Moldova warns athletes not to compete in Russia without permission
Chisinau Reuters Officials in Moldova, a fierce critic of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, pledged this week to crack down on athletes and cultural figures who have travelled to Russia to compete or perform without official permission. The warnings were issued after six athletes from the ex-Soviet state took part in the BRICS Games – a […]
Beluga whale pair move from Ukraine’s war-torn Kharkiv to Spain’s Valencia
Madrid, Spain Reuters Marine biologists have moved a pair of beluga whales from the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv – the target of daily shelling by Russian forces – to the eastern Spanish city of Valencia, in what they described as a long and risky international rescue operation. The animals, 15-year-old male Plombir and 14-year-old female […]
Ukrainians better treated than others displaced by war, Council of Europe says
Reuters Ukrainians who fled their homes to escape Russia’s invasion have received better treatment than those displaced by other ongoing wars and emergencies, Europe’s top human rights group said this week, calling on member states to support all equally. In its annual report, the Council of Europe’s anti-racism commission (ECRI) said “admirable efforts” have been […]
Spain starts closing Franco sympathisers’ foundation
Madrid, Spain Reuters Spain’s government has begun closing down the Francisco Franco foundation, a non-profit organisation set up by sympathisers of the late dictator, Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun said on Thursday. The “democratic memory” law approved in 2022 by Spain’s Socialist government prohibits any organisation that is seen to glorify or promote the 1939-1975 Franco […]
Death toll from India tainted liquor tragedy rises to 47
Reuters The death toll from the latest case of tainted liquor in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has climbed to 47, with over 100 people still in hospital, a government official said on Friday. Since Wednesday more than 150 people, suffering from vomiting, stomach aches and diarrhoea, have needed treatment after drinking methanol-mixed […]
Life in the world’s biggest refugee camp: Odd jobs, digital cards help Rohingya refugees navigate aid cuts
Seven years after fleeing conflict in Myanmar, displaced Rohingya struggle with aid squeeze in world’s biggest refugee camp. MD TAHMID ZAMI, of Context, reports…
Jihadis from Africa’s Sahel have crossed into Nigeria’s north, a new report says. A lot is at stake
Abuja, Nigeria AP Jihadi fighters who had long operated in Africa’s volatile Sahel region have settled in north-western Nigeria after crossing from neighbouring Benin, a report said Wednesday, the latest trend in the militants’ movements to wealthier West African coastal nations. The extremists believed to be linked to al-Qaeda have in the last year crossed […]
At least 30 dead as torrential rains lash Central America
Mexico City Reuters At least 30 people have died and thousands have been forced to evacuate their homes as storms and heavy rainfall continue to lash Central America, according to local officials, with the constant downpours flooding rivers, destroying homes, triggering landslides and cutting off entire communities. Salvadoran authorities on Friday said the death toll […]
Israel pounds Gaza, killing dozens, as fighting rages
Cairo, Egypt Reuters Israeli forces pounded Rafah in southern Gaza on Friday, as well as other areas across the enclave, killing at least 45 Palestinians as troops engaged in close-quarter combat with Hamas militants, residents and Israel’s military said. Residents said the Israelis appeared to be trying to complete their capture of Rafah, which borders […]
Breaking: Three people killed, 10 wounded in Arkansas supermarket shooting
Updated: 10am (AEST) Reuters A shooter opened fire at an Arkansas supermarket on Friday, killing three civilians and wounding 10 other people, including two police officers, Arkansas State Police said. The suspect was also wounded in a shootout with police, Arkansas State Police Director Mike Hagar told reporters. Emergency vehicles are seen at the scene […]