In a recent series of widespread kidnappings in the West African nation, armed assailants abducted 13 women and an infant during an overnight raid in northeastern Nigeria.
According to a resident of Chacho, the village of Chacho in Sokoto State, a bride and 10 of her bridesmaids were among the people who were taken from there on Saturday to Sunday night.
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A bride and 10 bridesmaids were taken from a house in the Zango neighborhood last night by bandits who stormed our village.
Abdullahi added that a baby, the baby’s mother, and a third woman were also taken.
Bandits who kidnapped 13 people in Chacho had already been targeted in October, according to Abdullahi.
We were forced to pay a ransom to secure their release. He said, “We are now in the same circumstance.”
The AFP saw a report from a Nigerian intelligence agency that confirmed the attack.
According to the report, “Sokoto saw a notable increase in bandit-initiated abductions in November, culminating in the year’s highest rate of these attacks.”
It suggested that the increase may be a result of agreements made by neighboring states to persuade the bandits to stop their activities.
In Kebbi State and Niger State, attackers took more than 300 students last week. While others are still at large, the abducted from Kebbi were found and united with their parents.
In northern Nigeria, armed gangs frequently target schools and rural communities, often enlisting local security forces, in mass kidnappings for a ransom.
President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, adding more pressure to the Nigerian government.
Additionally, Donald Trump, the president of the United States, recently threatened to launch attacks against Nigeria in response to alleged anti-Christian violence.
Venezuela’s airspace was “closed” on Saturday, according to Donald Trump.
After US President Donald Trump declared that he was severing Venezuela’s airspace, the country has accused Washington of a “colonial threat” to its sovereignty.
Following US attacks on nearby boats and a significant military deployment in the Caribbean, which includes the largest aircraft carrier in the world, Latin America is on high alert.
Trump claims to be fighting drug trafficking.
Is that the real cause, then?
Presenter: Bernard Smith
Guests:
Former White House deputy national security adviser and US Republican strategist Mark Pfeifle
Paul Dobson, a Venezuelan independent journalist and political analyst
In a tense London derby, Mike Merino saved Arsenal as the Premier League leaders fought to a 1-1 draw against Chelsea.
Late in the first half, Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was shown a crude foul on Merino at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
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Chelsea took a second half lead after Caicedo’s dismissal, but Merino’s equalizing goal earned Arsenal a point after the title rivals had fought back.
Arsenal is five points clear of Manchester City, who defeated Leeds United on Saturday, and is six points ahead of Chelsea, who is in third place.
Arsenal were relieved to avoid a damaging defeat after the dust had settled on a game of relentless intensity, and Chelsea were left to rue a missed chance to win the title.
Arsenal are still the favorites to win the Premier League title, but Chelsea’s aggressive display suggested they might pose the greatest threat to the Gunners’ title ambitions.
Chelsea have won their first seven games without losing in all competitions, while Arsenal have won all 17 of those games, winning 14 of those.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca had slashed his young team’s chances of winning the title, but Arsenal did so without injured centre-back William Saliba.
Both teams tried to impose themselves in a tumultuous first half that included a slew of bookings.
Reece James was cynically pulled down by Gunners midfielder Martin Zubimendi, Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella crunched into Bukayo Saka, Mosquera pole-axed Joao Pedro, and Riccardo Calafiori.
With a stinging strike that Robert Sanchez saved at his near post, Saka almost exacted immediate retribution against Cucurella.
Saka is saved by Sanchez [Justina Tallis/AFP]
Estevao Willian, a teenager sensation, made his Chelsea debut following their 3-0 win over Barcelona in midweek.
The 18-year-old was unable to match his stunning goal against Barca when he lashed over from 9 meters (10 yards) to miss Chelsea’s opening real chance.
As Chelsea began to put pressure on the visitors’ reorganized defense, Enzo Fernandez tested Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya from the edge of the area.
When Caicedo caught Merino in the 38th minute with a foul that was upgraded from a booking to a dismissal following a VAR review, the attrition war turned ugly.
This was the Blues’ sixth red card of the season across all competitions.
[Ryan Pierse/Getty Images] Caicedo and Merino are lying on the ground following the Chelsea midfielder’s foul
A dangerous Hincapie elbow on Chalobah, which caused Chelsea to lash out for a red card, did not come after the Ecuador midfielder’s premature exit.
