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Denying Palestinian statehood, gift to extremists, says UN chief

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Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres
United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres

Denying Palestinian statehood, gift to extremists, says UN chief

NEW YORK: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for “irreversible progress” toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, warning that failure to act risks perpetuating an “intolerable” and worsening crisis.

Speaking at the High-Level International Conference for Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine at the UN General Assembly Hall, he said the decades-long conflict had reached a “morally, legally and politically intolerable” point, citing mounting civilian casualties in Gaza and growing instability in the West Bank.

“We are here today to help navigate the only way out of this nightmare,” Guterres added, emphasizing the UN-backed vision of two independent, sovereign and democratic states — Israel and Palestine — coexisting peacefully within secure and recognized borders based on the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the shared capital.

The event was co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, and marked the most concerted international push in recent months to revive momentum toward a negotiated peace.

Guterres thanked both governments for convening the meeting, and reiterated his disappointment that the Palestinian delegation had been “denied the opportunity (by US visa restrictions) to be fully represented.”

He again condemned the Hamas attack against Israel of Oct. 7, 2023 — calling it “horrific” and reiterating demands for the “immediate and unconditional” release of hostages — and the “systematic decimation” of Gaza in response.

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“Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people or any form of ethnic cleansing,” he said, decrying the widespread killing of civilians, starvation of the population and attacks on humanitarian workers. “All of it must stop.”

Guterres also warned that continued Israeli settlement expansion, settler violence, and the de facto annexation of the West Bank pose an “existential threat” to any viable two-state outcome.

“Statehood for the Palestinians is a right, not a reward,” he said. “Denying statehood would be a gift to extremists everywhere.”

He added: “This conference must be a catalyst. It must spur irreversible progress towards ending the unlawful occupation and realizing our shared aspiration for a viable two-state solution.”

Guterres urged all parties to demonstrate “bold and principled leadership,” noting that the alternative — a one-state reality marked by occupation and inequality — is neither sustainable nor acceptable.

“Without two states, there will be no peace in the Middle East,” he warned. “And radicalism will spread around the world.”

The conference comes amid deepening international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed by Israel, most of them women and children.

Guterres welcomed recent moves by member states to recognize Palestinian statehood and the UNGA’s endorsement of the Saudi-French New York Declaration, which calls for concrete steps toward a negotiated peace.

“This is the only credible path to a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians — and to wider peace and security in the Middle East,” he said.

Denying Palestinian statehood, gift to extremists, says UN chief

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Gunmen Injure 12 in Shooting Near Ohio Festival in US

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Gunmen Injure 12 in Shooting Near Ohio Festival in US

Gunmen Injure 12 in Shooting Near Ohio Festival in US

At least 12 people were injured in a shooting near a community festival in the U.S. state of Ohio, prompting a major police response and an ongoing manhunt for the suspects involved.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening near the Old West End Festival in Toledo, according to the Toledo Police Department, one of the city’s largest annual cultural events celebrating the historic Old West End district.

Police said officers responded to reports of gunfire at about 5:37 p.m. local time near the festival grounds around the intersection of Delaware Avenue and Robinwood Avenue, where large crowds had gathered for music, food vendors, and community activities.

Authorities confirmed that multiple victims were struck during the shooting, and emergency responders quickly transported the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment.

In an update, officials said 10 victims were in stable condition, while two others remained in critical condition as medical teams continued to provide care.

Speaking on the incident, Toledo Deputy Police Chief Joe said preliminary investigations suggest the shooting may have stemmed from an exchange of gunfire between two individuals.

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“It appeared that two people fired weapons and they were probably shooting at each other,” he said, adding that victims ranged in age from 16 to 61 years.

Earlier, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz told local broadcaster WTOL 11 that all injured victims were expected to survive, describing the attack as a disturbing disruption to a long-standing community celebration.

The Old West End Festival is a two-day annual event that attracts thousands of attendees and features live music, food stalls, house tours, and cultural exhibitions across one of the largest historic districts in the United States.

Following the incident, police cordoned off parts of the festival area and launched an intensive investigation, focusing on the surrounding streets where the shooting occurred. Officers are reviewing surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts to identify those responsible.

