Author: Elizabeth Jenrola Oso

More than 30 people have died and tens of thousands have been displaced following days of relentless rainfall and severe flooding in Beijing and its neighbouring regions, according to Chinese state media. State broadcaster CCTV reported that 28 people were confirmed dead in the Miyun district on the city’s northern outskirts, with an additional two fatalities in Yanqing district as of midnight on Monday. Both districts lie far from central Beijing but were among the worst-hit areas during the downpour. In neighbouring Hebei province, a landslide on Monday killed four individuals, while eight others remain missing. Torrential rain began over…

A gunman opened fire inside a Manhattan skyscraper on Monday evening, killing four people, including an off-duty New York police officer, before turning the gun on himself. Authorities confirmed the attack occurred at 345 Park Avenue, a highrise that houses the headquarters of the National Football League (NFL) and several prominent financial firms. The shooter, identified as 27 year old Shane Tamura of Las Vegas, reportedly drove cross-country before arriving in New York earlier in the day. According to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Tamura had a documented history of mental illness and was found dead at the…

The United States government has reiterated that using a tourist visa with the primary intention of giving birth in the country is not permitted, warning that such actions may result in visa denial and long-term immigration consequences. This cautionary message was delivered via an official statement posted on the X (formerly Twitter) page of the country’s Mission in Nigeria on Monday. It forms part of a broader effort by the government to clamp down on what is commonly referred to as birth tourism, a practice in which foreign nationals travel to the US on temporary visas with the main goal of…

Thailand and Cambodia have reached an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire agreement following high-level peace talks hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Direct flights between Moscow and Pyongyang have officially commenced this week, marking a symbolic deepening of diplomatic and military relations between Russia and North Korea, as well as offering Russian travellers a rare new international route. The inaugural flight, operated by Russia’s Nordwind Airlines, departed from Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow on Sunday and arrived in the North Korean capital approximately eight hours later, according to the airport’s official website. Russia’s transport ministry confirmed that the route would initially operate on a monthly basis, with the first return flight from Pyongyang to Moscow scheduled for Tuesday. Tickets for the route were…

Three people were killed and several others injured when a regional passenger train derailed in a forested area of southwestern Germany on Sunday evening, according to police. Approximately 100 passengers were on board when the train left the tracks at around 6:10pm local time near the town of Riedlingen, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Initially, authorities reported four fatalities, but later corrected the figure to three. Details regarding the number and severity of injuries remain unclear, with officials declining to provide further information at this time. German rail operator Deutsche Bahn confirmed the fatalities and said “numerous” passengers had been…

The surge in demand for weight loss drugs in the UK has reached “unsustainable” levels and could soon outstrip supply, pharmacists have warned, prompting concerns about patients turning to unsafe, unregulated sources. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents 6,000 independent pharmacies, said supply issues surrounding popular weight loss medications such as Wegovy and Mounjaro may encourage desperate individuals to seek out online alternatives, despite the significant health risks. More than 1.6 million packs of Mounjaro and Wegovy were purchased in Britain in April alone, with usage now estimated to have climbed well above one million people, the majority obtaining…

Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder and chairman of Amazon, has completed a colossal round of stock sales worth nearly $5.7 billion (£4.4 billion), marking one of the largest insider share divestments of 2025. The sale, carried out under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 trading plan, began shortly after Bezos wed his partner in a high-profile ceremony in Venice this June. His initial offload amounted to $737 million worth of Amazon shares. According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday, Bezos sold the final tranche of approximately 4.2 million shares, valued at $954 million, across Wednesday and…

US President Donald Trump has called for the prosecution of former Vice President Kamala Harris, along with celebrities Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and Reverend Al Sharpton, alleging they received illegal payments for endorsements during the 2024 presidential election. In a fiery post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump claimed that Harris’ campaign had paid millions to the stars for their public support, payments he insists amounted to illegal endorsements. “I’m looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats after the Presidential Election,” Trump wrote. “These ridiculous fees were incorrectly stated in the books and records. YOU…

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has poured cold water on speculation that he is gearing up for a presidential bid in 2028, instead throwing his support behind Vice President JD Vance as a potential Republican nominee. Speaking during an interview on Fox News’ My View with Lara Trump, Rubio, a former 2016 presidential contender, praised Vance’s performance in office and expressed hope that the vice president will enter the 2028 race. “Well, I think JD Vance would be a great nominee, if he decides he wants to do that,” Rubio said. “I think he’s doing a great job as…