On the cue of half-time, Gabriel Martinelli nearly heightened Chelsea’s anxiety with a powerful blast that forced a fine save from Sanchez.
With ten goals in 12 games, Arsenal became the league’s best set-piece team.
Chelsea finished with eight, but in the 48th minute Chalobah won with nine.
As James curled a corner to the near post before reaching Chalobah’s highest point inside the six-yard box, Chalobah headed his header into the far corner.
On his way back to his former club, Arteta sent on Noni Madueke and Martin Odegaard, who were jeered and chanted “Chelsea reject.”
Merino’s 59th-minute equalizer earned the Arsenal changes instant reward.
A stunning run and cross from Saka past Cucurella led to a powerful close-range header that flew past Sanchez.
Merino scored his fourth goal of the season when Arteta used him as a substitute.
Arsenal were unable to deliver the decisive blow in a furious finale, which featured Sanchez making superb stops to deny Saka and Merino.
Reece James, Chelsea’s captain, expressed regret after receiving the three points and how the sending off limited his team.
“Over the past few years, Arsenal have been at the top. We were aware that it would not be simple. Their midfield is formidable. He claimed that we had already done everything we could to play our game and caused them harm.
He continued, “Maresca] slightly altered the formation, and he was aware that they were going to attack us.” So we attempted to catch them on the counter by attempting to soak up the pressure.
I’m proud of the boys, they say. Today at the Bridge, it was riotous. We’re content to accept the message.
Arsenal were disappointed not to win, according to Merino.
You want to win every game when you sport this shirt. he informed Sky Sports. To enter and take a point at this stadium is a real challenge. The team displayed good mentality, but we could have done better.
Alexander Isak, the underdogs’ record signing, scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool on Sunday to give them a much-needed 2-0 victory over West Ham United.
After winning the penultimate race of the season at the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday, four-time Formula One (F1) world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing and Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri kept the three-way 2025 drivers’ championship battle alive.
Verstappen’s lead over McLaren’s Norris, who finished fourth at Lusail Circuit, was 12 points clear of Verstappen heading into the 24th and final round of Abu Dhabi the following weekend.
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Piastri, Norris’ teammate, finished second in the championship race after taking the lead from pole. However, the Australian still has a chance to claim the drivers’ title.
Verstappen and Piastri finished third, Carlos Sainz of Williams, in Qatar, to round out the podium.
Verstappen won his 70th grand prix career.
For the 2025 season, the top three drivers currently have seven victories.
On November 30, 2025, at the Lusail Circuit in Qatar, Max Verstappen leads the race. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
McLaren makes a mistake in a call for early safety in a car.
Verstappen, who started the race from third place on the grid, overtook Piastri in the holeshot to the first corner, who was then followed by Norris on the front row.
Verstappen and Red Bull pitted against each other during lap seven, which gave way to a free pit stop, in contrast to McLaren, which kept its two drivers off the track, resulting in Norris and Piastri losing valuable time when they reached their final stop.
Verstappen’s control of the 57-lap contest continued as a result, with the Dutchman advancing past Piastri by just under eight seconds.
Piastri rebuffed his claim that “we did not get it right tonight.”
“I attempted to drive as quickly as I could, but it was not. Retrospectively, it seems pretty obvious what we should have done, but we’ll talk about it together. The Australian continued, “It’s a little difficult to swallow right now.”
Verstappen remarked, “A fantastic race for us. We placed the appropriate call beneath that safety car. A strong race for us during a difficult weekend.
Verstappen will look to make history by winning the final race at Yas Marina over Lewis Hamilton on the final lap following a contentious 2021 result.
Verstappen, who had earlier downed his chances earlier this season, said, “It’s possible now, but we will see.” “I don’t really worry too much about it,” he said.
Max Verstappen completes the podium at the Lusail International Circuit for the Formula One Qatar Grand Prix.
Prior to US special envoy Steve Witkoff’s crucial trip to Moscow, American and Ukrainian officials are engaged in discussions aimed at developing “reliable security guarantees” for Ukraine as part of a US-backed peace plan.
A Ukrainian delegation led by Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, sat down with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Witkoff, who stated that the discussions are meant to “create a path” for a sovereign Ukraine.
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On the basis of the progress made in Geneva, Umerov wrote on X, “We have clear directives and priorities: safeguarding Ukrainian interests, ensuring substantive dialogue, and advancing.”
