President Donald Trump on Friday demanded a staggering $1 billion (Ksh.129 billion) fine from the University of California (UC) system, accusing UCLA of antisemitism in its handling of 2024 student protests linked to the Gaza conflict.

The administration claims the university failed to protect Jewish students during the demonstrations, which saw violent clashes between pro-Palestinian activists, counter-protesters, and police. Media reports say the White House is also seeking $172 million for a claims fund to compensate alleged victims of discrimination.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a UC board member, fiercely rejected the demand, calling it “extortion” and vowing to sue. “He has threatened us with a billion-dollar fine unless we do his bidding,” Newsom said, praising the UC system as central to California’s economic and scientific leadership.

UC officials warn that such a penalty would cripple the nation’s top public university network, which is already facing a federal freeze of more than half a billion dollars in UCLA research grants. Trump’s move mirrors a pressure campaign previously used on Columbia University, which agreed to restrictions on race-based admissions and hiring, and is reportedly being deployed against Harvard as well.

Pro-Palestinian encampments erupted on dozens of U.S. campuses in 2024, with police crackdowns and mob violence prompting then-president Joe Biden to insist that “order must prevail.” Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has intensified attacks on what his MAGA movement sees as liberal, elitist academia hostile to nationalist policies.

Newsom vowed California would not follow other institutions that yielded to similar White House demands, saying, “We will not be complicit in this attack on academic freedom or this extraordinary public institution.”

Written By Rodney Mbua

Nigerian scientists are eagerly awaiting the return of Egusi melon seeds from the International Space Station (ISS), in what is being hailed as the first time a West African native food has been sent to space.

The seeds, launched aboard a SpaceX flight last week under NASA’s partnership with private firms, are expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday.

The project, led by Lagos-based Space in Africa founder Temidayo Oniosun, aims to study how exposure to space conditions and zero gravity affects the seeds’ DNA, germination, and growth.

Researchers from the University of Florida in the United States and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan, Nigeria, will conduct the experiments.

Oniosun told AFP that the mission is about more than science, it is about representation. “When we talk about humans colonising other planets, this is not just an American mission or a European mission, this is a global mission,” he said, adding that future African astronauts could enjoy a taste of home in space.

High in protein and commonly used in soups and stews across West and Central Africa, Egusi is a staple dish often served with pounded yam. Its inclusion in space research has generated more public excitement in Nigeria than many previous satellite launches.

“The launch of Egusi melon seeds into space is more than a symbolic gesture,” Oniosun said. “The future of humanity among the stars must reflect the diversity and richness of life on Earth.” Whether pounded yam will eventually join Egusi soup in space, however, remains an open question.

Written By Rodney Mbua

Germany will halt arms deliveries to Israel that could be used in the war in Gaza, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Friday, marking a rare curb on Berlin’s traditionally unwavering support for its ally. The decision follows mounting public anger over Gaza’s deepening humanitarian catastrophe, where most of the 2.2 million residents are homeless and facing starvation.

Merz, a conservative leader long known for his staunch pro-Israel stance, said Israel’s military actions were unlikely to achieve their stated goals of destroying Hamas or freeing hostages. His announcement signals a significant shift for a government whose policy toward Israel has been rooted in guilt over the Nazi Holocaust, a principle enshrined as Germany’s “Staatsraison.”

“This is not a U-turn, but a warning shot,” said Muriel Asseburg of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, noting that it is Berlin’s first concrete measure against Israel since the war began. The suspension applies only to exports that could be deployed in Gaza, and Germany will continue other forms of cooperation.

The move reflects shifting public opinion: a new ARD-DeutschlandTREND survey found 66% of Germans want their government to increase pressure on Israel, up from 57% in April. Only 31% now believe Germany’s history gives it a special responsibility toward Israel, while 62% disagree.

Tensions over policy toward Israel are also growing within Germany’s coalition. The Social Democrats, Merz’s junior partner, have called for stronger measures, including possible EU agreement suspensions, sanctions on Israeli ministers, and the evacuation of injured Palestinian children.

The decision comes amid a divisive media debate. Der Spiegel has accused Israel of violating humanitarian law, while mass-market daily Bild warns against rising anti-Israel sentiment and criticises cutting support during wartime.

Israel denies targeting civilians or using starvation as a weapon, blaming Hamas for prolonging the conflict that began with the group’s October 7, 2023 attack, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Gaza health authorities say more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s air and ground campaign.

