Moscow, Russia — Russia has called on the United States to expedite the approval process for its new ambassador, stressing the importance of ensuring the smooth functioning of diplomatic missions for effective dialogue between the two nations.
“We would, of course, like a decision on this matter to be made as soon as possible, because, in our opinion, the normal functioning of foreign missions headed by ambassadors is a prerequisite for any dialogue,” Russian Deputy Premier Sergey Ryabkov told reporters on Monday.
Ryabkov criticized the delay, noting that the absence of Russia’s ambassador in Washington due to the lack of approval from the U.S. was “undesirable” and urged his counterparts to resolve the issue swiftly. “Although, once again, today’s situation is not extraordinary in terms of the time during which we are waiting for a decision,” he added.
The vacancy follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision on October 10 to relieve Anatoly Antonov, 69, of his role as ambassador to the U.S., a position Antonov had held since 2017. However, no replacement has yet been named.
Antonov’s departure comes at a time of heightened tensions, with relations between Moscow and Washington reaching their lowest point in years. Despite these strained ties, Ryabkov emphasized the importance of having an ambassador in place to facilitate diplomatic dialogue.
BOGOTA, Colombia — The White House claimed victory Sunday in a tense standoff with Colombia over its acceptance of deported migrants from the U.S., following a threat from President Donald Trump to impose steep tariffs and other sanctions on the long-time ally.
The U.S. and Colombia, traditionally close partners in anti-narcotics efforts, found themselves at odds over the deportation of migrants and retaliatory tariffs on each other’s goods. The White House highlighted the episode as a warning to other nations that might challenge Trump’s hardline immigration policies.
Earlier in the day, President Trump announced sweeping measures, including visa restrictions and 25% tariffs on all Colombian imports—set to increase to 50% within a week—after Colombian President Gustavo Petro refused to accept two U.S. military flights carrying deported migrants. Petro accused Trump of disrespecting immigrants’ dignity during deportation, escalating the dispute by announcing a 25% tariff increase on U.S. imports. Trump defended his measures as necessary to protect U.S. national security, stating on Truth Social, “We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations regarding the acceptance and return of criminals they forced into the United States.”
By late Sunday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Colombia had agreed to all of Trump’s demands, including the unrestricted acceptance of deported migrants via U.S. military aircraft. Leavitt noted that while the tariff orders would be held in reserve, visa restrictions on Colombian officials and enhanced customs inspections of Colombian goods would remain in place until the first deportation flight landed successfully.
Colombian officials also confirmed the resolution. “We have overcome the impasse with the United States government,” Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo stated, adding that Colombia’s presidential aircraft was now available to ensure the return of migrants under dignified conditions.
The conflict had escalated earlier when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio imposed visa restrictions on Colombian officials deemed responsible for blocking deportation flights and suspended visa processing at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota. Petro, in response, reiterated that deported migrants must be treated with dignity, sharing a video of migrants reportedly deported to Brazil in hand and foot restraints as an example of the treatment he opposed.
Colombia, a critical U.S. ally and the fourth-largest overseas supplier of crude oil to the United States, has faced increasing tensions with Washington since Petro, a former guerrilla, became the country’s first leftist president in 2022. Colombia ranked fifth among nations receiving U.S. deportation flights, accepting 124 flights in 2024 alone.
This latest standoff underscores the shifting dynamics between the two countries as the Trump administration continues to push its aggressive immigration agenda. Two U.S. Air Force C-17 planes carrying deported migrants recently landed in Guatemala, while Honduras received two flights carrying 193 people, showcasing Trump’s broader efforts to fulfill campaign promises on illegal immigration.
Colombia has traditionally been a strategic partner in Latin America, not only in counter-narcotics efforts but also as a supplier of crude oil and fresh-cut flowers to the U.S. However, Sunday’s events mark a significant test of the long-standing relationship between the two nations.
Gaza, Gaza strip – Eight of the hostages due for release in the first phase of a truce deal between Israel and Gaza are dead, Hamas has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Hamas has provided a long-awaited list of the hostages to be released during the first six-week phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, stating that 25 of 33 hostages were alive.
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer confirmed the remaining eight hostages were dead.
