World Headlines
Mystery remains over deaths of 21 teenagers at South African nightclub
Peng Song/Getty Images(LONDON and PRETORIA) -- The mysterious deaths of 21 teenagers at a popular nightclub in South Africa has swirled speculation and left many unanswered questions. The incident remains under investigation by South African authorities. Here's what we know so far. A grim scene The South African Police Service said its officers were called to the Enyobeni Tavern in Scenery Park, a suburb on the edge of East London in Eastern Cape province, on Sunday morning at around 4 a.m. local time. Upon arrival, they discovered 17 teens dead inside the club. Four more died when they were hospitalized or being transported to hospitals. Initial reports stated the death toll was 22. The youngest victim was 13, according to ... Read More
Europe adds visitor fee for US travel next year
Santiago Urquijo via Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- As Americans head to crowded airports for a revival of European summer vacations, it looks like next year will be more expensive for those headed to the European Union. A 7 euro fee, translating to $7.42, is expected to go into effect in May 2023 for foreign visitors aged 18 to 70 years old as part of a new European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), according to the European Commission. As part of the system, travelers will have to apply for authorization through the official website or app before their trip abroad. ETIAS is intended to increase revenue for the EU and to create a central data repository on non-Europeans who visit the ... Read More
Defectors in Seoul send balloons carrying medicine to COVID-19-struck North Korea, defying law in South
Woohae Cho/Getty Images(SEOUL, South Korea) -- A North Korean defector group in Seoul claimed on Tuesday to have launched air balloons carrying medical supplies near the inter-Korean border. The Fighters for Free North Korea, an activist group of North Korean defectors who send anti-propaganda leaflets across the border, said they flew 20 air balloons carrying 50,000 pain relief pills, 30,000 vitamin C and 20,000 N-95 masks. Dispatching unauthorized materials at the border is against the law in South Korea. “In order to help the miserable mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters in North Korea who are dying without any medicine, the Fighters for Free North Korea is temporarily halting the anti-Pyongyang leaflet sending, and will send medical supplies to help with ... Read More
109 live animals found in women’s luggage in massive airport wildlife trafficking bust
Danielle Kiemel/Getty Images - FILE(LONDON) -- Two women have been arrested in Thailand for allegedly attempting to smuggle at least 109 live animals in their luggage -- including porcupines, armadillos, turtles, chameleons and snakes -- as they tried to board a flight to India. The incident occurred on Monday at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport as two Indian women tried to make their way through airport security when officials spotted a couple of suspicious items in their suitcases following a routine x-ray inspection, according to a statement released by Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. Upon further investigation, authorities discovered a total of at least 109 animals including “two white porcupines, two armadillos, 35 turtles, 50 chameleons and 20 ... Read More
Russia-Ukraine live updates: Finland, Sweden invited to join NATO
Narciso Contreras/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's "special military operation" into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials. The Russian military has since launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine's disputed Donbas region, capturing the strategic port city of Mariupol and securing a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula. Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern: Jun 29, 3:20 pm Zelenskyy addresses NATO summit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the NATO summit Wednesday, commending the decision to invite Finland and Sweden to join NATO. Zelenskyy told the NATO ... Read More
Norwegian cruise hits iceberg near Alaska, no injuries reported
Planet One Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, FILE(NEW YORK) -- A Norwegian cruise ship has canceled its nine-night Alaskan trip after the ship crashed into an iceberg off of the Alaskan coast on Saturday. While there were no injuries and patrons and staff made it to Alaskan docks safely, the cruise line has canceled the rest of the scheduled trip and will return to Seattle Thursday morning. The Norwegian Sun was transitioning to Hubbard Glacier in Alaska when the ship made contact with a growler, the cruise line told ABC News. A growler is a small iceberg that has less than 3.3 feet of ice showing above the water, and is under 6.6 feet in width, the National Snow ... Read More
Eviction on the Nile: Historic Cairo houseboats facing demolition
John Wreford/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images(CAIRO, Egypt) -- Ekhlas Helmy, 88, has spent decades waking up every morning to the scenery of the Nile flowing seamlessly beneath her houseboat, a stationary house moored to the banks of the famous river in Cairo. But the aging woman, who inherited her house ages ago, now faces eviction after the Egyptian government gave her what she and other houseboat owners described as a short-notice order to evacuate, citing failure to pay license fees and several other reasons. The Nile houseboats are entrenched in Cairo's history. Some date back to the early 20th century and hold significant historic value. "How can we simply wipe out our history?" Helmy told ABC News, her voice cracking. ... Read More