Germany is Israel’s second-largest arms supplier after the U.S., and also a buyer of Israeli defence technology, including the Arrow-3 missile system. Analysts warn the suspension could strain both political and defence ties, with some cautioning that retaliation from Israel could impact Germany’s military readiness.

Written By Rodney Mbua

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a series of calls on Friday with leaders of China, India, and several allied states to update them on his recent contacts with the United States regarding the war in Ukraine.

The diplomatic outreach followed Putin’s meeting in Moscow on Wednesday with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, which the Kremlin said could pave the way for a summit between Putin and Trump as early as next week. No venue, date, or final agenda have been confirmed.

Trump, seeking to end the 3½-year conflict, has given Moscow a deadline expiring Friday to agree to peace terms or face new sanctions targeting Russia and its major trading partners. China and India, the largest buyers of Russian oil, are under particular scrutiny, with Trump imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods this week over New Delhi’s continued energy imports from Moscow.

In a phone call, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Putin that Beijing welcomed closer U.S.-Russia dialogue and supported efforts toward a political resolution to the Ukraine crisis, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Putin is scheduled to visit China in September for events marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had a “very good and detailed” conversation with Putin and thanked him for sharing “the latest developments on Ukraine.”

Putin also discussed peace efforts with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who reiterated Pretoria’s “full support” for initiatives leading to a lasting settlement. On Thursday, Putin hosted UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Moscow, noting that the UAE could serve as a possible venue for the U.S.-Russia summit.

Russia, China, India, South Africa, and the UAE are all members of the BRICS bloc, which Moscow promotes as a counterweight to Western influence.

Putin also briefed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and other regional allies on his talks with Washington, underscoring the Kremlin’s bid to coordinate positions ahead of the anticipated high-level meeting with Trump.

Written By Rodney Mbua

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Alaska to discuss a potential peace agreement for the war in Ukraine, both governments confirmed on Friday. The summit will focus on options for a “long-term peaceful resolution” to the conflict, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, who acknowledged the process would be “challenging” but promised Moscow’s active engagement.

Speaking to reporters at the White House earlier in the day, Trump hinted that the talks could involve “swapping of territories to the betterment of both.” However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy swiftly rejected any deal that would see Kyiv cede land, stressing that Ukraine’s constitution forbids altering borders under foreign pressure.

“Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupiers,” he said in a video address, warning that any decisions made without Ukraine’s involvement would be “stillborn” and “unworkable.”

Putin claims Crimea and four partially occupied Ukrainian regions, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, though Russian forces do not fully control them. Bloomberg News earlier reported that Washington and Moscow were exploring an arrangement that would effectively recognize Russia’s occupation in exchange for halting its offensive.

The White House dismissed the report as speculation, while the Kremlin declined to comment.

Former U.S. diplomat Tyson Barker warned that any plan locking in Russian territorial gains would be “immediately rejected” by Kyiv. Accepting the loss of about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, he said, would be politically impossible for Zelenskiy’s government despite their desire to end a war that has devastated cities and killed tens of thousands.

The Alaska summit will mark the first major diplomatic gathering there since 2021, when U.S. and Chinese officials clashed publicly during talks in Anchorage. The meeting comes as Trump, in his second term, seeks to end the deadliest European conflict since World War II while balancing his shifting public stance toward Putin.

Trump has threatened new sanctions and tariffs against Russia and its trading partners, including a 25% tariff imposed this week on Indian goods over its imports of Russian oil. His special envoy Steve Witkoff held three hours of “constructive” talks with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, after talks with Zelenskiy, said there were “signals” that a freeze in the conflict might be near, though Kyiv remains cautious. “There are hopes for this,” Tusk noted, adding that Ukraine wants Poland and other European allies involved in any ceasefire and peace settlement planning.

Written By Rodney Mbua

By Michelle Ndaga.

Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has officially declared his candidacy for the country’s November presidential elections, announcing that he will run as an independent.

“I will not be any political party’s candidate because I don’t want to be anyone’s hostage,” Embalo said, signalling a break from party politics in the West African nation, which has faced chronic political instability.

Embalo, who has been in office since 2020, framed his decision as an effort to maintain autonomy in governance and avoid the influence of party interests. Guinea-Bissau has experienced repeated political crises, military interventions, and government reshuffles over the past two decades, making stability a central issue in the upcoming vote.

The November election is expected to draw a crowded field of candidates, with tensions already rising in the lead-up to the polls. Embalo’s move positions him as an outsider to the country’s entrenched party system, a stance that could resonate with voters seeking political change.