Author: Amanda Martinez

Hamas’s new leader, Yahya Sinwar, replaces Ismail Haniyeh, sending a defiant message to Israel, whom Hamas blames for Haniyeh’s assassination. Sinwar led Hamas in Gaza since 2017 and now heads the political wing. Sinwar tops Israel’s most-wanted list, accused of masterminding the October 2023 attacks. Israeli officials condemn his appointment, calling him a “terrorist.” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken believes Sinwar’s leadership will hinder ceasefire talks. Sinwar’s history reveals a militant past. He founded Hamas’s security service, Majd, and spent time in Israeli jails. Released in 2011, he now leads Hamas at 61. His appointment may escalate tensions, and…

President Joe Biden gathered his senior national security team on Monday in response to growing worries about a possible Iranian retaliation attack on Israel. The conference coincided with Middle Eastern tensions rising as the political head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated. Though Israel has not admitted guilt, Iran has accused Israel of being behind the murder and has promised severe reprisal. Biden was informed of plans to assist Israel in a strike in response to these threats. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized further that authorities are working nonstop to stop any escalation. Growing concerns surround Hezbollah, an Iran-backed…

Bangladesh is on the brink of a new era after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and departure from the country. Student protesters, who led the charge against Hasina’s government, are now calling for Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to head an interim government. Yunus, known for pioneering microlending and empowering millions of poor people, has agreed to take the role. Protest leader Nahid Islam announced that Yunus would lead the new government, saying, “We want to see the process rolling by morning.” The move comes after President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved parliament, paving the way for fresh elections. The student movement, which…

After 15 uninterrupted years as Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina resigned abruptly on Monday, fleeing the country amid a political crisis. Her resignation marked the end of her long tenure, making her the longest-serving leader in Bangladesh’s history and the longest-serving female head of government globally. Political unrest began weeks earlier with protests against a controversial government job quota scheme. These demonstrations quickly became broad resistance to the Awami League party and Hasina’s rule. The situation worsened, leading to public discontent and deadly clashes. Leading Bangladesh since 2009, Hasina won a fourth consecutive term in January through dubious elections. As…

Far-right rioters have launched attacks on hotels housing asylum seekers in the UK, marking the country’s most severe unrest in over a decade. On Sunday, violence erupted near a Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, where rioters threw bricks at police, smashed windows, and set fire to bins. Lindsey Butterfield, Assistant Chief Constable, denounced the violence and emphasized the responsibility of both the assailants and the inactive bystanders. She reassured us that police are watching the footage and will shortly act against the implicated parties. Later on Sunday, rioters once more targeted a hotel in Tamworth, close to Birmingham, causing further…

The Gaza Strip is reeling from a devastating series of Israeli strikes that hit two schools and a hospital, killing over 40 Palestinians and injuring dozens more. The attacks, which occurred on Sunday, have sparked widespread outrage and condemnation. In the past ten months, Israel has targeted at least 172 “designated shelters,” mostly schools, that house thousands of displaced families. The Israeli military claims these shelters are being used as Hamas military compounds, but Hamas denies this. The latest strikes hit the Hassan Salama and Al-Nasser schools, which were sheltering Palestinian families. Footage shows bodies scattered in the schoolyard, with…

The IRGC investigation revealed that a short-range projectile killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh outside his Tehran residence on Wednesday. Consequently, the IRGC vows to punish Israel severely for Haniyeh’s assassination, claiming US government support. However, Israel neither confirms nor denies involvement, while the US denies knowledge or participation. Haniyeh’s death sparks fears of escalating conflict in the Middle East amidst Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. Meanwhile, his presence in Tehran was for Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, inauguration. Thousands attend Haniyeh’s funeral prayer in Doha, Qatar, on Friday. Notably, his assassination follows the killing of top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr…

On Friday, Japanese stocks plunged significantly as worries about the US economy and the Bank of Japan’s planned interest rate hikes put more stress on markets worldwide. It was the most significant drop in the Nikkei 225 in a single day since March 2020, with a 5.8% drop. This steep plunge made a global stock market drop that started when weak US economic data worsened. It had already dropped 2.5% the day before and is now at its lowest since January. The Stoxx Europe 600 index fell 1.4%, which also shows how bad things were for markets in Europe. The…

The United States is embarking on a new era of nuclear capabilities, and the Pentagon has revealed an updated US nuclear strategy to counter the growing dangers posed by Russia and China. Dr. Vipin Narang, now serving as the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, unveiled the revised strategy during a presentation at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event in Washington, D.C, on Thursday. Narang called for a more competitive strategy to confront Russia’s possible space-based nuclear weapons and China’s expanding nuclear arsenal. Russia is constructing a new satellite capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, which…

At a recent convention of Black journalists in Chicago, Donald Trump accused Kamala Harris of changing her racial identity for political reasons. Trump stated during the panel at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention that Harris, Black and South Asian, had earlier highlighted her Indian background before abruptly declaring as Black. “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black,” Trump said. “So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” He added that Harris had always been associated with her Indian background before this alleged shift. Trump’s…

President Joe Biden is presently contemplating increasing US defenses in the Middle East. This decision comes as the US braces for Iranian retribution in the Middle East. Officials anticipate Iran to retaliate to Israel’s actions, possibly targeting American personnel. Biden reaffirmed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s support for Israel during a phone call on Thursday. This support may include fresh US military deployments in the region. The statement did not specify the details of these deployments, which officials are considering ahead of a potential Iranian response. The Pentagon has debated changes to the US troops posture with US Central Command.…

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris welcomed home three Americans, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Paul Whelan, freed from Russian prisons in a historic exchange deal. Meanwhile, the Biden administration’s secret negotiations, spanning over a year, had secured the release of 24 individuals. Consequently, 13 Western detainees were flown to Germany, while eight Russian prisoners were released from US, German, Norwegian, Slovenian, and Polish prisons. Notably, Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal journalist, faced false espionage charges. He maintained his innocence throughout, despite the odds. Similarly, Kurmasheva, a Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty journalist, was wrongly accused of spreading false…