05.16.2024 thursday

Tuesday,  May 14th, 2024 

United States President Joe Biden passes tariff increases on Chinese imports, including electric vehicle batteries, computer chips, medical products, and a 100% electric vehicle tariff. (Reuters) 

Russia puts the nuclear capable submarine-launched Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile into service. (Reuters) 

Russian police arrest former head of personnel of the Ministry of Defence Yuri Kuznetsov for bribery of over ₽1 million. His charges carry up to 15 years of jail time. (Al Jazeera) 

Two prison guards are killed and three are critically injured during an ambush against a prison van near Rouen, Normandy, France. An inmate escaped alongside the attackers. (BBC News) 

Gamestop‘s stock rises another 61%. (Quartz) (Yahoo) 

The 77th annual Cannes Film Festival opens in Cannes, France, with an honorary Palme d’Or award for Meryl Streep. (AP) 

The death toll from a building collapse in George, South Africa, rises to 33. (Reuters) 

Eight people are killed and 40 others are injured when a bus carrying farmworkers collided with a truck and overturned in Marion County, Florida, U.S. (AP) 

Thirteen people die in a highway crash near Ayacucho in the Peruvian Andes. (Reuters) (Infobae) 

Two prison guards are killed and three are critically injured during an ambush against a prison van near Rouen, Normandy, France. An inmate escaped alongside the attackers. (BBC News) 

Tunisian police raid the headquarters of the Tunisian Order of Lawyers and arrests Mahdi Zagrouba, known for his opposition to President Kais Saied. This comes two days after the police detained lawyer Sonia Dahmani and two journalists. (Al Jazeera) 

Riot police clash with protesters on the streets of Tbilisi, Georgia, after the parliament approves a controversial “foreign agent” law that forces media organizations to declare foreign funding. (BBC News) 

The Supreme Court of Kazakhstan sentences former Minister of National Economy Kuandyk Bishimbayev to 24 years in prison for torturing and murdering his wife. (Al Jazeera) 

Monday,  May 13th, 2024 

The Israeli military advances into northern and southern Gaza. (Reuters) 

A staff member of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security is killed and another is injured in Rafah. (United Nations) 

Hamas says that it has “lost contact” with the militants holding four Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin. (Reuters) 

Russia claims that its troops have entered the town of Vovchansk, 74 kilometres (46 mi) from Kharkiv. (BBC News) 

Judge Judy Sheindlin sues A360media, the parent company of the National Enquirer and In Touch Weekly, for defamation in the Menéndez brothers case. (AP) 

Three years after the previous GameStop stock squeeze, Redditors return to artificially inflate GameStop’s share price by 75%, reaching an 18-month high. The share price of AMC Theatres also increases by more than 70%. (Reuters)

U.S. President Joe Biden signs a bill banning imports of uranium from Russia. (Reuters)

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 147 people, with 127 people still missing. (Reuters) 

The final remains of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, which killed six workers, are demolished with explosives. (East Bay Times) 

The death toll from the flash flood and lahar in West Sumatra, Indonesia, increases to 43, with 15 others still missing. (Reuters) 

At least 14 people are killed, 75 are injured, and others are trapped after a billboard collapses during heavy rains in Mumbai, India. (Reuters) 

The Airlines for America trade association and several major American airlines file a lawsuit against the United States Department of Transportation over a rule requiring upfront disclosure of airline fees. (Reuters) 

Indonesian police conducts a major drug raid on a lab hidden in a villa in Bali, Indonesia. They arrested one Indonesian, two Ukrainians, and one Russian. (AP) 

A referendum to allow dual citizenship in Lithuania fails to pass. (LRT) 

Gitanas Nausėda and Ingrida Šimonytė advance to the run-off election, which will be held on 26 May. (The Guardian) 

An administrative court in Münster, Germany, rules that the Alternative for Germany political party could threaten democracy and can be spied on. (The Washington Post) 

The High Commissioner of New Caledonia imposes a curfew and mobilizes security forces after a general strike and violent protests over proposed constitutional changes in the capital city Nouméa. (Al Jazeera) 

OpenAI announces a new model of their generative pretrained transformer (GPT) named GPT-4o, capable of visual and video speech recognition and translation. (Reuters) 

Sunday, May 12th, 2024 

The death toll from the ongoing flooding in northern Afghanistan increases to 315, with more than 1,600 people injured, and more than 1,000 houses destroyed. (Reuters) 

The death toll from the ongoing flooding in southern Brazil increases to 143, with 125 people still missing. The Brazilian government has announced R$12.1 billion in emergency spending in response to the crisis. (Reuters) 

The Marywilska 44 shopping mall in Białołęka district, Warsaw, Poland, is destroyed in a suspected arson attack. Many of the venues were Vietnamese-owned. (The Times of India)

Wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, force thousands to evacuate. (CNN) 

Egypt announces it will intervene on South Africa’s side in the South Africa v Israel case in response to Israel’s growing assault on Rafah. (Reuters) 

Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova is sworn in as the first female President of North Macedonia. (Bloomberg Macedonia) 

The End

mother’s day 2024

Sunday, May 12th, 2024 

The Russian Defence Ministry states that its forces have captured several villages in Kharkiv Oblast. (CNN) 

