Good Evening and Welcome Back! Here’s a quick rundown of tonight’s headlines, starting with the US won’t seek the death penalty for El Chapo’s son in Chicago. Gaza aid hub stormed amid hunger and Israeli gunfire. Suspected bomber killed near Nigerian army barracks. France urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to finalize the peace deal. Ukraine arrested Russian informants as strikes intensified. Sweden indicted an ISIS fighter over the execution of a Jordanian pilot’s execution. Gunmen killed a cop guarding a polio team in Pakistan.
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US Will Not Seek Death Penalty for El Chapo’s Son in Chicago Drug Case
Federal prosecutors announced they will not pursue the death penalty against Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of infamous drug lord “El Chapo,” in his Chicago drug trafficking case.
US Attorney Andrew Boutros filed a one-sentence notice Friday, offering no explanation for the decision.
Guzman Lopez, who is charged with eight counts including drug trafficking, money laundering, and conspiracy, has pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday, called the decision appropriate and said they look forward to resolving the case.
Prosecutors allege Guzman Lopez and his brother Ovidio led the “Chapitos” faction of the Sinaloa cartel, a major exporter of fentanyl to the US Both were named in sweeping 2023 indictments targeting the cartel’s leadership.
Guzman Lopez was arrested in Texas in July alongside Sinaloa figure Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who claims he was kidnapped and brought to the US by Guzman Lopez.
Good Evening and Welcome Back! Here’s a quick rundown of tonight’s headlines, starting with the US won’t seek the death penalty for El Chapo’s son in Chicago. Gaza aid hub stormed amid hunger and Israeli gunfire. Suspected bomber killed near Nigerian army barracks. France urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to finalize the peace deal. Ukraine arrested Russian informants as strikes intensified. Sweden indicted an ISIS fighter over the execution of a Jordanian pilot’s execution. Gunmen killed a cop guarding a polio team in Pakistan.
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US Will Not Seek Death Penalty for El Chapo’s Son in Chicago Drug Case
Federal prosecutors announced they will not pursue the death penalty against Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of infamous drug lord “El Chapo,” in his Chicago drug trafficking case.
US Attorney Andrew Boutros filed a one-sentence notice Friday, offering no explanation for the decision.
Guzman Lopez, who is charged with eight counts including drug trafficking, money laundering, and conspiracy, has pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday, called the decision appropriate and said they look forward to resolving the case.
Prosecutors allege Guzman Lopez and his brother Ovidio led the “Chapitos” faction of the Sinaloa cartel, a major exporter of fentanyl to the US Both were named in sweeping 2023 indictments targeting the cartel’s leadership.
Guzman Lopez was arrested in Texas in July alongside Sinaloa figure Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who claims he was kidnapped and brought to the US by Guzman Lopez.
Ovidio Guzman Lopez, also indicted in Chicago, is expected to change his plea in court on July 9 as part of a deal, though details remain undisclosed. Lichtman, who represents both brothers, declined further comment.
Chaos Erupts at US-Backed Aid Hub in Gaza Amid Hunger and Israeli Gunfire
Chaos broke out Tuesday at a new aid distribution center near Rafah, Gaza, operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), as thousands of desperate Palestinians breached fences and overwhelmed the site.
Israeli troops fired warning shots, and witnesses reported gunfire, tank fire, and flares from military helicopters as crowds panicked and fled. At least three Palestinians were injured.
The GHF hub, one of four established in Gaza and guarded by private contractors, had begun operations a day earlier. GHF staff withdrew under its safety protocols as the crowds surged, later resuming distribution. Most people left empty-handed.
🚨BREAKING | The US-Israeli backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation opened fire on civilians after losing control over its so-called aid distribution point in west Rafah, with armed personnel responding by shooting instead of managing the crowd properly.
The foundation, accused of… pic.twitter.com/j0AsIbCyMq
— Translating Falasteen (Palestine) (@translatingpal) May 27, 2025
The United Nations and other aid organizations have rejected GHF’s system, calling it a violation of humanitarian norms and accusing Israel of using aid distribution to forcibly relocate civilians.
