ECOWAS Imposes Sanctions on Niger, Declares No-Fly Zone. West African leaders have taken decisive action against Niger following the recent military coup d'état in the country. In an emergency meeting at the ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja, Niger was declared a no-fly zone, therefore, restricting all commercial flights to and from almost all West African countries. Sanctions on Niger The communiqué released after the summit outlined the following resolutions: Affirming that President Mohamed Bazoum is the legitimate elected President and Head of State of Niger, recognized by ECOWAS, the African Union, and the international community. Only official acts of President Bazoum…

In a horrifying incident during a village show in Indonesia, a snake charmer met a fatal fate when he got bitten by his pet cobra while he attempted to kiss it. Abdul Munir, a 20-year-old performer, was teasing the deadly reptile on the dusty ground near his home in Central Java, Indonesia. As soon as he leaned in to kiss the cobra, it struck back, sinking its venomous fangs into his nose. The venom quickly spread through Abdul's bloodstream, paralyzing his vital organs. Rushed to the local clinic, his life hung in the balance, but medics were unable to revive…

In a highly anticipated meeting, Donald Trump's legal team met with Special Counsel Jack Smith to discuss the potential indictment looming over the former president. Sources familiar with the matter have said that the meeting concluded without Trump's team receiving any specific guidance on the timing of a possible indictment. The meeting came after Smith sent a letter earlier this month, indicating that Trump was a target of the investigation. However, the former president had been skeptical about the need for the meeting, as he believed the indictment was already a foregone conclusion, according to sources familiar with his thinking.…

In a dire warning, UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared that the era of global warming has come to an end, giving way to the ominous era of "global boiling." The announcement comes as scientists confirm that July is on track to be the world's hottest month ever recorded. During a press conference, Guterres emphasized the urgency of addressing climate change, describing it as a terrifying reality that humanity must confront. He stressed the critical need for immediate and dramatic climate action to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and avert the worst consequences of climate change. The…

Ukraine witnessed a surge in the fighting in the southeastern parts, as Kyiv reportedly launched a major offensive. Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted a significant escalation of hostilities. Over the past weeks, battles have flared up across the 1,500-kilometer front, with Ukraine mounting a counteroffensive, backed by Western-supplied weaponry and trained troops, against the Russian forces that invaded the region 17 months ago. Putin commended the "heroism" of Russian soldiers in repelling attacks in Zaporizhzhia, in southeastern Ukraine, boasting that they had effectively dismantled Ukraine's military equipment and inflicted heavy casualties on Kyiv's forces. The veracity of Putin's claims remains…

Making a significant change in its new constitution, Mali removes French as the official language, which has been in place since gaining independence in 1960. The new constitution, passed with an overwhelming 96.91% vote in a June 18 referendum, designates French as the working language, while granting official language status to 13 other national languages spoken in the country. These include local languages such as Bambara, Bobo, Dogon, and Minianka, which had already received national language status in a 1982 decree. Fourth Republic in Mali The move marks the beginning of the Fourth Republic in Mali, initiated by the country's…