At least thirteen civilians are killed and 20 others are injured when pieces of a downed Ukrainian Tochka missile hit an apartment block in Belgorod, Russia, Russian officials said. (AP) (Reuters) 

President of Russia Vladimir Putin reassigns Defence minister Sergei Shoigu to the National Security Council and replaces him as Defense minister with Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov. (The Washington Post) 

Sony a7R in APS-C mode by mistake – Contax Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 ISO 400

Fighting during RSF attacks on eastern El Fasher, Sudan, over the weekend kill at least 38 civilians and injure 189 others amid fears of an all out RSF assault on the city. (The Washington Post) 

The death toll from the ongoing flooding in northern Afghanistan increases to 315, with more than 1,600 people injured, and more than 1,000 houses destroyed. (Reuters) 

The death toll from the ongoing flooding in southern Brazil increases to 143, with 125 people still missing. The Brazilian government has announced R$12.1 billion in emergency spending in response to the crisis. (Reuters) 

A shopping mall in Warsaw, Poland, is destroyed in a suspected arson. (Puls Biznesu) 

Western Canada wildfires force thousands to evacuate. (CNN) 

Egypt announces it will intervene on South Africa’s side in the South Africa v Israel case in response to Israel’s growing assault on Rafah. (Reuters) 

The Socialists’ Party of Catalonia wins the regional election with its best result since 2003. Pro-independence parties lose their absolute majority in the Parliament. (Reuters) 

Lithuanians elect the President of Lithuania and vote on a constitutional amendment that would allow dual citizenship. (ABC News) (lnk.lt) 

Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova is sworn in as the first female President of North Macedonia. (Bloomberg Macedonia) 

Forty-nine Vatican Museums employees start an unprecedented labor dispute over unfair and poor working conditions against the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission. (Reuters) 

Hundreds of protesters march in Tunis, Tunisia, to demand the release of imprisoned journalists, activists, and opposition figures. (Reuters) 

Bayer Leverkusen extend their record unbeaten streak in European football to fifty matches. (Bundesliga) 

Saturday, May 11th, 2024 

Three people are killed in a Ukrainian strike in Donetsk. Separately, two people are killed in Ukrainian strikes in Belgorod and Kursk Oblasts, Russia. (Reuters) 

Switzerland‘s entry, “The Code” by Nemo, wins this year’s Eurovision contest. (DW) 

Dutch musician Joost Klein is disqualified from the Eurovision final over reported verbal threats, which are under investigation by Swedish authorities. This is the first time that a performer has been disqualified during the festival. (Aftonbladet) 

The Norwegian announcer for Eurovision, Alessandra Mele, announces that she will withdraw from announcing votes while declaring support for Palestine in the ongoing war. (Times of Israel) 

The death toll from the ongoing flooding in northern Afghanistan increases to 300, with more than 1,000 houses destroyed. (AP) 

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 136, with 125 still missing, and more than 300,000 people displaced. (Reuters) 

At least 28 people are killed after heavy rains in the Agam and Tanah Datar districts in West Sumatra, Indonesia, which triggered a flash flood and cold lava flow from Mount Marapi. (Al Jazeera) 

Eleven people are killed and 53 others are injured when a bus crashes in West Java, Indonesia. (AP) 

Fifty thousand people march in Tbilisi, Georgia, in protest of the proposed Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence. (Reuters) 

Friday,  May 10th, 2024 

Russian forces launch an attack on Ukraine‘s Kharkiv Oblast, near the town of Vovchansk, opening up a new front. (Reuters) 

A Ukrainian strike against oil infrastructure kills three in Luhansk. (Reuters) 

Hundreds of Islamic State-linked fighters attack the town of Macomia, Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique. (Al Jazeera) 

Indian security forces kill 12 Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh. (Reuters) 

Over 200 people are killed by floods in Baghlan Province, Afghanistan. (NDTV) 

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 126, with 141 still missing and more than 300,000 people displaced. (Reuters) 

Seven people are killed and six others are injured when a passenger bus plunges from the Potseluev Bridge into the Moyka river in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Reuters) 

At least 60 people are injured when a passenger train collides with a locomotive in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Reuters) 

Amid record low birth rates and an aging population, Pope Francis urges Italians to have more children. The Italian government also expands a campaign to encourage at least 500,000 births annually by 2033. (AP) 

The United Nations General Assembly votes 143–9 with 25 abstentions to approve a resolution granting Palestine new rights and privileges, and to reconsider Palestine’s request to become a UN member. The nine countries that opposed the resolution were Argentina, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea and the United States. (AP) (The National) 

A Colombian court in Bogota grants conditional release to former paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso. He was held at La Picota prison while being accused of war crimes and human rights violations. (Reuters) 

The Supreme Court of India grants Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal interim bail for 21 days in connection with the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case, thereby permitting Kejriwal to campaign in the ongoing general election. (The Hindustan Times) 

A Pennsylvania jury orders ExxonMobil to pay $725.5 million to a former mechanic who claimed that the company’s gasoline and solvents caused him to develop leukemia. (Reuters) 

Peruvian authorities launch an investigation into President Dina Boluarte for disbanding a police force that was investigating her brother Nicanor Boluarte, who was arrested for alleged influence peddling. (Reuters) 

