Oil prices reached a four-month high after Russia received more US sanctions
Oil prices reached their highest point in four months because of new U.S. actions against Russia. As a result, fuel prices may rise soon.
Global benchmark Brent advanced above $81 a barrel after surging almost 4% in the previous session. West Texas Intermediate was near $78. On Friday, the US imposed its most aggressive and ambitious sanctions yet on Russia’s oil industry, targeting two large exporters, insurance companies, and more than 150 tankers.
The US Treasury’s new sanctions specifically target Russian oil companies Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, along with 183 ships that have been carrying Russian oil. These measures aim to reduce the money Russia can use to fund its war in Ukraine.
China and India, which buy a lot of Russian oil, will now need to get their oil from the Middle East, Africa and the Americas, boosting prices and freight costs.
Another NAF airstrike killed civilians in Zamfara
An airstrike in Zamfara State’s Kakindawa village, located in the Maradun Local Government Area killed 16 civilian vigilantes. According to The Punch, these volunteers were heading to help people in nearby Tungar Kara village, which was under attack by bandits when the incident happened on Saturday evening.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) spokesperson, AVM Olusola Akinboyewa, released a statement about military operations in the area. He said their forces attacked bandits on Fakai Hills and successfully took down many followers of Kachallah Bello Turji. However, he didn’t mention anything about civilian deaths.
But the state governor’s office, through spokesman Sulaiman Bala, acknowledged both the military operation and the civilian deaths. “Some members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and local vigilantes were also affected during the operation in Tungar Kara, resulting in the loss of lives,” Bala said. “We pray to Almighty Allah to grant them Jannah… The government will provide necessary support and assistance to the bereaved families,” the governor’s aide said.
Read Also: Military clarifies civilian deaths in Sokoto airstrike, blames secondary explosion at terrorist base
The world’s largest human gathering is about to begin in India
Starting Monday, India is hosting its biggest religious festival which happens every 10 years. This event, called the Kumbh Mela (meaning “festival of the sacred pitcher”), gives Prime Minister Modi’s political party a chance to promote its Hindu-focused message to hundreds of millions of visitors.
The festival takes place where two rivers – the Ganges and Yamuna – meet in Uttar Pradesh, a state in northern India. According to Hindu belief, a third magical river called the Saraswati also joins at this spot.
The celebration will last about six weeks along the Ganges River. It brings together all kinds of people – Hindu worshippers, tourists, wealthy and poor visitors, politicians, and famous people.
Local reports say the festival might attract up to 400 million pilgrims.
Zelenskiy wants to exchange North Korean soldiers for Ukrainians
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine has offered to send captured North Korean soldiers back to their country. But there’s a catch: he wants North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un to help get Ukrainian soldiers out of Russian prisons in exchange.
Ukraine says it has already caught two North Korean soldiers who were fighting for Russia in the Kursk area. Zelenskiy believes they’ll probably catch more North Korean soldiers as the fighting continues.
On X, Zelenskiy wrote: “Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un’s soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia.”
“For those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available,” he added. “In particular, those who express a desire to bring peace closer by spreading the truth about this war in Korean will be given that opportunity.”
iPhones lost global market share to Android rivals last year
Last year, Apple sold fewer iPhones and lost some of its market share to Chinese companies. A big reason for this was that Apple’s AI features weren’t available in China, which is their biggest market outside of America.
Numbers from Counterpoint Research show Apple’s share of the smartphone market in China dropped to 18% in 2024. Samsung, another big phone maker, also lost ground to Chinese companies that make Android phones, especially Xiaomi and Vivo. While the global smartphone market grew by 4%, Apple’s sales actually went down by 2%.
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