International
US hopeful Israel, Hamas will accept Gaza ceasefire plan
US hopeful Israel, Hamas will accept Gaza ceasefire plan
The US has “every expectation” Israel will accept a ceasefire proposal that would begin with a six-week cessation of hostilities in Gaza if Hamas takes the deal, a senior White House official has said.
The three-part plan unveiled by President Joe Biden last week would also see a “surge” of humanitarian aid, as well as an exchange of some hostages for Palestinian prisoners before a permanent end to the war.
The proposal, however, has encountered vocal opposition from some members of Israel’s government.
The negotiations come as fighting continues in Rafah, which came under intense Israeli airstrikes over the weekend.
According to the UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, all 36 of its shelters in the Rafah area are empty after residents were forced to flee.
Another 1.7 million people are estimated to be displaced in Khan Younis and parts of central Gaza.
Speaking to ABC News on Sunday morning, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the US had “every expectation” that Israel would “say yes” to the proposed ceasefire deal if Hamas accepts.
“We’re waiting for an official response from Hamas,” he said, adding that the US hopes that both sides agree to start the first phase of the plan “as soon as possible”.
READ ALSO:
- Strike begins Monday, labour insists after meeting with NASS leadership deadlocked
- Strike: Akpabio, Abass in emergency meeting with labour leaders
- Side chick: Woman kills husband while asleep in Ondo
During that initial six-week pause in the fighting, Mr Kirby said the “two sides would sit down and try to negotiate what phase two could look like, and when that could begin”.
Late on Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made separate calls to Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and war cabinet member Benny Gantz to lobby for the deal.
Mr Blinken “commended Israel for the proposal”, stressing that Hamas should take the deal “without delay”, said state department spokesman Matthew Miller.
He also added that America’s top diplomat said “the proposal would advance Israel’s long-term security interests”.
On Saturday, however, two far-right Israeli ministers threatened to quit and collapse the country’s governing coalition if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the deal.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said they were opposed to striking any deal before Hamas was destroyed.
Similarly, Mr Netanyahu has insisted that there will be no ceasefire until Hamas’s military and governing capabilities are destroyed and all hostages are released.
READ ALSO:
- Court orders remand in custody of 83-year-old Arrows of God Orphanage founder
- Poll names three best Tinubu’s ministers, after one year
- Businessman arraigned in Lagos for producing fake alcoholic drinks
Hanoch Milwidsky, a senior member of the Knesset for Mr Netanyahu’s Likud Party, told the BBC on Sunday that Israel’s governing coalition is unified in opposition to the deal, which he called “completely unacceptable”.
“The math of the Israeli government has not changed – that means Hamas can no longer rule Gaza, can no longer have any capability, not military not any civilian capability to be in power, and all the hostages need to come back,” Mr Milwidsky said. “The war will not stop until these demands are met.”
Mr Kirby, for his part, said that US intelligence now believes that Hamas has been militarily degraded to the extent that it can no longer repeat an attack such as that which its fighters conducted on 7 October.
“We’ve not said that they don’t still represent a viable threat to the Israeli people. Of course they do,” he said. “But they don’t have the military capabilities to do what they did.”
In another development on Sunday, the government of the Maldives announced it would ban Israeli citizens from the Indian Ocean island archipelago, in turn prompting a warning from Israel’s foreign ministry that its citizens should avoid the country.
About 11,000 Israelis visited the Maldives last year – less than 1% of all tourist arrivals.
More than 36,000 people have been killed across Gaza since the start of the conflict, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The war began in October when Hamas gunmen launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 252 back to Gaza as hostages.
In the US, President Biden has faced growing domestic criticism over the level of US support for Israel, as well as calls to do more to encourage the warring sides to negotiate.
US hopeful Israel, Hamas will accept Gaza ceasefire plan
BBC
![]()
International
BREAKING: One Killed, Four Injured As Gunman Opens Fire Near White House
BREAKING: One Killed, Four Injured As Gunman Opens Fire Near White House
WASHINGTON, D.C. — One person has been killed and four others injured after a gunman opened fire at and around a fitness centre in Washington, D.C., triggering a massive security operation in the US capital.
The shooting occurred on Thursday morning, November 12, 2026, in the Logan Circle neighbourhood, approximately one mile from the White House.
