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Palestinian medics report that Israeli strikes killed 14 people in Gaza the previous day.
Israeli military strikes killed at least fourteen Palestinians in Gaza Strip during the past 24 hour, said the Gaza Strip's Health Ministry on Sunday. Arab and U.S. mediators are working to maintain a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas. Palestinian officials claim that Israeli fire has killed dozens of Palestinians despite the truce on January 19, which halted major fighting in Gaza. Israel's army has stated that its forces have intervened in order to stop "terrorists", who were threatening its troops, or those who had planted bombs. Gaza's Health Ministry reported that the majority of recent deaths occurred on Saturday, when an Israeli airstrike in Beit Lahiya killed nine Palestinians, including four journalists. Six men, whom Israel's military identified as being members of Hamas' armed wing and Islamic Jihad, a militant group that is allied with Hamas, were killed in this strike. The Israeli military said that some militants were operating "under the cover" of journalists. Salama Marouf is the head of Hamas' Gaza government media. She said that the statement made by the military about the incident contained names of people not present. Marouf claimed that the report was based "without bothering to check the facts" and was inaccurate. Gaza's health officials confirmed that at least four Palestinians died in separate Israeli attacks on Saturday. The medics reported that an Israeli drone fired a missile on a group in Juhr Eldeek, central Gaza, Sunday, killing one 62-year old man and injuring others. A missile fired by an Israeli drone at a crowd of people in Rafah injured several others, the medics added. The Israeli military claimed it did not know about the reported drone attacks. CEASEFIRE TALKS The bloodshed in Gaza continues to highlight the fragility in the three-stage truce agreement, which was mediated by Qatar Egypt and the United States. They have intervened to help Israel and Hamas reach an agreement on how to proceed. Israel is proposing to extend the first phase of the ceasefire, which has been backed by U.S. ambassador Steve Witkoff. Hamas has said it will only resume releasing hostages under the second phase, which was supposed to start on March 2. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that on Saturday, negotiators were instructed to continue the talks in response to the mediators' responses to the U.S. proposal to release 11 hostages alive and half the dead. Hamas said on Friday that it would release the American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and four hostage bodies if Israel agreed immediately to start talks on the implementation of the second phase of agreement. Israel accused Hamas in response of "psychological war" against the families of hostages. According to Israeli statistics, the war began on October 7, 2023 when Hamas launched a raid across the border into southern Israel, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel has denied accusations of war crimes and genocide. The Israeli assault on Gaza, which followed, killed over 48,000 Palestinians. Nidal al Mughrabi, Nidal Popper and Helen Popper contributed to the reporting and writing.
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Cuba restores power to Havana, the capital and its outlying provinces
Cuba's Havana capital saw some lights come back on on Sunday morning after a national grid collapse knocked out electricity for 10 million people. Havana's Electric Company said on social media about 19% of their clients in the city have seen power restored but did not give an estimate for full recovery. Cuba's Energy and Mines Ministry announced early Sunday that it had started up the Felton power station, one of Cuba's largest power plants and a benchmark for the restoration of power in eastern provinces. The ministry stated that the country's biggest plant, Antonio Guinteras in Matanzas was not yet operational. Many residents in Havana, and elsewhere, were worried that their frozen food would spoil after 36 hours of no electricity. Since Friday evening, around 8:15 pm (0015 GMT), a large part of the two-million-person city - a densely-populated tourist center - was without electricity. The only places that had lights were popular tourist hotels, restaurants, homes, and businesses equipped with generators. Cuba's grid collapsed Friday evening, after a transmission cable at a Havana substation shorted. This caused a chain reaction which completely shut down electricity generation on the entire island. The blackout on Friday was the fourth to occur in the country since October. Cuba's oil fired power plants, which were already outdated and struggled to keep the lights lit, reached a crisis last year when oil imports from Venezuela and Russia, as well as Mexico, decreased. Before Friday's grid failure, many on the island were already experiencing daily blackouts of 20 hours or longer. Cuba has blamed the growing crisis on an embargo imposed by the United States during the Cold War and on new restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump. Trump recently tightened the sanctions against the communist government and promised to restore "tough" policies toward the longtime U.S. enemy. In an effort to reduce reliance on oil-fired power generation, the government wants to help China develop large solar farms. (Reporting and editing by David Holmes; Dave Sherwood)
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The North Macedonian nightclub fire leaves 51 dead and over 100 injured
