British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah has been released from prison in Egypt after serving six years for sharing a Facebook post, following a pardon by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi. His release came after sustained lobbying by the UK government and pressure from Egypt’s human rights council. Abd el-Fattah, a prominent figure of the Arab Spring, was convicted of spreading false news but widely seen as … Continue reading British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah freed from prison

Hak Ja Han, the 82-year-old leader of the Unification Church and widow of founder Sun Myung Moon, was arrested in South Korea on Tuesday amid a bribery investigation. Prosecutors allege church officials bribed former First Lady Kim Keon Hee and conservative lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong, both of whom are facing criminal charges. Han denies directing the payments, insisting a church official acted alone. A Seoul court … Continue reading Unification Church leader arrested in bribery case involving former South Korean president’s wife

Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has been charged at the International Criminal Court (ICC) with three counts of crimes against humanity over his deadly “war on drugs.” Prosecutors allege his involvement in at least 76 murders: 19 in Davao City between 2013–2016, 14 “high value target” killings during his presidency in 2016–2017, and 43 during nationwide “clearance” operations from 2016–2018. While prosecutors say thousands were … Continue reading Rodrigo Duterte, former Philippines president, charged with crimes against humanity at ICC

Hong Kong shut down on Tuesday as Super Typhoon Ragasa, the world’s strongest storm this year with winds up to 220 km/h, approached the coast of Guangdong. Authorities issued Typhoon Signal 8, suspending most transport and flights, while residents rushed to stock up on supplies and taped windows against potential damage. Over 370,000 people were evacuated in Guangdong, with officials warning of storm surges up … Continue reading Hong Kong shuts down ahead of world’s biggest typhoon this year

Hurricane Gabrielle has rapidly strengthened into a Category 4 storm east of Bermuda, packing 140 mph winds but expected to remain mostly offshore. Bermuda could still see rain, gusty winds, and large swells, while dangerous rip currents will affect much of the U.S. East Coast through midweek. Two additional disturbances in the Atlantic are being monitored, with one east of the Lesser Antilles showing medium … Continue reading Hurricane Gabrielle isn’t alone. Two more Atlantic systems could develop this week

Two major European airports, Copenhagen and Oslo, were forced to close due to drones spotted nearby, causing flight disruptions. Copenhagen Airport shut down Monday evening after two to three UAVs were detected, halting takeoffs and landings. Police were deployed to investigate, and Danish fighter aircraft and helicopters responded to the situation. Over 35 flights bound for Copenhagen were diverted to nearby airports, including Malmö, Billund, … Continue reading Copenhagen airport shut after ‘large’ drone incident

Germany has warned that up to 1,000 of its soldiers could be wounded daily if Russia launches a war on NATO. The Kremlin denies planning any conflict, but recent Russian incursions into Poland, Romania, and Estonia have heightened fears. Germany’s surgeon general, Ralf Hoffmann, emphasized that casualty numbers would depend on battle intensity and military units involved. Drawing lessons from Ukraine, European nations are enhancing … Continue reading Germany prepares to treat ‘1,000 injured soldiers a day’ in war with Russia

Russia and Iran are set to sign agreements this week to build new nuclear power units in Iran, according to Iran’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami. Eslami, also Iran’s vice president, made the announcement during a visit to Moscow. Western governments accuse Iran of violating the 2015 nuclear deal aimed at preventing a weapons program, while Iran denies any such intention. Russia supports Iran’s right to … Continue reading Tehran, Moscow to sign docs on building new nuke reactors in Iran

European NATO allies have vowed to shoot down any Russian aircraft violating their airspace after recent incursions. Poland’s leaders, including Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk, warned that any unauthorized aircraft would be destroyed without debate. Estonia reported a brief incursion by three Russian MiG-31 jets, following earlier drone breaches in Poland and Romania. NATO countries fear these violations signal Moscow testing … Continue reading UK, Poland vow to ‘confront’ Russian fighter jets