US President Donald Trump has confirmed the death of Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, the leader of the Islamic State, ISIS, in Iraq and Syria.

On Friday, Iraq’s prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced that al-Rifai was killed in an operation by both US forces and members of the Iraqi intelligence service.

He was described as one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world.

Al-Sudani said: “The Iraqis continue their impressive victories over the forces of darkness and terrorism.”

Trump has also issued a statement, posting on his Truth Social platform: “Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed.

“He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters. His miserable life was terminated, along with another member of ISIS, in coordination with the Iraqi Government and the Kurdish Regional Government. PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!”

Following al-Rifai’s death, US Central Command said that along with Iraqi intelligence, they conducted an airstrike in Al Anbar Province

A fire broke out on an American Airlines plane at Denver International Airport (DIA) on Thursday evening, prompting an emergency evacuation of all 178 passengers and crew members. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, was at Gate C38 when visible smoke was reported, triggering a swift response from emergency teams.

According to an official statement from American Airlines, the plane had safely landed from Colorado Springs and was scheduled to continue to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport before an engine-related issue forced passengers to evacuate via emergency slides.

“No injuries have been reported, and the fire was quickly extinguished,” the Denver airport authorities confirmed. Photos from the scene show passengers standing on the aircraft’s wing as smoke engulfed the plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are expected to conduct a full investigation into the incident.

The embattled senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has taken Nigerian Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, over her six-month suspension and allegations of sexual harassment.

Speaking at the Women in Parliament session at the United Nations in New York, Natasha informed the IPU of her alleged victimisation by Akpabio.

In an emotional speech, the senator sought justice and called for the intervention of global democratic institutions.

She described her suspension from the Senate as “unlawful” and an act of injustice against her.

Following her speech, she expressed concerns for her safety, claiming that “the powers that be” in Nigeria might attempt to detain her in New York for speaking out on the issue at the global event.

Recall that in March, the Nigerian Senate announced Senator Natasha’s suspension following recommendations from its Committee on Ethics, Rules, and Code of Conduct.

As a consequence of her suspension, she will not receive a salary, will be barred from entering the National Assembly premises, and will not be allowed to refer to herself as a senator during the suspension period.