World
- Worlddpa international
Zelensky: Air-defence solutions are necessary and possible
Following NATO's decision to further strengthen Ukraine's air defences, President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed reserved satisfaction. "We in Ukraine appreciate the efforts of every leader, every state that is really active, keeps its promises and tries to improve the capabilities of our air defence," Zelensky said on Friday evening in his daily video address, which was unusually brief. NATO allies are to give more air-defence systems to Ukraine, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced o
3 min read - Worlddpa international
Scholz: War in Ukraine could last several more years
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz believes that the war in Ukraine could drag on for several more years; Nobody could say whether this war might not even last five years, for example, Scholz said on Friday evening in the eastern city of Chemnitz. He defended Germany's military support for Ukraine. In addition, diplomacy must be cultivated, he added. Since the beginning of the war, however, Russian President Vladimir Putin had shown no signs of movement, he said. A dictated peace is unacceptable, emp
3 min read - WorldBBC
Can AI help solve Japan’s labour shortages?
Japan is seeing if artificial intelligence can tackle its increasing shortfall of workers.
6 min read - WorldFuturism
Facebook Says Sorry Its AI Flagged Auschwitz Museum Posts as Offensive
Earlier this month, Facebook's algorithm flagged 20 posts from the Auschwitz Memorial Museum as going against community standards — and now, Meta, its parent company, is eating crow. In a Facebook post, the Poland-based museum said that after Meta's content moderation algorithm moved some of its posts down in the feed over strange claims of […]
2 min read - BusinessReuters
Honda to invest $808 million in Brazil by 2030
BRASILIA (Reuters) -Japanese automaker Honda will invest 4.2 billion reais ($807.74 million) in its Itirapina plant in Brazil by 2030, an executive said on Friday, adding the company aims to develop a hybrid-flex vehicle in the South American country. Honda's announcement is the latest in a series of fresh investments by automakers such as Volkswagen, General Motors, Stellantis and Toyota in Brazil. According to Brazil's government, investments pledged by automakers in the country for the comi
1 min read - WorldBBC
Met Police apologises for 'openly Jewish' comment
Footage shows Gideon Falter being told his presence is "antagonising" near a pro-Palestine march.
4 min read - ScienceAFP
Coral reef misinformation bubbles up amid bleaching worldwide
Australia's Great Barrier Reef experienced the most widespread bleaching on record in the summer of 2023 to 2024, with skeptics dismissing the role of human-induced climate change in putting coral barriers under intense heat stress. But scientists say ocean warming is the main cause for repeated, intense bleaching over recent decades.
5 min read - LifestyleCNN
A couple lost their wedding rings during the ceremony. Two strangers found a fitting solution
Lost wedding rings led to a sweet memory for this newlywed couple in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
4 min read - Worlddpa international
NATO chief: 'No one stands to benefit' from war in Middle East
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has expressed concern about the situation in the Middle East following the suspected Israeli strike against Iran. "It is vital that the conflict does not spiral out of control, and therefore we call on all parties to show restraint," Stoltenberg said in Brussels on Friday. "No one stands to benefit from another war in the Middle East," he said. According to several media reports, Israel carried out a strike in the Iranian province of Isfahan early on Frida
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
UN refugee agency tells Cyprus to stick to the law in its efforts at sea to thwart refugee boats
The United Nations' refugee agency said Friday that Cypriot efforts at sea to stop numerous Syrian refugee-laden boats departing Lebanon from reaching the European Union-member island nation mustn’t contravene international human rights laws or put passengers at risk. Cypriot authorities have reportedly dispatched police patrol vessels just outside Lebanese territorial waters to thwart boat loads of Syrian refugees from reaching the island about 110 miles (180 kilometers) away. The Cypriot gov
4 min read - Worlddpa international
Moscow still intent on 'truly Russian' Ukraine, says Lavrov
After more than two years of intense fighting in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday reasserted Moscow's claimed right to rule over its neighbour. At most, the future of western Ukraine is unclear, Lavrov told several Russian broadcasters in an interview in Moscow. Otherwise, there will only be a Ukraine "that is truly Russian, that wants to be part of the Russian world, that wants to speak Russian and educate its children," he said. There was no question of any alternative
