosecutors and state officials over investigative approaches and priorities, as documented by the Minnesota Star Tribune’s reporting on the jurisdictional disputes.

Immigrant advocacy organizations have raised concerns that the fraud investigations disproportionately focus on Minnesota’s Somali community, one of the largest concentrations of Somali immigrants in the United States. These advocates argue that federal authorities are leveraging legitimate fraud concerns as justification for broader targeting of immigrant populations, creating an atmosphere of suspicion and fear within Somali neighborhoods.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly referenced the Minnesota fraud investigations in public statements critical of both the Somali diaspora and Walz, who served as the Democratic vice presidential nominee in the 2024 election. The president’s rhetoric has intensified debate about whether the enforcement actions represent appropriate prosecution of criminal activity or reflect discriminatory application of investigative resources.

Congressional Republicans have demanded that the Walz administration produce comprehensive records related to oversight of the Child Care Assistance Program and other social service initiatives. These lawmakers contend that state-level failures in program monitoring and verification created conditions enabling fraud to flourish unchecked.

The investigation’s expansion raises fundamental questions about oversight mechanisms governing billions in public assistance funding distributed through state programs but financed substantially by federal dollars. Child care assistance programs operate through complex reimbursement systems that rely heavily on provider self-reporting and limited state capacity for physical verification of services claimed.

Minnesota’s experience may foreshadow vulnerabilities in similar programs nationwide, where rapid expansion of social service funding during the pandemic outpaced development of adequate fraud prevention systems. Federal authorities have signaled intentions to apply lessons learned from Minnesota investigations to enhance monitoring protocols across other states with significant refugee and immigrant populations participating in assistance programs.

The demographic concentration of charges has created profound community impact beyond those directly accused. Somali community leaders report increased anxiety among legitimate childcare providers who fear becoming subjects of investigation based on ethnicity rather than evidence of wrongdoing. This chilling effect potentially threatens access to culturally appropriate childcare services for families who depend on providers familiar with their language and customs.

As federal agents continue methodical examinations of daycare facilities and financial records, the investigations test competing priorities of aggressive fraud prosecution and protection of immigrant communities from discriminatory enforcement. How authorities navigate these tensions will likely influence both the recovery of allegedly stolen public funds and the broader national conversation about immigration, integration and equal application of criminal justice.

The full scope of potential fraud within Minnesota’s childcare assistance system remains undetermined as investigators work through financial records spanning multiple years. Whether the cases represent isolated criminal networks or systemic program failures will shape future policy responses and oversight structures designed to protect public resources while maintaining access to vital services for vulnerable populations.

Trump warns Hamas of “hell to pay” if it refuses to disarm as he presses next phase of Gaza peace plan

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President Donald Trump on Monday sharpened his warnings to Hamas, saying the militant group would have “hell to pay” if it does not disarm to unlock the next phase of a U.S.-brokered Gaza peace plan, while also issuing renewed threats toward Iran after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida.

Speaking after a closed-door meeting with Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump said Hamas would be given only a “very short period of time” to surrender its weapons, a condition he has made central to moving the ceasefire into a second, more complex phase.

“If they don’t disarm, the consequences will be horrible,” Trump said, suggesting that countries other than the United States or Israel could act against those responsible for the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw roughly 250 abducted. “Those same countries will go and wipe them out,” he added.

Trump’s remarks underscored mounting pressure on Hamas as negotiations over Phase 2 of the ceasefire have stalled, even as fighting has slowed. Israeli military operations in Gaza have killed more than 70,000 people since the war began, the Palestinian Health Ministry said in late November, a toll that has continued to rise despite the truce.

The president voiced full confidence in Israel’s conduct, saying it had “lived up to the plan 100%” and dismissing concerns about Israeli actions undermining the agreement. Asked whether settler violence in the occupied West Bank could derail the process, Trump acknowledged differences with Netanyahu but said he believed the Israeli leader would “do the right thing.”

“We don’t agree on the West Bank 100%,” Trump said. “But we will come to a conclusion.”

Alongside the Gaza talks, Trump also warned Iran that it could face new consequences if it attempts to rebuild nuclear facilities damaged earlier this year in U.S. strikes. He said Tehran “may be behaving badly” and hinted at swift retaliation if intelligence confirms renewed activity.