Pance Toskovski, the Interior Minister of North Macedonia, said that 51 people died and over 100 were injured in an early morning fire in a nightclub in Kocani. Toskovski claimed that the fire was caused "pyrotechnics" used at a concert. He said that "sparks caused the fire... and the fire spread throughout the discotheque." Video from the event was verified by and shows two flares shooting white sparks in the air flanking a band on stage. The sparks ignite the ceiling above the band as the video cuts. A local TV station showed footage of firefighters dousing the smoke and charred entrance to the Pulse club. The public broadcaster MRT in North Macedonia reported that 27 people with severe burns were admitted to the Skopje City Hospital, while another 23 patients were treated at the Clinical Center. It said that minors were among the injured. The fire broke out in Kocani at 3:00 am. Hristijan Micoski, the Prime Minister of Macedonia, said on Facebook that "this is a very difficult and sad day for Macedonia!" The loss of many young lives was irreparable. The pain felt by the families and loved ones is incomparable. "I urge all institutions, including the health services and relevant authorities, to take immediate action to help the injured as well as the families of those families." (Reporting and writing by Aleksandar Vasovic, Editing by Bernadettebaum)
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New South Wales, Australia, is sweltering in a heatwave and faces an 'extreme bushfire risk'
New South Wales, Australia, sweated through a heatwave on Sunday that increased the risk of bushfires. Authorities issued a fire ban in Sydney's capital. New South Wales is nearing the end a high-risk bushfire season, which runs until March. The "Black Summer" wildfires of 2019-2020 destroyed an area as large as Turkey and killed over 33 people. Sydney, Australia's largest city, is expected to reach 37C (98.6F) on Sunday. Forecasters report that the temperature at Sydney Airport was 29.3C (84.7 F), more than three degrees higher than the average maximum temperature for March. The forecaster's website warned that "strong winds, hot conditions, and low relative humidities will create extreme fire danger in the greater Sydney area." According to X, the Rural Fire Service of the State of New York announced that a total ban on fires was in effect for a large swath of the state, including Sydney. This is due to "hot and dry conditions" forecasted. Bernard Barbetti, an official with the Country Fire Authority, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Sunday that a house was destroyed by a bushfire in Victoria, which was fought by 200 firefighters. The Australian science agency stated last year that climate change was causing extreme heat to be more frequent in Australia. Australia is a country prone to bushfires with a population of 27 million. (Reporting from Sydney by Sam McKeith, editing by Deepa Babyington)
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The economy of Peru grew by 4.07% in January
Data from the nation's INEI statistical agency on Saturday showed that Peru's economy grew 4.07% during the first month in 2025. This was in line with forecasts by the central bank and analysts, with almost all sectors registering growth, with the exception being the financial sector. The January data was slightly above the 4% estimated by analysts, but lower than the 4.85% recorded last month last year. Mining and energy, the Andean nation’s most important sector, grew by 1.4%. Meanwhile, agriculture and fishing, a smaller sector but still very important to the country's economy grew by 3.2% and 23.5%. Transportation grew by 7.9% and manufacturing by 5.5%, while the public sector and construction and defense both saw growth above 4%. Commercial banks' lending decreased by 0.35%, causing the financial sector to contract. Calling on Friday The top economist of Peru's central banks said that the economic activity is developing better than expected as the economy recovered from the recession it entered in the year 2023. The bank said that the U.S. Tariffs would have a limited effect, stating that Peruvian agricultural products are a complement to North American supplies, when North America is not able produce locally due to seasonal factors, and that copper exports could be sold in many other markets. Late last month, Peru's Economy Minister Predicted The economy will grow by 4% in 2019, up from 3.3% in 2024, and 0.4% in 2017. This makes it one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America. (Reporting and editing by Diane Craft, Raul Cortes, and Sarah Morland)
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Three people are killed in a tornado that strikes the US south amid an increase in risk
Police said that three people died in Missouri after a series tornadoes struck the U.S. Midwest overnight. The path of destruction was still being assessed on Saturday morning. David Roth, a National Weather Service meteorologist from the Weather Prediction Center, stated that at least 26 tornadoes had been reported, but were not confirmed, to have toucheddown late Friday night or early Saturday morning as a powerful low-pressure system swept across Arkansas, Illinois and Mississippi. He said that today there was a 30% chance of more tornadoes in Alabama and Mississippi. "That is pretty significant." The Missouri State Highway Patrol, along with other officials, reported that two of the deaths were caused by tornadoes in southern Missouri, in the Bakersfield region of Ozark County. This is about four hours south-southwest of Kansas City. A third death occurred in Butler County. The highway patrol reported that some people were injured but there were no immediate numbers available. Forecasters say that as the storms gain strength, Saturday night is the time when the risk of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes will be highest.
