Fact-first summaries of the news — stay informed, stay grounded.
Your favorite news sources, one calm feed — fact-first summaries that always link to the
original story. No outrage bait, and we tell you when you're caught up. How it works
World News
Comprehensive coverage of international news and global events
Violence has increased in Colombia’s southwest region with several attacks on civilians and military sites just before the presidential election in May. Rebel groups have used explosives and drones, leading to at least 21 deaths in one recent explosion.
Key Facts
There have been 26 attacks by rebel groups since last Friday in southwestern Colombia.
The attacks involved explosives and drones targeting civilians and military bases.
One explosion on a highway between Cali and Popayan killed 21 people.
These attacks have raised concerns about security ahead of Colombia’s May presidential vote.
Crime is expected to be a main issue for voters in the upcoming election.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The United Arab Emirates announced it is leaving OPEC and OPEC+, two groups of oil-producing countries. This decision comes amid ongoing conflicts in the region, including attacks near key shipping routes and tensions involving Iran, which have disrupted global energy supplies.
Key Facts
The UAE officially quit OPEC and OPEC+ on Tuesday.
OPEC Gulf countries face challenges shipping oil through the Strait of Hormuz due to threats and attacks linked to Iran.
About 20% of the world’s crude oil and gas travel through the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump accused OPEC of causing high oil prices and criticized how U.S. military support is linked to these prices.
The UAE criticized Arab and Gulf states for not providing enough protection against Iranian attacks during the regional conflict.
Anwar Gargash, a top adviser to the UAE president, said Gulf Cooperation Council countries offered logistical but weak political and military support.
The UAE’s departure signals frustration with the response from other Arab and Gulf nations.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
An expert from the International Crisis Group says Iran believes it can survive a double blockade by the US better than the US can handle the pressure Iran faces. This view changes how Iran and the US act in their ongoing conflict and negotiations.
Key Facts
Iran feels it can endure economic and military blockades longer than the US.
The US and Iran are involved in a conflict that includes economic sanctions and military pressure.
Iran’s belief in its endurance affects its strategy in talks with the US.
The US faces political and economic challenges at home and abroad related to this conflict.
The expert discussing this is Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group.
The situation involves key locations like the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway.
Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the US ends its blockade and the war finishes.
This issue is part of larger tensions involving the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Sri Lankan police arrested 22 Buddhist monks at Colombo's main airport after customs found 110 kg of strong cannabis hidden in their luggage. The monks had returned from a four-day trip to Bangkok, and the drugs were worth about 1.1 billion Sri Lankan rupees (£2.5 million).
Key Facts
Twenty-two Buddhist monks were arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport in Sri Lanka.
Customs officials found 110 kg of high-grade cannabis concealed in the monks' luggage.
The monks had been on a holiday in Bangkok for four days before returning to Sri Lanka.
The cannabis was hidden in false walls inside their bags.
Officials called it the largest cannabis seizure at Sri Lanka’s main international airport.
A 23rd monk, who did not go on the trip, was arrested for allegedly organizing the drug shipment.
The monks' phones showed photos of the group enjoying their holiday in regular clothes.
A similar case happened earlier when a 21-year-old British woman was caught with 46 kg of cannabis at the same airport.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The British Army will start testing the Ajax armoured vehicles again after stopping last year because some soldiers got sick from noise and vibrations. The Ministry of Defence and General Dynamics will carefully restart trials with new safety measures while working to improve the vehicles.
Key Facts
Testing of Ajax vehicles paused in November after about 30 soldiers reported illness during training.
Illnesses were linked to noise, vibration, cold weather, air quality, and training variation.
All affected soldiers have returned to duty with mostly temporary symptoms.
Defence minister Luke Pollard agreed to restart vehicle acceptance and operation cautiously.
General Dynamics, the maker of Ajax in Wales, supports the cautious resumption and emphasizes soldier safety.
Trials will restart in controlled phases with strict new safety controls.
The Ajax is a fully digitised armoured fighting vehicle meant to improve battlefield awareness.
The Ministry of Defence and General Dynamics aim to fix issues to ensure the vehicle works well for soldiers and meets the current budget.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Severe weather has caused flooding and strong storms in parts of the Midwest. Additionally, a suspect linked to an attack at the White House Correspondents' Dinner was charged with trying to kill President Donald Trump.
Key Facts
The Midwest is experiencing extreme weather, including flooding and dangerous winds.
Flooding has affected multiple areas in the Midwest region.
Violent storms have hit parts of the Midwest.
A suspect involved in an attack at the White House Correspondents' Dinner is now charged.
The charge accuses the suspect of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump.
The White House Correspondents' Dinner is a high-profile event attended by political figures and journalists.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong visited China to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. They talked about energy security amid global tensions and pressure on energy markets caused by the conflict between the US and Iran.
Key Facts
Penny Wong is Australia’s Foreign Minister.
Wong visited China to discuss energy security issues.
She met with Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister.
The talks happened during rising global tensions.
Energy markets are affected by the ongoing US-Iran conflict.
