International
Biden to speak on Ukraine war amid expectation of new military aid
President Joe Biden will deliver an update on the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Thursday as he works to complete a new arms package for its military.
Biden is to address Americans from the White House Roosevelt Room at 9.45 a.m. (1345 GMT) and a source familiar with the planning said he is “expected to provide an update on our efforts to support Ukraine and the assistance we are providing.”
The new arms package was likely to be roughly the same size as an $800 million one announced last week but details were still being worked out, another U.S. official told Reuters earlier.
On Wednesday, Biden convened U.S. military leaders in an annual White House gathering that took on special significance as the war enters a risky new phase.
Opening the meeting, Biden touted the toughness of the Ukrainian military and said that NATO’s unity had shocked Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Russia has said it has entered a new stage of its operation and is methodically seeking to “liberate” the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Western allies anticipate Russia’s campaign could last many months, grind to a stalemate and test the battlefield capabilities of Ukrainian fighters.
Russia says it launched what it calls a “special military operation” on Feb. 24 to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies reject that as a false pretext.
U.S. forces are not fighting in Ukraine but are indirectly engaged, arming, training and financing its forces.
The U.S. aid announced last week included artillery systems, artillery rounds, armored personnel carriers and unmanned coastal defense boats, broadening the scope of materiel sent to Kyiv to include new types of heavy equipment.
If this week’s aid package is as large as expected, it would bring total U.S. military aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded in to well over $3 billion.
After Biden’s announcement, he is to fly to the Pacific Northwest on a two-day trip to promote his domestic agenda.
Reuters
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International
Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland
Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland
A holiday trip in Switzerland has ended in tragedy after a coach carrying 45 Dutch adults overturned in the eastern part of the country, killing five people and injuring the remaining passengers.
The crash occurred on Thursday afternoon on the road linking Susch and Zernez in the Graubünden region. Police said the vehicle went off the roadway while passing through an area where construction work was taking place before overturning.

Three of those injured are in serious condition, while another 37 people sustained less severe injuries. The driver, who is also Dutch, survived the crash but was among those taken for medical treatment.
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Authorities have begun investigating the incident and are working to establish what caused the coach to leave the road.
Tour operator Oad said the company was devastated by the deaths and described the incident as a deeply shocking tragedy.
The crash took place close to Zernez, a popular gateway to Switzerland’s National Park, a large Alpine nature reserve in the Engadine valley.
Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland
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International
Iran’s President Seeks End to War as US Tightens Economic Pressure
Iran’s President Seeks End to War as US Tightens Economic Pressure
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said he does not support prolonging the war with the United States, while urging Iran to strengthen its economic and political resilience.
Speaking to university leaders, Pezeshkian said Tehran must avoid entering negotiations from a position of weakness, particularly as the US increases pressure through its Operation Economic Outcast campaign.
He called on universities to help the government tackle the country’s economic and social challenges, warning that poorly planned policies could worsen existing problems.
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Pezeshkian also urged young Iranians, including Generation Z students, to contribute to solving social problems rather than allowing frustration to fuel protests.
The president said he was willing to work with different political groups and anyone capable of helping Iran overcome its current difficulties.
His comments come amid growing pressure on Tehran to find a way forward. The conflict began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Iranian missile and drone strikes against Israel and US positions across the region.
With Washington now intensifying economic pressure, Pezeshkian’s remarks reflect the challenge facing Tehran: resisting US demands while preventing the prolonged conflict and sanctions from further weakening the country.
Iran’s President Seeks End to War as US Tightens Economic Pressure
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Africa
Murder of Nigerian Bishop in South Africa Sparks Outcry Over Unsolved Killings
Murder of Nigerian Bishop in South Africa Sparks Outcry Over Unsolved Killings
Family and community leaders rally for justice after 58-year-old cleric from Ekiti is assassinated in his Johannesburg residence.
To his congregation and loved ones, Nigerian clergyman Bishop Taiwo Michael Fakunle was a pillar of faith and moral guidance. But that sanctuary was violently shattered inside his Kensington home in Johannesburg when two gunmen forced their way inside and opened fire at point-blank range.
Hit more than seven times, the 58-year-old Ekiti native died at the scene, sending shockwaves across the Nigerian expatriate community and turning deep grief into a collective cry for justice.
Leading the push for accountability, the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) voiced the community’s sorrow and growing frustration with violent crime.
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Association leaders stressed that Bishop Fakunle’s family, church, and compatriots deserve clear answers rather than empty reassurances.
Urging South African investigators to act with speed and transparency, the group warned authorities against letting the tragedy become another forgotten statistic in an endless stack of unsolved homicides.
As detectives at Jeppe Police Station proceed with the murder inquiry, community heads are calling for robust oversight from Nigerian diplomats while urging the public to exercise restraint.
Despite the intense anger surrounding the brazen attack, leaders emphasized that justice must be pursued through legitimate legal channels.
As mourners across South Africa and Nigeria remember the slain bishop, their message to investigators remains clear: the community will not look away until those responsible are brought before a judge.
Murder of Nigerian Bishop in South Africa Sparks Outcry Over Unsolved Killings
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