Police dismantle encampments and arrest dozens of students protesting at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Reuters) 

Academic staff of The New School in New York City hold the first faculty-led solidarity encampment in the United States. (The Guardian) 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. qualifies to appear on the ballot in Oklahoma for the 2024 United States presidential election as an independent candidate. (Yahoo! News) 

Thousands of protesters march through Warsaw, Poland, against the European Union‘s environmental regulations. (Euronews) 

Emir of Kuwait Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah dissolves the National Assembly and suspends some articles of the Constitution. (Reuters) 

Eight hundred protesters storm the Tesla plant in Grünheide, Germany, in protest of the environmental impact of the company’s expansion. (Reuters) 

A geomagnetic storm hits Earth, reaching G5 intensity and causing widespread aurorae, with NOAA‘s Space Weather Prediction Center issuing its first G4-level storm watch since 2005. (NOAA) 

The End

05.09.2024 thursday [comp]

Thursday, May 9th, 2024 

Israeli far-right extremists launch two arson attacks on the perimeter of the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem, forcing it to temporarily close down. (The Guardian) 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fires the head of the state guards Serhiy Rud after allegations that two members of the guards were involved in an assassination plot against Zelenskyy. (Reuters) 

Iran warns that it will build a nuclear weapon if Israel continues to target its nuclear facilities. (Al Jazeera) 

Air India Express cancels 85 flights due to staff calling in sick at the last minute, which is related to a protest against working conditions imposed by the airline’s new owner Tata Group. (Al Jazeera) 

Air Vanuatu cancels all of its flights as the Vanuatu Government considers putting the airline into voluntary administration. (ABC News Australia) 

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 107, with at least 136 people still missing and 165,000 people displaced. (Reuters) 

Former Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama is sentenced to one year in prison for perverting the course of justice. (ABC News Australia) 

Bayer Leverkusen breaks Benfica‘s record of 48 undefeated games in modern European men’s club association football. (The Athletic) 

The End Sunday 

Israeli tanks and warplanes strike eastern Rafah, killing more than 65 civilians and causing 80,000 people to flee. (Reuters) 

President Joe Biden vows to withhold weapons from Israel if it launches a major invasion of Rafah. (Reuters) 

A US-flagged ship carrying aid to the United States-built floating pier in Gaza sets sail from Cyprus. (Reuters) 

The Houthis claim responsibility for attacks on two container ships in the Gulf of Aden and one in the Indian Ocean. (Al Jazeera) 

Iran warns it will build a nuclear weapon if Israel continues to target its nuclear facilities. (Al Jazeera) 

Air India Express cancels 85 flights due to staff calling in sick last minute, linked to a protest against working conditions imposed by the new owner Tata Group. (Al Jazeera) 

Eight people are killed, 29 others are injured and 44 others are missing after a building collapses in George, South Africa. (Reuters) 

Two Boeing 737 planes are involved in accidents involving takeoff and landing in Senegal and Turkey. (Al Jazeera) 

Australia and Tuvalu sign a new security agreement, where Australia vows to protect Tuvalu in cases of natural disasters, pandemic or military aggression. (AP) 

Former Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama is sentenced to one year in prison for perverting the course of justice. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) 

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters march in Malmö, Sweden, against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and the contest’s ban of pro-Palestinian content and imagery. Among the protesters is Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. (AP) 

Argentine unions launch a general strike against President Javier Milei‘s planned reforms and budget cuts. (Reuters) 

Wednesday, May 8th, 2024 

Israel reopens the Kerem Shalom border crossing, allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza. However, the UN states that no aid has entered. (AP) 

Israeli troops reach the outskirts of Rafah with Hamas saying that heavy fighting is underway. The Israeli military says that it has “uncovered terrorist infrastructure” and killed a number of Hamas militants as it advances. (BBC News) 

Al Jazeera reports that a third mass grave holding at least 49 bodies was discovered in Gaza City‘s al-Shifa Hospital. (Al Jazeera) (The Hill) 

At least seven people, including four children, are injured in a Russian airstrike on Kharkiv. (Reuters) 

Russia launches missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, injuring three people and damaging critical infrastructure. Ukraine says that it shot down 39 of 55 missiles and 20 of 21 drones. (AP)

A motorcycle bombing kills three Taliban security personnel in Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan. The Islamic State – Khorasan Province claims responsibility for the attack. (Reuters) 

A statue of the late African American civil rights leader Daisy Bates is unveiled at the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall Collection in Washington, D.C., representing the state of Arkansas. (Reuters) 

Siemens Energy brings in a new CEO for its troubled wind turbine division, Vinod Philip. (Reuters) 

Dozens of tornadoes strike the United States, killing five people and leaving multiple others injured. (The New York Times) 

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 100, with 128 people still missing and 163,000 people displaced. (Reuters) 

Rolling blackouts occur in several cities in Mexico amid an ongoing heatwave in the country. (The New York Times) 

AstraZeneca withdraws its marketing authorizations in Europe and withdraws its COVID-19 vaccines worldwide due to low demand, after finding that the vaccines can very rarely lead to blood clots. (Reuters) 