“The families have been informed of the situation of their relatives,” Mencer told reporters.
That means that of the 26 hostages yet to be freed under the first phase of the agreement, only 18 are still alive.
The news came as tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians streamed along the main roads leading into northern Gaza as Israel opened roadblocks after militant group Hamas agreed to hand over female Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud and two other hostages.
A mass of people, some holding infants in their arms or carrying bundles of belongings on their shoulders, headed north on foot, along a road running by the Mediterranean Sea shore.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians had waited for two days at roadblocks to return to their homes. Photo : Reuters:Ramadan Abed
Witnesses in northern Gaza said the first residents arrived in Gaza City on Monday morning after the first crossing point in central Gaza opened at 7am, local-time.
“It’s like I was born again and we were victorious again,” said Palestinian mother, Umm Mohammed Ali, part of the kilometres-long throng that processed slowly up the coastal road.
Another crossing opened around three hours later, letting in vehicles.
Children in warm jackets and carrying backpacks walked hand in hand, men pushed the elderly in wheelchairs and families posed for selfies as Hamas-hired officials in red vests directed them along the coastal road.
Displaced Palestinians return to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Hamas officials and ordinary Gazans have rejected a suggestion from US President Donald Trump that Jordan and Egypt should take in Palestinians from the war-ravaged enclave, rekindling long-standing Palestinian fears about being driven permanently from their homes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to meet with Mr Trump at the White House next week, Israel’s Walla News website reported on Monday, citing three unnamed Israeli and US sources.
Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, residents of northern Gaza were due to return at the weekend.
But Israel said that Hamas had broken the deal by failing to release civilian female hostage Arbel Yehud and kept its forces in the Netzarim corridor that cuts across the enclave south of Gaza City.
Late on Sunday, Qatari mediators said Hamas had agreed to released Yehud and two other hostages before Friday and that Israel would in turn allow displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that Yehud, soldier Agam Berger and another hostage would be released by Hamas.
He confirmed in a post on X that Israel would allow displaced Gaza families to return to their homes in the north of the Palestinian enclave.
“The prime minister reiterates that Israel will not tolerate any violation of the agreement. We will continue to act for the return of all of our hostages, the living and the deceased,” said a statement issued by Netanyahu’s office.
‘I thought I would never come back’
As news that the crossings would be opened filtered out, thousands of displaced families burst in cheers at shelters and tent encampments.
“My heart is beating, I thought I would never come back,” said Osama, 50 a public servant and father of five, as he arrived in Gaza City.
“Whether the ceasefire succeeds or not, we will never leave Gaza City and the north again, even if Israel would sent a tank for each one of us, no more displacement.”
Displaced Palestinians return to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
The move brokered by Qatar and Egyptian mediators would allow around 650,000 Palestinians in central and southern Gaza Strip to return to homes in the north of the enclave, most of which had been laid waste by 15 months of Israel’s aerial and ground offensive.
More than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in the offensive, according to the Gaza health ministry
Hamas took around 250 hostages during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel in which about 1,200 people were killed, according to Israeli tallies.
It sparked the latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The fighting has currently paused amid a fragile ceasefire.
Lebanese try again to return to southern border villages
South Lebanon residents accompanied by the army tried to return to their villages on Monday, official media and AFP correspondents reported, a day after Israeli fire killed more than 20 people in the area.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that Lebanon had agreed to an extension of the ceasefire deal between Hezbollah and Israel until February 18, after the Israeli military missed Sunday’s deadline to withdraw.
An AFP correspondent saw dozens of vehicles carrying families headed towards border towns, a day after hundreds of residents tried unsuccessfully to return to their homes.
Lebanon’s health ministry said that fresh “Israeli enemy attacks while citizens attempt to return to their towns” had wounded two people Monday in the village of Bani Hayyan, including a child.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee on Monday called again for south Lebanon residents to “wait” before returning.
The Israeli military had said soldiers “fired warning shots to remove threats” where “suspects were identified approaching the troops”.
The Lebanese army said Sunday it would “continue to accompany residents” returning to the south and “protect them from Israeli attacks”.
