World
- Worlddpa international
Israel's National Security Minister Ben-Gvir injured in car accident
Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was injured in a car accident on Friday evening after reportedly running a red light. Three people were injured and hospitalized in the accident in Ramle near Tel Aviv, police said, announcing an investigation. Israeli media published a dashcam video from an uninvolved vehicle at the scene of the accident, allegedly showing two cars colliding at a junction. Further footage is said to show Ben-Gvir's car overturned on a road. The Haaretz newspap
1 min read - ScienceGizmodo
Ritual Offerings, Hallucinogenic Plant Found Under Ancient Maya Ball Court
A baseball player may tap his helmet three times before stepping up to the plate, and an Argentina supporter may burn incense in front of a portrait of Diego Maradona as the Albiceleste kick off. Now, a team of archaeologists have found evidence that the ancient Maya blessed their ball courts with ritual offerings, an indicator of how much sport meant to the Maya communities.
4 min read - Worlddpa international
EU Commission to provide another €68m in aid for Palestinians in Gaza
The European Union is releasing another €68 million ($72.7 million) in humanitarian aid for Palestinians affected by the ongoing war in Gaza, the European Commission said in Brussels on Friday. "In light of the continued deterioration of the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the steady rise of needs on the ground, the Commission is stepping up its funding to support Palestinians affected by the ongoing war," the EU's executive said in a press release. The additional sum is intended to "sca
1 min read - WorldBBC
Burkina Faso suspends BBC over HRW report on alleged mass killings
BBC websites and radio are blocked for two weeks over a Human Rights Watch report on alleged mass killings.
2 min read - WorldBBC
Two British men charged with helping Russian intelligence
It comes after a Ukraine-linked business in London was targeted in a suspected arson attack.
3 min read - WorldAssociated Press
At least 70 people killed by flooding in Kenya as more rain is expected through the weekend
Flooding and heavy rains in Kenya have killed at least 70 people since mid-March, a government spokesperson said Friday, twice as many as were reported earlier this week. The East African country has seen weeks of heavy rains and severe flooding in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, as well as in the country's western and central regions. Kenya's government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura on Friday refuted claims that hundreds of people have died in the ongoing flooding and said the official tally now stands
1 min read - WorldBBC
The ex-flight attendant who became the first female boss of Japan Airlines
Mitsuko Tottori was named as the first female boss of Japan Airlines earlier this year.
4 min read - WorldBBC
Thabo Mbeki vows to rid South Africa's ANC of 'rotten apples'
South Africa's former president hits out at corruption within the governing party.
2 min read - WorldINSIDER
Spain to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine amid mounting pressure from EU and NATO allies, report says
Spain has decided not to send any of its launchers for the Patriot system to Ukraine, however, El Pais reported.
3 min read - Worlddpa international
UN estimates clearing Gaza of metal debris to take 14 years
The United Nations has estimated that it would take 100 lorries some 14 years to remove the 300 kilograms of scrap metal per square metre covering the heavily destroyed Gaza Strip. And it is unlikely that the work could be done quickly, Peh Lodhammar from the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in Geneva said on Friday, due to unexploded ordnances. There are no concrete estimates of how much live ammunition that did not explode on impact is lying in the ground, Lodhammar said. Typically, 10% of munit
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Lithuanian president joins call for higher defence expenditure
Lithuania has joined calls for higher military spending from NATO member states. "We must work together to convince our NATO partners to increase defence spending," said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda at a joint press conference with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda on Friday. The two presidents had attended a joint military exercise by the armed forces of both countries in the so-called "Suwalki Gap," a strategically important area on NATO's eastern flank. Duda recently proposed that N
1 min read - WorldThe Conversation en Español
Pedro Sánchez’s ‘letter to the citizens’ of Spain assessed by a political communications expert
Pedro Sánchez has taken a controversial five day pause to reconsider his position at the head of Spain’s government. This ambitious gamble has put him in the spotlight once again.
5 min read - WorldGizmodo
Saudi Arabia's Sci-Fi Megacity in the Desert Isn't Going Well
Over the last several years, Saudi Arabia has been working on a massive infrastructure project that its leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (or MBS) hopes will transform the Kingdom and its relationship with the outside world. The Neom project is a series of developments that are currently under construction in the nation’s Tabuk region. Saudi leaders hope the project will attract foreign visitors while also helping to modernize the country through innovative technological development and a
6 min read - WorldBBC
Ukraine war: Kyiv's plea for Patriots falls short in Greece and Spain
Greece says it cannot spare its defence systems and Spain reportedly says it can only provide missiles.
3 min read - WorldBBC
Africa's week in pictures: 19-25 April 2024
A selection of the week's best photos from across the continent and beyond.