The Indian Central Bureau of Investigation arrests four people linked to a network of human traffickers who have been luring young men to go to Russia with the promise of jobs or university admission, then to force them to fight in the war in Ukraine. The Ministry of External Affairs is working with Russia to secure discharges for 20 Indian nationals in the Russian Army. (Al Jazeera) 

British Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke defects to the opposition Labour Party, citing the Sunak government‘s failure to stop the English Channel migrant crisis. (Reuters) 

The United States House of Representatives vote 359–43 to keep Mike Johnson as House Speaker, defeating an initiative by Marjorie Taylor Greene to have him removed. (Al Jazeera) 

Researchers at Google DeepMind announce the development of AlphaFold 3, an AI model that can predict the structures of almost all biological molecules and model the interactions between them. (Time) (Nature) 

The ship Belem arrives in Marseille, France, with the Olympic flame. (AP) 

Tuesday,  May 7th, 2024 

Israeli forces enter Rafah in a “limited” operation, taking control of the Rafah Border Crossing on the Egypt–Gaza border. (Reuters) 

At least 27 people are killed by Israeli airstrikes in Rafah. (Al Jazeera) (AP) 

The Security Service of Ukraine says that it detained two Ukrainian government protection unit colonels recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service who were planning an assassination of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top Ukrainian officials. (Reuters) 

Ukrainian forces launch a missile strike on an oil terminal in Luhansk, causing a large fire and injuring at least five workers. (Reuters) 

The death toll from rocket strikes on an IDP camp in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, increases to 18. (Reuters) 

The Boy Scouts of America announces the renaming of the organization to Scouting America on February 8, 2025, in an effort to make girls feel more welcome. (AP) 

The death toll from ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 90, with more than 150,000 people left homeless. (Reuters)

A FedEx warehouse in Portage, Michigan, United States, is destroyed by a tornado. (Detroit Free Press) 

The Bahamas formally recognizes Palestine as an independent nation. (Eyewitness News Bahamas) 

Russia declares American nonprofit organization Freedom House an “undesirable organization”, effectively outlawing the group, after accusing the group of “discrediting the Russian Army” and advocating sanctions against Russia. (Reuters) 

Two people are killed and 21 others are injured in a mass stabbing at a hospital in Zhenxiong County, Yunnan, China. A suspect has been detained. (AP) 

TikTok and its parent company ByteDance sue the United States government over the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, alleging that the law is unconstitutional. (AP) 

Dutch police end a pro-Palestinian occupation at the University of Amsterdam. (Reuters) 

Russian President Vladimir Putin is inaugurated for a fifth six-year term. (Reuters) 

The Scottish Parliament votes to elect John Swinney as First Minister of Scotland with 64 votes in favour and seven abstentions from the Scottish Greens. (BBC News) 

The End Thursday 

Tuesday,  May 7th, 2024 

Steward Health Care, the largest for-profit hospital chain in the United States, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. (CBS News) 

Israeli forces enter Rafah in a “limited” operation, coming within 200 meters of the Rafah Border Crossing. (Haaretz) (AP) 

At least 27 people are killed by Israeli airstrikes in Rafah. (Al Jazeera) (AP) 

The Security Service of Ukraine says that it detained two Ukrainian government protection unit colonels recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service who were plotting an assassination of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top Ukrainian officials. (Reuters) 

Dutch police end pro-Palestinian occupation at the University of Amsterdam. (Reuters) 

Putin is inaugurated for a fifth six-year term. (Reuters) 

Two people are killed and 21 more injured during a mass stabbing at a hospital in Yunnan province, China. A suspect has been detained. (AP) 

Monday,  May 6th, 2024 

Israel tells civilians to evacuate parts of eastern Rafah ahead of a planned ground invasion. (BBC News) (The Guardian) 

The U.S. Storm Prediction Center issues a rare high risk convective outlook ahead of an expected significant tornado outbreak in parts of Oklahoma and Kansas. (Storm Prediction Center) 

Hamas states that it has accepted a ceasefire proposal negotiated by Egypt and Qatar. Israel rejects the proposal, claiming that the deal does not meet its “core demands”, but confirms that it will continue negotiations in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters) 

Six people are killed and 35 others are injured in Ukrainian drone attacks in Belgorod Oblast, Russia. (The Moscow Times) 

The Turkish Air Force carries out airstrikes on Iraqi Kurdistan, reportedly killing 16 PKK insurgents. (Reuters) 

The 2024 Met Gala takes place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City with the theme “The Garden of Time”, celebrating the Met’s exhibit Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. (Vanity Fair) 

The 2024 Pulitzer Prize ceremony is held, with 16 awards in Journalism and 10 in Letters, Drama, & Music. (NPR) 

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 85. (Reuters) 

Five workers are killed and another is critically injured while carrying out maintenance work on a wastewater lifting tank in Palermo, Italy. (Palermo Today) 

Japanese students at the University of Tokyo, Sophia University, Tama Art University, International Christian University, and Hiroshima University hold solidarity encampments. (Arab News Japan) 

Belgian and Dutch students hold solidarity encampments and occupy parts of the Ghent University, the University of Amsterdam, and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. (Reuters) 