Rawalpindi, Pakistan – A court in Rawalpindi sentenced four men to death for posting blasphemous content online, a prosecution lawyer told AFP on Monday.
“They were sentenced to death … on Friday for spreading blasphemous content online against the Prophet Muhammad (PUBH) and the Quran,” Rao Abdur Raheem, a lawyer from the Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan, a private group which brought the case to court, told AFP.
“Our case was supported by forensic evidence from the devices used in this heinous act,” he added.
According to the court order dated January 24 — a copy of which is available with Dawn.com — the four individuals were sentenced to death by hanging for violating Section 295C (Use of derogatory remarks, etc, in respect of the Holy Prophet [PBUH]) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
They were also sentenced to life in prison under 295B (defiling, etc, of the Holy Quran) and 10 years imprisonment under 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting Its religion or religious beliefs). “All the above-mentioned sentences of imprisonment shall run concurrently,” the order read.
The four were charged under sections 295A, 295B, 295C, 298A (use of derogatory remarks, etc, in respect of holy personages) and Section 11 (hate speech) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act in October 2022, according to a first information report seen by Dawn.com.
A member of a support group formed by the families confirmed the sentence to AFP and said the group would challenge the conviction.
“The pattern of arrests and prosecutions in this case is consistent with previous ones,” said the support group member, who spoke anonymously due to security concerns.
“We urge the government to establish a commission to investigate the rise in these cases before these young individuals spend the best years of their lives behind bars.”
Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Pakistan, where even unsubstantiated accusations can incite public outrage and lead to lynchings.
Last May, police rescued a Christian man from an enraged mob who wanted to lynch him and attacked the homes of some other members of the minority community in Sargodha on allegations of desecration of the Holy Quran.
The mob swelled and set a shoe shop owned by the Christian family on fire and tried to enter their house after damaging the walls and doors.
Sargodha District Police Officer Assad Ejaz Malhi said that 25 of the mobsters were taken into custody from the spot and they were identifying the other attackers.
Later that year, Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar, accused of sharing blasphemous posts on social media, was shot dead during a gun battle with the police in Mirpurkhas on September 19, authorities said.
According to an official order issued by the Sindh Inspector General (IG), an inquiry committee was constituted to probe two cases (FIR No. 47/2024 and 48/2024) registered at the Sindhri police station on September 19.
According to a copy of the inquiry report available with Dawn.com, the committee “unanimously” agreed that Mirpurkhas police “killed him [Dr Shahnawaz] in a managed encounter and tried to give it a legal cover but failed”.
The report recommended that the deceased’s family record a statement and file a first information report under the relevant provisions, whilst suggesting “strict departmental action” against personnel from both Umerkot and Mirpurkhas police who allegedly celebrated the killing.
Meanwhile, the country has witnessed a sharp increase in the prosecution of “online blasphemy” cases, with private vigilante groups bringing charges against hundreds of young individuals for allegedly committing blasphemy.
New Delhi, India – The countdown for the Delhi elections has begun, with voting scheduled for 5 February. Political parties are leaving no stone unturned in their campaigns to secure victory.
This time, the Shalimar Bagh assembly seat has become a focal point of attention. Among the candidates from Congress, BJP, and Aam Aadmi Party, independent candidate Saurabh Gupta is making headlines. Known as the “Youth King” of the Shalimar Bagh constituency, Saurabh Gupta has earned recognition for standing by the people in both their moments of joy and sorrow.
Adding to his growing popularity, many prominent Bollywood personalities have shown their support for Saurabh Gupta by releasing video appeals. He is also receiving strong backing from the Purvanchal voters, who are regarded as kingmakers in the Shalimar Bagh assembly constituency.
The Purvanchal community emphasizes the need for a leader who consistently supports them through thick and thin, and they believe Saurabh Gupta embodies those qualities.
Timothée Chalamet puts his own spin on Bob Dylan’s hidden gems on SNL: Watch
The majority of the crowd was, well, utterly unaware of the Bob Dylan songs that Timothée Chalamet chose for his musical engagement on Saturday Night Live.
While his selections defied expectations that he would recreate songs he sang as Dylan in A Complete Unknown, which turned out to be the furthest thing from his mind, the actor’s foray into more esoteric choices surprised many Dylanologists who tuned in.
