A fire broke out in the nursery of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, killing 14 newborn babies.  The blaze erupted early Wednesday and was reportedly triggered by an exploding air-conditioning unit in the nursery.  Fifteen babies were inside the nursery when the fire started, but hospital staff were able to rescue only one infant.  Pakistan’s government launched an investigation into the tragedy, … Continue reading Fire in a hospital nursery kills 14 newborns in Pakistan’s capital

Torrential rain hit Japan’s north-central Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures on Thursday, causing widespread flooding and landslides. Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued its highest Level 5 heavy-rain warning for parts of the region, while authorities urged more than 380,000 people to move to safer areas. Rescue crews used boats to reach residents trapped by floodwaters, while roads were closed and numerous vehicles were abandoned. In Ishikawa, 270 … Continue reading Heavy rain and flooding in north-central Japan strands people and vehicles

Russia has threatened to strike British military targets inside and outside Ukraine if Kyiv continues using British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles against targets inside Russia.  Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Britain of escalating the conflict and warned that Moscow could respond with what she described as “catastrophic consequences.”  The warning follows Britain’s decision to give Ukraine access to technology that could allow it to … Continue reading Russia threatens strikes on UK military targets, ‘catastrophic consequences’ over Ukraine

A massive glacier collapse along the Nepal-Tibet border triggered catastrophic floods that killed more than 390 people and left over 1,400 missing.  The collapse sent huge amounts of ice, rock and mud into rivers, creating a powerful surge that destroyed villages, roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Rescue teams and military helicopters are searching for survivors and missing people, including hundreds of foreign tourists and pilgrims. … Continue reading Catastrophic floods kill over 390 in Nepal and Tibet, with more than 1,400 missing

China has deployed a record number of ships around Taiwan and in nearby waters, raising concerns about its growing military presence in the region. The deployment comes as tensions remain high between China, Taiwan and the United States over Taiwan’s security and China’s territorial claims. The large number of vessels demonstrates the expanding capabilities of China’s navy and maritime forces. Officials and security analysts are … Continue reading Beijing deploys record number of ships around Taiwan as pressure grows

A tornado tore through the village of Pomas in southwestern France on Monday, damaging hundreds of homes and injuring around 40 people. The tornado uprooted trees and ripped roofs from buildings, with about 300 homes reportedly damaged in the village. Fifteen people, including a pregnant woman whose home collapsed around her, were taken to hospitals for treatment. More than 120 firefighters and emergency workers were … Continue reading Tornado in France damages homes, injures dozens

At least 47 people were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped when armed gangs attacked the Kenscoff community near Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The United Nations said at least five of those killed were children, while 22 victims were reportedly executed inside a church where they had sought shelter. A gang leader threatened to kill the hostages if Haitian security forces killed any gang members … Continue reading More than 50 kidnapped as violent gang attack in Haiti leaves 47 dead

Massive flash floods struck parts of Nepal and China after an ice and rock avalanche triggered a sudden surge of water, killing at least 98 people and leaving hundreds missing. Nepal reported 95 deaths, while 265 people were reported missing in China’s Tibet region, with many of the missing being tourists, pilgrims and foreign workers. The floods destroyed homes, roads, villages and hydropower projects, while … Continue reading At least 98 killed and hundreds missing after flash floods in Nepal and China

Russia is testing its readiness for a possible new wave of military mobilization, including exercises in the Kaliningrad region and other parts of the country. Western intelligence officials say the preparations are designed to determine how Russia would house, feed and arm large numbers of new recruits, although the Kremlin has not yet decided whether to order a mobilization. Russia is struggling to replace heavy … Continue reading Russia Tests Readiness for New Round of Military Mobilization

CIA Director John Ratcliffe is in Moscow, Russia, for meetings, according to sources familiar with the trip. His visit was revealed after a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane and a U.S. diplomatic motorcade were spotted at a Moscow airport. Neither the U.S. nor Russian governments has publicly confirmed the purpose of the visit, and the CIA has not commented. The trip comes as U.S. … Continue reading CIA Director John Ratcliffe on secret trip in Russia

Israeli crime figure Yanis Yushvaev was shot and killed at a gas station in Caesarea, with security footage appearing to show a gunman approaching him from behind and firing at close range. Yushvaev, described by Israeli police as the head of a criminal gang involved in violent feuds, had previously survived an assassination attempt about a decade ago. He had been arrested multiple times over … Continue reading One of Israel’s most dangerous mob bosses shot dead by assassin at point-blank range

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck Japan early Sunday near southern Ibaraki Prefecture, close to Tokyo, causing strong shaking and injuring at least 37 people. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake occurred about 68 kilometers deep and posed no tsunami threat. One person was seriously injured, and a building was damaged in neighboring Saitama Prefecture. The quake was felt across Tokyo, Ibaraki, Saitama and Chiba, while … Continue reading 5.9-magnitude earthquake strikes Japan, injuring at least 37