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Sources: Ecuador offers a free trade agreement and a US military base to Trump's allies.
According to two sources who have direct knowledge of this matter, Ecuadorean officials told allies and friends of U.S. president Donald Trump they were interested in hosting an American military base in South America. Sources who asked to remain anonymous in order to describe their private conversations said that the officials were also interested in signing a free-trade agreement with the United States. This has eluded Andean nations for more than a decade. Sources said that Republican lobbyists close to the Trump Administration in Washington had received the expressions of interest in recent weeks. The administration may not be aware or interested in these proposals. White House National Security Council has declined to comment on the matter. The pitch for a military base is the latest unconventional idea from the administration of Ecuadorean president Daniel Noboa. He is trying to curb crime and improve ties with Trump's associates ahead of a highly competitive election in April. Noboa announced on Wednesday a "strategic partnership" with Erik Prince, a prominent Trump backer and the founder of controversial Blackwater private military company. The alliance will be used to combat crime and narcoterrorism within the 17-million-strong country. Noboa has publicly advocated for the establishment of foreign military bases in Ecuador. The 37-year old heir to the largest business fortune in the country is Noboa. The Ecuadorean parliament is currently in the beginning stages of a process that could remove a constitutional prohibition on such facilities, instituted in 2008. This was done with the support leftist former president Rafael Correa. The U.S. had a base on the Galapagos Islands, which are environmentally sensitive, during World War II. A separate base was used to fight narcotics on the mainland up until 2009 when Correa forced Washington outpost. Other small and medium sized nations are exploring unconventional ways to build ties with Washington. Some of these appear to be designed to take full advantage of Trump’s transactional foreign policies and willingness to entertain unorthodox policy ideas. In recent weeks, officials from the Democratic Republic of the Congo have traveled to Washington to present a crucial minerals deal between the United States and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. El Salvador's conservative president Nayib Bukele, a Trump ally and Trump ally, has offered to house criminals who have been deported from the U.S. Mercury Public Affairs, a Washington-based firm, was recently chosen by the Ecuadorian government to represent its interests to the Trump administration. This is according to a filing made on Monday with a Justice Department section that oversees lobbying activities abroad. The document outlining the contract for lobbying does not mention military bases. The document identifies "migration, security, trade and anti-terrorism efforts, as well as issues related to trade and security" in terms of possible areas for collaboration. Mercury Public Affairs and the Ecuadorean Foreign Ministry did not respond when contacted for comment. Tight Election Ecuador is headed for a tight runoff on April 13, which will pit Noboa, a Correa protegee from the leftist Luisa González. Noboa's campaign has focused on what, according to him, was a 15% reduction in violent deaths in the past year. He also emphasized a decrease in prison violence as well as the capture of major leaders in gangs. He has pledged to continue to deploy the military in the streets and prisons in order to combat insecurity. According to a Monday filing at the Justice Department, the Noboa Administration is also looking to develop strategies with the State Department Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in order to "fight narcoterrorism". Gonzalez, 47 years old, has voiced her opposition to foreign troops stationed in Ecuador and called for greater efforts to combat the drug-related crimes that have rocked Ecuador in recent times. She has promised to take on corrupt judges and prosecutors, and implement a social spending program in the areas with the highest levels of violence. One source familiar with Ecuadoreans' interactions and their interaction with Republican lobbyists stated that they likely asked for too much in a short period of time. Source: The State Department limits bilateral engagements directly before elections to avoid appearing to support a specific party. Trump has pledged that he will fight drug trafficking in Latin America and has expressed interest in expanding U.S. power. He has threatened to invade Panama and floated the idea of acquiring Greenland. His administration's engagement in Latin America hasn't always followed a clear pattern. He has threatened to impose 25% tariffs across the board on Mexico, which were partially implemented earlier in March. This is because he's not satisfied with Mexico's efforts to combat fentanyl. However, he also complimented Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. The administration of President Obama has agreed to deport Venezuelans, a regional enemy, and has also refused to renew Chevron’s license to operate in Venezuela. This has further isolated Venezuela economically. (Reporting from Gram Slattery, Washington; Alexandra Valencia, Quito; Editing done by Christian Plumb and Diane Craft.)