Chalamet hinted that the selections made during his musical section might surprise the audience in his introductory monologue as host.
“You might not know the Bob Dylan songs I’m performing, but they’re my personal favorites,” he told the audience. “I’m so grateful ‘Saturday Night Live’ is still doing weird stuff like this 50 years in. They’re either really nice for letting me do this or incredibly mean and this is all a big prank.”
To the pleasure of expectant music lovers, Chalamet was joined on keyboards for the musical parts by the well-known singer-songwriter James Blake in an unannounced cameo.
Wearing sunglasses and a winter coat with a hood over his head, the Dune star launched into two songs back-to-back for his first musical appearance in the show, making it immediately clear that he intended to perform in his own voice and have some irreverent fun with it.
Chalamet performed a brief, lively, and audacious medley of Outlaw Blues and Three Angels during that debut, two songs that are well-known to true Dylan fans but have never been included on a greatest-hits album.
When Chalamet returned later in the concert to sing a third Dylan song, he adopted a more restrained approach, but he continued to stay to the extensive catalogue and avoid an overt Dylan vocal style.
Tomorrow Is a Long Time, which Dylan initially sang live and demoed in 1962 but didn’t release in any form until the 1970s, despite being covered by numerous other artists in the 1960s, was the song he performed to end the evening.
BOGOTA, Colombia – Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced early Sunday morning that planes carrying deported Colombian migrants from the United States will no longer be permitted to land in the country.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Petro stated, “The U.S. cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals,” calling on Washington to develop a protocol that “treats migrants with dignity.”
The announcement aligns with a broader wave of discontent across Latin America over the U.S.’s planned mass deportations. Brazil’s foreign ministry on Saturday demanded explanations from the U.S. government regarding what it called the “degrading treatment” of Brazilian migrants aboard deportation flights. Meanwhile, Mexico refused to allow a similar flight to land in its territory on Friday.
Migrants slated for deportation are being escorted onto U.S. military aircraft, as President Donald Trump delivers on his campaign promise to take a hardline stance on immigration. Photo Credit: White House
Petro’s comments reflect growing frustration among regional leaders over the U.S. immigration policies, particularly as they relate to mass deportations. The Colombian president emphasized the importance of respecting migrants’ rights and called for greater dialogue to ensure humane treatment.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have yet to respond to the escalating criticism.
This move comes as regional tensions over U.S. deportation practices deepen, with Latin American nations pushing back against policies perceived as unjust and disrespectful toward their citizens abroad.
Islamabad, Pakistan – At least three people, including the attacker, were killed, and six others injured in a suicide attack on a passenger bus in Balochistan, southern Pakistan, on Sunday, an official said.
The attack occurred at 10:30 am on the M-8 highway in the Khori area, as the bus traveled from Khuzdar in southern Balochistan to Rawalpindi in northeastern Punjab, paramilitary Levies force official Naiv Ullah told EFE.
The attacker detonated a bomb while traveling in a separate vehicle, partially destroying the bus, Naiv Ullah said.
No group has claimed responsibility, though Baloch separatist groups operating in the region, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, are often accused by Islamabad of terrorism.
Such groups usually target security forces rather than civilians, making this incident unusual.
The injured were taken to the Khuzdar Trauma Center for treatment.The attack comes amid escalating violence in Pakistan, particularly in the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where both Baloch insurgents and the Pakistani Taliban are active.
Earlier this month, five soldiers were killed, and 20 others injured in a Baloch insurgent ambush near Turbat.
According to the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), 2024 was the deadliest year for Pakistan in nearly a decade, with 2,546 violence-related deaths, including 685 security personnel. Over 90 percent of these fatalities occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Ongoing Clashes Between M23 Rebels and DRC Army Spark Global Concern
Kinshasa, DRC – The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains gripped by violence as fighting between the rebel March 23 Movement (M23) and the Congolese army escalated over the weekend, with alarming humanitarian consequences.
Clashes erupted on multiple fronts in Masisi territory, near Goma, the strategic capital of North Kivu province. Home to over two million people and numerous international NGOs and UN offices, Goma now faces a direct threat from M23, which has vowed to capture the city following a week of intensified fighting.