2 min read - USReuters
Fire at Brazil guesthouse leaves at least 10 dead, 11 injured
At least 10 people died and 11 were injured in the early hours of Friday morning in a major fire at a guesthouse in Brazil's southern city of Porto Alegre, said the Rio Grande do Sul state fire department, which is still searching for the missing. Junes da Silva said there is still no information on the possible causes of the fire. The facility did not have a license to operate as a guesthouse, nor did they have a fire-fighting plan, according to the fire department.
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Zelensky warns of new Chernobyl disaster as Ukraine marks anniversary
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned against a repeat of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, as the country marked the anniversary of the 1986 disaster at the power plant. "Europe's largest nuclear power plant near Zaporizhzhya has already been in the hands of Russian terrorists for 785 days," the head of state wrote on Telegram on Friday. He urged the international community to exert pressure on Russia to bring the power plant back under Ukrainian control. "And that all nuclear objects
2 min read - WorldCNN
Overrun Japanese town putting up eight-foot barrier to block tourist photos of Mount Fuji
Fujikawaguchiko has become overrun with foreign tourists trying to get the perfect photo of Japan’s most famous mountain.
3 min read - WorldINSIDER
Kim Jong Un tested a new rocket that could hit Seoul — and may aid Russia against Ukraine
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un oversaw tests for a new rocket which is capable of targeting South Korea.
3 min read - Worlddpa international
Berlin police move to clear pro-Palestinian protest camp
A protest camp in Berlin's government district voicing support for Palestinians and demanding an end to the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip has been banned by German police. About 150 police officers appeared at the 20 or so tents near the Chancellery in Berlin on Friday morning and demanded that the 20 or so people staying in the camp leave, a police spokesman said. Police also announced that the camp had been banned via loudspeaker. The protest camp pitched its tents at the site m
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Italian journalist union calls for strike at public broadcaster Rai
The journalists' union USIGrai has called for a 24-hour strike at Italian public broadcaster Rai on May 6 and 7, mainly to protest against interference by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. They accused Meloni of wanting to turn the broadcaster into a "mouthpiece of the government." The background to this is the last-minute disinvitation of the writer Antonio Scurati, who wanted to read a text on the day of Italy's liberation from German occupation and fascism on April 2
1 min read - Businessdpa international
Mixed predictions on German unemployment for 2024
The employment outlook in Germany continues to improve, the Institute for Labour Market and Professional Research (IAB) reported from Nuremberg on Friday. "The government employment agencies are anticipating a stable upward trend in employment rates, despite a difficult economic situation," IAB researcher Enzo Weber said. "There is still a good way to go before a decline in unemployment, but the outlook is improving," he said. The IAB's European Labour Market Barometer recorded its third consecu
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Accused Chinese spy previously sought job at Germany's intel agency
A suspected Chinese spy who worked as a top aide to a far-right German politician in the European Parliament had previously applied to work for Germany's foreign intelligence agency, the BND. The accused spy, Jian Guo, was turned down by the BND several years ago, according to information obtained by dpa. The man also reportedly applied to work for the BfV domestic security service in the eastern German state of Saxony but was rejected as unreliable. German public broadcaster ARD first reported
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Kenya Airways accuses Congo military of holding its staff since last week over cargo issues
Kenya’s state-owned airline has accused the Republic of Congo’s military of holding two of its staffers since last Friday over cargo issues. Kenya Airways, known as KQ, said on Friday the staffers were arrested in its airport office in the capital, Kinshasa, over missing documentation for cargo that the airline had not accepted. “All efforts to explain to the military officers that KQ had not accepted the cargo because of incomplete documentation proved futile,” airline CEO Allan Kilavuka said
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Head of Vietnam's parliament resigns amid corruption probe
The head of Vietnam’s parliament has resigned, according to state media, making him the latest senior member of government to leave office amid an ongoing anti-corruption campaign that's shaken the country's political and business elites. The resignation of National Assembly Chair Vuong Dinh Hue adds to growing instability in the country. President Vo Van Thuong resigned in March — just over a year after the previous president, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, resigned to take political responsibility for co
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Ex UK minister says Germany's Scholz should send missiles to Kiev
Former UK defence secretary Ben Wallace has called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to agree to send Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, as he continues to resist this step despite repeated pleas from Kiev. "I think the reason is you can't incrementally help Ukraine, you know, a bit of this and a bit of that. Do we want Ukraine to win? Or do we want them to lose?" Wallace said. While he understands Scholz's reasons for concern regarding a possible escalation of the conflict, these are unfounded,
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Sweden should spend more on defense and increase the number of conscripts, lawmakers recommend
Sweden should increase its annual military budget by nearly 54 billion kronor ($5 billion) by 2030 to strengthen its air defenses and beef up the number of conscripts, a Swedish parliamentary committee recommended Friday. The Scandinavian country joined the NATO alliance in March, moving away from a decades-long policy of neutrality in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The report by the Defense Committee, which is made up of representatives of the eight political par
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
2 men charged in the UK with spying for China are granted bail after a court appearance in London
A former researcher working in the U.K. Parliament and another man charged with spying for China were granted bail Friday after an initial court appearance in London. Christopher Cash, 29, and Christopher Berry, 32, were charged with violating the Official Secrets Act by providing information or documents that could be “useful to an enemy” — China — and “prejudicial to the safety or interests” of the U.K. between late 2021 and February 2023. Cash, a parliamentary researcher who worked with sen
2 min read - BusinessHotel Management Network
Marriott signs deal to bring Ritz-Carlton Reserve to Saudi Arabia’s Trojena
The new Ritz-Carlton Reserve highlights Marriott's commitment to expanding its luxury portfolio in Saudi Arabia.
