April 26, 2025

Daily News Brief

* Israel's aid blockade deepens hunger in Gaza: UN Fifty-four days into Israel’s aid blockade, the UN says hunger in Gaza is reaching crisis levels. UNRWA has nearly 3,000 trucks of lifesaving aid stuck at the border, blocked by Israeli authorities. “People in Gaza are starving,” the agency warned, accusing Israel of using aid as a “weapon of war.” It called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and full access for humanitarian supplies. * India, Pakistan trade fire along Kashmir border Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged gunfire for a second straight night along the Line of Control. India’s army accused Pakistan of unprovoked small arms fire from “multiple posts” across the tense Kashmir frontier. No injuries or casualties have been reported. Earlier, India unilaterally suspended the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan warned that any attempt to divert or block its water share would be seen as an "act of war," stressing that the agreement, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, cannot be suspended unilaterally. * Francis's funeral to be grand farewell to 'pope of the poor' World leaders and thousands of mourners are gathering in Vatican City today for the funeral of Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church. Over 250,000 people have already paid respects to the late pope, who died Monday at 88. A massive security operation is underway, with snipers on rooftops and fighter jets on alert. The funeral mass, led in St Peter’s Square, begins at 10:00 am local time. * FBI arrests judge in immigration showdown A federal judge has been arrested for allegedly obstructing a Trump's immigration operation, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. He claimed Judge Hannah Dugan misled agents in her Milwaukee courtroom, helping an undocumented immigrant escape. The now-deleted post caused a stir, but law enforcement confirmed Dugan’s arrest. * Istanbul’s Tulip Festival is back showcasing largest floral carpet Spring in Istanbul is a full-blown floral spectacle, crowned by the world’s largest tulip carpet in Sultanahmet Square. The city’s annual Tulip Festival showcases over 500,000 flowers in designs inspired by Turkish tradition. For locals and tourists alike, it’s a season of heritage, beauty, and pride in full bloom.