The United Nations has warned that armed groups in Colombia are increasingly turning to social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook to recruit children into their ranks. According to a new report by the UN Human Rights Office in Colombia, 474 cases of recruitment or use of children under 18 were verified between 2022 and 2024, with a sharp increase reported in the first quarter of 2025 alone. Of…

Republican and Democratic senators have offered sharply conflicting views on President Donald Trump’s bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, following a delayed and contentious behind-closed-doors intelligence briefing on Capitol Hill. The briefing, held on Thursday, was originally scheduled for Tuesday but postponed by the White House amid accusations of leaks, fueling Democratic outrage and accusations of obstruction. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer labelled the delay “outrageous”, accusing the administration of withholding…

Japan has executed a man known as the “Twitter killer” for the brutal murders of nine people he met online, marking the country’s first use of the death penalty in two years. Takahiro Shiraishi, 33, was hanged on Friday after being convicted of murdering and dismembering nine individuals, mostly young women, whom he lured via Twitter, now known as X, in 2017. Shiraishi admitted to the killings, having approached vulnerable…

The United States and China have reached an agreement to expedite shipments of rare earth minerals into America, in what appears to be a significant step towards easing the long-running trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Speaking on Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that the deal had been signed the previous day, although he provided few details. He also hinted at a forthcoming agreement that would “open up”…

In a defiant televised broadcast, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared what he called a “victory” over Israel following a tense 12-day conflict, while issuing a stern warning to the United States: “If the U.S. attacks again, Iran will strike back—hard.” The 86-year-old leader broke his public silence for the first time since the outbreak of hostilities on June 13, appearing in a pre-recorded message aired nationwide by Iranian…

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued a stark warning to the United States, threatening further attacks on American military bases in the region if the country is targeted again. In a televised address aired on state media Thursday, Khamenei claimed the West Asian country had emerged victorious from its recent 12-day conflict with Israel, the deadliest between the two nations to date. He also accused Washington of inflating…

With its scruffy fur, tiny frame, and mischievous grin, the Labubu monster doll by Chinese toymaker Pop Mart has taken the world by storm, from celebrity handbags to viral TikToks, the curious collectable is now one of China’s most beloved cultural exports. Once known more for low-cost goods than trendsetting design, Chinese consumer brands are beginning to shift perceptions abroad, and Labubu may be leading that quiet revolution. “Now everything…

Kenyans across the country are preparing for nationwide marches today to mark the first anniversary of the historic storming of parliament, honouring those killed and disappeared during last year’s anti-government protests. While the planned events are being organised as peaceful demonstrations, there are growing fears that the day may descend into violence. The protests of June 2024, sparked by a controversial finance bill proposing tax increases, claimed the lives of…

An initial classified assessment by the US Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) has found that recent strikes ordered by President Donald Trump on Iran’s nuclear facilities did not destroy two key sites and are likely to have delayed Iran’s nuclear ambitions by only a few months. The preliminary findings, shared by two individuals familiar with the report, suggest that Iran’s nuclear programme remains largely intact, despite Trump’s public declaration that the…

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has strongly condemned an attack on Al-Mujlad Hospital in West Kordofan, Sudan, that killed more than 40 civilians, including six children and five health workers. The deadly strike occurred on Saturday near the frontline between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as the country’s brutal civil war continues to spiral into what global…

Just hours after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was announced between Iran and Israel, tensions reignited late Monday as Israel reportedly launched a targeted strike on Tehran, accusing Iran of breaching the truce—an allegation Iran denies. U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier declared a “complete and total ceasefire” between the two long-standing adversaries, writing on Truth Social: “It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be…

Harvard has filed two lawsuits against the Trump administration, both heard by Judge Burroughs