In the Land of the Jaguars

I was prepared to wait, to soak up the magical morning light as our small motorboat traveled up the Rio São Lourenço in the Pantanal, Brazil’s vast wetlands. A tangle of lianas, acuri palms and strangler figs pressed close along the riverbank. I stared into the forest, scanning for movement, for shadows, for a jaguar. … Read more

Taiwan revokes visa of pro-Beijing Chinese influencer

A Chinese influencer living in Taiwan must leave the island within days or be deported, Taiwanese authorities said, after she posted videos supporting the idea of China taking the island by force. The move comes at a time of heightened cross-strait tensions and increasing suspicions of Chinese influence operations on the democratic island. Taiwan’s National … Read more

Free trade talks relaunched after a decade

India and New Zealand have restarted free trade talks a decade after negotiations fell apart, as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon began his five-day tour of Delhi. He is scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day. The two sides have agreed to begin the first round of negotiations next month. The … Read more

Forever 21 files for bankruptcy in the US

Forever 21 could be a step closer to shutting down operations in the US after the brand’s operating company filed for bankruptcy protection. The firm said in a statement that its stores and website in the US will remain open as it “begins its process of winding down”. Forever 21 was once a favourite of … Read more

Ukrainian troops tell of catastrophe and panic

Jonathan Beale & Anastasiia Levchenko BBC News Getty Images A Ukrainian soldier comforts a comrade during fighting in Kursk Ukrainian soldiers fighting in Russia’s Kursk region have described scenes “like a horror movie” as they retreated from the front lines. The BBC has received extensive accounts from Ukrainian troops, who recount a “catastrophic” withdrawal in … Read more

‘I had one child and I lost him’

George Wright and Cachella Smith BBC News “I lost everything”: Survivors and relatives speak of their grief Marija Taseva was enjoying a night out with her sister at the Pulse club in Kocani, North Macedonia, on Saturday when disaster struck. They were watching DNK, a popular hip-hop duo in the country, when a fire broke … Read more

Ukraine’s Nato exclusion must be in peace deal

Russia will seek guarantees that Nato will exclude Ukraine from membership and that Ukraine will remain neutral in any peace deal, a Russian deputy foreign minister said. “We will demand that ironclad security guarantees become part of this agreement,” Alexander Grushko told Russian media outlet Izvestia. “Part of these guarantees should be the neutral status … Read more

Pakistan moves closer to Bangladesh as India watches warily

Anbarasan Ethirajan South Asia Regional Editor Getty Images Bangladesh imported 50,000 tonnes of rice from Pakistan in February The dramatic political developments in Bangladesh that led to prime minister Sheikh Hasina being ousted last year have thrown up many surprises – including Dhaka’s growing closeness with one-time foe Pakistan. Last month, after decades of troubled … Read more