The suspected gunman also died after barricading himself inside a nearby apartment and apparently shooting himself, according to police.
Authorities said the first emergency call came in at about 8 a.m. from people inside VIDA Fitness, a gym located around 15th Street and P Street Northwest.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) reportedly arrived within 30 seconds and discovered a man who had been shot inside the fitness facility.
Additional emergency calls subsequently reported more gunfire and victims in the surrounding area, bringing the total number of people shot to five, including the deceased.
Police said four other victims sustained gunshot injuries, with one reportedly in critical condition, while the remaining three suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Following the shooting, the suspect reportedly left the immediate scene and barricaded himself inside an apartment on the seventh floor of a nearby residential building.
Police officers and tactical teams subsequently surrounded the building as negotiators attempted to persuade him to surrender.
However, officers reportedly heard a gunshot during the negotiations. Upon entering the apartment, they discovered that the suspect had died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffery Carroll confirmed the development during a briefing, although authorities had yet to publicly disclose the identities of the victims or the suspected gunman.
The shooting prompted an extensive security operation involving local and federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Several surrounding streets were cordoned off, while residents and people working in the neighbourhood were advised to remain indoors as officers secured the area.
Nearby schools also implemented precautionary security measures during the emergency response.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack, including whether the suspect knew any of the victims.
Preliminary information from police indicated that the suspect may have been involved in a dispute with the homeowners’ association of the residential building where he barricaded himself. However, investigators have yet to establish a definitive motive for the shooting.
The incident has renewed concerns about gun violence in the United States, with the attack unfolding in a busy residential neighbourhood within close proximity to the White House.
The investigation is ongoing.
BREAKING: One Killed, Four Injured As Gunman Opens Fire Near White House
![]()
International
New York Police Arrest 17-Year-Old Over Murder of Ghanaian Student
Police in New York City have arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection with the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian student, Javits Frimpong, who was killed while walking to school in the Bronx.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrest on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, saying the suspect had been taken into custody and charged with murder over the October 29 killing.
The suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed because he is a minor, is also reportedly facing manslaughter and firearm-related charges.
Frimpong was shot in the abdomen near Crotona Park, close to East 171st Street and Crotona Place, while making his way to DreamYard Preparatory School in the Bronx.
He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital but was later pronounced dead.
According to police reports, the teenager was walking to school when he was attacked. Investigators have not established the motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect knew the victim.
The arrest followed weeks of investigations and growing demands for justice from Frimpong’s family, members of the Ghanaian community and civil rights advocates.
READ ALSO:
- MURIC Raises Alarm Over Alleged Overcrowding at Ogun NYSC Camp, Seeks Abiodun’s Intervention
- Two Killed, 17 Injured as Building Collapses in Brooklyn, Seven Children Among Victims
- CSU CERTIFICATE CONTROVERSY: How Ex-Lecturer Inadvertently Indicted Himself Over Claims Against President Tinubu
Police had previously indicated that three people might have been involved in the shooting and had been investigating possible motives, including robbery and alleged bullying at the victim’s school.
Frimpong’s father, Thomas Frimpong, had earlier said his son complained about being bullied by fellow students at DreamYard Preparatory School. Two students were reportedly suspended over the alleged harassment.
However, investigators have not established a connection between the alleged bullying and the fatal shooting.
The arrest was announced as the victim’s parents, civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, Reverend Al Sharpton and Ghana’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Yao Kumah, gathered at a news conference in New York to demand justice.
Frimpong’s mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, broke down in tears during the event as she appealed for justice for her son.
She reportedly travelled from Ghana following her son’s death, while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had earlier appealed to US President Donald Trump to facilitate arrangements for her to travel to the United States to mourn with her family.
Frimpong had moved from Ghana to the United States about a year before his death to reunite with his father and pursue better educational opportunities. He was a Grade 10 student and reportedly aspired to become a doctor.
The killing sparked protests and public demonstrations in New York, with demonstrators calling for accountability under the campaign slogan, “Justice for Javits!”
Crump, who is representing the family, acknowledged the arrest but said several questions surrounding the teenager’s death remained unanswered.
He called for a thorough investigation to establish why Frimpong was killed and whether the tragedy could have been prevented.
