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Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Sunday, including President Donald Trump welcoming the start of Venezuela’s release of political prisoners, while issuing a reminder to Caracas about expectations and US leverage; a Pan-Islamic bloc stresses firm support for Somalia’s unity and sovereignty and; 23 civilians have been killed and 104 injured in SDF attacks in Syria’s Aleppo, according to saying a health official
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Venezuela started 'in a big way' to release political prisoners: Trump
President Donald Trump welcomed the start of Venezuela’s release of political prisoners, while issuing a reminder to Caracas about expectations and US leverage.
"Venezuela has started the process, in a big way, of releasing their political prisoners," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He added that he hopes those freed would “remember how lucky they got that the USA came along and did what had to be done,” and warned that forgetting “will not be good for them.”
Pan-Islamic bloc stresses firm support for Somalia’s unity, sovereignty
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) reaffirmed its firm support for Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, denouncing Israel’s recognition of the breakaway Somaliland region as “a dangerous violation” of international law.
The stance was voiced during the OIC’s 22nd extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers, held at the organization’s headquarters in Saudi Arabia to discuss developments in Somalia following Israeli recognition last month of Somaliland as an independent state.
OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said the meeting was convened at a “very delicate and sensitive time” to address serious developments affecting Somalia’s sovereignty, describing Israel’s move as “a dangerous precedent” that constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and a direct threat to regional security and stability.
Taha said the session followed an extraordinary meeting of the OIC Executive Committee with open membership at the level of permanent representatives, held Jan. 1, 2025, reflecting the depth of shared concern among member states.
23 civilians killed, 104 injured in SDF attacks in Syria’s Aleppo: Health official
At least 23 civilians were killed and 104 injured in attacks by the YPG/SDF terror organization on residential neighborhoods in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo since Tuesday, a local health official said.
Mounir al-Mohammad, media director at Aleppo’s Health Directorate, told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) that the casualties resulted from SDF shelling civilian areas.
The dead included a child and four women, he added, noting that one of the fatalities was a dentistry student killed by sniper fire.
He said most of the injured were women and children, with many cases in critical condition and at risk of dying at any moment.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and his Syrian counterpart Murhaf Abu Qasra discussed developments in Syria, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute said the Peace Prize cannot be transferred, following remarks by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who suggested she might give her 2025 award to US President Donald Trump.
A rare copy of the first issue of the 1938 comic book series “Action Comics No. 1,” which introduced Superman to the world, was purchased for $15 million by an anonymous collector.
At least 29 people were arrested after demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, authorities said.
Republican US Sen. Lindsey Graham told Iranians: "Your long nightmare is soon coming to a close."
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting following a request by Ukraine, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
The Israeli army said it killed three Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, marking a new violation of last year’s ceasefire deal.
Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council announced the formation of a top military committee under the leadership of the Saudi-led coalition to command Yemeni forces, following the successful capture of military camps from the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in several provinces.
Iran "has now been offline for 48 hours," London-based internet monitoring group NetBlocks said.
Syria suspended all air traffic at Aleppo International Airport until further notice, citing security concerns linked to attacks by the YPG/SDF terror organization on residential neighborhoods in the northern city.
Hundreds of demonstrators in Paris protested a US military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
US billionaire Elon Musk claimed that critics of his social media company X are seizing on “any excuse for censorship” for its AI chatbot allowing users to create non-consensual deepfake obscene content, including images of women and children.
