Algeria has ordered 12 French embassy staff to leave within 48 hours, following France’s indictment of three Algerians—one a consular official—linked to the 2024 abduction of government critic Amir Boukhors (aka Amir DZ). Boukhors, granted asylum in France, was briefly kidnapped near Paris by men posing as police. Algeria accuses him of ties to terrorism, which he denies. The expulsions have escalated tensions between the … Continue reading Algeria to expel 12 French embassy officials

Hundreds of people, especially older women, face abuse and even murder in Ghana over witchcraft accusations, Amnesty International reported, urging the government to criminalize such accusations and ritual attacks. Despite a 2023 bill banning witchcraft accusations, it has yet to be signed into law. Victims are often poor, elderly women with health issues or disabilities, and many are forced into isolated camps. Amnesty criticized the … Continue reading Witchcraft accusations putting hundreds at risk of “physical attacks or even death” in Ghana

Hundreds of refugees in Sudan have been killed in recent days by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to local rights groups. The RSF, accused of genocide in Darfur, escalated attacks on the Zamzam and Abu Shouk refugee camps near El Fasher, killing over 300 people, including 9 medical workers. Zamzam, home to over half a million people facing famine, has been bombarded with artillery. … Continue reading In Sudan, hundreds killed in attacks on famine-hit displacement camps

Russian missiles struck the Ukrainian city of Sumy on Palm Sunday, killing at least 34 people—including two children—and injuring 117, officials said. The twin ballistic missile strike targeted a university and a nearby street, with Ukraine accusing Russia of using cluster munitions. The attack follows a deadly strike on President Zelenskyy’s hometown days earlier. Zelenskyy called for a global response, denouncing Russia as a terrorist … Continue reading Russian missiles hit Ukrainian city of Sumy during Palm Sunday celebrations

Rescue workers in South Korea pulled a man alive from a collapsed subway construction site near Seoul after 13 hours trapped underground. He was conscious and taken to a hospital. Crews are still searching for another worker believed to be trapped, using cranes and rescue teams after a ventilation shaft collapse triggered the incident, the Associated Press has reported. Written by B.C. Begley Continue reading Worker rescued from collapsed subway construction site in South Korea

European allies have pledged €21 billion ($24 billion) in new military aid to Ukraine, calling 2025 a “critical year” in the war. Over half—€11 billion—will come from Germany, focusing on artillery, tanks, and air defense. The UK and Norway added £450 million to fund drones, radar, and repairs, part of a larger £4.5 billion British commitment. Air defenses were a key focus, with Russia launching … Continue reading Ukraine allies pledge €21bn in fresh military aid

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has approved the world’s first global tax on greenhouse gas emissions from ships, setting a minimum fee of $100 per ton above certain thresholds, expected to raise $11–$13 billion annually starting in 2027. The funds will support green shipping technology, low-emission vessels, and developing nations. While praised as a historic step, critics argue the fee is too low to drive … Continue reading Major nations agree on first-ever global carbon tax on greenhouse gases

A helicopter crashed from low altitude in South Africa on January 19, 2025, after an unsecured cardboard box containing a penguin slid onto the pilot’s controls, causing the aircraft to roll and crash. No one on board — the pilot and three passengers — was injured, and the penguin was also unharmed. The South African Civil Aviation Authority cited a failure to follow safety protocols, … Continue reading South Africa helicopter crash blamed on penguin in cardboard box that hit pilot’s controls

U.S. pastor Josh Sullivan was abducted at gunpoint by masked men while delivering a sermon at his church in Motherwell, South Africa. The kidnappers, who knew him by name, forced him into his car and later abandoned it nearby. Authorities suspect a ransom-related motive, though none has been confirmed. Sullivan, originally from Tennessee, has lived in South Africa with his wife and six children since … Continue reading U.S. pastor abducted at gunpoint while delivering sermon in S Africa

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced that Indonesia is ready to temporarily shelter around 1,000 Palestinian medical evacuees and orphans from Gaza. The evacuees will stay until they recover or it’s safe to return, not for permanent resettlement. Subianto directed his foreign minister to coordinate with Palestinian authorities and will discuss the plan during a Middle East tour, reaffirming Indonesia’s support for the Palestinian cause, NBC … Continue reading Indonesia offers shelter to Palestinians wounded and orphaned in Gaza

Suspected U.S. airstrikes hit areas around Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeida on Tuesday, killing at least eight and wounding 16, according to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The strikes, which reportedly targeted rebel leaders and telecommunications infrastructure, are part of a broader U.S. campaign launched March 15 in response to Houthi attacks on shipping tied to the Israel-Hamas war. Over 200 strikes have been … Continue reading Suspected US strikes in Yemen kill at least 8 people, Houthi rebels say

Tributes are being paid to Alessandro Coatti, a respected Italian molecular biologist, after his dismembered body was found in a suitcase near Santa Marta, Colombia. Coatti, 42, had recently left his role at the Royal Society of Biology in London to volunteer and travel in South America. He was researching local wildlife at the time of his death. Authorities are offering a £9,000 reward for … Continue reading Tributes to ex-London scientist after body found dismembered in Colombia

At least 50 hippos and other large animals have died from anthrax poisoning in Virunga National Park in eastern Congo, with carcasses seen floating in the Ishasha River, which feeds into Lake Edward. Park director Emmanuel De Merode confirmed the deaths, which include buffalo, as a major setback for the park’s recovering hippo population. The source of the anthrax is still unclear, CNN has reported. … Continue reading Anthrax kills 50 hippos in DRC’s Virunga National Park

