Saudi Arabia World Cup: Why widow of slain Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi wants Fifa to honour husband’s fight for free speech
The human rights strategy in Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid, carried out by law firm AS&H Clifford Chance, does not mention Khashoggi or free speech once across its 28 pages. Under the scope and methodology section of the report by AS&H Clifford Chance, the firm says the scope of its assessment was “determined by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation in agreement with FIFA”.
Taylor Swift tsunami of sports bets yielded tonnes of dollars, now there’s a rethink in betting business
Taylor Swift had been mainstreamed in the multibillion-dollar sports betting industry, was mentioned on betting podcasts, integrated into sportsbook social media promotions, and inspired prop bets on which millions of dollars have since been wagered worldwide.
Proud Boys leaders free after Trump releases all January 6 rioters
The FBI classified the Capitol riot as an act of domestic terrorism, and the DOJ has spent the years since trying to hold those involved in the riot to account, a massive and costly undertaking. Nearly 1,600 defendants have been hit with federal charges in connection to the riot.
There are fears Trump’s executive order that repurposes an existing agency is designed to shield super-rich from public scrutiny
A former USDS employee called the repurposing of the Digital Service into DOGE an “A+ bureaucratic jiujitsu move.” It will give Musk and his associates access to unclassified data in every government agency.
Trump’s second coming dashes hopes of Somali refugees in sprawling Daadab camp in Kenya to live in US
Refugee admission quotas overall were also slashed. Tough new security checks meant the numbers of arriving refugees tumbled from the 84,994 recorded during Barack Obama’s last year in office to a record low of 11,814 in 2020 – although the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic also affected numbers.
Israel and Hamas swap hostages and prisoners in second phase of ceasefire deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Palestinians in Gaza will not be allowed to cross back to the northern part of the territory until the issue is resolved. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had been displaced from northern Gaza during the war and many were expecting to return from Sunday.
Africa to bear brunt of US’ broad freeze on foreign aid as Trump orders review
A USAID official, who requested anonymity, said officers responsible for projects in Ukraine have been told to stop all work. Among the projects that have been frozen are support to schools and health assistance like emergency maternal care and childhood vaccinations, the official said.
Corruption in successive Haiti interim governments forces civilians to opt for self-protection against coordinated gangs
It’s no surprise that Haitians have increasingly felt the need to protect themselves. A vigilante movement known as the Bwa Kale, and whose members systematically kill and burn people they suspect of being gang members, has grown significantly in recent months.
‘I heard there were Kenyan police officers in Haiti, but why are they here if we don’t see any difference?’
Wary of the lack of results, foreign governments have been reluctant to stump up the money they pledged to the mission’s trust fund. According to several sources, it now has around $100 million – far less than the $600 million needed. There are concerns that the United States, which promised $300 million, may pull back once Donald Trump takes office next week.
Day after billionaire Bezos’s space company launched giant New Glenn rocket, his rival Musk’s SpaceX Starship explodes in flight test
The Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates private launch activities, said it had briefly slowed and diverted planes around the area where space debris was falling, but normal operations had since resumed.