The focus was on how countries can secure their energy supplies.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Mauritania has increased efforts to deport migrants, leading many to hide in the capital, Nouakchott, out of fear of arrest and forced return to their home countries. Rights groups have raised concerns about the legality of these actions under international refugee laws. Migrants report being detained without notice, asked to pay bribes, or even beaten, while some locals express worry over the loss of migrant workers.
Key Facts
Migrants in Nouakchott, Mauritania, are hiding after a surge in government deportations.
Police have been detaining people they suspect are undocumented migrants, sometimes in public places or at their homes.
Deportations often happen suddenly, with some migrants unable to take their belongings.
Some detainees report having to pay bribes or experiencing mistreatment while in custody.
Human Rights Watch says Mauritania expelled about 28,000 people in the first half of 2025, based on government data.
Rights groups and a UN panel question whether these deportations follow international refugee protection laws.
Some locals and business owners are unhappy with the crackdown, saying migrants provide needed labor.
Authorities claim they are targeting only undocumented migrants, but obtaining legal papers has become more difficult.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Israeli army has carried out ground operations since March 2026 in southern Lebanon near the border, destroying houses, roads, and trees while trying to create a security buffer zone. Despite a ceasefire, many civilian homes in villages like Naqoura and Bint Jbeil have been demolished, affecting residents who had already fled the area.
Key Facts
Israeli bulldozers demolished homes in southern Lebanese villages near the border, including Naqoura.
The operations aim to create a "Yellow Line" buffer zone to block Hezbollah fighters from getting close to Israel.
The Israeli army says it targets Hezbollah military sites, some of which they say are inside civilian areas.
Many homes destroyed were already empty due to residents fleeing the conflict.
Videos show buildings being demolished even near the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters.
The destruction includes villages like Bint Jbeil, Ainata, Jubbayn, and Rabb el-Thalathine.
Residents like Bernard Farhat lost family homes that took years to build.
The conflict involves ongoing tensions and clashes between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Dr. Ittai Gradel, an antiquities dealer who exposed the theft of hundreds of items from the British Museum, has died at age 61. He alerted the museum and police after buying stolen artefacts online and was honored by the museum shortly before his death from cancer. A police investigation into the thefts is still ongoing.
Key Facts
Dr. Ittai Gradel exposed thefts of around 2,000 items, including classical gems and ancient gold jewelry, from the British Museum.
He bought dozens of stolen artefacts on eBay over several years and reported them to the museum and police.
The British Museum initially ignored Gradel’s warnings and wrongly told him all items were accounted for.
A senior curator, Peter Higgs, was suspected of stealing but denies wrongdoing and was later fired.
The museum’s director resigned after the theft scandal became public, admitting the museum’s poor response.
Gradel returned more than 360 items he had bought online back to the museum.
He received a rare medal from the British Museum days before dying of renal cancer.
The museum plans to digitize its collection to help prevent future thefts.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
After a ceasefire, daily life in Tehran, Iran, has mostly returned to normal. Iranian society is going through significant changes, a process that started months ago and has grown stronger during the recent conflict and peace talks stall.
Key Facts
The ceasefire in the region has brought calm to life in Tehran.
Peace talks between Washington and Tehran are not making progress.
Society in Iran is changing deeply and quickly.
These social changes began several months before the ceasefire.
The ongoing conflict influenced the speed and nature of these changes.
The report includes rare footage filmed by a correspondent in Tehran.
The situation reflects broader issues like women’s rights and social freedoms.
President Donald Trump said he is no longer sending envoys to Pakistan for Iran negotiations.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Germany has increased its ammunition production and now makes more than the United States, according to Rheinmetall, a major German defense company. European countries are boosting their military supplies as they reduce dependence on the U.S., following warnings from President Donald Trump about NATO spending and shifting U.S. focus to other global areas.
Key Facts
German company Rheinmetall quadrupled its yearly production of medium-caliber ammunition.
Germany increased artillery shell output from 70,000 to 1.1 million rounds annually.
Europe aims to rebuild military stockpiles after President Trump urged NATO members to spend more on defense.
The U.S. is focusing more on the Indo-Pacific region and less on European military support.
European countries have been sending ammunition and military equipment to Ukraine in recent years.
Germany plans to have the strongest conventional army in Europe by 2039.
German political leaders are pushing for increased defense spending and less reliance on the U.S.
Ammunition demand is high due to ongoing conflicts like the war in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Police in London are investigating a suspected arson attack on a memorial wall in a neighborhood with a large Jewish community. The investigation is being led by counter-terrorism officers, but the incident is not considered a terrorist attack, and no one has been arrested yet.
Key Facts
The suspected arson happened at a memorial wall in north London.
The area, Golders Green, has a large Jewish population.
London’s Metropolitan Police are leading the investigation.
Counter-terrorism police are handling the case but do not label it as terrorism.
No damage was found on the memorial wall.
Residents in Golders Green have experienced multiple attacks recently.
Over the past month, more than 24 people were arrested in connection with attacks on Jewish-linked sites.
