American civil rights trailblazer Claudette Colvin dies at 86

Claudette Colvin, civil rights pioneer who refused to give up her bus seat before Rosa Parks, dies at 86 Claudette Colvin, the Alabama teenager whose refusal to give up her seat on a segregated bus helped lay the legal groundwork for dismantling Jim Crow transit laws, has died at 86. She died under hospice care in Texas, a spokesperson for her family and the Claudette Colvin Foundation confirmed. Colvin was 15 on March 2, 1955, when she defied a bus driver’s order to surrender her seat to a white woman in Montgomery, nine…

Crane collapse derails train in Thailand, killing 22, police say

At least 19 killed as construction crane crushes Thai passenger train, derailing three cars At least 19 people were killed in northeastern Thailand when a construction crane collapsed onto a passing passenger train, derailing three carriages and sparking a brief fire, authorities said. The crash occurred in Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 230 kilometers northeast of Bangkok. The train had departed the capital and was bound for Ubon Ratchathani province in the country’s far east. Local police said more…

Trump warns of severe response if Iran executes protesters

U.S. President Donald Trump warned the United States would take “very strong action” if Iranian authorities begin hanging people as part of their crackdown on a nationwide uprising, escalating a war of words over the spiraling unrest and its toll. In an interview with CBS News, Trump was asked about reports that executions could begin as soon as today. “We will take very strong action if they do such a thing,” he said, adding in a video clip released online: “When they start killing thousands of people — and now you’re…

World Health Organization urges higher taxes on sugary drinks and alcohol

WHO urges higher taxes on sugary drinks and alcohol as affordability rises in dozens of countries Sugary drinks and alcohol are not being taxed at levels that curb demand and protect public health, the World Health Organization said in two new reports, warning that the products remain broadly affordable and are fueling chronic disease. The agency renewed its call for stronger “health taxes” on alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages to reduce consumption and bolster strained government budgets. The WHO said sugary drinks…

Conflicting Reports on How Many Prisoners Freed in Venezuela

Venezuela says it has freed more than 400 people from prison as part of an ongoing release process, though local rights groups dispute the figure and say only 60 to 70 detainees have been released in recent days. National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez announced the releases without providing a timeline. The pledge follows public statements last week by Rodríguez and U.S. President Donald Trump that large numbers of detainees would be freed as a peace gesture after what officials in both countries described as the U.S.…

UN reports over 100 Gaza children killed since the ceasefire

UNICEF says more than 100 children have been killed in Gaza since the start of a fragile ceasefire three months ago, underscoring the continuing toll on civilians despite a slowdown in bombardments. At least 60 boys and 40 girls have died in Israeli airstrikes and ground operations during the truce period, the UN children’s agency said. “More than 100 children have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire,” UNICEF spokesman James Elder told reporters from Gaza City. “That’s roughly a girl or a boy killed here every day during…

Trump urges Iranian protesters to persevere, vows help is on the way

Trump urges Iranians to keep protesting as Tehran crackdown intensifies; Russia warns U.S. against new strikes; Europe weighs tougher sanctions U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iranians to keep protesting and said “help is on its way,” as Iran’s clerical establishment pressed a sweeping crackdown on the biggest demonstrations in years and an Iranian official acknowledged about 2,000 people had been killed in two weeks of unrest. In a post on Truth Social, Trump called on “Iranian Patriots” to “take over your institutions”…

What Key Forces Will Shape Iran’s Future in the Coming Decade

Iran’s most serious street challenge in years is testing the durability of its theocratic state, as two weeks of protests have broadened from economic anger to overt calls for sweeping political change. Yet despite the scale and fury, analysts say Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s system still shows few of the internal fractures that typically precede regime collapse. Rights groups say a heavy crackdown has left hundreds dead, even as the 86-year-old Khamenei retains the backing of Iran’s core power centers and…

United Nations urges independent inquiry after woman’s fatal shooting in Minneapolis

UN demands swift, independent probe into ICE shooting of Minnesota woman as protests, lawsuits escalate The United Nations on Monday urged a rapid, independent and transparent investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, 37, by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis last week, as protests spread and Minnesota filed suit against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. “Under international human rights law, the intentional use of lethal force is only permissible as a measure of…

Danish, Greenlandic officials slated for White House meeting with Vance, Rubio

COPENHAGEN — Denmark’s foreign minister said he and his Greenlandic counterpart will meet U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House tomorrow, a high-stakes attempt to shift escalating rhetoric over Greenland into face-to-face diplomacy as President Donald Trump presses to take control of the Arctic island. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt requested the meeting with Rubio after Trump recently intensified threats to take over…