A massive fire broke out at the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, forcing a mass evacuation of hundreds, including foreign ministers. The blaze, which may have started from a generator failure or short circuit near the China pavilion, spread to multiple neighboring pavilions, sending thick smoke through the venue. Dozens of firefighters responded, and while no one was burned, many were treated for smoke … Continue reading Fire erupts at UN Cop30 conference in Brazil sending delegates fleeing

Anna Kepner, an 18-year-old from Florida, was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship on Nov. 8, under a bed wrapped in a blanket and covered with life vests. The cause of death has not been determined. Investigators are examining possible causes, including an altercation with her stepbrother, a medical emergency, or an overdose, and are reviewing security footage and access records. A court … Continue reading Teen who died on Carnival cruise was found under bed, stepbrother under investigation

All 267 passengers aboard the South Korean ferry Queen Jenuvia 2 were rescued after the vessel ran aground on rocks near Jogdo Island off the country’s south-east coast. The 26,000-tonne ferry, traveling from Jeju to Mokpo, remains stuck on a reef but is stable with no risk of sinking or capsizing. Twenty-seven people sustained minor injuries, and passengers described the impact as a loud bang … Continue reading All 267 passengers and crew rescued after South Korean ferry runs aground

Indonesia’s Mount Semeru, Java’s highest peak, erupted on Wednesday, sending hot ash, lava, and gas up to 7 km down its slopes and prompting authorities to raise the alert to the highest level. More than 300 residents from three villages in Lumajang district were evacuated, and the danger zone was extended to 8 km from the crater, with people advised to avoid the Besuk Kobokan … Continue reading Mount Semeru volcano eruption in Indonesia prompts evacuations

China has announced a suspension of Japanese seafood imports, escalating tensions after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested Tokyo could take military action if China attacks Taiwan. Beijing cited concerns over treated Fukushima wastewater but framed the move as a response to Takaichi’s comments, calling them damaging to China-Japan relations. The dispute has prompted travel warnings, diplomatic summoning, and heightened rhetoric, including threats of severe … Continue reading China to suspend imports of Japanese seafood in latest escalation over Taiwan comments

A Russian spy ship, the Yantar, has entered British waters and reportedly aimed lasers at RAF pilots, according to UK Defense Secretary John Healey. The vessel, designed for intelligence gathering and mapping undersea cables, is operating near the edge of Britain’s exclusive economic zone north of Scotland. Healey warned Russia that Britain is monitoring the ship closely and has military options ready if it moves … Continue reading Russian spy ship enters UK waters and aims lasers at military pilots, Britain says

Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding is accused of running a multi-national drug cartel and orchestrating the murder of a federal witness by posting the victim’s image on a fake news website. The FBI, calling him a modern-day Pablo Escobar, has raised the reward for his capture to $15 million and says he is hiding in Mexico under the Sinaloa cartel’s protection. Wedding faces charges … Continue reading Olympic snowboarder-turned-drug kingpin charged with murder of witness, say US officials

The United States has proposed a new plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine that would require Kyiv to cede territory in the Donbas, reduce its military by half, and abandon certain weapons, according to multiple news reports. The framework, reportedly developed in consultation with Russian officials, has been described as heavily tilted toward Moscow and favorable to President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian officials called the … Continue reading US peace plan for Ukraine involves Kyiv ceding land, weapons

President Trump approved a 28-point peace plan for Russia and Ukraine, developed by his advisers, including Steve Witkoff, JD Vance, Marco Rubio, and Jared Kushner, though Ukraine was not involved in drafting it. The plan reportedly aims to provide security guarantees and durable peace, but Kyiv has only been briefed on its broad contours and sees its timing amid a Ukrainian corruption scandal as potentially … Continue reading President Trump approves plan for peace between Russia and Ukraine

Gunmen attacked a boarding high school in Kebbi state, northwestern Nigeria, before dawn on Monday, abducting 25 schoolgirls and killing at least one staff member. The assailants, armed with “sophisticated weapons” and traveling on motorcycles, exchanged fire with guards before carrying out the raid. No group claimed responsibility, but authorities said the attack aligns with the ongoing threat from armed bandits who kidnap for ransom, … Continue reading Gunmen abduct 25 girls from a high school in northwestern Nigeria

A suspected Russian drone attack hit the Turkish tanker MT Orinda in Ukraine’s Odesa region, setting it on fire and prompting evacuations across the Danube River in Romania. All 16 crew members were safely evacuated, and footage showed thick smoke rising from the vessel near the Izmail port, a key Ukrainian trade hub. The strike came shortly after President Zelenskyy finalized a deal to import … Continue reading Russian drone strikes Turkish oil tanker in Ukraine’s Odesa

Polish authorities say an explosion on a railway line near the Ukraine border was a deliberate act of sabotage, with no casualties reported, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk vowed to find those responsible. The attack occurred on a crucial route for military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, with a second suspicious incident on the same line likely linked to sabotage. Officials suspect foreign involvement, possibly … Continue reading Poland says blast on rail line to Ukraine ‘unprecedented act of sabotage’

Ecuadorians decisively rejected a set of referendum measures, including allowing foreign military bases, reducing Congress size, and cutting public funding for political parties, marking a political setback for President Daniel Noboa. Noboa had promoted the measures as essential to combat violent gangs and cocaine trafficking, with Ecuador serving as a major transit corridor between Peru, Colombia, and international markets. Voters expressed concern that constitutional changes … Continue reading Ecuador rejects U.S. military bases in major defeat for President Noboa