China cuts inbound COVID-19 quarantine by half in first move to ease borders restrictions
Gong Mingyang/VCG via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- China said it will cut its mandatory inbound quarantine by half on Tuesday in the nation’s first move to ease COVID-19 borders restrictions since March 2020. Overseas arrivals into China will now only need to quarantine for seven days at a government facility and then an additional three days in home isolation. The new measures are down from what was previously 14 days in quarantine and then an additional seven days of home isolation. The concession from China’s National Health Commission comes days after Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang declared victory over COVID-19 over the weekend saying that they “won the war to defend Shanghai” after emerging from months of a bruising lockdown. ... Read More
Russia-Ukraine live updates: Ukraine joining NATO could lead to WWIII, Russia warns
Ukrainian State Emergency Service / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's "special military operation" into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials. The Russian military has since launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine's disputed Donbas region, capturing the strategic port city of Mariupol and securing a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula. Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern: Jun 28, 4:26 pm 20 dead, 40 still missing from mall strike Twenty people are dead and 59 are wounded from Russia's missile strike on Monday at a ... Read More
Rare Netherlands tornado kills 1, wounds 9
JEFFREY GROENEWEG/ANP/AFP via Getty Images(ZEELAND, Netherlands) -- A tornado tore through the Netherlands' western province of Zeeland, killing one and wounding nine on Monday, according to regional emergency services. A 73-year-old woman died, one person was taken to the hospital and eight others treated for injuries on site by ambulance personnel following the storm, which started in the center of the city of Zierikzee, authorities reported. "This afternoon Zierikzee was unexpectedly hit by a very strong gust of wind. Unfortunately, someone died and several people were slightly injured. There is also extensive damage to homes and trees. Also, on behalf of the municipal council, my condolences go out in the first place to everyone affected by this," Mayor Jack van ... Read More
At least 4 dead, dozens injured after stand collapses during bull fight in Colombia
Andres Virviescas/EyeEm/Getty Images(EL ESPINAL, Colombia) -- At least four people have died and dozens were injured after an accident occurred at the venue of a bullfight in Colombia. The spectators were watching the bullfight in El Espinal, Colombia -- about 100 miles southwest of Bogota -- on Sunday when several stands collapsed, the Tolima Civil Defense told ABC News. In addition to the four people who died, about 60 people were treated on-site for minor injuries, while another 10 were transferred to local hospitals. It is unclear what caused the stands to collapse. Additional information was not immediately available. The ethics surrounding bullfighting, which involves killing the bull at the end of the contest, has come into question in recent ... Read More
22 found dead in South African tavern, officials say
Yevhen Borysov/Getty Images(EAST LONDON, South Africa) -- At least 22 people were found dead in a South African tavern early on Sunday morning, officials said. The South African Police Service said they were found dead inside a local tavern in Scenery Park in the area of East London, according to Police Spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said. “We received this report in the early hours of this morning. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation," Kinana said. "We do not want to make any speculation at this stage as our investigations are continuing.” Police responded to the Enyobeni Tavern at about 4 a.m. local time, Kinana said, and were combing the scene for evidence midday. Scenery Park is in East ... Read More
G-7 rolls out global infrastructure plan: U.S. aims to contribute $200B, Biden says
Stefan Rousseau - Pool/Getty Images(KRUN, Germany) -- The Group of Seven nations on Sunday began rolling out a global infrastructure initiative in a bid, as they described it, to promote "stability" and improve conditions in developing and middle-income countries around the globe. The Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment plans on disbursing $600 billion by 2027 in infrastructure investments, with President Joe Biden announcing the U.S. alone would aim to spend $200 billion in public and private partnerships. Biden and other world leaders, speaking in Germany's Bavarian Alps, cast the investments as "critical" amid crises on multiple fronts, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, an energy crunch fueled in part by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and more. "These strategic ... Read More
Russia-Ukraine live updates: Search and rescue underway after missiles strike Kyiv
ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's "special military operation" into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials. The Russian military has since launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine's disputed Donbas region, capturing the strategic port city of Mariupol and securing a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula. Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern: Jun 26, 3:32 pm Ukrainian forces attack Russian controlled oil-drilling platform A Russian controlled oil drilling platform in the Black Sea was targeted by Ukrainian shelling on Sunday, the second attack in a ... Read More
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