Critics also condemned the use of facial recognition scans at distribution points. Amid operational challenges, GHF also announced leadership changes. Executive Director Jake Wood resigned Sunday, citing irreconcilable differences over maintaining humanitarian neutrality. John Acree, a veteran of disaster response and civil-military coordination, has been named interim director.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu downplayed the incident, calling it a temporary loss of control. He reiterated plans to move Gaza’s population to a “sterile zone” in the south as fighting continues elsewhere. Israel claims Hamas is diverting aid, which the UN denies.
⚡️JUST IN: Amid the famine in Gaza, tens of thousands of starving Palestinians stormed the American – Israeli [GHF] aid distribution center in Rafah, southern Gaza.
In the first moments of the storming of the Israeli aid center in Rafah, young men climbed over sandbags to enter… pic.twitter.com/Mno2Vlucvl
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) May 27, 2025
Meanwhile, the UN says it cannot retrieve the 400 trucks of aid currently at Gaza’s main crossing due to unsafe, Israeli-designated routes. Humanitarian groups continue to warn that Gaza remains on the brink of famine after months of blockade and conflict.
Explosion Near Nigerian Army Barracks in Abuja Kills Suspected Attacker
An explosion occurred Monday near Mogadishu Cantonment, a major military barracks in Nigeria’s capital Abuja, killing the suspected attacker, according to military and intelligence sources.
The Nigerian Army confirmed the blast via social media, stating the situation is under control. Authorities have not released full details.
An intelligence source told reporters that the explosive detonated while still in possession of the attacker, killing him and injuring another individual, who was taken to the Defense Medical Hospital in Abuja. Photos showed a bloodied body at the scene.
Explosion At Bus Stop Opposite Mogadishu Cantonment Abuja.
Situation Under Control. Details Later.— Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) May 26, 2025
Police cordoned off the area for forensic analysis and deployed bomb disposal officers. A comprehensive investigation is underway to determine the nature and cause of the explosion.
The barracks is located about five kilometers (three miles) from the presidential villa. Abuja has previously been the target of deadly attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State affiliates, including suicide bombings and prison breaks.
Monday’s incident has raised renewed concerns about security in the capital.
France Urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to Finalize Peace Treaty
France on Monday urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to swiftly sign a finalized peace treaty after recent negotiations appeared to stall.
The two nations, long-time adversaries over the Karabakh region, agreed on a peace deal text in March, but Azerbaijan has since added new conditions, including amendments to Armenia’s constitution, before it will sign.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, speaking in Yerevan alongside Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, called the treaty essential and reaffirmed France’s support for Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also pledged continued defense cooperation, including military aid—such as CAESAR howitzers—despite objections from both Baku and Moscow.
Hungary stands for peace in the Caucasus & has long supported Armenia–Azerbaijan reconciliation. Our bilateral ties w/ Armenia are strengthening: we hit a trade record last year, are signing a nuclear deal today, opening an embassy in Yerevan & providing aid to Armenian churches. pic.twitter.com/D6gz2o3rZu
— Péter Szijjártó (@FM_Szijjarto) May 27, 2025
Russia criticized Armenia’s growing military ties with France, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov calling it troubling for a Russian ally to partner with what he described as a hostile Western power.
Barrot responded by denying any French hostility toward Russia, stating France and Europe oppose “the Putinisation of the world,” or redrawing borders by force.
A signed peace deal would mark a significant diplomatic breakthrough in a region where Russia, the European Union, the US, and Turkey compete for influence.
Ukraine Detains Alleged Russian Informants, Including Teen, Amid Intensified Strikes
Ukraine’s SBU security service announced Monday it arrested several suspected informants working for Russia, including a 16-year-old, as Moscow escalates its airstrikes across the country.
