Pope Francis visited Italy’s Rebibbia prison, becoming the first pope to open a “holy door” in a jail as part of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee. Addressing inmates, he emphasized hope as an anchor and urged them not to lose faith in difficult times. The door, one of five for the “jubilee of hope,” symbolizes forgiveness and reintegration. The pope previously opened the first holy door at St. Peter’s … Continue reading Pope Francis opens sacred portal, ‘holy door’ at one of largest prisons in Italy

Two sailors died in separate incidents during Australia’s annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race after being struck by a boom. The fatalities occurred on the Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline, with both crews attempting life-saving measures unsuccessfully. The race, which began Thursday, continues despite challenging weather causing several boats to withdraw. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed condolences, calling the losses heartbreaking, the BBC has reported. The event, … Continue reading Two die in Sydney to Hobart yacht race

Israeli airstrikes targeted Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, including Sanaa’s airport and multiple ports, after Houthi missile and drone attacks on Israel. The strikes damaged airport infrastructure near WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as he prepared to depart, injuring a UN crew member and killing at least three people. Tedros and his team are safe but unable to leave until repairs are made. Israel claimed the … Continue reading Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen while the WHO chief says he was meters away

An Israeli airstrike outside Al-Awda Hospital in Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp killed five Palestinian journalists overnight, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The journalists, working for Quds News Network, were reportedly targeted while in a car. The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted Islamic Jihad fighters, a group allied with Hamas. The Committee to Protect Journalists states over 130 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the … Continue reading Israeli strike kills five journalists in Gaza, hospital says

At least three people, including two journalists and a police officer, were killed when armed gang members opened fire during a briefing at Haiti’s largest public hospital in Port-au-Prince. The attack, claimed by the Viv Ansanm gang alliance, occurred as journalists awaited the Health Minister’s arrival. The gang opposed the hospital’s reopening, which had been reclaimed by the government in July after gang occupation, the … Continue reading Three shot dead as gunmen attack Haiti hospital

Fourteen interior ministry personnel were killed and ten injured in an ambush by forces loyal to ousted President Bashar al-Assad near Tartous, Syria. The clash occurred during an attempt to arrest a former officer linked to abuses at Saydnaya prison. Assad’s regime fell two weeks ago to rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group designated as a terrorist organization by several … Continue reading Syria says 14 security personnel killed in ‘ambush’ by Assad loyalists

An undersea power cable between Finland and Estonia failed on Wednesday, raising concerns over potential sabotage. While Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo assured electricity supplies remain unaffected, authorities are investigating. The outage follows recent damage to telecom cables in the Baltic Sea, with suspicion falling on the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3. Sweden reported China denied a request to investigate the vessel. European officials suspect sabotage … Continue reading Finland-Estonia power cable hit in latest Baltic Sea incident

An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer passenger jet crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 people and injuring 29 survivors. The flight, originally bound for Russia, diverted across the Caspian Sea, reportedly due to poor weather, though the cause remains unclear. Russia’s aviation authority suggested a possible bird strike, but experts questioned this. The crash followed recent Ukrainian drone strikes on southern Russia, though Kyiv has not claimed … Continue reading Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashes in Kazakhstan, killing 38

Germany may increase its armed forces to 230,000 troops, surpassing the current target of 203,000, to meet NATO’s rising capability demands amid ongoing security concerns from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius noted that while the Bundeswehr currently has 180,000 personnel, recruitment challenges persist. NATO plans to set more demanding military targets by 2025, requiring Germany to contribute an additional 20,000–30,000 combat troops, … Continue reading Germany may expand military to 230,000 troops in NATO push

Malaysia plans to allow a renewed private search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared over a decade ago with 239 people on board. Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that Texas-based marine robotics firm Ocean Infinity will lead the search, focusing on a new 15,000-square-kilometer area in the southern Indian Ocean. Operating on a “no find, no fee” basis, the firm will receive $70 million … Continue reading Malaysia plans to restart a private search for the missing Flight MH370

A French court has sentenced eight people to prison for their roles in the 2020 murder of teacher Samuel Paty, who was beheaded after showing caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad during a class on free speech. Sentences ranged from one to 16 years, with two men receiving 16 years for aiding the attacker and a preacher sentenced to 15 years for leading an online hate … Continue reading Eight sentenced in France in connection with murder of teacher Samuel Paty

Swedish police boarded the Chinese vessel Yi Peng 3 on Thursday, suspected of damaging two undersea fiber-optic cables in the Baltic Sea in November. The ship, stationary for a month near Denmark, was investigated by Chinese authorities with Swedish officers observing. The breaches, suspected to be sabotage, occurred in Sweden’s exclusive economic zone and are under Swedish investigation. While Western intelligence believes the vessel caused the damage, … Continue reading Swedish police board Chinese ship in probe over severed cables

Over 700 people have been killed and more than 1,100 injured in el-Fasher, Sudan, since May amid intense fighting between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces, according to the UN. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk urged the RSF to end its siege of the city, warning that attacks on civilians could amount to war crimes. The conflict, ongoing for … Continue reading More than 700 killed in siege of Sudan’s el-Fasher, UN says