Ghanaian authorities have also been engaging with their American counterparts over the case. Ghana’s government has engaged Crump to assist in seeking justice for its nationals killed in the United States.
The NYPD said investigations were continuing, with the possibility of other arrests not ruled out.
The arrest marks a significant development in the case, although the circumstances and motive behind the killing remain under investigation.
New York Police Arrest 17-Year-Old Over Murder of Ghanaian Student
![]()
International
Canada Announces Permanent Residency Plan for 100,000 Foreign Workers, Families
Canada has announced plans to provide permanent residency opportunities for up to 100,000 foreign workers and their eligible family members already living in the country under a new immigration measure scheduled for 2027.
The initiative is part of the Canadian government’s efforts to address labour shortages, reduce immigration application backlogs and provide greater certainty for migrant workers who have established themselves in Canadian communities.
According to details released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the programme will create additional permanent residency admission spaces for eligible workers living outside Quebec, alongside their family members.
The measure is expected to benefit workers whose skills are needed in local economies, particularly in smaller communities, as the government works with provincial and territorial authorities to identify eligible applicants.
However, the announcement does not establish a new immigration pathway open to every foreign worker. It is designed to accelerate permanent residency for people who already meet specified eligibility conditions under existing immigration programmes.
Under the proposed arrangement, workers may qualify through two main routes. They must either be awaiting a decision on a permanent residency application submitted under selected immigration programmes that are now closed to new applicants, or be eligible to apply through Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
READ ALSO:
- MURIC Raises Alarm Over Alleged Overcrowding at Ogun NYSC Camp, Seeks Abiodun’s Intervention
- Two Killed, 17 Injured as Building Collapses in Brooklyn, Seven Children Among Victims
- CSU CERTIFICATE CONTROVERSY: How Ex-Lecturer Inadvertently Indicted Himself Over Claims Against President Tinubu
The selected programmes include the Start-Up Visa Programme, Self-Employed Persons Programme, Agri-Food Pilot and Home Care Workers (Caregivers) immigration programme.
The government said the additional admission spaces would cover workers living outside Quebec and their eligible family members.
The initiative is intended to recognise the contributions of foreign workers who have established roots in Canadian communities, paid taxes and helped address labour shortages.
Beyond the workers’ initiative, Canada is also setting aside additional permanent residency spaces for other categories of applicants.
These include up to 45,000 spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are already in Canada and awaiting decisions on their applications.
Another 12,600 applicants whose permanent residency cases have already received approval in principle on humanitarian and compassionate grounds are expected to benefit.
The government is also targeting outstanding applications under special immigration arrangements for Hong Kong residents and Ukrainians with family members in Canada.
According to IRCC, the measures are designed to provide stability for people who are already contributing to Canadian society while reducing outstanding immigration applications and improving processing times.
The department clarified that applicants do not need to submit separate applications or take additional steps to be considered under the temporary measures.
The 2027 initiative is time-limited and will operate outside Canada’s regular immigration admission targets. It is not a permanent expansion of immigration programmes.
The announcement is part of Canada’s wider effort to reform its immigration system, balance labour market requirements with sustainable population growth and prioritise applicants who are already living and working in the country.
The government said the additional admission spaces would help eligible migrants and their families secure greater certainty about their future in Canada.
Canada Announces Permanent Residency Plan for 100,000 Foreign Workers, Families
![]()
-
metro3 days agoOgbomosoland Grand Chief Imam, Sheikh Teliat Ayilara II, Marks Five Years in Office
-
metro3 days agoAgunbiade Celebrates Oyo Grand Chief Imam Akeugberu at One, Says His Impact Equals a Decade
-
Sports3 days agoTinubu Rewards Flamingos With ₦100m Each After Historic World Cup Triumph
-
News3 days agoTinubu’s Chicago Varsity Certificate Row: Omokri Challenges Journalists to Verify Fresh Allegations
-
Auto3 days agoAfter-Sales Support Will Define Future of Nigeria’s Auto Industry – Carloha Marketing Chief
-
News2 days agoBREAKING: Manchester United Sack Michael Carrick After Disastrous Start to Season
-
Politics3 days agoSowore Says ‘Half-Dead’ Tinubu Should Be Taken to Old People’s Home
-
metro3 days agoTroops Arrest Father, Son Over Terrorism Suspicions, Recover AK-47 in Sokoto