These attacks include setting fire to ambulances used by the Jewish emergency group Hatzola.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Iran has ways to keep its oil flowing despite U.S. efforts to block its exports, using extra storage and some tanker deliveries. This ability may help Iran resist pressure from President Trump's blockade for a while longer, though there are concerns about how long this can last.
Key Facts
Iran’s oil exports are important for its economy and are targeted by President Trump’s blockade.
Iran has extra storage space for oil, including large tanker ships used as floating storage.
Analysts say Iran can keep producing oil for about two months without major damage.
Some oil tankers still reportedly get through the blockade to carry Iranian oil.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has other ways to make money, such as smuggling oil by land and small ships.
U.S. Treasury officials say the blockade has already forced some oil production to stop.
Iran’s storage plans may only delay production cuts by days to weeks, not longer.
The blockade affects other Persian Gulf countries, which have cut back on their oil production.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are making the first official visit to the United States by a British king or queen in almost 20 years. This visit happens during a time of political tensions between the UK and the U.S., and leaders see it as a way to strengthen diplomatic relations.
Key Facts
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are visiting the United States on a state visit.
This is the first visit by a British monarch to the U.S. in nearly two decades.
The visit occurs during a period of political tension between the UK and the U.S.
The visit aims to improve diplomatic relationships between the two countries.
State visits are official trips by heads of state to another country for diplomatic purposes.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Amnesty International has asked for an investigation into a U.S. air strike on a migrant detention center in Yemen that killed at least 68 people. The group considers the attack a possible war crime and says survivors are still suffering with little support.
Key Facts
The U.S. air strike occurred on April 28, 2025, hitting a detention center in Saada, Yemen.
At least 68 detainees were killed and 47 were injured in the attack.
The center was a prison facility visited by international groups, who found no military use there.
Survivors, mostly Ethiopian men, report ongoing physical and mental health problems and lack of medical care.
Amnesty International says the U.S. government has not released any investigation results or taken responsibility.
The attack is one of the deadliest civilian incidents involving U.S. strikes documented by Amnesty in recent years.
Amnesty calls for transparent and independent investigations and reparations for victims.
The group also mentioned a deadly U.S. strike on a school in Minab, Iran, which killed 156 people in March 2025.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran is weakening the impact of US sanctions on Iran. Iran is increasingly using alternatives like cryptocurrency, China’s renminbi currency, and informal trade systems to bypass US dollar-based sanctions and maintain its trade and financial activities.
Key Facts
US sanctions rely on the dominance of the US dollar in global trade to restrict Iran’s economic activities.
Iran has greatly increased its use of cryptocurrencies for financial transactions, with values reaching $154 billion in 2025.
Half of the cryptocurrency value in late 2025 was received by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iran converts cryptocurrency into China’s renminbi to buy Russian goods and trade in Asian markets.
Iran charges transit fees in Bitcoin or renminbi for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil route.
Bitcoin’s decentralization means payments cannot be frozen by any authority, unlike some digital currencies linked to institutions.
The use of renminbi is growing globally; in 2024, 30% of China’s trade was conducted in its own currency.
Informal financial systems like hawala and barter trade are increasingly important for Iran and its partners to avoid US sanctions.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Israel has carried out a military campaign in southern Lebanon, destroying over 1,500 buildings, including a 400-year-old mosque in Bint Jbeil. Satellite images and videos show this campaign targets civilian areas to create a buffer zone near the border that makes it hard for residents to return.
Key Facts
The Great Mosque in Bint Jbeil, Lebanon, was destroyed along with more than 1,500 buildings.
Israel’s military actions in southern Lebanon are described as a systematic effort to damage homes and infrastructure.
Satellite imagery and open-source data confirm widespread destruction mostly in the Nabatieh governorate region.
Around 70% of Bint Jbeil has been fully destroyed, and another 20% partially damaged, affecting over 3,000 homes.
These attacks have continued even after a ceasefire was announced.
The goal claimed by Israel is to create a buffer zone to stop attacks from Hezbollah near the border.
Legal experts and local officials warn this campaign may be aimed at emptying the area of its population permanently.
Most damage is focused in historic and commercial parts of Bint Jbeil, including its oldest neighborhoods.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Strait of Hormuz has been closed by Iran since February following US-Israel strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader. The United States has imposed a naval blockade and is working to clear mines believed to be placed by Iran, while shipping remains heavily disrupted, affecting global oil and gas supply.
Key Facts
The Strait of Hormuz is a key waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas pass in normal times.
Iran closed the strait after strikes killed its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in late February 2026.
Iran’s new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has taken control since his father’s death.
US President Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of Iranian ports and the strait in mid-April to pressure Iran.
About 2,000 ships are stranded, waiting for passage through the Gulf.
The US military started mine-clearing operations in the strait using two guided-missile destroyers.
Maritime insurers canceled war risk insurance for tankers in the area due to high risk from mines and conflict.
Even if reopened, heavy risks and increased insurance costs for ships will remain until the mines are fully cleared.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
