Snakehead fish: The invasive species disaster that wasn’t
Invasive plants and animals disrupt food supplies, carry diseases and cause an estimated $423 billion in damage every year around the world. When an Asian fish called the snakehead invaded waterways near Washington, experts warned it might devour the competition…
Floods, landslides wreak havoc across South Asia
The worst affected regions are Chattogram and Sylhet, where major rivers are “flowing well above danger levels”, further aggravating the situation, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Initial estimates suggest that around five million people – including two million…
Guterres highlights Timor-Leste’s ‘growing international influence’
António Guterres is there to take part in celebrations to mark 25 years on Friday since the country’s vote for independence, which was organised by the UN mission in what was then East Timor. Independence duly came in 2002 following…
West Bank crisis: UN chief calls for immediate halt to Israeli strikes
Mr. Guterres’s intervention late Wednesday comes amid one of the biggest Israeli Security Forces (ISF) operations in the West Bank in years – the ISF insists against terrorists – with raids, airstrikes including drones that by Thursday had killed 17…
Security Council debates Gaza as WHO announces polio pauses for lifesaving vaccination campaign
The UN Security Council met in emergency session in New York on the continuing crisis in Gaza and the occupied West Bank on Thursday. Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced agreement had been reached with Israel to allow a…
Telegram boss’ lawyer dismisses probe against Durov as absurd
PARIS — A lawyer for Telegram boss Pavel Durov, who is being investigated in France, said it was “totally absurd” to suggest the head of a social network was responsible for any criminal acts committed on the platform, French media…
FAA grounds SpaceX after rocket falls over in flames
SpaceX launches are on hold after a booster rocket toppled over in flames while landing Wednesday. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded the company’s Falcon 9 rockets and ordered an investigation following the predawn accident off the Florida coast. No injuries…
Ukraine’s military says one of its F-16 warplanes crashed
Ukraine’s air force said Thursday that one of the F-16 warplanes that Ukraine had received from its Western partners has crashed. The fighter jet crashed on Monday, when Russia launched a significant missile and drone attack against Ukraine, according to…
French authorities issue preliminary charges against Telegram messaging app CEO
PARIS — French authorities handed preliminary charges to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov on Wednesday for allowing alleged criminal activity on his messaging app and barred him from leaving France pending further investigation. Both free-speech advocates and authoritarian governments have spoken…
Second elephant calf in 2 weeks is born at California zoo
FRESNO, Calif. — The second elephant calf in two weeks has been born at a California zoo. African elephant Amahle gave birth early Monday morning, according to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. The event came 10 days after Amahle’s mother, Nolwazi,…