A bus and truck collision early Saturday in Minas Gerais, Brazil, left 38 dead and 13 injured near Teófilo Otoni. The bus, traveling from São Paulo with 45 passengers, reportedly lost control after a tire blowout or being struck by a granite block. A car also collided with the bus, but its three occupants survived. Authorities are investigating the cause, and both Governor Romeu Zema … Continue reading 38 people die in a crash between a passenger bus and a truck in Brazil

Two U.S. Navy pilots ejected and survived after their F/A-18 Super Hornet was mistakenly shot down by the USS Gettysburg in a friendly fire incident over the Red Sea. One pilot sustained minor injuries. The event occurred during U.S. airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels amid ongoing attacks on shipping in the region. The Red Sea remains highly dangerous due to Houthi missile and drone assaults, … Continue reading Two US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in apparent ‘friendly fire’ incident

A Houthi missile fired from Yemen exploded in a public park in Jaffa, south Tel Aviv, after interception attempts failed, injuring 30 people, including a child. The missile triggered widespread sirens across central Israel early Saturday, sending millions to shelters. This followed a similar incident two days earlier, when a missile hit a school building in Ramat Gan. In response, Israel launched major airstrikes on … Continue reading Missile fired from Yemen explodes in south Tel Aviv

Guatemalan police raided the Lev Tahor cult near the Guatemala-El Salvador border, rescuing 160 children, 40 women, and uncovering evidence of severe abuse, including forced pregnancies, child mistreatment, and rape. Over 400 officials participated in the operation, prompted by testimonies from minors who escaped. Supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, authorities confiscated evidence but made no arrests. Bones of a child were discovered … Continue reading Guatemalan Authorities Raid Orthodox Jewish ‘Cult’; Take 160 Kids, Teens Into Custody

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the elimination of ISIS leader Abu Yusif and another operative in a precision strike on Thursday. The strike occurred in an area previously controlled by the Assad regime and Russia. CENTCOM Commander Michael Erik Kurilla emphasized the U.S. commitment to preventing ISIS from reconstituting or conducting external operations, targeting leaders and operatives aggressively. This operation follows the recent elimination … Continue reading USA kills ISIS leader in precision strike in Syria

Eleven people were killed and at least 60 injured when a car plowed into pedestrians at the Magdeburg Christmas market in Germany. The driver, a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian doctor who arrived in Germany in 2006, has been arrested. Police are not seeking additional suspects but reportedly found an explosive device in the vehicle. Witnesses described the scene as resembling a warzone, with cries of children … Continue reading 11 dead, 60 injured in car attack at German Christmas market

A Russian missile attack on Kyiv killed one person and injured seven, damaging buildings and sparking fires. Russia used hypersonic Kinzhal and Iskander ballistic missiles in response to Ukrainian strikes on a Russian chemical plant. Loud blasts and debris caused fires in several Kyiv districts, with air defences intercepting additional drone attacks overnight. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces repelled Russian advances in southern Ukraine near Kherson, where … Continue reading One killed in Kyiv as Russian missile attack targets Ukraine’s capital

At least 35 children were killed and six critically injured in a crowd crush at a funfair in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria. Police arrested eight people, including the event’s sponsor, over the tragedy, which occurred at an Islamic school’s event organized by Women in Need of Guidance and Support (WING). The event aimed to host 5,000 children with prizes like scholarships. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and … Continue reading Crowd crush kills 35 children at funfair in Nigeria, police say

The death toll from Cyclone Chido in Mozambique has risen to 73, with 66 deaths in Cabo Delgado province, according to the National Institute of Risk and Disaster Management. The cyclone, which brought winds of 260 km/h (161 mph) and heavy rainfall, injured over 540 people, destroyed more than 39,100 homes, and affected over 329,500 people. UNICEF described the situation as “devastation,” emphasizing the precarious … Continue reading Cyclone Chido death toll in Mozambique rises to 73

Israel launched airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen early Thursday, killing nine and injuring three, in response to recent Houthi missile and drone attacks, which were largely intercepted. The strikes targeted facilities near Yemen’s capital Sanaa and the Hodeidah port. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Houthi leaders against further aggression, linking the attacks to escalating tensions amid Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza. Earlier, … Continue reading Israeli military strikes Yemen hours after Houthi attack targets Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to remain at Syria’s Mount Hermon until at least the end of 2025, according to a CNN source. Israel seized the strategic peak, overlooking Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime earlier this month. While initially described as a temporary move, Netanyahu cited security concerns and the need for stability in Syria … Continue reading Netanyahu tells Israeli troops to stay in area of Syria’s Mount Hermon until end of 2025

Syria’s rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), pledged to disband rebel factions and integrate fighters into a defense ministry to reassure minorities and promote unity. Sharaa emphasized protecting all Syrians and restoring relations with foreign nations while urging the lifting of international sanctions to enable refugee returns. Assad’s recent fall has led the EU to reopen its delegation in Damascus and … Continue reading Syrian HTS leader says rebel factions that overthrew Assad will be ‘disbanded’