By Caolán MageeWednesday April 22, 2026 Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, off the UAE coast Iran has seized two foreign commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and taken them to its coastline, sharpening tensions in a region already on edge just hours after United States President Donald Trump said he would prolong a ceasefire with Tehran. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the ships had breached maritime rules and entered the vital passage without coordination, according to Iranian…

At least 18 people were killed when a commuter omnibus erupted in flames and exploded on the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Highway, authorities confirmed. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said the deadly incident occurred between Chipangali and the Gwanda tollgate. Officials added that more information will be released as investigations progress. The cause of the blaze and subsequent explosion remains undetermined, and it is still unclear how many passengers were on board. The Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road, a key artery linking…

Switzerland’s investigation into the deadly Crans-Montana fire has widened, with four additional current and former officials now facing criminal scrutiny, according to sources close to the case. "The investigation has been extended to include four new individuals, bringing the total number of defendants to 13," the public prosecutors' office in southwest Switzerland's Wallis canton confirmed to AFP. Those newly drawn into the case are the Crans-Montana municipal councillor responsible for security, the person who previously…

A late-night fire at Viva Energy Group's Geelong refinery in southern Australia has triggered an emergency response, with local authorities describing the incident as "significant" as crews work to bring the blaze under control. The full scale of the damage was not immediately known. Fire Rescue Victoria said in a statement that the fire was reported at about 11 p.m. local time today. The agency said the blaze was still not under control, but confirmed that all staff had been accounted for. Emergency crews were sent to the…

A fresh burst of Israeli fire has killed at least six Palestinians, among them two children, in separate incidents across Gaza, local health officials said, adding another strain to the fragile US-brokered ceasefire. In Gaza City, four people, including a young child, were killed when a strike hit a police vehicle, according to the Hamas-run Interior Ministry. The ministry said one of those killed was a police officer and that nine bystanders were wounded, some of them critically. Farther north, near Jabalia, three-year-old…

By  SEUNG MIN KIM, MATTHEW LEE and SAMY MAGDYMonday April 6, 2026 A high-risk American rescue operation unfolded deep inside Iranian territory after a U.S. fighter jet was shot down, with one aviator pulled to safety first and a second service member recovered only after hiding for hours in rugged mountains as Tehran urged civilians to help capture him. Behind the scenes, the CIA moved to muddy the waters before the second crew member was located, pushing out false information inside the Islamic Republic that the United…

Police have launched an investigation into an anti‑Semitic hate crime after four ambulances operated by the Jewish Community Ambulance service were apparently set alight in London, the Metropolitan Police said. Officers were dispatched to Highfield Road in Golders Green at about 1.45am today following reports of a fire, the force added. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the incident is being treated as an anti‑Semitic hate crime, and the London Fire Brigade said there were no reported injuries. Superintendent Sarah Jackson,…

A cascading series of human failures left nearly every life-saving safeguard ineffective when a ferocious blaze ripped through a Hong Kong housing complex last year, killing 168 people, a public inquiry heard. The fire erupted on 26 November at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong's Tai Po district, making it the world's deadliest residential building blaze since 1980. Flames swept through seven of the estate's eight residential blocks, all under renovation. Bamboo scaffolds, protective netting and foam boards wrapped the…

Glasgow Central railway station has partially reopened after a March 8 fire in a neighboring building forced its closure. By Abdiwahab AhmedAxadle Times international–Monitoring The main part of the station had been shut since March 8 after the blaze destroyed much of the adjacent building, and it has now reopened in part. Network Rail previously said the partial reopening would operate with reduced capacity and urged passengers to check journey times before traveling. It also told passengers the station would look different…

Glasgow Central to Partially Reopen After Nearby Building Fire Glasgow Central railway station will partially reopen following a fire that destroyed much of a neighboring building, with Network Rail warning of reduced capacity and advising passengers to check their journeys. By Abdiwahab AhmedAxadle Times international–Monitoring The main part of the station has been closed since March 8 after the fire destroyed much of the building next to the station. Network Rail said the partial reopening will mean reduced capacity and…