1 min read - Politicsdpa international
NATO allies to send Ukraine more air-defence systems
NATO allies are to give more air-defence systems to Ukraine, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Friday, after a crisis meeting via videolink with defence ministers and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. NATO has "mapped out existing capabilities" from alliance countries that can be given to Ukraine, Stoltenberg said in a press conference after the meeting. The alliance secretary general also mentioned that "several allies made concrete commitments" to send further air-defence w
1 min read - Worlddpa international
German customs allows detained cargo ship to depart Baltic Sea port
German customs authorities have granted the cargo ship Atlantic Navigator II permission to depart from the German Baltic Sea port of Rostock, after earlier detaining the ship under EU sanctions against Russia. A spokeswoman for the German customs office in Stralsund confirmed the decision to dpa on Friday. The cargo ship, which was heading from Russia to North America, was forced to stop in the German port for repairs after experiencing technical problems in early March. German customs officials
1 min read - Worlddpa international
EU plans new salvo of sanctions on Russia
The European Union is planning a 14th round of sanctions on Moscow for the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, a senior EU official said on Friday. The new sanctions package includes punitive measures on individuals and organizations that assist efforts to circumvent existing EU sanctions on Russia, the senior EU official said. An EU diplomat said the punitive measures should consider oil tankers or the "dark fleet" that transport Russian oil despite existing sanctions in place to hinder thi
1 min read - WorldReuters
China moves to boost foreign investment in domestic tech companies
China published measures on Friday aimed at promoting overseas investment in its technology sector, in a latest bid to attract foreign investors amid signs some are considering shifting away from the world's second-largest economy. China will support overseas institutions to issue yuan bonds in the country, and also encourage tech companies, including foreign-invested ones, to raise money via bond issuance, the commerce ministry said in a statement. The government will also facilitate foreign
1 min read - WorldINSIDER
Ukraine says it took out one of Russia's supersonic strategic bombers for the first time
Ukraine reports shooting down a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber for the first time since the 2022 full-scale invasion began.
3 min read - Worlddpa international
Germany's Baerbock angry over public reports about row with Netanyahu
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has expressed her anger at reports from Israeli news outlets that there was a massive row between her and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "The German ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, was in contact with the prime minister's staff and made it clear what we think of such distorted reports," Baerbock said on Friday at the end of the meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialized democracies on the Italian Mediterranean island of Ca
1 min read - WorldYale Environment 360
Report Alleges UN Complicit in Violent Evictions from World Heritage Sites
A new report alleges the U.N. has been complicit in the violent eviction of Indigenous people from six World Heritage Sites in Africa and Asia.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Scholz: Diplomatic efforts around Ukraine peace talks progressing
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that talks with Chinese officials about the war in Ukraine during his recent trip provided a "very important boost" for diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Scholz emphasized that he was in agreement with the Chinese leadership on the need for peace conferences in Switzerland to discuss the war. Diplomatic efforts are "something that is indispensable in this laborious process, and I am grateful that Germany, and I personally, were also able to make a contrib
1 min read - Worlddpa international
G7 chides Iran and warns against escalation, reaffirms Ukraine help
The Group of Seven (G7) condemned Iran for its attacks on Israel and general behaviour on Friday but also called on both parties to de-escalate amid reports of Israeli retaliation. A meeting of foreign ministers from the group of industrialized democracies had been under way on the Italian island of Capri since Wednesday. A communique to mark the end of the meeting said: "In light of reports of strikes on April 19, we urge all parties to workto prevent further escalation. The G7 will continue to
4 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Police in Paris detain a man wearing fake explosives vest at Iran's Consulate
