Japan earthquake deaths top 100, with hundreds missing
Japan's death toll from the New Year's Day earthquake reached 110 on Saturday as a search for survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings entered a sixth day, with more than 200 still missing after the deadliest quake in nearly eight years, Reuters reports.
Russian troops launched two attacks on the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region
Russian troops launched two attacks on the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, during Friday evening. Ukrainian authorities have reported several wounded people, writes Rador.
UNICEF: Children in the Gaza Strip facing malnutrition and disease
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday that after almost three months of war in Gaza, malnutrition and disease are creating a deadly cycle that threatens over 1.1 million children, DPA reports.
Korean border heats up: North shells draw evacuation
South Korea evacuated residents of two islands near a disputed maritime border Friday after North Korea launched over 200 artillery rounds into the sea, escalating tensions in the already fragile peninsula.
Tragic fire at German hospital claims four lives, injures ten
A fire that erupted at a hospital in Uelzen, Lower Saxony, early Thursday morning tragically claimed the lives of four individuals and injured at least ten others.
Iowa school shooting: 1 killed, 5 injured in high school attack
A 17-year-old student opened fire at Perry High School in Iowa on Friday morning, killing one sixth-grader and injuring five others before being shot and killed by police.
Black Sea nations unite to combat mine threat
Facing the lingering danger of drifting mines from the Ukraine war, three Black Sea nations – Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey – are set to ink a cooperative agreement next week to tackle the growing threat.
Belarus President signs lifetime immunity law, restricting opposition leaders in exile
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a new law granting him lifetime immunity from criminal investigation and blocking exiled opposition leaders from running in future presidential elections, as reported by The Guardian and relayed by News.ro.
North Korea fuels Ukraine war: US targets arms trade
The United States is cranking up pressure on North Korea and Russia, vowing fresh sanctions against anyone abetting their military exchange, as reported by AFP and Agerpres.
Polish border tensions simmer over subsidies, permit
Polish farmers resumed their protest at the Medyka border crossing with Ukraine on Thursday, demanding a written agreement with the government to secure corn subsidies and prevent tax hikes, as reported by Polsat News.
Doina Pozdirca
Prisoner swap sparks hope: Russia, Ukraine release hundreds
Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, a ray of hope emerged on Wednesday with the first prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine in several months, Agerpres reports.
Israel ready 'for any scenario' after strike kills Hamas deputy in Lebanon
The Israeli army has said it is "prepared for any scenario" after a strike in Beirut that killed Hamas's deputy chief, stoking fears the war in the Gaza Strip could boil over into wider regional conflict, AFP reports.
