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Nigeria says army has killed 300 bandits in north-western state of Zamfara
Vigilantes also took part in the fight that raged all night and the following morning, residents sayNigerian soldiers killed more than 300 members of kidnapping and cattle bandit gangs in the north-western state of Zamfara this week, according to a government official.Government troops targeted the gangs in Gummi district in a two-day operation that “led to the elimination of more than 300 terrorists”, Zamfara’s information commissioner, Mahmud Muhammad Dantawasa, said in a statement. Continue reading...
'Locked and Loaded': Terrified Trump threatens to 'decimate' all Iran in late-night post
President Donald Trump late Friday night publicly threatened to decimate "all areas of Iran" over mounting fears for his personal safety. Trump's took to Truth Social about 11:20 p.m. to inform to Iranians that he would not hold back should any assassination attempt occur. "1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran," wrote Trump, "with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!Trump was likely responding to the Wall Street Journal report Thursday that Israel intelligence shared with the U.S. may indicate Iran has developed a new plan to assassinate Trump."Iran for years has vowed openly to retaliate against Trump for the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, who was a top general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in the president’s first term," the report noted. Trump said late Friday that any word of such attempt would result in an enormous retaliation effort from the U.S. "Orders have already been given, and the U.S. Military is ready, willing, and able, for a one year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran," said Trump. The months-long war began earlier this year with a strike, subjected to new scrutiny last week from CNN, which resulted in the bombing of a school and the deaths of 168 children. CNN's unnamed sources said an important step had been skipped. "Senior US military commanders bypassed warnings in critical databases that intelligence about potential targets in Iran was severely out of date," the report stated. "The decision by senior commanders to ignore the warnings was made for 'expediency,' two of the sources said, in a rush to provide targets at the start of the war. But it also directly contributed to the accidental strike on the school."Trump concluded his threat Friday night with the words "PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!"Read the full post here.
Trump's team makes rare admission his Iran gamble is unraveling: report
The Trump administration admitted it's worried that a nuclear deal with Iran is increasingly unlikely, the Wall Street Journal reported.Senior U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal on Friday that a nuclear deal with Iran is "growing increasingly unlikely" in a "rare acknowledgment."A deal to limit Iran's nuclear capacity was one of Trump's "core foreign-policy goals," the Journal noted. However, the senior officials who spoke to the Journal are expecting Iran to release a statement declaring that it will stop firing at ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz and leave it open."One of the officials suggested there would be serious consequences if such a promise isn't made by Saturday," the Journal wrote, referring to the Strait of Hormuz statement. "Others didn't suggest there was a firm deadline."The Journal noted that Trump told reporters earlier this week that Iran will "never build a nuclear weapon under our deal, but I don't know if we're going to have a deal." Sources told the Journal that a nuclear deal wouldn't be possible unless Iran hands over control of its buried enriched uranium, and the U.S. has "low-cost military options to block access to the nuclear material forever." Under the current memorandum of understanding, the U.S. and Iran have 60 days to reach a final nuclear agreement, which could be extended, the Journal added. "Iran made no explicit promises to scale back its nuclear program in the interim deal," the Journal wrote. "But it did commit to the two sides reaching a satisfactory solution for handling Iran's existing stockpile of highly enriched uranium."
MAGA ambassador stung by Trump's no-show as insiders say her clout is fading: report
President Donald Trump opted not to visit Greece this week, embarrassing America's ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle, who promised people in Athens that he would, The Daily Mail reported on Friday.The ex-fiancée of Donald Trump Jr. had reportedly told Greeks that Trump would make the stop on his return trip following the NATO summit in nearby Ankara, Turkey. But instead, Trump snubbed Guilfoyle and did not travel to the Mediterranean country, despite not having any public events scheduled Friday through Sunday.The move apparently left Greek diplomats "disappointed" and "jaded," insiders told The Mail. It also put Guilfoyle's status as a close Trump family friend into question."Her selling of access is just not bought anymore," a source told The Mail. "Trump's failure to visit highlights growing concerns in Athens that Guilfoyle's influence over US foreign policy has fallen drastically short of what appeared to have been promised," The Mail reported.She had reportedly urged Trump to visit Greece "in a bid to help restore her image – which never really got off the ground."In 2015, Guilfoyle had said on Fox News that Greek people live as "freeloaders" and accused people in the country of "retiring too early.""It doesn't matter if you made great yogurt. I don't care," she said at the time. Insiders told the outlet that Guilfoyle's sway with the Trump administration appears to have waned."Soon after Trump picked her for the role, sources warned that the 'Margarita Girl' – as one former Fox colleague dubbed her because of her apparent love of the cocktail – to be on her best behavior and that the gig was not simply for partying in the sunshine," according to The Mail. "Guilfoyle appears to have taken the criticism in her stride, and just this month was pictured at gay-friendly Nammos beach club on Mykonos enjoying a glass of Champagne with the US Ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, and his husband," The Mail reported. "The following day, she flew into Paris and wore a nearly-nude maxi dress adorned with hundreds of crystals to attend the fashion week show of Greek designer Celia Kritharioti." Some Trump cabinet members have visited her in Greece. "But while she has successfully persuaded lower ranking Trump officials to visit her – including Secretaries of the Interior and Energy, Doug Burgum and Chris Wright – it was a visit from the big man himself that she desperately coveted," according to The Mail.