A man wearing a fake explosive vest and making threats was detained Friday outside the Iranian Consulate in Paris after police locked down the area, authorities said. The incident came at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, and as Paris is on high security alert as it gears up to host the Summer Olympics in three months. The suspect had been convicted for setting fire to the Iranian Embassy gates last year in what he called a protest against the Iranian government, according to t
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Disruptions continue at Dubai airport after unprecedented rainfall
Dubai airport, one of the world’s busiest, said on Friday it is limiting the number of arriving flights as disruptions continue after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this week suffered flooding from the heaviest rainfall seen in decades. The airport said it will be limiting the number of arriving flights starting Friday for 48 hours. It also urged passengers not to head to the airport unless the airlines have confirmed the departure of their flight. Air India said it has cancelled flights to and
1 min read - Worlddpa international
G7 warns Israel and Iran against escalation, reaffirms Ukraine help
The Group of Seven (G7) has strongly condemned Iran for its attacks on Israel but also called on both parties to de-escalate amid reports of Israeli retaliation. A meeting of foreign ministers from the group of industrialized democracies has been under way on the Italian island of Capri since Wednesday. A communique to mark the end of the meeting said: "In light of reports of strikes on April 19, we urge all parties to workto prevent further escalation. The G7 will continue to work to this end.
2 min read - WorldBBC
Ghana’s newly imported train from Poland collides with lorry in test run
The train rammed into a lorry parked along the Tema-Mpakadan railway line, damaging its cabin area.
2 min read - USdpa international
German police find arsenal of weapons in raid on alleged drug dealer
Police in south-western Germany seized a large arsenal of weapons, including an assault rifle and a machine pistol, during a raid on a suspected drug dealer's home, authorities announced on Friday. Police also seized a number of other weapons along with 10,000 rounds of ammunition and narcotics during the search in the town of Schöntal, which took place on April 11 but was only publicly disclosed on Friday. The 46-year-old allegedly bought drugs from six other suspected drug dealers who were arr
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Egypt urges Iran and Israel to exercise restraint
Egypt has urged Iran and Israel to exercise restraint and avoid plunging the region into conflict, a foreign ministry statement said. Egypt expressed deep concern over the continued mutual escalation between Israel and Iran and warned of the consequences of expanding the conflict in the region and its dangerous impact on the safety and security of its people. Oman, meanwhile, has condemned an suspected Israeli attack on the Iranian province of Isfahan as well the repeated Israeli attacks in the
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Germany's Scholz urges against escalation in the Middle East
Following a suspected Israeli retaliatory attack on Iran, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned against further escalation in the Middle East. "Everyone must ensure now and in the near future that there is no further escalation of the war," Scholz said on Friday. He stressed that the position urging restraint is shared by Germany and its allies, but declined to comment further on reports of Israeli strikes on targets in Iran. Scholz acknowledged on Friday only that there had been "renewed mil
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
European Union official von der Leyen visits the Finland-Russia border to assess security situation
The head of the European Union's executive branch said Friday that Finland's decision to close its border crossings with Russia over a surge in migrants is a security matter for the whole 27-member bloc to consider. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the remarks during a trip to the frontier, visiting a part of the border located in southeastern Finland. “We all know how (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and his allies instrumentalize migrants to test our defenses and to
3 min read - WorldAFP
Major India newspaper front page altered with bogus pre-election 'survey' result
A manipulated picture that surfaced online days before India began its marathon election on April 19 falsely claimed a major newspaper published a "mega survey" that found an opposition alliance was set to win in states ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party. The Dainik Bhaskar newspaper denied publishing such a survey, while analysts said victory was all but assured for Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
3 min read - WorldAssociated Press