At least 124 people were killed and 155 taken to hospitals after the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican Republic collapsed early Tuesday. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with authorities using cranes to clear debris. The cause of the collapse remains unknown. Among the victims were two former MLB players, a provincial governor, and a U.S. citizen. Merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was … Continue reading At least 124 people dead in Dominican Republic nightclub roof collapse, authorities say

A medical transport helicopter crashed into the sea in southwestern Japan, killing a doctor, a patient, and the patient’s caretaker. Three survivors—pilot Hiroshi Hamada, mechanic Kazuto Yoshitake, and nurse Sakura Kunitake—were rescued with hypothermia but conscious. The helicopter was en route from Nagasaki to a Fukuoka hospital, the Associated Press has reported. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Written by B.C. Begley Continue reading Medical helicopter crashes into sea off Japan, killing 3 while 3 are rescued

Pope Francis made a surprise appearance in St. Peter’s Square, greeting crowds from a wheelchair with an oxygen tube, just weeks after being discharged from the hospital following five weeks of treatment. Despite doctors recommending two months of rest, the 88-year-old Pope appeared in good spirits, thanking the crowd and wishing them a happy Sunday. The Vatican says his health is improving, the BBC has … Continue reading Pope Francis greets crowds at St Peter’s Square

At least 33 people have died in severe flooding caused by torrential rains in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Half of the city’s 26 districts are affected, with many homes in western Kinshasa swept away. Residents are fleeing through floodwaters using makeshift canoes, while others face water shortages due to damaged treatment facilities. Key roads, including routes to the airport and … Continue reading Dozens die after torrential rain hammers Congolese capital

Israeli soldiers shot and killed a 14-year-old Palestinian-American boy and injured two others, ages 14 and 15, in the West Bank village of Turmusaya, saying the group was throwing rocks at passing cars. Palestinian officials and the Red Crescent confirmed the teen’s death and the others’ injuries. The incident comes amid rising tensions and a broader Israeli military campaign in the West Bank that has … Continue reading Palestinian American teen shot dead by Israeli soldiers in West Bank, official says

Rescue efforts after Myanmar’s devastating March 28 earthquake are winding down, with over 3,500 confirmed dead and the toll still rising. Relief and recovery operations are increasing despite poor weather and damaged infrastructure. International rescue teams have departed, and many areas remain without power or communications. Meanwhile, fighting continues despite ceasefire declarations by Myanmar’s military and opposition groups to aid relief efforts. Each side accuses … Continue reading Rescue efforts from Myanmar’s deadly earthquake wind down as death toll exceeds 3,500

British court documents released Friday reveal Prince Andrew’s past ties to Yang Tengbo, an alleged Chinese spy banned from the UK over national security concerns. Yang co-founded Pitch@Palace China and acted on Andrew’s behalf in business dealings. A former aide, Dominique Hampshire, confirmed Yang helped draft letters to Chinese President Xi Jinping and discuss investment plans. Though Yang denies wrongdoing, MI5 advised his exclusion. Hampshire … Continue reading UK courts release new documents on Prince Andrew’s relationship to alleged Chinese spy

A 24-year-old YouTuber from Arizona, Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, was arrested after illegally visiting North Sentinel Island in India, where contact with the protected indigenous Sentinelese is strictly prohibited. He reportedly offered a coconut and a can of Diet Coke and filmed his brief five-minute visit using a GoPro.  Authorities say this was his third attempt, motivated by a desire for extreme adventures. Though he didn’t … Continue reading YouTube daredevil arrested by Indian authorities after visiting remote island where US missionary was killed

A tsunami warning for Papua New Guinea was canceled after a powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck offshore near New Britain island on Saturday morning. The quake, recorded at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, was centered about 194 km east of the town of Kimbe. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued an alert warning of waves up to 3 meters, but later canceled it, … Continue reading Tsunami warning canceled for Papua New Guinea after a strong 6.9 earthquake

A video recovered from the phone of Palestinian medic Rifat Radwan, killed with 14 others in Gaza, contradicts Israeli claims about a March 23 attack. The footage, released by the Palestine Red Crescent Society, shows medics in marked ambulances coming under Israeli fire in Rafah, despite wearing reflective uniforms and using emergency vehicles. Israel had claimed the vehicles were moving suspiciously without signals. The victims’ … Continue reading ‘Unprecedented’: Video shows last moments of Gaza medics killed by Israel

Russian cult leader Konstantin Rudnev, 57, was arrested in Argentina while trying to flee to Brazil with six women. Known as the “Great Shaman,” Rudnev once claimed to be an alien god and led a violent sex cult, Ashram Shambala, in Russia. He previously served 11 years in prison for rape and abuse. His cult exploited women through coercion, “ritual orgies,” and sold explicit videos … Continue reading Cult leader who told followers he was an alien arrested

The U.S. military launched airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen overnight, hitting areas near Sanaa and Saada as part of an ongoing bombing campaign that began in mid-March. The Houthis claim U.S. strikes have killed at least 61 people. Meanwhile, the rebels say they downed a U.S. MQ-9 drone over Marib. The U.S. accuses Iran of arming the Houthis, who have attacked over 100 merchant … Continue reading Fresh US strikes extend air campaign targeting Yemen’s Houthis