News & Current Events

[ad_1] Six soldiers were killed and two others were injured after an explosive device tore through their armoured vehicle in Mexico’s violence-hit Michoacan state, a military report cited by AFP said.The blast occurred late Tuesday near a small town in the western region, where drug cartels have long battled for territory. The explosion was so powerful it completely destroyed the military vehicle carrying the troops.Military aircraft and helicopters were swiftly deployed to evacuate the wounded and recover the bodies, the report said.Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum condemned the attack, calling it “deplorable,” and expressed her solidarity with the victims’ families.This area of Michoacán has seen repeated violence involving warring criminal groups, many of which are known to use improvised landmines and explosive-laden drones to target security forces. Several similar attacks have claimed the lives of soldiers in recent years.Criminal violence in […]

[ad_1] Representative image (AP) DETROIT: The Michigan supreme court on Wednesday dismissed appeals by families of students killed or wounded at Oxford High School in 2021, ending efforts to hold employees partly responsible for the mass shooting. Under Michigan law, immunity is a high hurdle to overcome in lawsuits against a government body, including public school staff. Lawyers typically have to show that gross negligence occurred. The court, in a two-sentence order, said it would not step into the litigation. The decision means a 3-0 Court of Appeals decision in favor of school employees will stand. A lawyer for the families said he would speak at an afternoon news conference. The appeals court in September said there was no evidence that Oxford staff were the "proximate cause" of the tragedy, noting it was 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley who "made the definite […]

[ad_1] A labour union leader who admitted to failing to report more than $300,000 worth of gifts has been pardoned by US President Donald Trump, just hours before he was due to be sentenced.James Callahan, former general president of the International Union of Operating Engineers, was facing sentencing on Wednesday after pleading guilty in January to concealing lavish perks he received from an advertising firm linked to his union.Court records show that Callahan, 65, received a “full and unconditional” presidential pardon late Tuesday, prompting his lawyers to ask the court to cancel the sentencing hearing scheduled with US district judge Ana Reyes.Callahan admitted to failing to report at least $315,000 in luxury tickets to sports games and concerts, along with other exclusive amenities. The benefits came from a company used by the union for advertising placements, according to federal prosecutors, […]

[ad_1] Bangladesh minority group slams govt over alow action against preparators of recent attacks (AP) DHAKA: The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, the largest minority group in the country, has expressed outrage over the lack of arrests in a recent attack on minority families in Dohor Moshiahati, Jashore.Despite a case being filed, no perpetrators have been detained in the five days since the incident, the group said on Wednesday in a statement."On Thursday, May 22, 2025, at around 5:30 PM, miscreants murdered Tariqul Islam, a leader of the Krishak Dal from the nearby village of Debadhi, at the residence of Piltu Biswas in Dohor Moshiakathi village under Abhaynagar Upazila in Jashore District. According to local sources, just before the murder, Tariqul Islam was engaged in a discussion regarding the lease of a fish enclosure along with several other individuals", […]

[ad_1] Harvard University president Alan Garber acknowledged a lack of conservative voices on campus and a climate where some students and staff feel unable to express “unpopular” views.In an interview with NPR on Tuesday, Garber responded to recent moves by the Trump administration to freeze billions of dollars in federal funding for the Ivy League institution, citing anti-semitism and a lack of viewpoint diversity.“In my view, the federal government is saying that we need to address anti-semitism in particular, but it has raised other issues, and it includes claims that we lack viewpoint diversity,” Garber said.He also recognised problems around free expressions, “We think it’s a real problem if — particularly a research university’s — students don’t feel free to speak their minds, when faculty feel that they have to think twice before they talk about the subjects that they’re […]

[ad_1] AI image for representation. President Donald Trump has launched a bold new initiative: a $175 billion “Golden Dome” missile defense system, designed to shield the US from long-range missile threats by adversaries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. Trump says it will be “fully operational” by the end of his term in 2029. But some critics argue this plan is less about keeping Americans safe and more about enriching Trump’s allies-particularly Elon Musk.The initial $25 billion down payment-approved by Republicans in Congress-will launch a network of space-based interceptors and sensors, building on decades of missile defense efforts. Yet, even before a single satellite is launched, the program is already mired in controversy.Why it mattersThe Golden Dome’s promise is tantalizing: a “100 percent protective shield,” as Trump claimed, that would guard against everything from hypersonic missiles to drones. But […]

[ad_1] A French court has sentenced a former surgeon to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting 299 children, in one of the country’s most disturbing abuse cases. The verdict was delivered on Friday.The perpetrator, Joël Le Scouarnec, must serve a minimum of two-thirds of his sentence before becoming eligible for release, as per the Morbihan criminal court's ruling.Le Scouarnec is currently serving a 15-year sentence from a 2020 conviction for assaulting four children, including two nieces.The recent trial in Brittany exposed systematic abuse from 1989 to 2014, predominantly targeting sedated hospital patients, averaging 11 years of age. The victims comprised 158 boys and 141 girls.Advocacy groups criticised health authorities for failing to act after Le Scouarnec's 2005 child pornography conviction. He retained his medical licence and continued practising until his 2017 arrest.Prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger said, "More could have been […]

[ad_1] Last week, the US House of Representatives narrowly passed a major tax and spending package championed by President Donald Trump. Dubbed the “big, beautiful bill” by Trump himself, the legislation combines multi-trillion-dollar tax breaks with a significant boost to defence spending and funding for mass deportations.But one of Trump’s most prominent backers, Elon Musk, is now publicly opposing it — raising questions about a growing rift within the Republican leadership.Here’s what you need to know.What is the ‘big, beautiful bill’?The bill is one of Trump’s top legislative priorities. Key provisions include:Extension of 2017 tax cuts: These were originally passed during Trump’s first term and are set to expire unless renewed.Increased defence spending: Billions have been allocated to expand the US military budget.Funding for immigration enforcement: A major chunk is earmarked for Trump’s proposed mass deportation efforts.The bill passed the […]

[ad_1] Beyond Trump's film tariffs: Is Hollywood really in decline? (Image credit: AP) When Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on any film "produced in foreign lands," a globalized US film industry began to panic.Shares in major production companies like Netflix and Disney immediately fell due to an assumed rise in costs when productions can no longer profit from cheaper overseas locations.In recent decades, American films and TV series have benefited from generous tax incentives for shooting in Europe, Canada or Australia, making Hollywood locations comparatively expensive.At the same time, the film and content industry has become highly decentralized, with international co-productions able to share resources and access funding across multiple countries.Stars deride tariffs proposal in CannesWhile lacking detail about whether the tariffs will only apply to "movies" or also TV series, Trump's threat to heavily tax […]

[ad_1] UN says strong chance average warming will top 1.5 degrees Celsius in next 4 years (Photo: AFP) The United Nations warned on Wednesday that there is a 70 per cent chance that average warming from 2025 to 2029 would exceed the 1.5 degrees celsius international benchmark.The planet is therefore expected to remain at historic levels of warming after the two hottest years ever recorded in 2023 and 2024, according to an annual climate report published by the World Meteorological Organization, the UN's weather and climate agency."We have just experienced the 10 warmest years on record," said the WMO's deputy secretary-general Ko Barrett."Unfortunately, this WMO report provides no sign of respite over the coming years, and this means that there will be a growing negative impact on our economies, our daily lives, our ecosystems and our planet."The 2015 Paris climate […]