Scores of children raped by armed men in eastern DRC, UNICEF says
UN agency says children as young as 12 are also being enlisted or coerced to join the fighting by armed groups.
‘I thought I was dead’, says kayaker swallowed by whale in Chile
A kayaker who was briefly swallowed by a whale in Chile says he thought he was dead, before being spat back out unharmed
At least 6 killed in fire at South Korean hotel construction site
Casualty figures and damages are still being assessed after firefighters rescued workers from the blaze in Busan city.
Japan releases 200,000 tonnes of emergency rice stockpile as prices soar
Agriculture minister says rising prices have ‘had a significant impact on people’s lives’ amid record heat, surges in demand and distribution problems
Japan is to flood the market with almost a quarter of a million tonnes of stockpiled rice in an unprecedented attempt to arrest soaring prices caused by record summer heat, panic buying and distribution problems.
The government will release up to 210,000 tonnes of rice, the agriculture minister, Taku Eto, said on Friday, as consumers battled a surge in prices of more than 50% in recent months.
Continue reading...Trump wants peace. Ukrainians fear what that might look like
Trump and Putin want to make a deal. But Ukrainians question how life after a ceasefire will work.
Archaeologists stunned by discovery at planned site of new London skyscraper – The Independent
- Archaeologists stunned by discovery at planned site of new London skyscraper The Independent
- Remnants of a Roman Basilica Are Found Under a London Office Building The New York Times
- Archaeologists discover London's first Roman basilica under office building NBC News
- Ruins of oldest Roman basilica ever found in London uncovered on construction site in heart of U.K. capital CBS News
- 2,000-year-old Roman basilica found in London office basement The Washington Post
Tropical Cyclone Zelia Makes Landfall in Northwest Australia – The New York Times
- Tropical Cyclone Zelia Makes Landfall in Northwest Australia The New York Times
- Tropical Cyclone Zelia rapidly strengthens into Category 5 storm before Australia landfall Yahoo
- Cat 4 Cyclone Zelia hits Western Australia Yale Climate Connections
- Bracing for a monster: Tropical Cyclone Zelia is bearing down on WA. Here’s what to expect The Conversation
- Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Zelia slams Australia's iron ore hub NBC News
Europe working with Arab states on alternative to Trump’s Gaza plan – Financial Times
- Europe working with Arab states on alternative to Trump’s Gaza plan Financial Times
- Arab States Wake Up to Fact That Trump Means What He Says on Gaza The Wall Street Journal
- Trump's Palestinian Plan Has Triggered a New, United and Angry Arab Front Haaretz
- How much longer will Arab leaders let Trump and Netanyahu run amok? Middle East Eye
- Insight: Saudi Arabia spearheads Arab scramble for alternative to Trump's Gaza plan Reuters
Palestinian booksellers decry detention by Israeli police over ‘public disorder’
Mahmoud and Ahmed Muna remain under house arrest until Sunday, despite lack of evidence against them
Two Jerusalem booksellers detained this week on charges their books were causing “public disorder” have said the experience reflected an intensifying campaign by the Israeli government against Palestinian culture and free speech.
Mahmoud Muna and his nephew Ahmed, whose family has owned the Educational Bookshop for more than 40 years, spent two days in detention and will remain under house arrest until Sunday, despite the absence of evidence to support the vague accusations against them.
Continue reading...Hong Kong plans to ban substandard tiny apartments. Low-income families fear higher rents – The Associated Press
Modi hails US-India ‘mega partnership’ in Trump meeting
Trump and Modi, who share warm personal ties, met in the shadow of trade tensions complicating US-India relations.
260 foreigners rescued from virtual slavery in Myanmar’s online scam centers are being repatriated – The Associated Press
- 260 foreigners rescued from virtual slavery in Myanmar's online scam centers are being repatriated The Associated Press
- 261 trafficking victims rescued from Myanmar scam center Voice of America
- Chinese-led scam gangs leave Payathonzu Bangkok Post
- Thailand Promises Further Measures Against Scam Operations in Myanmar The Diplomat
- About 260 human trafficking victims rescued from telecom scam operations in Myanmar ABC News
Thailand receives 260 victims of human trafficking from Myanmar, mostly Ethiopians, army says – Yahoo
Whale swallows kayaker in Chile then spits him out – DW (English)
- Whale swallows kayaker in Chile then spits him out DW (English)
- A humpback whale briefly swallows kayaker in Chilean Patagonia — and it's all captured on camera The Associated Press
- Watch: Humpback whale swallows kayaker in viral video cleveland.com
- Watch: Kayaker swallowed by whale Yahoo
- 'I thought I was dead': Kayaker gets swallowed by humpback whale in dramatic moment caught on camera Fox News
Sweet romance: Japanese boys start buying into gift giving on Valentine’s Day
Women are traditionally expected to buy chocolates for male colleagues on Valentine’s Day but teenage boys are shunning the one-sided custom
It has been several years since Japanese women first signalled their contempt for the long tradition of showering male colleagues with chocolates on Valentine’s Day. Now the country’s young people are slaying another sacred cow associated with Friday’s orgy of commercialised romance: one-sided gift giving.
Traditionally, women are expected to buy gift-wrapped chocolates for the men in their working lives, usually senior colleagues and others to whom they feel indebted – a tradition called giri choco, literally “obligation chocolates”.
Continue reading...TikTok returns to Apple and Google app stores in the US
TikTok is again available on app stores in the US after President Donald Trump delayed a ban on the app.
US Housing Department to Shed Half its Workers, Union Chief Says – Bloomberg Law
- US Housing Department to Shed Half its Workers, Union Chief Says Bloomberg Law
- HUD is bracing as DOGE seeks to cut waste, fraud. Union leaders have a suggestion NPR
- DOGE discussing Housing Department layoffs POLITICO
- HUD To Axe Half Its Workforce National Mortgage Professional
- DOGE Task Force to Review HUD Apartment Finance Today
TikTok returns to Apple and Google app stores in the US
TikTok is again available on app stores in the US after President Donald Trump delayed a ban on the app.
Top prosecutor resigns after being told to drop case against NYC mayor Eric Adams
Danielle Sassoon, a Republican, quit rather than follow an order to drop a corruption case against Eric Adams, saying it set " dangerous precedent".
What is Doge and why is Musk cutting so many jobs?
US President Donald Trump’s new agency is tasked with slashing costs - but faces opposition.