The SBU said it dismantled a network of five young agents, aged 16 to 23, operating in multiple regions and providing target coordinates for Russian missile strikes.
Among those detained were a student from Zaporizhzhia, his local acquaintance, her partner, and two brothers from Kharkiv.
The group allegedly planted cars with video recorders near military sites to gather intelligence. They face life sentences for treason.
In a separate case, the SBU also arrested a 57-year-old man in the Mykolaiv region for allegedly directing Russian forces to Ukrainian military positions. Both sides in the war have accused each other of using minors for sabotage and intelligence.
The arrests follow a weekend of heavy Russian bombardment that killed at least 13 people. As the war rages on and approaches its fourth year, Russian forces have ramped up attacks.
NEW: Russian forces conducted one of their largest drone and missile strikes of the war against Ukraine on the night of May 25 to 26 after three nights of record strikes. ⬇️(1/3)
The May 25-26 strike is now the second largest combined strike of the war after Russian forces… pic.twitter.com/MnYt11RSKA
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) May 27, 2025
US President Donald Trump sharply criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him “crazy” over the renewed aggression.
Sweden Indicts IS Fighter Over Execution of Jordanian Pilot
Swedish prosecutors have indicted Osama Krayem, a 32-year-old Swedish national, for his role in the brutal Islamic State execution of Jordanian fighter pilot 1st Lt. Mu’ath al-Kaseasbeh, whose F-16 crashed in Syria on Christmas Eve 2014.
Captured by IS, al-Kaseasbeh was burned alive in a cage—an act recorded in a propaganda video that triggered international outrage and retaliatory executions by Jordan.
Krayem allegedly joined IS in 2014 and was part of a network that guided the group’s propaganda and killings. His trial in Stockholm begins June 4. He has already been convicted in France and Belgium for involvement in the 2015 Paris and 2016 Brussels IS attacks, which together killed over 160 people.
France has temporarily transferred Krayem to Sweden for the trial.
Sweden is now prosecuting the Swedish-Palestinian terrorist Osama Krayem with one of the most brutal ISIS war crimes ever.
Osama Krayem, who was born in Malmo, Sweden in 1992 to Palestinian parents, has already been convicted for involvement in 162 murders in France and Belgium… pic.twitter.com/4sKsKG9P3T
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) January 31, 2025
A native of Rosengard, Sweden, Krayem had a history of criminal behavior and was flagged as a radicalization risk before joining IS. He appeared in Syria in 2014, sharing images of himself armed and posing with IS flags.
Separately, Germany arrested a former Syrian intelligence officer, identified as Fahad A., for allegedly committing crimes against humanity, including torture and the deaths of at least 70 detainees during Syria’s civil war.
While IS has lost its territory, international investigations into its war crimes and atrocities continue across Europe.
Gunmen Kill Police Officer Guarding Polio Team in Pakistan
Gunmen shot and killed a police officer assigned to protect polio vaccination workers in Noshki, Balochistan province, on Tuesday, officials said.
The attack occurred while female health workers were administering oral polio vaccines to children inside a home. The officer, Abdul Waheed, died en route to the hospital. The polio team escaped unharmed.
No group has claimed responsibility, but authorities suspect separatist militants or Pakistani Taliban fighters, both of whom have escalated attacks in recent months.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the killing and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The attack came just a day after Pakistan launched a nationwide campaign to vaccinate 45 million children.
Together, we can end the global threat of polio. This week, @WHOPakistan, in collaboration with partners, is supporting the @GovtofPakistan by mobilizing 400,000 vaccinators nationwide to bring the polio vaccine to 45.4M children at their doorsteps. #VaccinesSaveLive #EndPolio pic.twitter.com/Dhsvf9wJ9b
— WHO Pakistan (@WHOPakistan) May 26, 2025
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries where wild polio remains endemic.
Pakistan reported 10 polio cases so far this year, after recording 74 in 2023. Since the 1990s, over 200 polio workers and their security escorts have been killed.
Sources: News Agencies
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