English

Gavin Blackburn

Europe News

US will scale back role in Ukraine peace talks, Washington says

The State Department announcement marks a significant shift in Washington's approach and comes after months of stalled diplomatic efforts to get Kyiv and Moscow to agree to a deal to end Russia's three-year war.

World News

UN official urges Israel to lift 'cruel' aid blockade on Gaza

Israel has said the blockade and its renewed military campaign are intended to pressure Hamas to release the remaining hostages it still holds.

Iran

Weekend nuclear deal talks between Iran and US postponed, says Oman

The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the US has imposed on the country.

Europe News

Almost 500 staff protest against UN budget cuts in Geneva rally

The Geneva rally comes two days after several UN aid agencies said they would have to slash jobs because of funding cuts, warning the reductions will severely affect aid programmes worldwide.

ADVERTISEMENT

USA

Former national security advisor Mike Waltz nominated as UN Ambassador

Waltz created the group chat on the Signal messaging app to which a journalist from The Atlantic was inadvertently added where officials shared plans about imminent military strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

Philippines

Workers take to the streets as the world marks Labour Day

While workers in Asia also marched for better pay and conditions, the US president's new tariff regime and the effect it will have on jobs overshadowed rallies in several countries.

Europe News

Ukraine signs historic rare earth minerals deal with United States

A previous agreement was nearly signed before being derailed after a tense Oval Office shouting match involving US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Europe News

Ukraine ready to sign minerals deal with the US, officials in Kyiv say

US President Donald Trump indicated in February that he wanted access to Ukraine's rare earth materials as a condition for continued US support in the war, describing it as reimbursement for the billions of dollars in aid Washington has given to Kyiv.

Israel

Wildfire forces closure of highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

Help was on the way from across the region, including aircraft from Italy, Croatia and North Macedonia, Israeli officials said.

Europe News

Who are the frontrunners to be the next pope one week before conclave?

The conclave to elect the new pope begins on 7 May, and while there are no official candidates for the post, these are the cardinals considered to be leading the race.

India

At least 14 killed in Kolkata hotel fire, Indian police say

Building fires are common in India, where constructors and residents often flout safety codes.

Europe News

Police in Sweden arrest teen after three killed in Uppsala shooting

The three victims were aged between 15 and 20, police said at a news conference, but Uppsala’s police chief said their identities have not been confirmed yet.

Europe News

Iberian blackout 'won't happen again,' Spain's grid operator says

Red Eléctrica ruled out a cyberattack as the cause of the power outage but confirmed that Spain's High Court was still investigating it as a possibility.

USA

UN aid agencies slash jobs amid US funding cuts, officials say

The cuts to the UN agencies underscore the impact of President Donald Trump's decision to pull the US back from its position as the world’s single largest aid donor.

Europe News

UK trial told Sycamore Gap tree felling was a 'mindless' act

The tree, revered for its symmetrical perch between two hills along ancient Hadrian’s Wall, was cut down in the early hours of 28 September 2023, damaging the stone wall as it crashed to the ground.

China

At least 22 people killed in restaurant fire in southern China

Industrial accidents occur frequently in China, usually due to staff ignoring safety features due to a lack of training or pressure from their superiors.

Myanmar

Myanmar earthquake survivors in dire need of aid, UN warns

At least 3,770 people were killed by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck on 28 March, with 5,106 injured and 106 still missing.

Europe News

Germany will step up to new European security demands, Steinmeier says

Former West Germany sought protection as its 15th member on 6 May 1955 as concern grew about the Soviet army massed east of the Iron Curtain.

Europe News

Millions risk night in the dark as Spain, Portugal work on power grid

Spain's national cybersecurity office stated that it had gathered evidence suggesting the power outage could be the result of a cyberattack, but this claim has been denied by Portuguese and EU officials.

Yemen

Around 68 killed in US strike on prison holding migrants, Houthis say

The strike in Yemen's Saada governorate, a Houthi stronghold, is the latest incident in the country's decade-long war against African migrants who risk crossing Yemen for a chance to work in Saudi Arabia.

ADVERTISEMENT