A North Korean man crossed the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone into South Korea on Thursday and was detained by Seoul’s military after a 20-hour operation. He was found near the Military Demarcation Line and safely guided out of the DMZ. Such land-border defections are rare due to heavy fortifications and landmines. South Korean authorities will investigate the incident. No unusual North Korean military activity was … Continue reading North Korean man avoids military and landmines to cross border into South Korea

Russian oil tycoon Andrey Badalov, 62, has died after falling 180ft from a Moscow tower block in what police call an apparent suicide, though investigations continue. He was vice-president of Transneft, Russia’s state oil pipeline giant. His death is the latest in a string of at least a dozen mysterious fatalities among Russian oil and gas executives since 2022, often recorded as suicides but widely … Continue reading Oil tycoon linked to ex-KGB spy dies after plunging from luxury apartment in Russia

Russia launched its heaviest airstrikes of the war on Kyiv overnight, hitting nearly every district with 550 drones and 11 missiles, injuring dozens. Ukraine, short on air defences, managed to shoot down only two missiles. The attack came hours after Donald Trump’s unproductive phone call with Vladimir Putin, in which Putin refused to back down. Meanwhile, the US has paused critical weapons shipments to Ukraine, … Continue reading Putin pounds Ukraine with record war blitz moments after Trump call

French nationals Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, detained in Iran since May 2022, have been charged with spying for Israel, conspiracy to overthrow the regime, and “corruption on earth”—all carrying the death penalty. France rejects the charges as baseless. Their families only recently received proof they were alive after Israeli strikes on Tehran’s Evin prison, France 24 has reported. Iran is accused of using detained … Continue reading Iran charges French detainees Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris with spying for Israel

The UN warns that gangs now control about 90% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and are expanding into previously safe regions, pushing the country toward total state collapse. Criminal groups have set up parallel governance, crippling trade and driving up food prices. A Kenyan-led UN-backed mission meant to help is understaffed and underfunded. Meanwhile, violence—including sexual assaults and extrajudicial killings by both gangs and security forces—continues … Continue reading Haiti’s gangs have ‘near-total control’ of the capital as violence escalates, UN says

Russian Maj Gen Mikhail Gudkov, deputy navy commander and former head of the 155th marine brigade, was killed in a Ukrainian missile strike on a field headquarters in Russia’s Kursk region. Reports suggest the base’s location may have been exposed by poor security or a mole. The attack also killed other senior officers. Gudkov’s brigade has faced heavy losses and war crimes accusations, The Guardian … Continue reading Deputy commander of Russian navy killed in strike near Ukraine frontline

At least six people have died and dozens are missing after a ferry with 65 listed passengers and crew sank late Wednesday en route to Bali from Java, Indonesia. Thirty-one survivors have been rescued so far as searches continue. Authorities suspect there were unlisted passengers on board, complicating rescue efforts. Survivors described the ferry capsizing quickly after taking on water. President Prabowo Subianto has ordered … Continue reading Six dead, dozens missing after ferry sinks off Bali

A large wildfire on the Greek island of Crete forced the evacuation of about 5,000 people, mostly tourists, from the Lasithi region. The fire, which started Wednesday near Achlia, spread rapidly on three fronts due to strong winds. Five coastal towns were evacuated as flames damaged homes, forests, and olive groves. Four people were hospitalized for breathing problems, and some required rescue from trapped locations, … Continue reading Over 5,000 evacuated as wildfire rages on Greek island of Crete