AP PHOTOS: For the world's largest democratic exercise, one village's polling officers are all women
The line was orderly at Government Middle School as people waited patiently to vote Friday, even after one of the voting machines malfunctioned. The officers at the polling station in Chedema village in India's tiny mountain state of Nagaland had arrived the day before, all of them women on electoral duty for the first time. The four women surveyed the polling station, secured the perimeter and started on the tedious paperwork involved with India's multiphase national election.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
German Foreign Office says report of spat with Netanyahu 'misleading'
Germany's Foreign Office is disputing as "misleading" an Israeli media report about a heated argument between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock over the situation in the Gaza Strip. "Key points in this account of the hour long meeting between Foreign Minister Baerbock and Prime Minister Netanyahu are wrong and misleading," the Foreign Office wrote in a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday. The German ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, m
2 min read - Worlddpa international
German vice chancellor spends morning in Kiev air raid shelter
Germany's Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck began Friday in a bomb shelter in Kiev because of the threat of incoming Russian missiles and drones. An air raid alarm was triggered at 4:40 am (0140 GMT) in Kiev, forcing Habeck and his entourage to spend about an hour and a half seeking shelter in the underground parking garage of their hotel before the all-clear signal was given. Habeck arrvied in Ukraine on Thursday. He is expected to hold further meetings on Friday before travelling on to Moldova, wh
1 min read - WorldAFP
Old video falsely presented as 'Iran's attack on Israel'
Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel on April 13 fuelled a flurry of misrepresented images and videos online including a clip that posts falsely claimed showed Israel's Iron Dome air defence system during the assault. The clip has circulated in reports about an incident in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon since October 2023, shortly after the outbreak of the Gaza war .
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
More people are evacuated after the dramatic eruption of an Indonesian volcano
More people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated on Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. An international airport in Manado city, which is located less than 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the erupting Mount Ruang, is still temporarily closed as volcanic ash was spewed into the air. Satellite imagery from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency showed that the ash has
2 min read - Worlddpa international
India's mammoth elections kick off as Modi seeks third term in power
Voters in India began heading to the polls on Friday in the first phase of a massive election lasting six weeks, with seats in India's lower house of parliament and another term for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at stake. The latest opinion polls put Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) far in the lead. The 73-year-old Modi is campaigning for a third five-year term as the country's leader. Voting began in 102 of a total of 543 constituencies, according to the Election Comm
4 min read - WorldAFP
Video of officials signing bilateral agreement falsely shared as 'Indonesia paying off debts to China'
A video of Indonesia and China's foreign ministers signing a bilateral cooperation agreement in October 2023 has resurfaced in false social media posts praising Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo for purportedly paying off all the country's debts to China in the final months of his presidency. According to debt statistics released by Indonesian financial authorities in March 2024, Jakarta's debts to Beijing have increased during Jokowi's tenure and currently stands at more than $21 billio
4 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Ukraine claims it shot down a Russian strategic bomber as Moscow's missiles kill 8 Ukrainians
Ukraine’s air force claimed Friday it shot down a Russian strategic bomber, but Moscow officials said the plane crashed in a sparsely populated area due to a malfunction after a combat mission. Previous Ukrainian claims of shooting down Russian warplanes during their more than two-year war have met with silence or denials from Moscow. Meanwhile, Russian missiles struck cities in the central Dnipro region of Ukraine, killing eight people, including a 14-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy, and inj
3 min read - WorldBBC
What we know about Israel's overnight attack on Iran
There are competing claims about the scale of Israel's reported overnight attack targeting Isfahan in Iran.
