Explosion In South Africa’s Johannesburg Kills One, 48 Injured
One man died and at least 48 people were injured after a suspected underground gas explosion ripped open roads and flipped vehicles in the heart of South Africa’s biggest city, authorities and emergency services said Thursday. Firefighters found the man’s body found under a vehicle. The cause of the blast at evening rush hour Wednesday in downtown Johannesburg remained unclear. The...
Putin Will Not Attend Brics Summit – South African Presidency
Russia's president will not attend a summit in South Africa next month, according to the country's presidency. The announcement comes after South Africa's leader said any attempt to arrest Vladimir Putin would be a declaration of war against Russia. If Mr Putin had left Russian soil, he would have been subject to an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant. South Africa is...
Women Protest Closure of Beauty Salons In Afghanistan
Women in Afghanistan have held a rare protest against the Taliban's decision to shut female beauty parlours and salons. Women shouted "work, bread and justice" while they were gathered in the capital city, Kabul. Taliban guards responded with water cannons, and some protesters said stun guns were also used against them. Women's rights have been increasingly restricted since Taliban rulers returned to...
US Approves First Over-The-Counter Birth Control Pill
The US government has approved the first-ever over-the-counter birth control pill. The Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday that birth control pill Opill will be available without a prescription for women of all ages. In a statement, the agency said the move would help reduce women's barriers to accessing contraception. The manufacturer of Opill has said it will most likely be...
Sudan Conflict: 87 People Found In Darfur Mass Grave, UN says
The bodies of at least 87 people allegedly killed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan have been found in a mass grave, according to the UN. The organization said Masalit people were among those buried in a shallow grave just outside El-Geneina. Fierce fighting between the RSF and Sudan's armed forces has been continuing since April. But the RSF and...
China Accused Of Hacking US Government Emails – Microsoft
China-based hackers have gained access to the email accounts of around 25 organizations, including government agencies, Microsoft says. The software giant has not provided details of where the government agencies are based. However, the US Department of Commerce has confirmed to the BBC that Microsoft notified it about the attack. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo was among the individuals impacted by the breach,...
Kenya Police Fire Tear Gas As Protesters Defy Ban
Kenyan officers fired tear gas on protesters Wednesday as they defied a police ban to join demonstrations called by opposition leader Raila Odinga against a raft of tax hikes. Shops were shut and security was tight in the capital Nairobi, where police deployed tear gas against stone-throwing demonstrators in the slum of Mathare. Tear gas was also used to disperse...
Russian Ex-Navy Commander Shot Dead While Jogging In Krasnodar
A former Russian submarine captain who worked as a mobilization officer has been shot dead while jogging in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar. Several Russian media outlets speculated that Stanislav Rzhitsky, 42, may have been tracked via his profile on the Strava fitness app. Russian investigators say they arrested a man in connection with the killing. The suspect was named Serhiy...
Police And Anti-Judicial Reform Protesters Clash As Bill Advances In Israel
Israeli police have clashed with protesters amid huge demonstrations against the government's controversial judicial reform plans. Police used water cannon to clear a major highway, and 66 people have been arrested across the country. It comes after a bill to remove the power of the Supreme Court to review ministers' decisions passed its first reading in parliament on Monday night. The reforms...
How Italian Former Prime Minister Berlusconi, Left €100m For Girlfriend In His Will
Italy’s former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi who died last month, has left €100million to his girlfriend and €30million to an associate with mafia ties – in a will described as ‘worthy of a soap opera’. The billionaire, who was one of Italy’s richest men when he died aged 86, also settled a dispute over which of his five children would...
