India’s PM Modi conferred Ghana’s highest civilian honour
Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, was conferred Ghana’s highest civilian honour, the Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, on Thursday for his global leadership and efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama presented the award during Modi’s official visit, marking the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 30 years, according to Firstpost.
Modi dedicated the honor to the people of India, describing it as a symbol of shared values and developing friendship between the two countries. Both presidents are committed to transform India-Ghana relations into a comprehensive partnership.
Macron and Putin discuss Iran, Ukraine in first call since 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke Tuesday for the first time in over two years, touching on Iran’s nuclear program and the war in Ukraine, according to Xinhua.
Macron urged Iran’s full cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, stressing shared global responsibility under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Putin, in turn, defended Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy while backing continued IAEA engagement.
When it came to Ukraine, Macron said again that France supported the country's independence and called for peace talks and an end to the fighting. Putin condemned Western armaments support for escalating the war and urged for long-term solutions based on present geographical realities, Xinhua reported.
Trump says Israel agrees to 60-Day ceasefire deal, urges Hamas to accept
US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Israel has agreed to the terms of a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, urging Hamas to accept the proposal to avoid further escalation.
Trump said the deal, mediated with support from Qatar and Egypt, aims to halt hostilities while efforts continue to end the conflict permanently. “It won’t get better — it will only get worse,” Trump warned Hamas via his Truth Social account, according to Firstpost.
The announcement comes ahead of Trump’s upcoming meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next week. Meanwhile, Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer held talks in Washington with senior US officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, focusing on the Gaza ceasefire and regional security, Firstpost reported.
Trump signs executive order to lift most sanctions on Syria
US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order lifting most sanctions on Syria, marking a significant shift in US policy following the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
The order ends five previous executive sanctions and authorizes relaxed export controls and foreign aid to Syria. However, sanctions will remain in place against Assad, his associates, and entities linked to terrorism, human rights abuses, and chemical weapons, according to Xinhua.
The Treasury Department issued a general license allowing transactions with Syria’s interim government and state-owned enterprises. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been tasked with exploring sanctions relief at the UN and reviewing Syria’s terror designations.
The Trump administration said it will continue monitoring Syria’s progress on normalization with Israel and counterterrorism efforts, Xinhua reported.