“If it’s confirmed, there will be consequences,” Trump said. “Very powerful, maybe more powerful than last time.”

Iran responded within hours. Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said any new aggression would draw an immediate and forceful response, Iran’s state-run Nour News agency reported.

Netanyahu used the meeting to praise Trump effusively, calling him Israel’s strongest ally. “We’ve never had a friend like President Trump in the White House,” Netanyahu said, later announcing that Israel would award Trump the Israel Prize, the country’s highest honor, marking the first time it would go to a non-Israeli.

Trump returned the praise, describing Netanyahu as a “strong man” and suggesting Israel’s survival depended on such leadership.

The Florida talks came as Washington seeks to revive momentum behind Phase 2 of Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which has already received approval from the U.N. Security Council. That phase envisions an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas laying down its arms and the creation of new governance and security mechanisms, including a Trump-led “Board of Peace” and an International Stabilization Force. Key details, however, remain unresolved.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this month that the administration aims to establish the new governance structures “very soon.” Rubio met Netanyahu ahead of the prime minister’s session with Trump.

Netanyahu was also expected to brief Trump on Israeli concerns over Iran’s ballistic missile program and nuclear ambitions. Israeli officials believe Tehran has been expanding missile production and are preparing options for potential further strikes, NBC News reported, citing current and former U.S. officials.

Asked whether he would support Israeli action against Iran, Trump suggested that any nuclear escalation would prompt immediate U.S. involvement, though he left the door open to diplomacy. Despite U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June, Trump said he remains open to renewed talks with Tehran.

Monday’s meeting followed Trump’s talks a day earlier with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, highlighting the administration’s parallel efforts to broker peace in both Europe and the Middle East. While Trump has pushed aggressively for an end to the war in Ukraine, progress in Gaza has lagged, with both Israel and Hamas accusing each other of ceasefire violations.

Since the truce took effect in October, more than 400 people have been killed in Gaza, local officials say, and disputes over hostages and remains have fueled doubts about whether the fragile ceasefire can advance.

By publicly escalating his rhetoric toward Hamas and Iran, Trump signaled a willingness to apply pressure on multiple fronts, betting that blunt warnings — backed by the prospect of force — can break the deadlock and push his peace initiative into its next, most consequential stage.

Anthony Joshua accident photos released as investigators probe fatal Lagos-Ibadan expressway crash

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Photographs from the scene of a fatal road traffic crash involving world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua were released Monday, offering the first visual account of the collision on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Ogun State that claimed two lives, eyewitnesses and Nigerian news outlets said.

Images circulating on social media and published by local platforms show the wreckage of vehicles involved in the crash near Makun, a busy section of the expressway, as emergency responders worked to secure the scene. The photographs emerged hours after PUNCH Online and Promptnews reported that Joshua was traveling in one of the vehicles involved in the collision.

Eyewitnesses and first responders told PUNCH Online that the crash occurred under circumstances that remained unclear late Monday. Two people were confirmed dead at the scene, while Joshua sustained minor injuries and received immediate medical attention from rescuers, sources said.

A witness who participated in the rescue operation said the released photos reflect the intensity of the impact, adding that emergency teams moved quickly to evacuate victims and prevent further danger along the heavily trafficked highway. The identities of those who died had not been released as authorities worked to notify relatives.

Traffic officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency were seen in some of the images cordoning off the area, according to Promptnews, as investigations into the cause of the collision continued. Officials at the scene said vehicle positions, road conditions and possible driver error were among the factors being examined.

The release of the accident photos fueled widespread reaction online, with fans and members of the public expressing shock and concern for Joshua, one of the most prominent figures in international boxing. Sources cited by Promptnews said the boxer was stable following the crash and did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

Beyond the celebrity focus, road safety analysts say the images underscore longstanding risks on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, a critical transport corridor that has recorded frequent fatal accidents. Heavy traffic volumes, speeding and ongoing construction have repeatedly been cited by authorities as contributing factors, prompting renewed calls for stricter enforcement and improved infrastructure.

High-profile incidents such as this, experts note, often intensify public scrutiny of road safety policies and emergency response systems. The visual documentation of the crash is likely to add pressure on regulators to demonstrate progress in reducing fatalities on one of Nigeria’s busiest highways.

Authorities said additional details would be released as investigations advance.

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