User Articles

‘Blood moon’ eclipse seen across Americas

A total lunar eclipse has turned the moon red across South America. Lunar eclipses happen when the moon, Earth and sun align just so. The Earth casts a shadow that can partially or totally blot out the moon. During a partial lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow appears to take a bite of the moon. The full moon is covered during a total eclipse and blushes coppery red because of stray bits of sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere.

Russia

Witkoff to share Putin’s truce thoughts

Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with US envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss details of the American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Ukraine, asking him to convey Moscow’s thoughts to Washington, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says. Putin asked Witkoff to give additional messages to US President Donald Trump, Peskov said, after the Russian leader said at a news conference that he supported a truce in principle but set out a host of details that need to be clarified before it is agreed.

Gaza

14 hours ago

US, Israel consider Africa resettlement

The US and Israel have reached out to officials of three East African governments to discuss using their territories as potential destinations for resettling Palestinians uprooted from the Gaza Strip under President Donald Trump’s proposed postwar plan, American and Israeli officials say. The contacts with Sudan, Somalia and the breakaway region of Somalia known as Somaliland reflect the determination by the US and Israel to press ahead with a plan that has been widely condemned and raised serious legal and moral issues.

14 hours ago

Finance

16 hours ago

Global Indices

Dow Jones40,813.57-537.36
S&P 5005,599.3+27.23
Nasdaq17,648.45+212.35
FTSE 1008,542.56+1.59
ASX 2007,789.7+40.60
NZ5012,266.25+57.20
DAX22,567.14-109.27
CAC407,938.21-50.75
Hang Seng24,042.84+580.19
Nikkei 22537,094.33+301.67

16 hours ago

Defence

Trump exposes Europe’s military personnel shortfalls

In the year after Russia launched outright war on Ukraine, NATO leaders approved a set of military plans designed to repel an invasion of Europe. It was the biggest shake-up of the alliance’s defense readiness preparations since the Cold War. The secret plans set out how Western allies would defend NATO territory from the Atlantic to the Arctic, through the Baltic region and Central Europe, down to the Mediterranean Sea. Up to 300,000 troops would move to its eastern flank within 30 days, many of them American. That would climb to 800,000 within six months.

Finance

CURRENCIES

USD/AUD1.589+0.003
USD/CAD1.443+0.004
USD/GBP0.773+0.001
USD/NZD1.751-0.003
AUD/NZD1.102+0.00

Odd Spot

American who snatched baby wombat flees amid outrage

An American tourist has left Australia after the government announced it was reviewing her visa over a video she posted of her snatching a baby wombat from its mother. Sam Jones, was widely condemned after posting the video on social media. “There’s never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia,“ Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said after a government official confirmed Jones had flown from the country voluntarily.

Aviation

Plane catches fire after landing

An engine on an American Airlines jet has caught fire after the plane diverted to Denver, forcing the evacuation of passengers using emergency slides, the Federal Aviation Administration says. The airline said all 172 passengers and six crew members exited the plane, though Denver International Airport said 12 people were transported to hospitals with minor injuries. American Airlines Flight 1006 from Colorado Springs on a Boeing BA.N 737-800 landed in Denver around 5.15pm (2315 GMT), diverting from its planned destination of Dallas after the crew reported engine vibrations, the FAA said.

Rescue

19 hours ago

Trapped tourists freed after landslide left them stuck

Peruvian police have announced that they rescued 23 tourists from several European countries, the United Kingdom and the United States who had been trapped in a village since earlier this week after a landslide blocked their trek heading to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. Colonel Carlos Guizado, police chief of the Cusco region, told reporters that police from the High Mountain Rescue Unit used ropes tied to anchor points to get the tourists out of the village of Soraypampa and across a muddy area to another called Mollepata, from where they were taken by bus back to the city of Cusco.

19 hours ago

Syria

20 hours ago

Sharaa signs rule over to Islamists

Syria’s interim president has signed a temporary constitution that leaves the country under Islamist rule while promising to protect the rights of all Syrians for five years during a transitional phase. The nation’s interim rulers have struggled to exert their authority across much of Syria since the Islamist former insurgent group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, led a lightning insurgency that overthrew long-time President Bashar Assad in December.

20 hours ago

South America

21 hours ago

Explosion outside notorious Ecuador prison kills guard

An explosion outside the Litoral Penitentiary, Ecuador’s most dangerous prison, has left one guard dead and two injured. The blast also destroyed several cars and damaged part of the prison entrance. The attack marks a new chapter in the escalating violence facing Ecuador, especially in the city of Guayaquil.

21 hours ago

Economy

Markets flail as trade war overshadows good news

Not even a double-shot of good news on the US economy seems to be enough to stop Wall Street’s bleeding. Stocks fell in morning trading after US President Donald Trump upped the stakes in his trade war by threatening huge taxes on European wines and...

Explainer

What to know about tensions between Iran and the US

A letter US President Donald Trump wrote to Iran’s supreme leader in an attempt to jump-start talks over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program has arrived in the Iranian capital. While the text of the letter hasn’t been published, its arrival...

Fire

Maintenance hole explosion at Texas Tech closes uni

An explosion inside a maintenance hole on the Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock set off fires and power outages, leading school officials to issue evacuation orders for several buildings and cancel classes for the rest of the week, university...

Argentina

Violent clashes as retirees protest against Milei

Argentine retirees and fans of several soccer teams have clashed with police during a protest in front of Congress in the capital, Buenos Aires, against the economic policies implemented by the government of President Javier Milei. What started as a peaceful demonstration on Wednesday escalated into violent clashes as police deployed water cannons, tear gas, and pellets against stone-throwing protesters.

Greece

New Greek president sworn in

Veteran conservative lawmaker Constantine Tassoulas has been sworn in as Greece’s new president, as the government grapples with lingering public anger over a deadly rail disaster two years ago. The 65-year-old lawyer and former parliamentary speaker will serve a five-year term in a largely ceremonial role. He succeeds Katerina Sakellaropoulou, a retired senior judge and the first woman to hold the office.

USA

Arms flow as Moscow mulls ceasefire

US arms deliveries to Ukraine have resumed officials say, a day after the Trump administration lifted its suspension of military aid for Kyiv in its fight against Russia’s invasion, and officials await the Kremlin’s response to a proposed 30-day ceasefire endorsed by Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said it was important not to “get ahead” of the question of responding to the ceasefire, which was proposed by Washington. He told reporters that Moscow was awaiting “detailed information” from the US and suggested that Russia must get that before it can take a position.