Category: World

Papua New Guinea informed the UN that more than 2,000 people were buried alive in a massive landslide that swept over a remote village. The landslide, caused by the collapse of a portion of Mount Mungalo, buried scores of homes and caused major destruction. It blocked the main highway to Porgera Mine and posed ongoing danger to rescue teams and survivors. Papua New Guinea called for immediate aid from the UN and international partners to deal with this catastrophic situation. Photo: AFP

Taiwan’s new President Lai Ching-te called on China to stop military and political threats during his inauguration speech, urging Beijing to respect Taiwan’s democracy and freedom. He declared peace as the only option while vowing Taiwan’s determination to defend itself. Lai also reiterated Taiwan’s sovereignty, drawing applause from the crowd. Photo: Reuters

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline cleric and potential successor to Supreme Leader Khamenei, was killed in a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijan border. Hamas and Yemen’s Houthis expressed condolences, praising Raisi’s support for Palestinian and Yemeni causes. Indian PM Modi mourned Raisi’s demise, highlighting his contributions to India-Iran ties. Photo: Reuters

Some personalities at the Cannes Film Festival are discreetly showing support for causes related to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Survivor Laura Blajman-Kadar wore a dress featuring hostage images, calling for their release. Actress Leila Beikhti sported a pro-Palestinian brooch. Juror Omar Sy urged a ceasefire on Instagram. While few films directly address the conflict, a Palestinian documentary explores the struggles of trans women, and an Israeli short depicts a woman’s indifference to patriotic celebrations. The festival provides a platform to raise awareness amid the glamour. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne :

An extreme solar storm, the strongest in over two decades, struck Earth on Friday, triggering spectacular auroras visible from Tasmania to Britain. The coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun pose potential threats to satellites, power grids, and communication systems. Authorities have alerted relevant agencies to take precautionary measures as more CMEs are expected in the coming days. The event provides a rare opportunity to witness the celestial light shows, prompting experts to advise going outside and capturing the auroras with cameras. Photo: AFP

The Biden administration added 37 Chinese entities to a trade blacklist, including some linked to the Chinese spy balloon incident last year, escalating tensions with Beijing. The move aims to restrict China’s access to U.S. technology due to national security concerns over its military modernization efforts and quantum computing capabilities. China denounced the action as “economic coercion” and vowed to safeguard the rights of its firms. The entities were also accused of attempting to obtain American tech for military drones and shipping controlled items to Russia. Photo: Reuters

AstraZeneca has initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its Covid-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, citing a “surplus of available updated vaccines” since the pandemic. The company cited declining demand for Vaxzevria due to the availability of multiple updated variant vaccines. AstraZeneca has also proceeded to withdraw the vaccine’s marketing authorizations within Europe. The withdrawal comes after reports that the company admitted in court documents that the vaccine could cause side effects like blood clots and low platelet counts. Photo: Reuters

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau defended the arrest of three Indian nationals in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, stating Canada is a rule-of-law country with an independent justice system. The suspects allegedly played different roles in the killing. India’s External Affairs Minister said they appear to be Indians with a “gang background” but awaits police details.

Archaeologists have reconstructed the face of a 75,000-year-old Neanderthal woman, named Shanidar Z, whose skull was found in an Iraqi cave in 2018. The discovery challenges the perception of Neanderthals as brutish, revealing evidence of empathy and tradition in their burial practices. The well-preserved skull allowed experts to create a 3D-printed model for an accurate facial reconstruction, depicting Neanderthals’ similarities to modern humans. .AFP

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres marked World Press Freedom Day by calling for safeguarding press freedom and journalists’ rights worldwide. He emphasized the necessity of a free press to combat misinformation, ensure accountability, and raise awareness about environmental crises. Guterres expressed concern over attacks on environmental journalists, urging authorities to protect media workers risking their lives to inform the public on vital issues.

Six people were killed and one injured when an unknown gunman opened fire inside a mosque in Afghanistan’s western Herat province on Monday night. The attack took place around 9 pm in the Guzara district, south of Herat city, during evening prayers. While no group has claimed responsibility yet, analysts suggest the regional Islamic State affiliate poses the biggest security threat in Afghanistan.

Several European member states are expected to recognise Palestinian statehood by the end of May, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday at the sidelines of a World Economic Forum special meeting in Riyadh.  Photo: REUTERS

Three law enforcement officers were killed and five others injured in a shootout while executing a warrant at a home in North Carolina. Officers were met with gunfire, leading to an exchange that left one suspect dead. After a standoff, a 17-year-old and a woman were taken into custody. The incident was described as an “absolutely tragic day” for the city and law enforcement by officials, with the US Attorney General expressing heartbreak over the deaths. Representational image