Chad holds presidential elections under its junta. Mahamat Déby, holding the position following 30 years of rule by his father Idriss Déby, aims to confirm his authority. The other candidate is his current Prime Minister Succès Masra. (Reuters) 

John Swinney is elected leader of the Scottish National Party following the resignation of First Minister Humza Yousaf. (The Guardian) 

An American soldier is arrested in Russia on charges of criminal misconduct. According to US officials, the soldier was based in South Korea and had been accused of stealing from a woman. (Reuters) 

The End

05.05.2024 Cinco de Mayo

05.02.2024 thursday

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Wednesday, May 1st, 2024 

Three people are killed and three are injured in a Russian ballistic missile strike in the port city of Odesa. (Reuters) 

The death toll from ongoing flooding in Kenya increases to 179, as more homes and roads are destroyed. (Reuters) 

A highway collapse leaves 24 people dead and 30 injured in Meizhou, Guangdong, China, after days of heavy rain.  (BBC) 

Tuesday,  April 30th, 2024 

Russian forces attack Kharkiv with guided bombs, killing at least two people and injuring six others. (Reuters) 

An Israeli police officer is injured in a stabbing by a Turkish national in the Old City of Jerusalem. The assailant was fatally shot by other responding officers at the scene. (Reuters) 

The death toll from ongoing flooding in Kenya increases to 169, with 91 people reported missing. (The Washington Post) 

Nine people are killed and two more injured during an explosion caused by a gas leak at a restaurant in Beirut, Lebanon. (The National News) 

Fifty-five people are injured after a Los Angeles Metro light rail train collides with a transportation bus in downtown Los Angeles. (Los Angeles Times) 

The Mount Ruang volcano in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, erupts for the second time this month, prompting the evacuation of more than 12,000 people. (Reuters) (Voice of America) 

China’s coast guard expels a Philippine Coast Guard ship and another vessel from the waters near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. (Reuters) 

Over 100 protestors are arrested by the NYPD after attempting to occupy Hamilton Hall. (Time) (WCAU-TV) 

Police in Tbilisi, Georgia, utilize a water cannon, tear gas, and stun grenades as part of a crackdown on protests against a law requiring foreign non-governmental organizations to register as foreign agents. (Reuters) 

Judge Juan Merchan fines Donald Trump $9,000 for contempt of court, and threatens to jail Trump if he continues to violate his gag order. (Reuters) 

A man attacks people with a sword after crashing a car into a house in Hainault, London, England, United Kingdom, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, including two police officers. (BBC News) (The New York Times) 

French prosecutors announce that actor Gérard Depardieu will be tried for the alleged sexual assault of two women in 2021. (euronews) 

The founder of the cryptocurrency exchange service Binance, Changpeng Zhao, is sentenced to four months in prison for money laundering. (Reuters) 

The International Court of Justice rejects a request by Nicaragua asking the court to order Germany to suspend aid to Israel. (euronews) 

A Chinese spacecraft carrying the Shenzhou 17 crew lands back on Earth at the Dongfeng site after completing a six-month mission on the Tiangong space station. (AP) (SHINE) 

Monday,  April 29th, 2024 

Houthi forces strike four ships in the Red Sea and damage the Malta-flagged, Greece-owned bulk carrier Cyclades. (The Jerusalem Post) (AP) 

Israeli attacks in Rafah and Gaza City kill at least 40 people. (Reuters) 

Four people are killed and 28 others are injured in a Russian missile strike in Odesa. Ukraine says that Russia used an Iskander-M ballistic missile with a cluster warhead in the attack. (Reuters) 

Five people are killed and five more injured in a bomb attack in El Wak town in Mandera County, northern Kenya, near the border with Somalia. (AP) 

Five Dawla Islamiya militants are killed and three soldiers are wounded during two shootouts in Munai, Lanao del Norte, Philippines. The military were hunting the group’s leader, Nasser Daud, who however escaped from the scene. (MindaNews) 

At least 45 people are killed and dozens of others are missing following a dam burst in Mai Mahiu, Kenya, amid ongoing heavy rains and flash floods in the country, which have killed more than 120 people. (Al Jazeera) (The New York Times) 

A Mil Mi-17 helicopter of the Colombian National Army Aviation group crashes in Santa Rosa, Bolívar, Colombia, killing nine soldiers on board. (Infobae) 

Two people die in a heatwave in Kerala, India. (The Straits Times) 

Ecuador files a complaint against Mexico at the International Court of Justice over Mexico’s move to grant political asylum to former Ecuadorian vice-president Jorge Glas. (AP) 

Four law enforcement officers and suspect are killed and four others are injured in a shootout in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. (Reuters) (BBC News) 

Independent candidate for president Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is nominated for president by the American Independent Party, gaining him ballot access in California and Nevada. (The Sacramento Bee) 

Ahead of a planned vote of no confidence, Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf announces that he will resign from office. (CNBC) (The New York Times) 

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says that he will not resign, following the opening of preliminary court proceedings against his wife María Begoña Gómez for alleged corruption. (AP) 

The End

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Sunday, April 28th, 2024 

Ukraine withdraws from the villages of Berdychi, Semenivka, and Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast. (Reuters) 

