Author: Prima News

Arab foreign ministers agreed unanimously on Sunday to nominate Egyptian diplomat Nabil ​Fahmy as secretary-general of the Arab League, ‌succeeding Ahmed Aboul Gheit, whose second term in charge ends in June 2026, Egyptian state media outlets ​reported. The decision came during a video ​conference. Under the Arab League charter, the secretary-general ⁠is appointed by at least a two-thirds ​majority. While the charter does not stipulate a ​specific nationality for the post, it has traditionally been held by an Egyptian, except for Tunisian Chedli ​Klibi, who held the position from 1979 ​to 1990, reflecting Cairo’s role as host of the organization’s…

A 118-foot mountain of ice rose over the suburban Paris countryside this weekend as Disney opened its Arendelle kingdom to the world — Elsa’s palace glowing at the summit, a “Frozen” Nordic fishing village below, and the company’s new CEO standing before a crowd of celebrities. World of Frozen, an immersive land themed to the blockbuster animated franchise, opened Sunday as the centerpiece of a 2 billion euro ($2.18 billion) transformation at Disneyland Paris. The transformation renames one of the two theme parks at the Disneyland Paris complex from Walt Disney Studios Park to Disney Adventure World. The inauguration drew Penélope…

Actor James Tolkan, known for his roles as a cigar-chomping naval commander in “Top Gun” and a gruff high school administrator in “Back to the Future,” has died. He was 94. Tolkan died Thursday in Lake Placid, New York, where he lived, his booking agent, John Alcantar, said Saturday. A brief obituary published on the “Back to the Future” website said Tolkan died “peacefully,” but no cause of death was given. In “Back to the Future,” Tolkan portrayed the bow tie-wearing vice principal Gerald Strickland, who eyeballed students for trouble in the halls of the fictitious Hill Valley High School…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Jordan ​on Sunday as part of a ‌Gulf tour aimed at shoring up defence ties with countries in the region amid ​rising tensions over the Iran ​war. Zelenskiy is seeking support from Gulf ⁠states for Ukraine’s war against Russia ​as Western military aid faces fresh uncertainty ​and Kyiv struggles to cover its budget deficit and fund domestic weapons production. “Today in Jordan. ​Security is the top priority, ​and it is important that all partners make ‌the ⁠necessary efforts toward it,” Zelenskiy wrote on X. “Ukraine is doing its part. Important meetings ahead.” Ukraine agreed…

Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass. In a statement, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said Pizzaballa, along with the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Ielpo, was stopped while heading privately to the church and “was compelled to turn back.” The Patriarchate said the incident marked the first time in centuries that church leaders were prevented from celebrating Palm Sunday at the Holy Sepulchre, one of the holiest Christian sites. It described the incident as a “grave precedent” that “disregards the…

Iran said it was ready to respond to a U.S. ground attack, accusing Washington on Sunday of preparing a land assault ​even as it sought negotiations and as regional powers held talks in Pakistan to try to end the fighting. The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt were set to meet in Islamabad ‌to discuss ways to halt the month-long U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which has killed thousands of people and caused the biggest-ever disruption to global energy supplies Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf accused the U.S. of sending messages about possible negotiations while secretly planning to send in…

With the political transition set to expire on 7 February, officials cautioned that escalating violence, entrenched criminal networks and mounting humanitarian needs risk pushing Haiti further into instability unless security and political efforts are urgently sustained.Carlos Ruiz-Massieu, the head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), said the country had entered a “critical phase” in efforts to restore democratic institutions, calling on Haitian actors to contain political fragmentation and prioritise elections.“Let us be clear: the country no longer has time to waste on prolonged internal struggles,” he said, stressing the need for continuity of governance arrangements beyond the February…

Two Israeli air strikes on two checkpoints of the Hamas-led police force killed ​at least six Palestinians including a child, ‌local health officials said, in the latest round of violence despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that is now ​more than five months old. Medics said Israeli ​planes attacked two police checkpoints in Khan ⁠Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, killing ​three policemen and three civilians, including a girl, ​and wounding four others. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the recent strikes. The military has killed ​over 680 Palestinians in Gaza since a ​ceasefire with Hamas came into effect in…

The Federal Government has opened applications for a ₦12 billion research funding initiative aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital transformation through evidence-based policy and innovation.The programme, known as the National Digital Economy Research Clusters, was announced by Dr. Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, via his LinkedIn page.A Research-Driven Approach to Digital TransformationAccording to Tijani, the initiative is designed to “place ideas, evidence and research at the centre of Nigeria’s digital transformation,” marking a shift from policy driven primarily by market forces and political cycles. “Too often, the ideas shaping digital policy come predominantly from markets and political…

Stella Oduah has been cleared as firms linked to her plead guilty and forfeited N1.98bn in fraud case.   NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah has been discharged from a N2.5 billion fraud case after two companies linked to her pleaded guilty and agreed to forfeit funds to the Federal Government.   The ruling was delivered on Thursday by Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja.   Charges against Oduah and her former aide, Gloria Odita, were struck out after the prosecution amended the case to focus solely on the companies;…