2 min read - WorldReuters
Forbes Russia journalist detained on suspicion of spreading 'fake news' about army
LONDON (Reuters) -Sergei Mingazov, a journalist for the Russian edition of Forbes, has been detained on suspicion of spreading false information about the Russian army, the magazine said on Friday. Konstantin Bubon, Mingazov's lawyer, said on Facebook that his client was in a detention centre in the far eastern city of Khabarovsk, where he lives. Forbes Russia said it had not been able to contact the reporter.
1 min read - WorldAFP
Disaster videos from Lebanon, Chile, Japan falsely shared as Iran attack
A dramatic video compilation of explosions and panicked crowds fleeing the streets swirled in social media posts about Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel on April 13, 2024. However, the clips were in fact all filmed before Tehran's assault. The footage shows a blast in Lebanon, cars blackened by forest fires in Chile and people reacting to a gas explosion in Japan. Another clip in the compilation was shared in news reports about an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon in December 2023.
5 min read - Worlddpa international
German wine growers worried over recent late-spring frosts
Late spring overnight frosts in Germany's wine-growing regions have raised concerns among winemakers about potential impacts on the harvest. The German Winegrowers' Association (DWV) fears that the cold temperatures could damage wine yields this year: "The frosts at this point in time are so devastating because the vegetation is already well advanced after the recent months of record heat," DWV President Klaus Schneider told the Funke Mediengruppe newspaper chain on Friday. "The young, fertile s
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Ukrainian minister remanded in custody after corruption allegations
Ukraine's highest anti-corruption court has ordered the pre-trial detention of Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi on suspicion of misappropriation of state land worth millions. The preventive measure is initially set to run until June 24, media in Kiev reported on Friday, citing the court. There is a possibility that Solskyi will be released on bail, the reports said. The minister had previously submitted his resignation, but continued to deny any guilt. Parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk
2 min read - Sciencedpa international
Thousands of emperor penguin chicks dead due to record low sea ice
Thousands of penguin chicks died in Antarctica last year as a result of the increasing ice melt. The record low level of Antarctic sea ice at the end of 2023 led to breeding failures in a fifth of the continent's emperor penguin colonies, according to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). The study was published in the journal Antarctic Science on Thursday, which is World Penguin Day It used satellite data to reveal the extent of the impact of early sea ice breakup on the penguins' breeding cycle.
1 min read - Businessdpa international
Renewable energies cover 56% of Germany's Q1 electricity consumption
Renewable energies covered around 56% of electricity consumption in Germany in the first quarter of 2024. This is according to projections by the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), which were made available to dpa on Friday. In total, renewable energy plants generated around 75.9 billion kilowatt hours of electricity from January to March, around 10% more than in the same period last year. Onshor
1 min read - Worlddpa international
German far-right AfD party leader defends colleagues on Russia, China
The leader of the far right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has defended the actions of its leadership in connection with reports about the possible involvement of leading party politicians with Russia and China. "We will draw clear consequences if these things are confirmed against Mr Krah and Mr Bystron," Tino Chrupalla said on the German public broadcaster ZDF on Thursday evening. Both had given written assurances that there was nothing to the allegations and therefore the presumption of
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Muslim groups claim double standards in police handling of two high-profile stabbings in Sydney
Muslim groups in Australia on Friday criticized the disparity in the police response to two stabbing attacks in Sydney this month, saying it had created a perception of a double standard and further alienated the country's minority Muslim community. The Australian National Imams Council said an attack at a Bondi Junction shopping center was “quickly deemed a mental health issue” while the stabbing of a Christian bishop at a Sydney church two days later was “classified as a terrorist act almost
3 min read - WorldAFP
Russian women face violence from Ukraine veterans
Olga drew her index finger abruptly across her neck as she recounted the threats her husband levelled at her after he returned to Russia, wounded from fighting in Ukraine.Even before her husband went off to fight in Ukraine, he was a violent alcoholic, Olga -- not her real name -- told AFP. When he returned home seven months later, he was even worse.