Videos circulating on social media showed festival-goers running for safety as multiple gunshots rang out, while emergency responders attended to victims and transported some on stretchers. Authorities said the footage is being reviewed as part of the investigation, though it has not yet been independently verified.

Reacting to the shooting, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine expressed concern and offered support to victims and law enforcement officials.

“I am deeply concerned about the situation in Toledo tonight,” he said. “Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families… and we are confident that law enforcement will locate the suspects involved in this senseless crime.”

Police confirmed that no arrests had been made as of the latest update, but said active efforts were ongoing to track down the suspects and determine the exact motive behind the shooting.

Authorities urged members of the public with information to come forward as investigations continue.

Gunmen Injure 12 in Shooting Near Ohio Festival in US

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How a Nigerian Man Bypassed TSA, Boarded United Flight Using Fake Boarding Pass

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How a Nigerian Man Bypassed TSA, Boarded United Flight Using Fake Boarding Pass
Abdulrahman Oluwatumike Oriyomi

How a Nigerian Man Bypassed TSA, Boarded United Flight Using Fake Boarding Pass

A major security scare erupted at a United States airport after a man allegedly bypassed boarding procedures and boarded a departing passenger aircraft, forcing authorities to halt the flight and launch an extensive security operation. The suspect, Abdulrahman Oluwatumike Oriyomi, now faces a felony charge for the May 18, 2026, incident at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas.

According to court documents and investigators, Oriyomi passed through a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint at Terminal C after presenting identification and having his photo taken. Despite possessing an invalid boarding document, he was allowed through security screening into the sterile area of the airport. He then moved between different sections of the terminal and attempted to access multiple departure gates.

Authorities said he unsuccessfully tried to scan a boarding pass at several gates. His first attempt was for a 7:18 a.m. United Airlines flight to Los Angeles, which failed. More than an hour later, he appeared at another gate where United Flight 469 was preparing for departure to the same destination. Investigators allege that while gate agents were attending to passengers, Oriyomi took advantage of the distraction, pretended to show his boarding pass, slipped past the podium, and proceeded down the jet bridge onto the aircraft without authorization.

Once on board, witnesses reported that Oriyomi initially sat in an aisle seat next to a female passenger before moving around the cabin. The passenger later realized the seat had already been purchased by another traveler. Court records indicate Oriyomi then retreated to a restroom as the plane pushed back from the gate and began taxiing for departure.

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The security breach was not discovered until the aircraft had already begun taxiing away from the gate. Flight attendants were alerted that someone was inside an aircraft restroom. When they made contact with Oriyomi, he identified himself as “Mr. Lopez” and reportedly asked to sit in the jump seat because the flight was full. A flight attendant checked the passenger manifest and discovered no authorized passenger under that name. The crew immediately notified the cockpit, prompting the captain to order the aircraft back to the gate.

The incident triggered a large-scale response involving airport police, the FBI, the TSA, airline security officials, the Houston Police Department’s Explosive Detection K-9 Unit, and other law enforcement agencies. Passengers were ordered off the aircraft while security teams searched the plane and conducted precautionary checks, including screening for possible explosives. No explosives or other threats were found.

The disruption delayed the Los Angeles-bound flight for approximately three hours and affected normal airport operations.

Investigators later reviewed surveillance footage and examined the boarding document allegedly used by Oriyomi. A boarding pass image recovered from his mobile device was determined to be fraudulent because key information and the scannable QR code required for verification were missing. A Bush Airport representative concluded the document was fake, and authorities determined that Oriyomi’s original airline reservation had been canceled due to nonpayment.

Following the investigation, prosecutors charged Oriyomi with impairing or interrupting the operation of a critical infrastructure facility, a felony offense under Texas law that alleges he disrupted both airport and airline operations. Prosecutors argued that the alleged incident delayed a flight carrying a full plane of passengers for approximately three hours and prompted responses from multiple law enforcement and security agencies.

A judge set his bond at $25,000 and imposed conditions prohibiting him from entering any airport, surrendering any passports or travel documents, refraining from possessing firearms, and submitting to electronic monitoring if ordered by the court. If convicted, he could face significant penalties under Texas law.

