Southern African leaders have announced they will pull their troops out of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where they have been helping the government fight rebel forces. The decision to start a “phased withdrawal” was made during a virtual summit of the 16-member Southern African Development Community (Sadc) on Thursday. The troops were sent two … Read more
A Connecticut man whose stepmother allegedly held him captive for 20 years escaped by setting fire to the small room he was held in, officials said. Authorities responded to the fire and rescued the emaciated 32-year-old man from a 72 sq-foot (6.7 sq metre) room. The alleged captive weighed 68 pounds (30 kilograms) upon his … Read more
Just nowWatch: People in Moscow react to US ceasefire proposalsUS and Russian officials are due to meet in Moscow to discuss a 30-day ceasefire proposalJust nowEurope
AFP More than 400 people were on the train when it was attacked Mehboob Hussain was riding the train home on Tuesday when the tracks under the front car exploded. In the depths of central Pakistan’s Bolan Pass, a pocket of wilderness so remote that there is no internet or mobile network coverage, the nine-coach … Read more
US President Donald Trump has threatened a 200% tariff on any wine or alcoholic drinks coming in to the US from the EU, if the bloc does not remove its tariff on US whiskey. It comes after the EU said it would impose a levy on US-produced whiskey as part of its counter-tariffs in response … Read more
Germany’s foreign intelligence service believed there was a 80-90% chance that coronavirus accidentally leaked from a Chinese lab, German media say. Two German newspapers say they have uncovered details of an assessment carried out by spy agency BND in 2020 but never published. The intelligence service had indications that the Wuhan Institute of Virology had … Read more
Getty Images Damage from Hurricane Helene, which struck North Carolina and parts of the US south in October 2024. As an engineer who flies into hurricanes for the US government, Josh Ripp is accustomed to turbulence. But the last two weeks have been far bumpier than he’s used to. In late February, the Trump administration … Read more
Ashraf Padanna Thiruvananthapuram Vivek R Nair/BBC Protest co-ordinator Saboora Arifa says the strike is a matter of social justice Thousands of frontline healthcare workers in southern India’s Kerala state, who have been holding demonstrations for the past month seeking better pay and recognition, have vowed to continue their protest. Kerala’s 26,225 female workers, known as … Read more
The Australian prime minister has criticised a US influencer after she stole a baby wombat from her mother. “Take a baby crocodile from his mother and see how you go there,” he told journalists during a news conference. Sam Jones, who describes herself as an “outdoor enthusiast and hunter” on Instagram, was filmed picking up … Read more
Khanyisile Ngcobo BBC News, Johannesburg Getty Images South Africa has entered unchartered waters following deep divisions in the coalition government over the national budget that has finally been tabled after a month-long delay. This is the view of analysts after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s budget drew a backlash from various quarters, including a key partner … Read more