NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has rejected calls for a separate European army, saying it would weaken Europe and benefit Russia. Speaking to the European Parliament, he insisted Europe should strengthen its own defense efforts within NATO, not outside the U.S.-led alliance. Rutte dismissed doubts about U.S. commitment under President Donald Trump, arguing Washington remains firmly behind NATO despite tensions over Greenland. He warned a … Continue reading NATO boss Rutte slaps down calls for European army

Israel has recovered the body of Rani (Ran) Gvili, the final deceased Israeli hostage held in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack, following a military operation in northern Gaza. Gvili, a 24-year-old Israeli Police Special Forces officer, was killed during the attack and identified through dental records after his body was found in a cemetery. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his return means … Continue reading Body of last remaining hostage retrieved from Gaza, Israel says

A poem written in 1905 by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad has resurfaced amid fears it foretells a modern global catastrophe, with some interpreting it as a warning of World War III. The poem describes massive earthquakes, widespread destruction, rivers of blood, and ominous events in the sky, which believers link to current global tensions involving Russia and the West. Ahmad, founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement … Continue reading Prophecy from apocalyptic ‘messiah’ warns of death so widespread ‘even birds won’t escape’

More than 1,000 residents have been evacuated from the Sicilian hill town of Niscemi after a massive 4km-long landslide caused by days of heavy rainfall. Aerial images show buildings perched dangerously close to a cliff edge, with deep chasms and large sections of earth torn away. No deaths or injuries have been reported, but officials estimate damage at around €740 million. Local authorities closed schools, … Continue reading 3-mile-long landslide leaves houses teetering on cliff edge in Sicily

Heavy snow and rainfall over the past three days have killed at least 61 people and injured more than 100 across 15 provinces in Afghanistan, according to disaster authorities. Hundreds of homes have been damaged or destroyed, livestock lost, and many villages remain cut off as officials struggle to reopen roads. Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to extreme weather, with weak infrastructure, poverty, deforestation, and climate … Continue reading Heavy snow and rainfall kill 61, injure 110 over 3 days in Afghanistan

Japanese panda fans gathered at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo for a final viewing of twin pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei ahead of their return to China this week. Their departure will leave Japan without pandas for the first time in 50 years, as strained relations between Tokyo and Beijing make replacements unlikely. The twins, born at the zoo in 2021, have drawn huge crowds, with … Continue reading The last 2 pandas in Japan are leaving for China as ties are strained

A ferry carrying more than 350 people sank early Monday near an island in the southern Philippines, with at least 316 passengers rescued and 15 bodies recovered. The M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 was traveling from Zamboanga to Jolo when it reportedly suffered technical problems and went down shortly after midnight in good weather near Basilan province. A coast guard safety officer on board alerted authorities, … Continue reading Ferry with more than 350 people sinks in the southern Philippines leaving at least 15 dead

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is reportedly sheltering in a fortified underground bunker in Tehran amid warnings of a possible US military strike as American naval forces move toward the Persian Gulf. Reports say he has delegated day-to-day control of the regime to his son while Iranian officials publicly issue threats of all-out war if he is attacked. Khamenei’s recent silence on social media … Continue reading Ayatollah ‘goes into hiding’ over US strike fears

China’s senior-most general, Zhang Youxia, is under investigation for alleged corruption, abuse of power, and leaking sensitive nuclear-weapons data to the United States, according to people familiar with a closed-door military briefing. Authorities say Zhang accepted large bribes in exchange for promotions, helped elevate former Defense Minister Li Shangfu, formed political cliques that undermined party unity, and oversaw misconduct within the military procurement system. The … Continue reading China’s Top General Accused of Giving Nuclear Secrets to USA

Ryan Wedding, the Canadian Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug kingpin, has been arrested by Mexican authorities in cooperation with the FBI, ending a months-long manhunt. Wedding, 44, was accused of running one of the world’s most violent and prolific drug-trafficking organizations, moving nearly 60 metric tons of cocaine annually from Mexico into Los Angeles. He is also charged with ordering multiple murders, including that of … Continue reading Canadian Olympic snowboarder turned alleged cocaine kingpin in custody

The U.S. is increasing its military presence in the Middle East amid threats from President Trump to strike Iran over its crackdown on anti-government protesters. The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has moved from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean, with additional cargo planes, tankers, and missile defense systems arriving in the region. Trump has emphasized that the buildup is both a … Continue reading U.S. Military Buildup In The Middle East Continues

A shooting in Lake Cargelligo, New South Wales, left three people dead and another seriously injured, with a gunman still at large. Police said the victims, all locals, included the suspect’s former partner, two of her relatives, and her new partner. The town of about 1,500 people was cordoned off, and authorities urged residents to stay indoors while heavily armed police searched for the mobile … Continue reading Gunman at large in Australia after leaving 3 dead and 1 wounded