7 min read - WorldBBC
Headband was worn in support of Hamas, judge finds
Khaled Hajsaad wore the clothing at a pro-Palestine rally in central London in November.
1 min read - WorldReuters
Kiribati parliament votes to remove Australian-born high court judge
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Kiribati's parliament has voted to remove Australian-born High Court Judge David Lambourne, who said on Friday the move was politically motivated and an attack on the independence of the Pacific Island nation's judiciary. The parliament voted to accept the recommendation of a special tribunal to remove Lambourne for misbehaviour. An attempt to deport Lambourne, a judge who is married to Kiribati's opposition party leader, sparked a judicial crisis two years ago in the remote
2 min read - WorldAFP
Mould-breaking Miss Germany defies wave of online hatred
As a mother who is almost 40 and who was born in Iran, the new Miss Germany Apameh Schoenauer stood out at the beauty pageant. "I took part in Miss Germany because I wanted to change something," said Schoenauer, an architect and mother of a toddler, who moved to Germany aged six.
3 min read - USAssociated Press
Mexico City seeks to downplay the case of a serial killer suspect who kept women's bones in his room
Mexico City prosecutors sought Thursday to downplay the case of a suspected serial killer who kept women’s bones and a saw in his room, apparently having targeted women over the course of more than a decade. The city’s head prosecutor said the remains of six women were found in the suspect’s rented room, “not 20 as some unfounded reports have suggested.” City prosecutor Ulises Lara stressed that only three of the man's alleged crimes occurred during the present administration, which took offic
3 min read - Worlddpa international
Pentagon: Building of temporary harbour in Gaza Strip has begun
The US military has started helping to build a temporary harbour off the coast of the Gaza Strip to bring food, water and medicine to the territory, a spokesman said on Thursday, amid fears of famine in the territory. US ships are involved, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder told reporters, adding that "I think, indications now are realistically, early May" for the harbour to be ready. In the meantime, work is continuing with the international community to bring aid supplies to the Gaza Strip via othe
4 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Massive policing for Paris Olympics to include security checks for some of the capital's residents
Special anti-terrorism measures being put in place to safeguard the unprecedented opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics on the River Seine will also apply to all buildings along the route, meaning people who work and live there and their guests will be subjected to background security checks, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said Thursday. Athletes will be paraded through the heart of the French capital on 94 boats along a 6-kilometer (nearly 4-mile) stretch of the Seine, from east to west.
3 min read - WorldMiami Herald
Apex predator emerges as boaters stare in awe at fish’s ‘massive bite marks.’ See it
The sighting was made off the coast of western Australia, the charter boat company said.
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Bundestag extends mandate for surveillance mission off Libyan coast
The Bundestag extended the mandate for Germany's participation in the EU naval mission to enforce the UN's arms embargo on Libya for a further year after a vote on Thursday. A majority of lawmakers in the German lower house voted in favour of the motion, meaning some 300 service personnel will remain part of the EUNAVFOR Med Irini mission in the Central Mediterranean. The operation is a key part of the peace process led by the United Nations aiming to bring stability to Libya, with the mission t
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Frustrated with Brazil's Lula, Indigenous peoples march to demand land recognition
Thousands of Indigenous people marched on Thursday in Brazil's capital, calling on the government to officially recognize lands they have lived on for centuries and to protect territories from criminal activities such as illegal mining. With posters bearing messages like “The future is Indigenous,” they walked towards Three Powers Square, where Congress, the Supreme Court and the Planalto presidential palace are located in Brasilia. A group of Indigenous leaders entered the palace to talk to P
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Asylum seeker who killed British retiree says he was seeking revenge for the people of Gaza
An asylum seeker from Morocco who went on a vicious rampage following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that triggered the Israel-Hamas war was convicted Thursday of murder for stabbing a 70-year-old man in the streets of an English seaside town. Ahmed Alid, 45, stabbed Terence Carney six times on Oct. 15 in the center of Hartlepool minutes after he hacked at a sleeping housemate while shouting “Allahu Akbar,” or "God is great” in Arabic. The attack came eight days after Hamas militants stormed into Isr
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Putin plans to visit China in May
Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning a trip to China in May, he said on Thursday, though he did not specify exactly when. "I have planned a visit in May," he told the Russian Union of Entrepreneurs and Industrialists (RSPP). The ceremonies to inaugurate his fifth term as president are planned for May 7, so the trip could be his first one abroad in his latest term. China is considered Russia's most important ally in the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in 2022. Outwardly
1 min read - WorldBBC
Tanzania floods and landslides kill more than 150 - PM Kassim Majaliwa
The prime minister warns that El Niño-triggered heavy rains are likely to continue into May.
2 min read