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US designates South Korea as a "sensitive" country amid concerns over nuclear weapons
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Energy said that South Korea was a "sensitive country" after its president briefly declared martial law, and amid reports of Seoul possibly developing nuclear weapons. In a written answer to questions, the DOE confirmed that the administration of former-President Joe Biden placed South Korea in the bottom tier of the Sensitive & Other Designated Countries List shortly before Biden's departure. The department didn't explain why the Asian country was added to this list, nor did it indicate that Donald Trump would be inclined to reverse this measure. Seoul's spokesperson stated that there are no new restrictions to bilateral science and technology cooperation. Media reports have stated that the designation will come into effect April 15. The South Korean Foreign Ministry said that the government took the issue seriously and was in constant communication with Washington. The ministry issued a statement saying that it would "actively negotiate" to make sure there was no negative impact on the energy, science, and technology cooperation between South Korea & the United States. According to a document published on the DOE website in 2017, the DOE's list of sensitive nations includes China, Taiwan and Israel. Iran, North Korea and Russia are also included. Tehran and Pyongyang were designated as terrorists. Then-Defence Minister Kim Yonghyun and President Yoon Suk Yeol were among the officials who suggested that Seoul might be forced to pursue nuclear weapons due to fears about Pyongyang’s weapons program as well as concerns over the U.S.-led alliance. Yoon and Kim were indicted for insurrection in relation to Yoon's declaration of martial laws in December, which lasted six hours. Yoon's presidential powers were suspended and he was impeached while a court decided whether or not to remove him. Yoon has backed down from his rhetoric on a nuclear weapons programme after negotiating an agreement with Biden in 2023, under which Washington will give Seoul greater insight into U.S. plans to deter and react to a nuke incident in the area. Seoul, in return, renewed its pledge to not pursue its own nuclear bomb and stated that it would adhere to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which it had signed. This has not, however, been enough to remove doubts about U.S. commitments in defense, which have fuelled calls for a South Korean nuke arsenal. Last month, Foreign Minister Cho Taeyul stated that nuclear weapons are not "off-the-table", but it is premature to discuss such a plan. Cho said at a hearing in the parliament that "given that international situation are evolving in unpredictable ways, this is an important principle that we need to prepare for all scenarios." Daryl Kimball is the executive director of nonprofit Arms Control Association. He said that South Korea was a proliferation risk in light of these "provocative statements" and the DOE had been prudent to include the country on their list. "Listing the ROK as a proliferation-sensitive country should rule out any chance of a South Korean request for U.S. approval to enrich uranium and reprocessing spent fuel... to produce nuclear weapons," Kimball said, citing the country's formal name, the Republic of Korea. Seoul was concerned about the handling of this designation. Cho said in the parliament that the Biden administration had not formally contacted his ministry and only learned of the designation through an informal tip. The Energy Department may list countries for national security reasons, nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, or for supporting terrorism. However, inclusion on the list does not indicate a hostile relationship with the United States. The DOE stated that there were no restrictions in place at this time on the bilateral science and technological cooperation between the ROK and the US. The DOE said that it looks forward to working with the ROK in order to further our mutual interests. The department stated that, although the designation does allow for scientific and technical cooperation with the countries listed, it is subject to an internal review before the visit. Reporting by Timothy Gardner in Washington and David Brunnstrom and Ju-min Park in Seoul, with editing by William Mallard, Sam Holmes, and Sam Holmes.
CNN reports that 33 people were killed by tornadoes in the US South amid an increase in risk.
CNN reported that on Saturday night at least 33 tornadoes struck several states across the Midwest and Southeast of the United States.
The Missouri highway patrol reported that 12 deaths occurred in five counties.
Robbie Myers is the director of emergency response in Missouri's Butler County. He told reporters that over 500 homes, as well as a grocery store and a church, were destroyed in the county. He said that a mobile home park was "totally wiped out". Tate Reeves, the Mississippi governor, posted on X about six deaths in the state – one in Covington County; two in Jeff Davis County; and three in Walthall County.
Reeves reported that preliminary assessments showed 29 injuries statewide, and damage to 21 counties.
The Department of Emergency Management in Arkansas reported that three people died and 32 were injured.
David Roth, a National Weather Service meteorologist, told reporters that 26 tornadoes had been reported, but were not confirmed, to have touched ground late Friday night and early Saturday morning as a low pressure system pushed powerful thunderstorms through parts of Arkansas and Illinois. Rich McKay reported from Atlanta, and Shivani Tana in Bengaluru. Editing was done by Aidan Lewis and Rod Nickel.
(source: Reuters)