Ukraine and France have signed a long-term strategic agreement under which Ukraine will receive up to 100 Rafale F4 fighter jets, advanced air defense systems, and French radars to bolster its defense against ongoing Russian attacks. Deliveries of the jets are planned through 2035, and joint production of interceptor drones will begin this year, though financial details are still being finalized, potentially involving EU funds … Continue reading Ukraine to get up to 100 French-made Rafale fighter jets

Japan scrambled fighter jets after spotting a suspected Chinese drone near Yonaguni Island, close to Taiwan, amid rising tensions with Beijing. The following day, Chinese coast guard vessels entered Japanese territorial waters around the disputed Senkaku Islands, a frequent flashpoint between the two countries. The incidents coincided with anger from China over remarks by Japan’s new conservative prime minister suggesting Tokyo could intervene militarily if … Continue reading Japan says warplanes scrambled as Chinese drone detected near southern island

Israeli soldiers fired at UNIFIL peacekeepers near a position in Lebanese territory on Sunday, with heavy-machinegun rounds landing just meters from the personnel, who were able to leave safely after the tank withdrew. Israel claimed the attack was accidental, blaming poor weather and mistaking the UN patrol for suspects. UNIFIL condemned the incident as a serious violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended … Continue reading UN peacekeepers say Israeli forces fire on them in southern Lebanon

Iran has conducted cloud-seeding operations over the Urmia lake basin to combat its worst drought in decades, with further efforts planned in East and West Azerbaijan. Urmia, the country’s largest lake, has largely dried up, and rainfall nationwide is at record lows, leaving reservoirs nearly empty. Cloud-seeding involves injecting chemicals like silver or potassium iodide into clouds to encourage condensation and rainfall. Authorities warned of … Continue reading Iran begins cloud seeding to induce rain amid historic drought

At least 32 people were killed when a makeshift bridge collapsed at the Kalando copper and cobalt mine in southeastern DRC, amid overcrowding by wildcat miners. The incident occurred despite a formal ban on access due to heavy rain and landslide risks, and panic was reportedly triggered by soldiers firing at the site. The mine has long been contested between independent miners, a cooperative, and … Continue reading Dozens killed in DR Congo after bridge collapses at copper, cobalt mine

Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos, including about 650,000 members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, gathered in Manila on Sunday for the largest rally yet demanding accountability for a flood-control corruption scandal. Investigations revealed that thousands of flood defense projects were substandard or nonexistent, with lawmakers and public works officials allegedly taking kickbacks from construction companies. Smaller protests also took place, including one in Quezon City … Continue reading Hundreds of thousands rally in Manila against flood-control corruption scandal

India’s National Investigating Agency arrested Amir Rashid Ali from Indian-controlled Kashmir on suspicion of helping a suicide bomber carry out a deadly car explosion in New Delhi. The blast near the Red Fort on Monday killed 10 people and injured 32, with Umar Un Nabi, a Kashmiri doctor, identified as the suspected driver and suicide bomber. The attack followed the dismantling of a suspected militant … Continue reading India arrests suspect in New Delhi car blast that killed 10

Ecuadorian authorities captured Wilmer Chavarria, aka “Pipo,” one of the country’s most wanted drug traffickers, in Malaga, Spain, years after he faked his death and relocated there. Chavarria is believed to lead Los Lobos, a drug trafficking group of around 8,000 members linked to political assassinations and collaborations with Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel. He reportedly coordinated drug shipments, ordered killings, and ran extortion schemes … Continue reading Ecuadorian drug gang leader captured in Spain years after faking his death

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that the country is no longer enriching uranium at any site, following Israeli and U.S. attacks on its facilities in June. He emphasized that all Iranian nuclear sites are under International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring and that Iran maintains its right to peaceful nuclear enrichment. Araghchi also reiterated that Iran’s message on nuclear negotiations with the U.S. and other … Continue reading Iran’s foreign minister says country no longer enriching uranium at any site

The UK Labour government announced plans to drastically cut refugee protections, ending automatic benefits and shortening asylum status from five years to 30 months. Refugees would face regular reviews and be forced to return home once deemed safe, with long-term residency delayed from five to 20 years. The reforms, modeled on Denmark’s strict system, aim to curb irregular migration and counter the rise of the … Continue reading U.K. plans to drastically reduce protections for refugees in overhaul of its asylum policies

The Pentagon conducted its 21st strike on an alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing three men, according to U.S. Southern Command. The U.S. military says the strikes target narcotics smuggling along known trafficking routes using fighter jets, drones, and gunships. This brings the total reported deaths from the campaign to 83, with officials claiming congressional approval is not required for the operations. Legal … Continue reading US military carried out 21st strike on alleged drug boat, killing 3

U.S. Marines guarding the American embassy in Port-au-Prince exchanged gunfire with suspected Haitian gang members on the evening of Nov. 13, though no Marines were injured. The Marine Corps said the attackers fired first, prompting Marines supporting embassy security operations to return fire. Officials released no details on what triggered the confrontation, how long it lasted, or whether any attackers were wounded or killed. The … Continue reading Marines got into a shootout with suspected gang members in Haiti