He added that “reliable, long-term security guarantees” are what negotiators want for Ukraine to achieve.
The negotiations come a week after Rubio and Ukrainian negotiators met in Geneva, Switzerland to review the initial Russian-wish list-based peace plan. Vladimir Putin’s scheduled meeting with Witkoff, which Trump earlier hinted would take place this week, is set to take place with the sit-down.
Putin said the unpublished US draft could serve as a “basis for future agreements,” and that Witkoff should be the first priority in his discussions with Witkoff.
Jared Kushner, the son of Donald Trump, may also be present in Moscow.
Rubio said it’s important to end a war in a way that allows them to become independent and sovereign, never have another war, and create tremendous prosperity for its citizens so they can not just rebuild the nation but also enter an era of extraordinary economic progress.
According to Ukraine’s first deputy foreign minister Sergiy Kyslytsya on X, talks between US and Ukrainian officials “start off well” and are “going to a warm atmosphere conducing to potential progress.”
“Eminent days”
Ukraine’s response to the negotiations comes at a sensitive time as it fights back against Russian forces that invaded in 2022, with the resignation of his top official, Andriy Yermak, this week.
Last week, Yermak and Rubio met in Geneva to discuss changes to Trump’s original 28-point plan, which initially included limiting Russia’s military size, restricting its size, and giving up on joining NATO.
In response to criticism from Kyiv and Europe, the US reduced the original draft to 19 points, but the current content is still a mystery.
Zelenskyy claimed on X that America is “showing a constructive approach.”
It is possible to “fine-tune the steps” to bring the war to an honorable conclusion, he said.
The Ukrainian president stated on Sunday that “many things can change” when he spoke with NATO’s Mark Rutte.
We will continue speaking in the coming days when I spoke with Mark Rutte @SecGenNATO. There are significant changes to be made in these times. Our joint measures and shared positions are what we are coordinating closely, and our efforts are coordinated by all of our partners…
Zelenskyy will be a guest of French President Emmanuel Macron’s meeting in Paris on Monday, according to the French presidency.
Prior to the US summit, Russia’s forces have been focusing on Ukraine’s capital and the region for two nights straight as it advances on the front line.
Six people were killed and dozens of others were hurt in the country as a result of Russian attacks on Ukraine on Saturday night. 400, 000 Kyiv homes were cut off from power.
One person was killed and eleven were hurt in a drone attack near Kyiv, according to the regional governor.
Alexander Isak, the under-pressure football champions, put an end to a poor run of form with a much-needed 2-0 victory over West Ham United on Sunday, marking Liverpool’s first English Premier League goal.
Mohamed Salah was eliminated from his starting lineup for the first time in the Premier League after their worst spell in over 70 years, losing nine of their previous 12 games.
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Florian Wirtz looked skilled, but he let go of Liverpool’s best chance in the first half with a weak effort that gave goalkeeper Alphonse Areola a chance.
Before the break, Isak had missed two chances to score well and had a good reaction stop from Areola midway through the half.
The Reds took the lead slightly deserved and never looked like giving up when the Sweden striker slotted home a Cody Gakpo pullback on the hour mark.
Lucas Paqueta, who was ostensibly booked twice for dissent with less than ten minutes to go, helped Liverpool’s cause, before Gakpo added a second goal in the 92nd minute to add to the trio’s three points.
Liverpool moved up to eighth place with 21 points from 13 games, while West Ham are 17th with 11 points, which is equal to 18th-placed Leeds United, with their second victory in eight league games.
[Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images] Cody Gakpo, right, scores Liverpool’s second goal against West Ham.
Isak put an end to Liverpool’s losing run.
West Ham entered the game after back-to-back home victories and appeared to have turned the corner, as fans and players paid tribute to former captain, coach, and manager Billy Bonds, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 79.
However, after scoring 10 goals in their last three games, Liverpool ultimately had too much quality and, crucially for Slot, kept their fifth consecutive win.
Isak’s effort was well over the bar with his drawn-out move from Newcastle United still glaringly unrelated to him, who could have had the lead within four minutes.
After the break, West Ham’s fans began to believe Liverpool were in the possession of them, and Paqueta sent a half-volley from 30 yards narrowly wide.
Isak was unmarked in the box as Liverpool recovered possession from a throw-in and coolly side-footed into the bottom corner in the 60th minute.