Two police officers are killed and four more injured during a shooting at a checkpoint in Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia. The five gunmen are also killed in the ensuing shootout. The group also attacked another checkpoint a week ago in the same region, killing two officers and wounding another. (AP) 

Nicole Kidman becomes the first Australian to earn the AFI Life Achievement Award for her contribution to American cinema. (Rolling Stone) 

At least 25 people are killed and 13 injured when a bus crashes plunges into a ravine in the Cajamarca, Peru. (Reuters) 

Eighteen people are killed and 32 others are injured as a bus crashes on a highway in Malinalco, Mexico. (Reuters) 

The Philippines announces that it will close all schools on Monday and Tuesday, due to an extreme heat wave currently affecting the country. (The Straits Times) 

Cornel West wins the nomination of the Green Mountain Peace and Justice Party, gaining ballot access in Vermont. (Ballot Access News) 

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein is arrested while participating in a pro-Palestine protest at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. (Newsweek) 

Saturday, April 27th, 2024 

Ukraine says that it attacked two oil refineries and an airfield in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, using drones. (Al Arabiya) (Reuters) 

Russian missiles strike Ukrainian power plants and natural gas storage facilities in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts. (Reuters) (Reuters) 

A humanitarian aid flotilla headed for Gaza was halted in Turkey after Guinea-Bissau withdrew its flag from two out of three vessels. (Reuters) 

At least three fatalities are reported in Oklahoma as a tornado outbreak impacts the central United States. (CNN)(AP) 

At least five people are killed and at least 33 others are injured by a tornado in Guangzhou, China. (CNN) 

A magnitude-6.5 earthquake strikes off the southwestern coast of Java island, Indonesia. The epicenter of the earthquake was located about 150 kilometers away from Garut, West Java. At least four people are injured and some buildings are damaged. (The Jakarta Post) 

A munitions truck explodes at a military base in Kampong Speu province, Cambodia, killing 20 soldiers and destroying multiple buildings. (Al Jazeera) (DW) 

Authorities in Russia arrest a fifth suspect in last month’s attack on a music venue in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, Russia, a Tajik man accused of providing the attackers with financing and communication. (AP) 

Iraq‘s parliament votes to criminalize same-sex relationships, to be punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison. (Reuters) 

Three police officers are killed during an ambush in Cañete, Chile, after receiving false emergency calls. They are shot dead before their vehicle is set on fire. (Reuters) 

Randall Terry, an anti-abortion activist and candidate in the 2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries, wins the nomination for the Constitution Party. (Ballot Access News) 

Conservative MP Dan Poulter defects to the Labour Party. (BBC News) 

Several Palmeiras players are attacked and injured by Corinthians fans during a pitch invasion at a futsal final in São Paulo, Brazil. (UOL) 

Friday,  April 26th, 2024 

Thirty rabbis and peace activists from the United States and Israel are arrested near the Gaza–Israel barrier while protesting to bring awareness to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. (The New York Times) 

An 18-year-old woman is stabbed in Ramla, Israel, and is reported to be in “serious” condition. (AFP via Yahoo! News) (Jerusalem Post) 

The Philippine Army announces that it has killed Nawapi Abdulsaid, an Abu Sayyaf militant, during a shootout two days ago in Hadji Mohammad Ajul, Basilan, Philippines. Abdulsaid was involved in fifteen beheadings as well as in attacks against security forces. (AP) 

Four Yemeni expatriate workers are killed by a drone attack in the Khor Mor gas field in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. (Reuters) 

A tornado outbreak in areas near Omaha, Nebraska, United States, leads to the issuance of multiple tornado emergencies across the states of Nebraska and Iowa. (Times Now) (National Weather Service) 

A Doppler on Wheels unit records wind speeds of 224 miles / 360 kilometers per hour in a tornado near Harlan, Iowa, the strongest recorded by a mobile weather radar since the 2013 El Reno tornado, equivalent to EF-5 intensity on the Enhanced Fujita scale. (University of Illinois) 

At least ten people are killed in a fire at a guesthouse in Porto Alegre, Brazil. (Reuters) 

Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin says that China will host unity talks between Hamas and Fatah. (Reuters) 

A court in Ukraine orders the arrest of agriculture minister Mykola Solskyi on a charge of illegal acquisition of land worth $7 million. (Reuters) 

Thousands of people protest in Budapest, Hungary, demanding reforms to child protection laws. (Reuters) 

A court in Romania rules that the human trafficking trial of British businessman Andrew Tate can proceed. (The Guardian) 

Vương Đình Huệ, the Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, resigns following a sweeping anti-corruption probe. (AP) 

Armed conflicts and attacks 

The Philippine Army has killed Nawapi Abdulsaid, an Abu Sayyaf militant, during a shootout two days ago in Hadji Mohammad Ajul, Basilan, Philippines. Abdulsaid was involved in fifteen beheadings, including those of ten marines in Al-Barka in 2007 and two Vietnamese sailors near Sumisip in 2016. He was also involved in attacks against government forces in 2022 and a bombing in November 2023 that killed two pro-government militiamen and wounded two others in Basilan. (AP) 

Thirty rabbis and peace activists from the United States and Israel arrested near Gaza border protesting to bring awareness to starvation in Gaza. (New York Times) 

A fire at a guesthouse in Porto Alegre, Brazil kills at least ten people. (Reuters) 

A court in Ukraine orders the arrest of agriculture minister Mykola Solskyi on a charge of illegal acquisition of land worth $7 million. (Reuters) 

*x*x* 

Thursday, April 25th, 2024 

My First Video

So, I’ve been playing around with Adobe Premier, a video editing program. This is my first attempt at piecing something something together.