A powerful cyclone brought heavy rain and strong winds to Latvia and Lithuania, killing two people and leaving around half a million without electricity. Latvia experienced some of the storm’s worst impacts, with one person killed by a building collapse, widespread injuries, power outages and disruptions to transportation and mobile services. In Lithuania, another person was killed by a falling tree, while more than 200,000 … Continue reading Powerful storm hits Baltic countries, killing 2

Sixteen people were injured when a coach carrying German high-school students collided with a delivery van in the eastern Netherlands. Eight people, including the van driver, were seriously injured, while the others suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospitals. More than 50 students and four teachers were traveling from a school in northern Germany to Paris when the crash occurred near Wezep. The coach … Continue reading Crash involving coach carrying German students injures 16

Sixteen people were injured when a coach carrying German high-school students collided with a delivery van in the eastern Netherlands. Eight people, including the van driver, were seriously injured, while the others suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospitals. More than 50 students and four teachers were traveling from a school in northern Germany to Paris when the crash occurred near Wezep. The coach … Continue reading Crash involving coach carrying German students injures 16

Typhoon Narra brought heavy rains, floods and landslides to northern Vietnam and southern China, damaging infrastructure, crops and communities. In China, rising floodwaters forced authorities to relocate about 54,000 people, with more than 8,000 moved into emergency shelters. Northern Vietnam reported one death and the displacement of more than 4,300 households, while flooding and landslides damaged roads and disrupted tourism, fishing and transportation. Nearly 55,000 … Continue reading Typhoon Narra wreaks havoc in China, Vietnam as rains lead to floods

Indonesian police have arrested 72 people suspected of deliberately starting forest and peatland fires that have produced dangerous haze across parts of the country. The suspects are being investigated in connection with 89 fires across several provinces on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, with many accused of burning land to clear areas for plantations. Authorities are also investigating whether companies financed or ordered the … Continue reading Indonesian police arrest 72 people suspected of starting forest fires

A landslide at a massive waste dump in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, killed 30 people after heavy overnight rains caused the site to collapse. The disaster buried nearby tents and shacks, with six people seriously injured and 16 others suffering lighter injuries. Rescue workers used excavators and other equipment to search through the debris, while witnesses said the landslide was large enough to bury an apartment … Continue reading Landslide at waste mound in Guinea capital kills 30, government says

Ukrainian drones killed at least six civilians overnight in a series of strikes across several Russian regions, according to Russian officials. The attacks hit an Ozon logistics center and an industrial facility in the Samara region, with Ozon reporting injuries and a temporary halt in operations. In the southern city of Yeysk, two children were killed and two adults were wounded, while strikes in Belgorod … Continue reading Ukraine drone strikes target second Russian retail giant

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the M23-led rebel alliance have agreed on a roadmap for peace talks as fighting continues in eastern Congo. The agreement outlines steps and timelines for negotiations under a framework deal signed in Doha in November. The roadmap was developed during five days of talks in Switzerland involving representatives from the United States, Qatar, Togo, Switzerland and the African … Continue reading DR Congo, M23 rebels agree on roadmap for peace talks

The Kremlin has strongly criticized Britain’s decision to provide Ukraine with classified information about British-made components used in SCALP long-range cruise missiles. Russian officials said the move would “add fuel to the fire” and accused Britain of working against efforts to reach a peaceful settlement in Ukraine. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited Kyiv on his first overseas trip and was expected to announce support … Continue reading Kremlin says British missile help for Ukraine ‘adds fuel to the fire’

The United States has cancelled a major joint amphibious exercise with South Korea scheduled for next month because of limited U.S. military forces due to the war in Iran. The biennial Ssangyong drills are designed to strengthen combined operations between South Korean and U.S. Marine forces through amphibious landing exercises. The cancellation comes after President Donald Trump ordered the separate Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises to … Continue reading South Korea says US cancelled joint marine drills over force constraints from Iran war

Somali pirates hijacked the oil products tanker M.T. Sibu 1 off Yemen, marking the latest in a resurgence of piracy across the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean. Six armed pirates seized the tanker Thursday and reportedly took it toward Somalia’s Puntland coast, with 20 crew members aboard. The Sibu 1 is managed by a UAE-based company and was previously sanctioned by the U.S. … Continue reading Somali pirates hijack oil tanker off Yemen in latest attack

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for an end to the months-long war with the United States, saying Iran is negotiating from a position of strength. Pezeshkian accused the U.S. of attacking Iranian schools, hospitals and infrastructure and said the international community recognizes Iran as having prevailed. He also defended a recently expired memorandum of understanding with Washington, rejecting accusations from Iranian hardliners that his … Continue reading Iranian president says time to end war with US from ‘position of strength’

Russian drone and missile strikes across Ukraine killed at least seven people Saturday, while a Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Krasnodar region killed three people, including two children. The attacks came one day after a Russian strike on a Ukrainian shopping center killed at least 16 people and injured about 130 others. In Kyiv, a Russian ballistic missile strike on railway infrastructure killed one person … Continue reading Russian and Ukrainian attacks kill 10 people, a day after deadly shopping mall drone strike