Author: David Great

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a high-security surprise visit to the Israeli-occupied West Bank Sunday, meeting with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, according to photographs released by the Palestinian Authority. The top US diplomat met with Abbas in Ramallah as global concern grows over rising violence in the occupied territory in tandem with the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza since October 7. The war erupted after Hamas militants launched an attack on southern Israel that killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials. Since the outbreak of the war, which has seen nearly 9,500 killed in Israel’s retaliatory land,…

Pope Francis on Sunday renewed his call for an end to the Israel-Hamas conflict, urging the release of hostages and humanitarian aid for Gaza, describing the situation as “very serious”. “I continue to think about the serious situation in Palestine and in Israel where many people have lost their lives,” the pope said after the traditional Angelus prayer at Saint Peter’s Square in Rome. “I beg you in the name of God to stop, cease fire,” he said. “I hope all the possibilities are being explored so that a widening of the conflict is absolutely avoided, that the wounded can…

Hezbollah says Israel will ‘pay price’ after strike kills 3 children in Lebanon Blinken says Palestinian Authority should have central role in future of Gaza Palestinian telecommunications company Paltel says communications, internet service cut again across Gaza Israel rebuffed growing international pressure for a ceasefire and continued intense bombardment of the Gaza Strip on Sunday as the top US diplomat scrambled to contain a crisis that again threatened to spread into neighbouring Lebanon. Gaza was under “unprecedented bombardment” from Israel on Sunday, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported, while Palestinian telecommunications company Paltel said that all communications and internet services had…

Novak Djokovic defeated Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3 in Sunday’s final to win a record-extending seventh Paris Masters title and close in on securing the year-end number one ranking for an eighth time. The 36-year-old Djokovic eclipsed his previous record set two years ago as the tournament’s oldest champion, capturing his 40th Masters 1000 title and stretching his winning run to 18 matches. Djokovic collected his sixth title of the season to draw level with Carlos Alcaraz, adding to the Masters victory in Cincinnati that set him up for a landmark 24th Grand Slam singles crown at the US Open. “It’s…

Seven Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) members were reportedly slain by highly armed suspected maritime pirates on the Bakana River in Rivers State’s Degema Local Government Area. When the NSCDC men were assaulted by sea pirates, they were on a pipeline monitoring patrol on the river, around 12 kilometres from Bakana town. Two sea pirates were evenly slain in a gun battle on Friday, according to reputable sources in the area who verified the occurrence to Chronicle NG on Sunday. Chronicle NG also saw a 29-second video recording of the murdered Civil Defence men aboard a speed boat,…

The House of Representatives has described the acquisition of the N5 billion presidential yacht as unconstitutional, raising salient questions about it. The House spokesman, Akin Rotimi Jr., noted on Saturday that the yacht was purchased without approval from the National Assembly. In response to Chronicle NG, he noted that the House position is clear. “The concept of anticipatory approval is unknown to Nigeria’s constitutional jurisprudence,” he said. Troops need food for defence not presidential yacht – Sani Adding that, “Sections 80–83 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) are clear about the fact that the only authorising entity for government expenditure…

Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes will depart the club at the end of the season, the WSL side said on Saturday after Chelsea defeated Aston Villa 0-6. The highly decorated English manager will pursue a new opportunity outside of the WSL and club football, the statement said. Emma Hayes OBE joined the reigning double winners in 2012 and during her tenure with the club won six FA WSL titles, five Women’s FA Cups, two FA Women’s League Cups, one FA Women’s Spring Series trophy and one FA Women’s Community Shield. Emma guided the team to a historic double on two…

A new research has found that thousands of Black women claim that hair relaxers have given them cancer, a report by Reuters say Sheila Bush, a cosmetologist, was lounging in the recliner at her St. Louis-area home last winter when an advertisement from a law firm flashed up on her television screen, urging viewers to call a toll-free number if they or a loved one had used hair relaxers and been diagnosed with uterine cancer. After seeing the ad three times, Bush, who said she had used hair relaxers every six weeks for most of her life and was diagnosed…

At least 132 people were killed in an overnight earthquake that struck a remote pocket of Nepal, officials said on Saturday, as security forces rushed to assist with rescue efforts. The 5.6-magnitude quake hit the far west of the Himalayan country late Friday and was measured by the US Geological Survey at just 18 kilometres (11 miles) deep. Videos and photos posted on social media showed locals digging through rubble in the dark to pull survivors from the wreckage of collapsed homes and buildings. Mud houses were flattened or damaged as survivors crouched outside for safety, the sirens of emergency…

Heavy fire erupted on Saturday in the centre of the Guinean capital Conakry and security forces blocked off the area, witnesses told AFP. “There is gunfire from both automatic and weapons of war in Kaloum,” the political and administrative heart of the seaside city, a witness from the area said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The city centre has been sealed since dawn, we can neither enter, nor leave,” a shopkeeper added, also speaking on condition of anonymity. Rwanda announces visa-free travel for Africans “I wanted to go to the port area where I work but was prevented from leaving…