I recommend full screen with headphones.

anzac day

ANZAC Day, April 25th, 2024 

The Philippine Army has killed Nawapi Abdulsaid, an Abu Sayyaf militant, during a shootout two days ago in Hadji Mohammad Ajul, Basilan, Philippines. Abdulsaid was involved in fifteen beheadings, including those of ten marines in Al-Barka in 2007 and two Vietnamese sailors near Sumisip in 2016. He was also involved in attacks against government forces in 2022 and a bombing in November 2023 that killed two pro-government militiamen and wounded two others in Basilan. (AP) 

Thirty rabbis and peace activists from the United States and Israel arrested near Gaza border protesting to bring awareness to starvation in Gaza. (New York Times) 

A fire at a guesthouse in Porto Alegre, Brazil kills at least ten people. (Reuters) 

A court in Ukraine orders the arrest of agriculture minister Mykola Solskyi on a charge of illegal acquisition of land worth $7 million. (Reuters) 

The NFL draft is held in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., with the Chicago Bears taking former USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. (Chicago Tribune) 

Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi is sentenced to death for supporting the Mahsa Amini protests. (BBC) 

The Arabic language spokesperson of the United States Department of State resigns in opposition to U.S. Gaza policy. (Reuters) 

Israel intensifies strikes on Rafah. (Reuters) 

Floods and landslides have killed at least 155 people in Tanzania, according to Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa. (BBC News) 

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warns that Russia will make NATO nuclear weapons in Poland one of its primary targets if they are deployed there. (The Jerusalem Post) 

The University of Southern California cancels its main commencement ceremony due to safety concerns. (Reuters) 

A Douglas DC-4 crashes into the Tanana River in Alaska, United States, shortly after takeoff from Fairbanks, killing two people on board. (Anchorage Daily News) 

The New York Court of Appeals overturns former American film producer Harvey Weinstein‘s 2020 conviction in the state by a vote of 4 to 3, and orders a new trial. However, he will still remain in prison in Los Angeles, California, after being convicted in the area in 2022 for rape.  (CNN) 

The Scottish National Party‘s coalition in the Scottish government with the Scottish Greens collapses as the SNP withdraws. The SNP announce its intention to continue as a minority government. The Scottish Conservatives call a no confidence vote in First Minister Humza Yousaf. (Reuters) (BBC News) 

Ariel Henry formally resigns as Prime Minister of Haiti in a letter released today, and signed yesterday in Los Angeles. He is replaced by the Transitional Presidential Council.  (France 24) 

Floods in East Africa kill dozens of people. The Red Cross reported at least 38 dead after weeks of heavy rains. (Reuters) 

Wednesday, April 24th, 2024 

The United States announces a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine as part of a bill that was recently approved after being stalled in the US Congress for months. The package includes ammunition for artillery and air defense systems, along with armoured fighting vehicles. (CNN) 

The union representing air traffic controllers in France cancels a planned 24-hour strike on Thursday, although a majority of flights have already been cancelled. (Euronews) 

Widespread flooding occurs in Nairobi, Kenya, with tens of thousands of people affected. (BBC News) 

Argentina issues an arrest warrant via Interpol for Iranian interior minister Ahmad Vahidi in connection with the 1994 bombing of a Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires. Vahidi is currently believed to be in Sri Lanka. (BBC News) 

The Government of Colombia issues a formal apology to the indigenous communities of the Amazon basin for their enslavement and mistreatment during the Amazon rubber boom in the 19th and 20th centuries. (El Espectador) 

US President Joe Biden signs the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act into law. The act could result in video sharing platform TikTok being sold or banned in the United States. (Reuters) 

Moldova announces that it has brought a criminal case against Gagauzia governor Evghenia Guțul for using Russian funds to finance the now-banned Șor Party. (Reuters) 

Three people are injured in a stabbing at the Ysgol Dyffryn Aman school in Ammanford, Wales. The suspect is arrested. (ITV News) (The Guardian) 

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov is arrested on suspicion of bribery. (CNN) 

Thousands of people protest in Buenos Aires, Argentina, against reductions in funding for universities made by President Javier Milei. (BBC News) 

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says that he is considering resigning from office after the launch of a judicial investigation into his wife after accusations by a right-wing legal platform. (AP) 

Tuesday,  April 23rd, 2024 

NASA announces that it has received decipherable data from the Voyager 1 space probe for the first time in five months. (CNN) 

An Israeli Air Force airstrike kills two people and injures six others in Hanine, Lebanon. (Reuters) 

Jamaica becomes the 140th UN member state to recognize the State of Palestine. (Jamaica Observer) 

United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk calls for an international investigation after hundreds of bodies are discovered in mass graves near the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. (The New York Times) 

The United States Federal Trade Commission votes to ban nearly all employment agreements that prevent workers from joining competing businesses. (NPR) 