Baffled Spanish official has no idea what Trump was ranting about: 'Only he can explain'
Spanish officials are throwing up their hands over Donald Trump's contradictory ultimatums on military spending, with the country's top diplomat essentially dismissing the president's chaotic demands as inexplicable, Politico reported Friday.The confusion stems from Trump's erratic behavior at this week's NATO summit in Ankara, where he attacked Spain as a "terrible partner" for refusing to commit to spending 5 percent of its gross domestic product on defense. Then, on Wednesday, the president ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to "cut off all trade with Spain, please, including visits"—a threat that appeared to be in earnest when a U.S. official confirmed Thursday that the Treasury and Commerce Departments were drafting "a menu of Spanish products that may be embargoed in the coming days."Trump then backed down after creating the international incident."I did have issues with Spain, and I still do, but Spain came back all the way today," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, claiming Madrid had "honored a request for lots of payment." He added, "They were very generous today -- you know, I told them I was going to stop trading."Pressed on what happened, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares expressed bewilderment, telling national broadcaster RTVE that he had no idea what Trump was referring to. "Only he can explain," the diplomat said dryly.Politico reported Spanish government officials were still scrambling to make sense of Trump's comments, ultimately concluding he must have been referring to Spain's compliance with existing NATO commitments to spend 2 percent of GDP on defense—not any new spending increases."No, we understand [Trump] was referring to the data showing we've satisfactorily complied with the 2 percent target," a Spanish government spokesperson told Politico.
Protests engulf Indian state after rape and murder of 11-year-old girl
Innocent man lynched by mob in West Bengal as police killing of suspect further escalates tensionsProtests have engulfed the Indian state of West Bengal after the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl, the subsequent lynching of an innocent man and the police killing of one of the accused.Outrage erupted on Sunday after the body of a missing girl was recovered from a pond in a town just outside the state capital, Kolkata. Continue reading...
Trump triggers economic alarm bells as exports of an American staple crater: report
The Trump administration erroneously touted export numbers for an American staple while the real numbers spark concern, per a report. Reuters reported that the U.S. Department of Agriculture had to revise beef export sales and slash numbers by 90 percent compared to the incorrect number offered for a sales period ending in late June.The USDA touted in early July that the exporters sold more than 126,000 metric tons of U.S. beef to foreign buyers, but the real number turned out to be just over 12,000 metric tons. The error came as U.S. beef prices have reached record highs this year because of "tight cattle supplies" and demand, and beef exports have also continued to decline since 2022, Reuters reported. Although domestic demand for hamburgers and steaks is strong, the increased price and reduced production of beef are feeding the declining exports, Reuters noted."We're priced out of the world market to a certain extent," Austin Schroeder, a commodity analyst at Brugler Marketing & Management, told Reuters. "It wouldn't make a lot of sense for that big of an export number."The USDA also erroneously reported record sales of more than 38,000 metric tons of beef to Chile and more than 32,000 metric tons to Italy, according to Reuters, which noted neither of those countries is a major market for U.S. beef. The corrected figures revealed the U.S. actually sold 367 tons to Chile and 350 tons to Italy, and revised sales downward to 14 other countries as well, according to Reuters.The U.S. also has low domestic supplies of beef and has had to increase the amount of beef it imports, Reuters added. The beef industry was threatened by the outbreak of screwworm earlier this year, which led to the declaration of a state of disaster in Texas.
