Hook News Brief | 22.05.25

Trump confronts SA President Ramaphosa

US President Donald Trump ambushed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with explosive false claims of white genocide and land seizures during a tense White House meeting.

Their meeting was the most tense Oval Office encounter since February’s ambush of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

But Ramaphosa – who earlier said that he had come to Washington to “reset” the relationship between the two countries – refused to take the bait and suggested that they “talk about it very calmly”.

Trump accepts $400 million “gift” to be used as Air Force One

Staying with Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has accepted the luxury Boeing 747 jet, a $400 million gift from the Qatari royal family for President Trump, to use as Air Force One.

This despite the ongoing questions about the ethics and legality of taking the expensive gift from a foreign nation.

Israeli soldiers fire “warning shots” at diplomats

To the latest from war-torn Gaza and Israeli soldiers were captured on video firing towards a group of foreign diplomats on a visit to the occupied West Bank.

The diplomats can be seen running to their vehicles and fleeing the area.

The military claims the group deviated from an “approved route” and the shots were only a “warning.”

Trump's proposed tax-cut bill spooks US stock market

In business news, the three key US indices - S&P 500, Nasdaq and Dow Jones - closed with their biggest daily losses in a month.

This after Treasury yields spiked on worries that US government debt would swell by trillions of dollars if Congress passes President Donald Trump's proposed tax-cut bill.

Spurs beat Man Utd to lift Europa League trophy

To sports news now. Tottenham Hotspur claimed their first major trophy in 17 years as the Lily Whites defeated a hapless Manchester United 1-0 to win the Europa League final in Bilbao, Spain.

Spurs’ Brennan Johnson scored the only goal of the match which saw Spurs gain the much needed automatic entry into next season’s UEFA Champions League despite being 17th in the Premier League currently.

MI beat DC to clinch final playoff spot

And in the IPL, Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals to book the fourth and final playoff spot.

Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 73 off 43 balls coupled with Jasprit Bumrah’s 3 for 12 and Mitchell Santner’s 3 for 11 helped MI secure a 59 run win and join RCB, Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 playoffs.

Stay Hooked for more news updates.

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DRC and Rwanda prepare to sign peace agreement to end conflict in eastern DRC

Trump ambushes SA’s Ramaphosa at the White House | Hook News Brief

Trump’s new Middle East Defence Deals

Qatar wants to gift Trump a $400 million jet for presidential use

qatar

DRC and Rwanda prepare to sign peace agreement to end conflict in eastern DRC

Trump ambushes SA’s Ramaphosa at the White House | Hook News Brief

Trump’s new Middle East Defence Deals

Qatar wants to gift Trump a $400 million jet for presidential use