4 min read - WorldAssociated Press
2 suspects detained in Poland for attack on a Navalny ally in Lithuania
Two men have been detained in Poland on suspicion that they attacked Russian activist Leonid Volkov — an ally of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny — on the orders of foreign intelligence services, officials said Friday. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk later said on the social platform X that the two Polish “assassins” are under arrest, as well as a Belarusian working for Russia who had ordered the Poles to “assassinate” a Navalny associate. Volkov was attacked on March 12 outside his
4 min read - SportsWFLA
More humidity ahead of a front early next week
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Another warm and dry day with highs in the mid-upper 80s. A few spots may briefly hit 90 degrees today. Once again, the breeze off the Gulf of Mexico keeps coastal areas a little cooler. Humidity builds gradually through the day today and tomorrow. Saturday should be another warm, dry day. […]
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Laborers and street vendors in Mali find no respite as deadly heat wave surges through West Africa
Street vendors in Mali's capital of Bamako peddle water sachets, ubiquitous for this part of West Africa during the hottest months. This year, an unprecedented heat wave has led to a surge in deaths, experts say, warning of more scorching weather ahead as effects of climate change roil the continent. The heat wave began in late March, as many in this Muslim majority country observed the holy Islamic month of Ramadan with dawn-to-dusk fasting.
4 min read - WorldPolitico
Iran fires air defense batteries in provinces as sound of explosions heard near Isfahan
Tensions remain high after Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel.
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Indians vote in the first phase of the world's largest election as Modi seeks a third term
Millions of Indians began voting on Friday in a six-week election that's a referendum on Narendra Modi, the populist prime minister who has championed an assertive brand of Hindu nationalist politics and is seeking a rare third term as the country's leader. The votes will be counted on June 4. There are a total of 28 states in India.
6 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Brazil's president creates two new Indigenous territories, bringing total in his term to 10
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Thursday announced the creation of two new Indigenous territories for Brazil, bringing the total number of new reserves during this term to 10. Speaking at a ceremony in Brasilia, Lula's said Indigenous peoples should be patient as he seeks to fulfill his pledge of creating 14 new territories. Lula's predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, had encouraged widespread development of the Amazon — both legal and illegal — and made good on his pledge to not demarcate a si
2 min read - WorldBBC
Francis Ogolla: Kenya helicopter crash kills country's military chief
A military helicopter carrying senior military officers crashes and caught fire, killing ten people.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Thousands protest again in Tel Aviv for release of hostages
In Israel's coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv, thousands of people protested again on Thursday evening for the release of hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip. The demonstrators also called on the umbrella organization of the trade unions, Histadrut, to declare a general strike. This should continue until all hostages are released, the organizers from the Hostages' Forum demanded. According to the media, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau said at the rally that it was Israel's duty to bring the
1 min read - WorldAFP
Thousands of Bosnian Serbs rally against UN resolution on Srebrenica
Several thousand Bosnian Serbs protested Thursday in Banja Luka against a potential UN resolution to declare July 11 an international day to remember the Srebrenica genocide. According to a draft resolution prepared by Germany and Rwanda, which was seen by AFP, from next year, which will be the 30th anniversary of the massacre, July 11 would become the "International Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide".
2 min read - WorldReuters
India votes in gigantic election as Modi seeks historic third term
India votes on Friday in the world's largest election as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a historic third term in office on the back of growth, welfare, his personal popularity and Hindu nationalism. The vote pits Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against an alliance of two dozen opposition parties which is challenging him with promises of increased affirmative action, more handouts and what they say is the need to save democratic institutions from Modi's dictatorial rule.
3 min read - Worlddpa international
After Habeck's visit, Zelensky thanks Germany for its support
Following German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck's visit to Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Germany for its continued support for his country. "We appreciate Germany's leadership role, which helps not only us in Ukraine to protect lives, but all of Europe itself - to preserve the very Europe that knows how to live peacefully, knows the law and knows how to take care of people," Zelensky said in his daily video address on Thursday. He announced that the conference on the re
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Germany will 'never accept' Russian spying, Scholz says after arrests
Two men have been arrested in Germany accused of spying for Russia and seeking to undermine German support for Ukraine, prosecutors and politicians said on Thursday. The two German-Russian nationals, identified only as Dieter S and Alexander J due to Germany's strict privacy laws, were taken into custody on Wednesday in the Bavarian city of Bayreuth, the office of the Federal Public Prosecutor General said. "Our security authorities have prevented possible explosive attacks that were intended to
3 min read