Two Royal Malaysian Navy helicopters collide in mid-air during a rehearsal parade in Lumut, Malaysia, killing all ten people on board. (CNA) 

Five migrants drown while attempting to cross the English Channel and 49 others are rescued. (Reuters) 

At least 21 migrants die after their boat capsizes off the coast of Djibouti. (Reuters) 

North Korea claims that it tested a new command-and-control system in a simulated nuclear counterstrike. (CNN) 

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak announces that he plans to increase the United Kingdom’s defence budget to 2.5% of its GDP by 2030, totaling around £85 billion. (Reuters) 

Monday,  April 22nd, 2024 

A car veers off the track during the international Fox Hill Supercross motor race in Diyatalawa, Sri Lanka, and crashes into a group of spectators, killing seven people and injuring 21 others. (BBC News) 

The head of the Military Intelligence Directorate of Israel Aharon Haliva resigns for failing to prevent the Hamas offensive on Israel on October 7, 2023. (AP) 

Twenty-two people are killed, including 18 children, in overnight Israeli strikes in Rafah in the Gaza Strip, according to local health officials. (AP) 

China objects to an offering that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made at Tokyo‘s Yasukuni Shrine on Sunday. (Reuters) 

The United Kingdom announces its largest ever military support package for the Ukrainian military, pledging 400 vehicles, including 162 MXT-MVs, 60 boats, 1,600 air defence missiles, 4 million rounds of firearm ammunition, and an additional £500 million in funding. (The Guardian) 

Russia strikes the Kharkiv TV Tower with a Kh-59 cruise missile, causing the upper half of the tower to collapse and disrupting the broadcasting signal in Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Reuters) 

The Russian Ministry of Defence claims control over the village of Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast. (Reuters) 

Israeli troops and tanks raid Khan Yunis in Gaza after abruptly withdrawing from the city earlier this month. (Reuters) 

Two police officers are killed and another is injured during a mass shooting of a police squad in Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia. (Tass) 

Twelve Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters militants are killed and seven soldiers are wounded during a shootout in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, Philippines. (AP) 

Four people are killed and ten are missing during floods caused by heavy rain in Guangdong Province, China. Around 110,000 people are evacuated. (BBC News) 

President Mohamed Muizzu‘s party, the People’s National Congress, is declared the winner of the election. (Reuters) 

A referendum on whether to remove ethnic Albanian mayors from office in Serb-majority North Kosovo is boycotted by most Serbs, who demand that the mayors resign. (Reuters) 

The End

04.21.2024 sunday

x

Sunday, April 21st, 2024 

American car manufacturer Tesla, Inc. recalls thousands of Cybertrucks due to “safety concerns” involving the truck’s accelerator pedals. (BBC News) 

Ecuadorians vote in a referendum on proposed constitutional changes. (Al Jazeera) 

Maldivians elect a new parliament. (The Hindu) 

Fourteen Palestinians are killed in an Israeli raid in the West Bank. (Reuters) 

The Governor of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, says that a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at a fuel depot in Kardymovsky. (Reuters) 

University students in the United States hold protests in solidarity with pro-Palestinian protesters who were arrested during protests at Columbia University in New York City earlier this week. (CNN) 

Saturday, April 20th, 2024 

Missiles are launched by the Israel Defense Forces towards Isfahan, Iran. Locations in Iraq and Syria are also attacked by Israel. (Al Jazeera) 

Missiles believed to be fired by the Israel Defense Forces allegedly hit sites near the Iranian city of Isfahan, sites in Iraq and radar sites in Syria. (Al Jazeera) (Times of Israel) (Washington Post) 

The U.S. House of Representatives passes a series of bills that would provide $95 billion in military aid to countries including Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. (ABC News) 

Protests occur in Tenerife, Spain, against mass tourism in the Canary Islands which is allegedly increasing house prices for locals. (Reuters) 

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade tells its citizens to leave Israel, citing a high threat of military reprisals and terrorist attacks. (Times of Israel) 

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia tells its citizens to leave Israel, citing a high threat of military reprisals and terrorist attacks. (Times of Israel) 

A Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-22M3 aircraft is shot down in Russian airspace over Stavropol Krai after launching missiles at targets in Ukraine. (BBC News) 

Friday,  April 19th, 2024 

A man fatally sets himself on fire near the New York City courthouse where former President Donald Trump is currently on trial. (The New York Times) 

Russian missile strikes kill seven civilians in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, including five in Synelnykove and two in Dnipro, with several others critically injured. (BBC News) 

An Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces command post at the Kalsu military base was hit by an explosion resulting from an air strike, killing one fighter and wounding six others. Security sources say it is not known who was responsible, and Israel and the United States both deny involvement. (Reuters) 

The United States agrees to withdraw American troops from Niger. (The Washington Post) 

Indians begin voting to elect members to the 18th Lok Sabha. There are 969 million people eligible to vote, and voting will continue until June in seven phases. (AP) 

Indians begin voting to elect members to the 18th Lok Sabha. With 968 million people eligible to vote, this election is expected to be the largest election in history. Voting will continue in a total of seven phases, lasting until June. (AP) 

The End

04.18.2024 thursday