JD Vance gets shot across the bow as Fox News calls for Trump to put in new negotiators
Knives were out for Vice President JD Vance — and coming from an unlikely ally, The Daily Beast reported Thursday.Fox News host Brian Kilmeade fired off a tough demand and called for the Vice President to be pulled from the Iran negotiations.“The one thing we need is a different negotiating team. If we go to negotiations and that’s a big if, this team can’t do it,” Kilmeade said.Vance has stumbled through two rounds of high-stakes talks — first in Pakistan, then Switzerland — and has appeared shaky on the details of the deal he helped broker. Instead, the Fox anchor argued that Vance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff should turn their attention to Ukraine as pressure grows for the U.S. to reach an agreement amid escalating fighting this week. As the fragile truce has unraveled quickly, Tehran has struck back at American allies from Qatar to Jordan, and both sides are trading blame over who broke the ceasefire first.Kilmeade referred to current negotiators as "a waste of time," and claimed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been "calling the shots." "We should demand different people," Kilmeade said. "The foreign minister is a waste of time, and the speaker is a waste of time. The IRGC is calling the shots. So, why are we pretending to talk to the other guys? Talk to the people who make the decisions. Knowing ahead of time that they’re not to be trusted."
Floridians bash Trump's 'patently absurd' airport vanity project: 'Do not like it at all'
Florida travelers did not mince words after Palm Beach International Airport was rebranded as the Donald J. Trump International Airport on Thursday.MS NOW interviewed several people at the Florida airport to get their reactions. "I think it's patently absurd that we're spending taxpayer money to rename an airport after a criminal that's sitting in the White House," one traveler said. "I think it's disgusting, ridiculous, pompous and a lot of other bad things," another person said. "I do not like it at all." "I resent that the name is on every institution that we have, this included," another traveler told MS NOW. "I resent that we have to have every institution in this country being named after Donald Trump."Palm Beach is home to Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.Trump is the first president seeking to trademark an airport. The Trump Organization has filed for trademark rights to the airport. No other sitting president has named an airport or roadway after himself during his current term — most are named after former presidents once they have served their term, and in some cases, after they have died, MS NOW reported.
'Art of the Deal' writer rocked by WSJ for poorly-worded clause that disintegrated pact
President Donald Trump may call himself the master of making a deal, but four Wall Street Journal writers think he stinks at writing them. The Journal on Thursday published a stern rebuke of Trump's memorandum of understanding with Iran, arguing a single "poorly worded clause" resulted in the battle for the Strait of Hormuz. "The root of the dispute is Paragraph 5, which says Iran will make arrangements to restore shipping through the strategic waterway and then work with Oman to determine how to administer it in the future," the report states. "But it also includes an Iranian pledge to ensure safe passage and remove military obstacles such as mines." The pledge became a problem because it was open to different interpretations by both sides as the war ramps up again, the Wall Street Journal reporters argued."Trump administration officials saw that clause as unlocking the strait, the main accomplishment of the president’s deal." they wrote. "Iranian hard-liners, however, have used it to push a maximalist interpretation that gives the Islamic Republic exclusive control over the waterway as a key source of leverage."Geopolitical analyst Michael Horowitz agreed with their assessment. "Washington has tried to convince Tehran that compliance would be more profitable, but this framing misses the point," he reportedly said. "Iran's behavior isn't driven by financial motives but by security concerns and bargaining leverage. It's a power dynamic."Now the U.S. faces tough times ahead in the struggle, according to the analysis"Tehran has also repeatedly asserted that it will work out arrangements for future management of the strait with its weaker neighbor across the waterway, Oman," the Journal report stated. "The difficulty coming to terms on opening the Strait of Hormuz points to rough negotiations ahead."
Furore in Nigeria over fake federal agency set up in government HQ
President orders investigation after fictitious body given funding, triggering renewed scrutiny of alleged corruptionA fictitious federal entity that was allocated 1.3bn naira (£700,000) in Nigeria’s 2026 budget has precipitated a political storm in Africa’s largest democracy in the run-up to a general election set for January.The fake agency came to light last October when Femi Gbajabiamila, the president’s chief of staff, wrote to the police alleging that his signature, along with official seals and reference numbers, had been forged by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who was claiming to have been appointed by the presidency to head the presidential foreign intervention promotion council (PFIPC). Continue reading...
US charges Indian criminal gang leader with organising murder of Canadian Sikh activist
Lawrence Bishnoi, who is in prison in India, is accused of orchestrating assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023US and Canadian authorities say they have “dismantled” the leadership of a notorious Indian criminal group, charging dozens of operatives who have “inflicted pain and cruelty on people, victims around the globe”, including a high-profile murder in Canada that strained diplomatic relations between Canada and India.At a press conference on Tuesday, members of the FBI and Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said as part of Operation Hard Ball – a multiyear federal investigation into murder-for-hire plots, shootings, extortion and drug trafficking – they had charged 37 people, some of whom were already in custody. Authorities are still searching for seven fugitives in the US, two in India and one in Europe. Continue reading...
