Fresh Israeli strikes shook eastern and southern Lebanon, state media said, underscoring the strain on a ceasefire that remains in place only tenuously, while a Hezbollah official dismissed Lebanon’s talks with Israel as a “dead-end”. According to the state-run National News Agency (NNA), two Israeli strikes struck the town of Sohmor in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, while additional attacks were reported across the south of the country. Lebanese authorities say Israeli attacks since the war began have killed more than…

One of Hamas's highest-ranking figures is reported dead after Israel said it struck him in an air attack, marking what would be the most senior killing of a Hamas official since the October US-backed ceasefire deal intended to stop the war in Gaza. In Gaza City, witnesses said mosques had announced the death of Izz al-Din al-Haddad. If confirmed, he would be the most senior Hamas official killed by Israel since the ceasefire agreement reached in October with US backing, which was supposed to bring the fighting in Gaza to a…

A Canadian passenger from the cruise ship MV Hondius has tested “presumptive positive” for Andes hantavirus, prompting health officials to intensify monitoring while stressing that the broader public risk remains low. Canadian public health authorities said the patient was among four Canadians identified as high risk after travelling on the vessel, which departed Argentina on 1 April for an Atlantic crossing before the outbreak of the rare rodent-borne disease came to light. In a statement, the Public Health Agency of Canada…

Keir Starmer’s unraveling is easy to cast as the downfall of a prime minister who blew a commanding majority. After all, only 22 months ago, Mr Starmer secured 411 seats — Labour’s third-strongest performance ever, and its best since Tony Blair’s second landslide in 2001. By that measure, the case for a squandered majority looks straightforward enough. Yet for all its size, Mr Starmer’s majority never amounted to a sweeping public mandate. Labour won fewer votes overall than Jeremy Corbyn managed in both of his general…

Alarm over a growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda intensified after the World Health Organization declared it a "public health emergency of international concern". The WHO said the outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo virus, falls short of the threshold for a pandemic emergency. Even so, it warned that countries sharing land borders with the DRC face a high risk of further transmission. In a statement, the UN health agency said 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246…

A rare disease outbreak aboard the MV Hondius has reached Canada, where public health officials say a "high risk" passenger from the cruise ship has tested "presumptive positive" for the Andes hantavirus. The patient was among four Canadians on the hantavirus-affected vessel, which departed Argentina on 1 April and was crossing the Atlantic Ocean when the outbreak of the uncommon rodent-borne illness emerged. In a statement, the Public Health Agency of Canada said authorities in British Columbia, the country’s westernmost…

Fresh Israeli airstrikes hit southern Lebanon on Thursday, jolting a fragile pause in hostilities just one day after Israel and Lebanon agreed in Washington to prolong their truce. "The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure sites in several areas in southern Lebanon," the Israeli military said. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) said at least five villages in the south were struck, after residents fled toward the southern city of Sidon and the capital, Beirut. Earlier, the Israeli military had warned…

Keir Starmer’s downfall is easy to cast as the cautionary tale of a prime minister who let a commanding Commons majority slip through his fingers. The arithmetic seems to support that view. Only 22 months ago, Mr Starmer secured 411 seats — Labour’s third-strongest performance on record and its best outcome since Tony Blair’s second landslide in 2001. Judged on seat totals alone, the argument that he wasted a huge advantage carries obvious force. Yet that imposing majority never amounted to an equally imposing public…

A routine morning off western Australia turned deadly when a great white shark killed a man near Rottnest Island, authorities said. Police said the 38-year-old was attacked shortly before 10am local time in waters off the island, near Perth. "Sadly, the man was unable to be revived," Western Australia police said. The state's Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development said the victim had been bitten by a 4m long great white. The death marks Western Australia's first fatal shark attack since March last year,…

Taiwan forcefully described itself as an "independent" nation on Friday, responding just hours after US President Donald Trump warned the self-ruled democratic island against taking the step of formally declaring independence. Mr Trump ended a state visit to Beijing yesterday, where Chinese President Xi Jinping urged him not to back Taiwan, which Beijing regards as part of Chinese territory. The island relies heavily on US security support as a deterrent against China, which has threatened to annex Taiwan by force. Taiwan…