International
US blocks Palestinian leader from attending UN meeting in New York
US blocks Palestinian leader from attending UN meeting in New York
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been blocked from attending the UN General Assembly session in New York next month after he and 80 other Palestinian officials had their visas revoked, the US State Department has said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio blamed them for undermining peace efforts and for seeking “the unilateral recognition of a conjectural Palestinian state”.
The decision, welcomed by Israel, is unusual as the US is expected to facilitate travel for officials of all countries wishing to visit the UN headquarters.
The ban comes as France leads international efforts to recognise a state of Palestine at the session – a move Donald Trump’s administration has opposed.
The Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, had earlier said that as head of its delegation, Abbas would be attending the meeting of heads of state and government in New York.
But a State Department official later said Abbas and about 80 other Palestinians would be affected by the decision to deny and revoke visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Rubio said Palestinian representatives at the UN mission in New York could attend the meetings in accordance with the UN Headquarters Agreement – the document that regulates issues regarding the operations of the UN in the US.
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It is unclear, however, if the US move to deny or revoke visas complies with that document, which outlines that foreign officials’ attendance in New York shall not be impeded by the US, “irrespective of the relations” between their respective governments and the US.
Abbas’ office said it was astonished by the visa decision, which “stands in clear contradiction to international law and the UN Headquarters Agreement, particularly since the State of Palestine is an observer member of the United Nations”. It urged the US to reverse the move.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar welcomed the State Department’s decision.
Hamas has been running the Gaza Strip for years, with its rival Fatah in charge in the West Bank. But even in the West Bank the PA led by Abbas has struggled to govern, faced with rival groups and Jewish settlement expansion.
Abbas is also in charge of the PLO – the umbrella organisation which represents Palestinians at international fora.
In 1974, the UN voted to recognise the PLO as the “sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people” and it was given observer status at the UN General Assembly, but not as a state.
In 2012, the General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to upgrade this, recognising Palestine as a non-member permanent observer state.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has constantly rejected the idea of a two-state solution – the long-time international formula to resolve the decades-old Israel-Palestinian conflict. It envisages an independent Palestinian state being created alongside Israel in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital.
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Netanyahu says recognition of a Palestinian state would amount to rewarding “Hamas’s monstrous terrorism”.
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
More than 63,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
In his announcement on Friday, Rubio said: “Before the PLO and PA can be considered partners for peace, they must consistently repudiate terrorism – including the October 7 massacre – and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by U.S. law and as promised by the PLO.”
He said they must also end efforts to bypass negotiations by pursuing legal cases against Israel at international courts.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the UN would discuss with the US State Department and hoped the issue would be resolved.
“It is important that all member states, permanent observers, be able to be represented, especially I think in this case with the, as we know, the upcoming two-state solution meeting that France and Saudi Arabia will host at the beginning of the GA,” Mr Dujarric said.
Apart from France, the UK, Canada and Australia have also announced plans to recognise a Palestinian state at the GA meeting next month.
The state of Palestine is currently recognised by 147 of the UN’s 193 member states.
But with no recognised borders, Israeli settlers controlling large parts of the West Bank – illegal under international law – and calls to do the same in Gaza, any recognition of a Palestinian state would not change much on the ground.
US blocks Palestinian leader from attending UN meeting in New York
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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
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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.
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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
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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).
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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
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