ShareOne of Sri Lanka’s highest-ranking Buddhist monks has been arrested and sent to remand prison over the alleged rape and sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl. The Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thero holds one of the most revered positions in the Buddhist world – the chief prelate or custodian of eightContinue Reading
ShareIran has sent its response to US proposals to end the war via mediators in Pakistan, Iranian state media report. No details have been released. The US has not made details of its proposals public, either, but reports suggest they centre on a 14-point memorandum of understanding, which could leadContinue Reading
ShareSpain has started evacuating passengers from a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship anchored near Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Health Minister Mónica García said the operation was “proceeding normally” and that all passengers on board the MS Hondius were still asymptomatic. They will be divided into groups by nationality and ferried toContinue Reading
Share A council in Japan has voted to remove its mayor who has been unconscious for several months. Kikuo Hatakeyama, 72, has served as the mayor of Hachirogata in north-east Japan since 2008, but fell ill in February and suffered a brain hemorrhage. The town assembly unanimously passed a no-confidenceContinue Reading
Share South African opposition leader Julius Malema has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign after the Constitutional Court ruled that parliament had violated the constitution by blocking moves to impeach him in 2022. The judgement follows a legal challenge by Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and others, and couldContinue Reading
ShareSir Keir Starmer has insisted he will not quit as prime minister and “plunge the country into chaos”, as Labour reels from significant election losses. The results in England, Scotland and Wales have piled pressure on Sir Keir, with some Labour MPs calling for him to set a timetable forContinue Reading
ShareUS President Donald Trump says a ceasefire is still in place between the US and Iran after both sides exchanged fire late on Thursday night. It was unclear who fired first. Iran’s top military command alleged the US had targeted an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel approaching the StraitContinue Reading
Share In November 2022, a photo emerged of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with a smartly-dressed young girl by his side – his daughter Ju Ae. Strolling alongside her father in front of a towering intercontinental ballistic missile, she wore black trousers and a white padded jacket with herContinue Reading
ShareIran says a US proposal to end the war is “still being considered”, after reports the two sides could be close to an agreement. US news outlet Axios reported on Wednesday that the White House believes it could be closing in on a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran. AContinue Reading
Share Britney Spears will avoid jail time after she agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge following her arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence. A lawyer for the 44-year-old singer appeared in court in on Monday and pleaded guilty to reckless driving involving drugs or alcohol. SpearsContinue Reading