Crisis Intensifies
The rebel group, supported by Rwandan forces, seized Minova on January 21, a town 40 kilometers from Goma. This critical gain has cut supply routes to the city, worsening already dire conditions. The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (Monusco) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) peacekeeping mission are assisting the Congolese army in a bid to halt the rebel advance.
In a statement, Clémentine de Montjoye, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, called on international actors to pressure warring parties to protect civilians amidst reports of severe abuses by all sides. Over 300 people have been injured in North Kivu this week alone, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The humanitarian crisis in Goma has reached critical levels, with severe shortages of drinking water and electricity. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that recent violence has displaced an additional 400,000 people in the past three weeks, compounding the plight of over four million already displaced in the region.
A United Nations armoured personnel carrier burns outside Goma, a provincial capital in eastern Congo, on Saturday. (Jospin Mwisha/AFP/Getty Images)
Peacekeepers Targeted
The violence has also claimed the lives of peacekeepers. A South African military union confirmed the deaths of nine South African soldiers this week, seven serving under SADC’s SAMIDRC mission and two with Monusco. Three Malawian soldiers and one Uruguayan peacekeeper were also killed, with dozens more wounded, including personnel from Guatemala.
In response to the worsening security situation, Monusco announced the temporary relocation of non-essential staff to Goma to safeguard lives while ensuring critical humanitarian operations continue.
International Reactions
Global leaders are voicing growing concern. African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat called for an immediate ceasefire, urging the international community to mobilize support for affected populations. The European Union condemned the M23’s advance as a blatant violation of the 2024 ceasefire agreement, urging Rwanda to cease its support of the rebel group.
Although Rwanda denies allegations of aiding M23, the UN has documented evidence of collaboration. Conversely, the M23 and Rwanda have accused the Congolese army of working with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel group founded by perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. This claim, too, has been corroborated by UN findings.
A Region in Turmoil
The M23 resumed armed activities in late 2021, launching a series of offensives against the Congolese army. Since March 2022, the group has seized vast swaths of territory in North Kivu, drawing dangerously close to Goma, a city it briefly occupied in 2012.
The DRC’s eastern region has faced decades of conflict, involving numerous rebel militias and the army, despite Monusco’s long-standing presence. As the situation worsens, international pressure mounts to broker peace and alleviate the suffering of millions caught in the crossfire.
Jerusalem/Gaza – On Saturday, Hamas freed four Israeli female soldiers after 477 days of captivity in the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli Army.
The soldiers crossed into Israeli territory and were reunited with their families following the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel. As part of the agreement, 200 Palestinian prisoners were set to be released in exchange for the hostages. The soldiers, accompanied by security forces and the domestic intelligence service, Shin Bet, were transported across the border and will undergo medical check-ups before reuniting with their loved ones.
A vehicle of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) drives in front of Palestinians and Hamas militants gathered in the center of Gaza City ahead of the release of four Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, 25 January 2025. EFE-EPA/MAHMOUD ZAKI
Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari expressed that the mission to return all captives will continue, saying, “We welcome four more Israeli hostages… and this mission will not end until all the captives are returned.”
The freed soldiers – Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, and Naama Levy – are all between 19 and 20 years old. They were captured on October 7, 2023, at the Nahal Oz military base, located just one kilometer from the Gaza Strip, where they were serving in compulsory military service as spotters.
A fifth soldier, Agam Berger, remains in captivity, and her status is unknown, with uncertainty surrounding her survival.
The Hostages and Families Forum, which represents Israeli families of the remaining 87 hostages in Gaza, expressed that the return of the four soldiers was “a moment of hope and triumph.” The group also vowed to continue fighting for the return of all hostages and thanked President Trump for his instrumental role in facilitating the agreement.
Fifteen female soldiers died at the Nahal Oz base during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people, and seven others were taken into captivity. Other observers from Nahal Oz include Ori Megidish, rescued by the Israeli Army in October 2023, and Noa Marciano, who died in captivity and whose body was found near Al Shifa Hospital in November 2023.
Sources from the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that 121 of the 200 released Palestinian prisoners will be transferred to Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