Aviation security experts have raised concerns about the incident, pointing to multiple failures in airport screening procedures. Michael Matranga, a former Secret Service agent who now runs the consulting group M6 Global Defense, told ABC7 that TSA agents should never have allowed Oriyomi through security without a valid boarding pass. “I think this is a pretty significant breach, not just because of the fact that he ended up on the plane; it’s the multiple layers and failures to even get on the plane,” Matranga said. He suggested that at a minimum, the agents directly involved and potentially the entire cadre of agents at the airport need to be retrained on policy and consistency.

Authorities have stated that there is currently no indication the incident was terrorism-related. Investigators have not publicly disclosed a motive for Oriyomi’s actions. Reports indicate he worked as a tax consultant before his arrest and has no known prior criminal record.

Oriyomi was initially questioned and given a trespass warning on the day of the incident, but charges were not filed until June 1, 2026. He was arrested on June 5. The case is pending in Harris County’s 180th District Court. United Airlines declined to comment and referred questions to law enforcement. A response from the TSA was not immediately available.

How a Nigerian Man Bypassed TSA, Boarded United Flight Using Fake Boarding Pass

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Nigerian Man Jailed for Life for Stabbing Friend Over Debt in London

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Nigerian Man Jailed for Life for Stabbing Friend Over Debt in London
Fawaz Abdulkareem and Daniel Manuel

Nigerian Man Jailed for Life for Stabbing Friend Over Debt in London

A 36-year-old Nigerian man, Fawaz Abdulkareem, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the fatal stabbing of a friend during a dispute over money at a high-rise flat in Vauxhall, south London. Abdulkareem must serve a minimum of 17 years before he can be considered for parole.

Croydon Crown Court heard that Abdulkareem murdered 32-year-old Daniel Manuel on July 5, 2025, following an argument inside the defendant’s 14th-floor flat on Bondway. The court was told that what began as a social evening between friends ended in extreme violence, followed by a clumsy attempt to cover up the crime.

According to prosecutors, Abdulkareem and Manuel had spent the evening together at a nightclub before returning to Abdulkareem’s apartment with a group of friends. In the early hours of the morning, an argument erupted over a debt that Abdulkareem owed Manuel. During the altercation, Abdulkareem armed himself with a kitchen knife and stabbed Manuel three times. One of the wounds, forensic evidence later showed, was inflicted while the victim’s back was turned, undermining the defendant’s later claim of self-defence.

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The Metropolitan Police arrived at the scene at approximately 5:38 am following reports of a stabbing. Officers found Daniel Manuel suffering from serious injuries in the lobby of the apartment block. Despite emergency first aid from police, paramedics, and hospital staff, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators established that after the stabbing, Abdulkareem left the flat with the knife still tucked into his waistband. He removed his T-shirt to hide the weapon as he walked through communal areas. When he realised emergency services were approaching, he discarded the blade by throwing it from the 14th-floor window of the building. The knife was later recovered by police. One of the first officers on the scene noticed blood on Abdulkareem’s clothing and arrested him immediately.

Throughout the trial at Croydon Crown Court, Abdulkareem claimed he had acted in self-defence. However, a jury rejected his account and found him guilty of murder and possession of a bladed article on May 21, 2026. On June 5, 2026, the court sentenced Abdulkareem to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years before he becomes eligible for parole.

In a powerful victim impact statement read to the court, Daniel Manuel’s wife, Zulal, described the profound and lasting damage caused by his death. “Daniel was not just my husband, he was my partner, my home, my emotional safety and the person I built my entire life around,” she said. “Losing him in such a violent and sudden way has completely shattered my world. This loss has affected every part of my life – emotionally, physically, financially. I am still trying to survive the aftermath of it.”

Detective Inspector Luke Hampton, who led the investigation for the Metropolitan Police, spoke after the sentencing. “Daniel was murdered in a moment of extreme violence by a man he thought was his friend,” Hampton said. “Abdulkareem tried to deceive police, recklessly throwing the murder weapon from the window of the 14th floor of a tower block and cruelly claiming it was Daniel who had attacked him. Met detectives saw through his lies and worked hard to secure a conviction. His claims of self-defence were dismissed by the jury.” He added: “Our thoughts remain with Daniel’s family, and we hope this sentence provides them with some measure of comfort.” The Metropolitan Police said the case underscores ongoing efforts to tackle serious violent crime and bring offenders to justice across London.

Nigerian Man Jailed for Life for Stabbing Friend Over Debt in London

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