France’s navy has seized the oil tanker Grinch in the western Mediterranean, suspecting it of being part of Russia’s sanctions‑busting “shadow fleet.” The vessel, traveling from Murmansk and flying a Comoros flag, was intercepted between Spain and Morocco with support from the UK. French authorities said the tanker was subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag, and a judicial investigation has … Continue reading France seizes suspected Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker

The U.S. has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), a process initiated by President Trump’s executive order a year ago. The Department of Health and Human Services criticized the WHO for straying from its mission, delaying its COVID-19 response, and unfairly criticizing U.S. pandemic measures. Public health experts warn that leaving the WHO will weaken U.S. efforts to track infectious diseases, respond to … Continue reading US officially exits World Health Organization

Ukrainian, US, and Russian negotiators held talks in Abu Dhabi on Friday, marking the first known trilateral meeting since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The meeting followed lengthy discussions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff, which the Kremlin described as substantive but underscored that territorial disputes remain a major obstacle to peace. Russia reiterated that it would continue military … Continue reading US joins Russia and Ukraine in first known trilateral talks of war

At least 11 Palestinians, including two children and three journalists, were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. The journalists were photojournalists working for the Egyptian Committee for Gaza Relief and were killed when their vehicle was struck in central Gaza near the Netzarim Corridor. They were reportedly documenting conditions on the ground, including a newly established displacement … Continue reading Three journalists among 11 Palestinians killed in Israel’s attacks on Gaza

European police have dismantled a major synthetic drug manufacturing network operating illegal labs across several EU countries. Polish authorities said more than 9.3 tonnes of drugs were seized, over 100 suspects arrested, and 24 large-scale laboratories shut down. The yearlong operation, coordinated by Europol, involved police from six countries and targeted a network centred in Poland. Investigators also seized around 1,000 tonnes of chemicals imported … Continue reading Europol busts Europe-wide drug ring in ‘largest-ever’ operation

U.S. forces seized a seventh oil tanker connected to Venezuela, the Liberian-flagged Motor Vessel Sagitta, as part of efforts to control Venezuelan oil exports. The tanker was taken “without incident” after allegedly violating a U.S.-declared quarantine on sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean. The Sagitta had been sanctioned under a U.S. executive order and was reported to have carried Venezuelan oil. This seizure follows a series … Continue reading US forces seize seventh sanctioned tanker linked to Venezuela

A Japanese court has sentenced Tetsuya Yamagami to life in prison for the 2022 assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, a killing that stunned the nation. Yamagami pleaded guilty to shooting Abe with a homemade weapon during an election speech in Nara, an act prosecutors described as unprecedented in postwar Japan. He said the attack was motivated by anger over Abe’s ties to the … Continue reading Shinzo Abe’s killer sentenced to life in prison over shooting of Japanese former PM

A commuter train struck a collapsed retaining wall near Barcelona, killing the driver and injuring 37 people, four of them critically. The accident occurred in Gelida after the wall fell onto the tracks, likely due to heavy rainfall in the region. Emergency services deployed dozens of firefighters and ambulances, and authorities confirmed no passengers remained trapped in the carriages. The incident came just two days … Continue reading Commuter train near Barcelona hits collapsed wall killing driver and injuring nearly 40

An explosion struck a Chinese-run restaurant inside a hotel in Kabul’s heavily guarded Shahr-e-Naw district, killing one Chinese national and six Afghans, officials said. The blast, which occurred near the kitchen, also injured several people, including a child. Afghan police said the restaurant served the local Chinese Muslim community and was jointly run by Chinese and Afghan partners. The Afghan branch of ISIL (ISIS) later … Continue reading Blast kills seven people at hotel restaurant in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul

Denmark and Greenland are discussing the possibility of establishing a NATO mission in Greenland and the wider Arctic, according to Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen. The talks come amid renewed pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has reiterated interest in asserting U.S. control over Greenland. Poulsen made the comments after meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt in … Continue reading Denmark, Greenland suggest Arctic NATO mission, Danish defence minister says

At least 40 people were killed in a high-speed rail crash in southern Spain after part of one train derailed and struck another traveling in the opposite direction. The collision occurred Sunday evening in Andalusia when a train from Malaga to Madrid jumped the track and slammed into an oncoming train bound for Huelva. The impact derailed the lead carriages of the second train, sending … Continue reading Death toll in Spanish train collision rises to 40 as authorities fear more bodies could be found

A widely shared image of abandoned shoes from Iran’s city of Rasht has drawn international attention after reports that security forces trapped protesters inside a historic bazaar, set it on fire, and shot those trying to escape on Jan. 8. Eyewitnesses and human rights groups allege the victims had surrendered before being killed, with footage showing the burned remains of the marketplace. Journalists and activists … Continue reading Haunting image shows pile of abandoned shoes after Iran burns protesters to death

Iconic Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died at the age of 93, his foundation announced, passing away peacefully at his home in Rome. Born in 1932, Valentino built one of the most influential fashion houses in the world, becoming internationally renowned for his elegant designs and signature “Valentino red.” He founded his fashion house in 1957, with a major turning point coming through his … Continue reading Fashion designer Valentino has died