Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, has commended U.S. President Donald Trump for his role in brokering a peace agreement between Israel & Hamas to end the Gaza conflict, saying Trump merits the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

“There is no doubt that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for this,” Herzog wrote on X on Thursday, describing the deal as a chance “to mend, to heal & to open a new horizon of hope for our region.”

Trump had earlier announced that indirect talks in Egypt had led to a breakthrough. Under the first phase of the U.S.-backed peace plan, all hostages held in Gaza are to be freed, while Israeli troops will pull back to an agreed boundary. Hamas has confirmed its acceptance of the deal.

Speaking recently at the UN General Assembly, Trump boasted that he had already ended several wars since taking office earlier this year & should be recognised with the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Nobel Committee is expected to reveal this year’s laureate on Friday.

No remorse or regret in our action murdering 1,200 Israelis on October 7th— Hamas leader, Hamad says.

According to the Jerusalem Post report on Friday September 26, 2025, Hamas political bureau member Ghazi Hamad has expressed no regret for the October 7 attacks on Israel, which resulted in nearly 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages. In a CNN interview published on Friday, Hamad claimed the attacks targeted only military objectives and that civilians were not intentionally kidnapped.

He argued that the operation has advanced the Palestinian cause, citing increased international support and condemnations of Israel at the UN General Assembly. Hamad stated, "You know what the benefit of [October 7] is now? …If you look at the (United Nations) General Assembly yesterday, when about 194 people opened their eyes and looked at the atrocity, the brutality of Israel and all of them, they condemned Israel. We waited for this moment for 77 years."

Hamad showed no remorse for Palestinian civilian losses in Gaza, asserting that Palestinians "are proud to sacrifice martyrs." When presented with footage of Gazans criticizing Hamas, he refused to engage fully. On hostages, he denied using them as human shields, claiming they are treated according to "Islamic principles," countering Israeli accusations. Another Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, linked recent state recognitions of Palestine to the attacks.

The context of the October 7 assaults involves Hamas's invasion from Gaza, leading to widespread violence and Israel's subsequent military response. Hamad's stance defends the attacks as strategically beneficial, despite the devastation in Gaza. Negotiations with the US under President Trump have stalled, with Hamad accusing the US of involvement in an assassination attempt on him, eroding trust in mediators.

Hamad's unapologetic position highlights Hamas's defiant narrative amid ongoing conflict, potentially complicating peace efforts. It underscores tensions in mediation and the human cost on both sides. The interview reveals deep divisions, with implications for international diplomacy and the prospects of a ceasefire.

US Reportedly Revokes Visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro Over Pro-Palestinian Protest Remarks

The United States has revoked the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro following remarks he made during a pro-Palestinian protest in New York on Friday.

In a post on X, the US State Department said Petro’s “reckless and incendiary actions” prompted the decision. Addressing demonstrators outside the UN headquarters in Manhattan, Petro called for the creation of a global armed force to liberate Palestinians, saying it “must be stronger than the United States.”

He went further by urging American soldiers to defy President Donald Trump’s orders: “Do not point your guns at people. Disobey Trump’s orders. Obey the orders of humanity,” he declared in Spanish.

It was unclear if Petro remained in New York afterward, as his office and Colombia’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Trump administration has tightened its stance on pro-Palestinian voices even as countries such as France, Britain, Australia, and Canada have formally recognized a Palestinian state, moves that have strained relations with Israel and Washington.

Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president and a strong critic of Israel’s war in Gaza, had earlier accused Trump of being “complicit in genocide” during his UN General Assembly address. He also called for criminal proceedings against the US over missile strikes on boats suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean.

U.S. Lifts Visa Restrictions on Ghana After Deportee Agreement; restores eligibility for five-year, multiple-entry visas.

The United States has lifted visa restrictions on Ghana, restoring eligibility for five-year, multiple-entry visas and enhanced consular services. Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the development in a post on X after meetings with U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The decision follows months of diplomatic engagement and comes after Ghana agreed to accept West African deportees transferred by the U.S. from Nigeria and other countries.

President John Mahama had earlier explained that Ghana’s move was consistent with ECOWAS free-movement rules, which allow citizens of West African states to enter Ghana without visas.

The visa restrictions were first imposed in July as part of a broader U.S. review affecting Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Ethiopia. The measures had cut down visa validity periods and limited entries, creating difficulties for travelers, students and businesspeople.

By agreeing to take in deportees and engaging Washington diplomatically, Ghana has secured a reversal of the restrictions. Ablakwa described the development as “a big win for Ghana” and a reflection of improving relations between both countries.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced leaders who had recognised a Palestinian state, as he headed to the United States on Thursday for White House talks and an address to the UN General Assembly.

Zelenskyy Tells UN General Assembly: Peace Requires Weapons And Powerful Allies, Not Just International Law
"You know very well that international law doesn't work unless you have powerful friends who will stand with you, even that doesn't work without weapons," Zelenskyy said on Wednesday while addressing the world leaders, according to TRT World.

WHO Warns Nearly One Billion People Live With Mental Health Conditions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that nearly one billion people globally are living with mental health conditions and urged governments to take urgent action to address the crisis.

WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, issued the warning ahead of the High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health scheduled for September 25. He cautioned that inaction would cost millions of lives while placing severe strain on economies.

“Noncommunicable diseases account for seven of the world’s top 10 causes of death. Alongside this, almost one billion people face mental health challenges, with suicide ranking as the third leading cause of death among young people,” he said.

Dr. Ghebreyesus stressed that beyond personal tragedies, the impact of NCDs and mental health conditions carries devastating social and economic consequences. “These illnesses shorten lives, devastate families, and drive up health care and economic costs,” he added.

Globally, suicide ranks as the fourth leading cause of death among people aged 15–29, with 73% of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries. In Nigeria, as of January 2024, the submortality rate stood at 3.5 per 100,000, translating to about 15,000 deaths annually.

The WHO chief revealed that countries have been negotiating a political declaration over the past year, which will be finalised at the UN General Assembly. The draft sets ambitious global targets for 2030, including cutting tobacco use by 150 million people, expanding mental health care access for another 150 million, and ensuring 150 million more achieve control of hypertension.

Tinubu Loyalists Plot Attack On Sowore In Secret Meeting With Governor.

Two loyalists of President Bola Tinubu, with the involvement of a state governor, allegedly held a secret virtual meeting where they vowed to attack and “demobilise” SaharaReporters publisher and activist Omoyele Sowore for criticising Tinubu. The meeting, which reportedly took place ahead of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, shifted focus from UNGA preparations to Sowore, whom the loyalists accused of “rubbishing their leader.”

Sources revealed that the loyalists threatened to physically harm Sowore if the Department of State Services (DSS) failed to act against him. This comes after the DSS petitioned both X (formerly Twitter) and Meta to deactivate Sowore’s accounts over posts critical of the president.

Sowore, a long-time critic of successive Nigerian governments, has faced repeated arrests and intimidation but has vowed not to retract his comments.

#Tinubu #Sowore #Nigeria

Britain will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel ends the 'appalling' crisis in Gaza, Sir Keir Starmer told his Cabinet today.
Sir Keir told the meeting of his top ministers on Tuesday that the UK will recognise the state of Palestine in September before the
UN General Assembly in New York.
This is 'unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza', the PM added.
#keirstarmer #palestine #news #labour #gaza #israel #netanyahu #idf