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White House Makes 2,000-Pound Bombs Available to Israel, Undoing Biden’s Pause

An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows Palestinians walking through the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive, in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP)
An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows Palestinians walking through the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive, in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP)
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White House Makes 2,000-Pound Bombs Available to Israel, Undoing Biden’s Pause

An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows Palestinians walking through the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive, in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP)
An aerial photograph taken by a drone shows Palestinians walking through the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive, in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP)

President Donald Trump's White House has instructed the US military to release a hold imposed by the Biden administration on the supply of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, a White House source told Reuters on Saturday.

The move was widely expected. Biden put the hold on the delivery of those bombs due to concern over the impact they could have in Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza.

A ceasefire to halt the war was recently agreed.

The Biden administration's particular concern had been over the use of such large bombs in the city of Rafah, where more than one million Palestinians in Gaza had taken refuge.

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West Africa Bloc Announces Formal Exit of Three Junta-Led States 

A man waving the flag of Burkina Faso stands on top of a car during a gathering to celebrate the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Kurukanfuga on January 28, 2025. (AFP)
A man waving the flag of Burkina Faso stands on top of a car during a gathering to celebrate the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Kurukanfuga on January 28, 2025. (AFP)
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West Africa Bloc Announces Formal Exit of Three Junta-Led States 

A man waving the flag of Burkina Faso stands on top of a car during a gathering to celebrate the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Kurukanfuga on January 28, 2025. (AFP)
A man waving the flag of Burkina Faso stands on top of a car during a gathering to celebrate the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Kurukanfuga on January 28, 2025. (AFP)

The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday announced the formal exit of junta-led Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the bloc following their withdrawal last year.

West Africa has been rocked by a spate of coups that has countries in the 15-member body under military rule in the past five years.

"The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and Republic of Niger has become effective today, 29th January 2025," ECOWAS said in a statement.

The three states announced their withdrawal from the bloc last January after ECOWAS demanded a restoration of democratic rule in Niger following a military coup in 2023.

Instead, the three breakaway states formed Alliance of Sahel States, an alternate bloc and launched their own biometric passports.

ECOWAS said on Wednesday the remaining members tentatively agreed to "keep ECOWAS doors open" by recognizing national passports and identity bearing the bloc's logo from the countries, to continue trade under existing regional agreement, and to continue diplomatic cooperation with the countries.

In December, ECOWAS gave Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger a six-month grace period to rethink their exit.

"These arrangements will be in place until the full determination of the modalities of our future engagement with the three countries of by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government," ECOWAS said.