Posts by Riah Stelmack
Nigerian airstrike mistakenly kills civilians supporting security forces while targeting rebels
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian military airstrike targeting armed groups in the conflict-battered northwest mistakenly killed a number of civilians working in community security outfits, authorities and residents said. This is the third misfire by the military in a little over a year during aerial bombardments of extremists and rebel groups. The Nigeria Air…
Read More‘The worst is choosing who to help’: Life as a war medic in Ukraine
Battlefield medics and volunteers in Ukraine face challenging conditions, with off-road vans often only able to transport two severely injured individuals at a time. Michael, a 39-year-old paramedic from northern Germany, is one of those working near the front lines in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. “We drive to the front, pick up the…
Read MoreOne of the world’s greatest religious spectacles is underway and the numbers are staggering
Millions of Hindu devotees are bathing in sacred waters as the world’s biggest religious gathering begins in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh. Over the next six weeks, a staggering 400 million people are expected to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela, or the festival of the Sacred Pitcher, on the riverbanks in the city of…
Read MoreA stick-figure drawing in a North Korean soldier’s diary showed how Pyongyang’s troops wanted to use each other as drone ‘bait’
Ukraine has been releasing excerpts of what its forces say is a North Korean soldier’s diary. They include a stick-figure sketch of using a comrade as “bait” to shoot down a drone. Other entries include musings on class struggles and a confession for stealing undisclosed Russian items. Excerpts from a North Korean soldier’s diary released…
Read MoreVideo shows deadly earthquake in Nepal in 2015, not 2025
Misrepresented videos continued to flood social media following the deadly January 7 earthquake that rocked China’s remote Tibet region and was also felt in neighbouring Nepal and parts of India. In one recent example, a clip of trembling buildings was viewed hundreds of thousands of times in posts that falsely portrayed it as recent. It…
Read MoreSyrians hope for a future without Russia, but it may not be easy
For years Russia and Syria were key partners – Moscow gained access to Mediterranean air and sea bases while Damascus received military support for its fight against rebel forces. Now, after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, many Syrians want to see Russian forces leave but their interim government says it is open to further…
Read More‘I have been saved’: Kidnapped Tanzanian activist found hours later
Prominent Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai who was abducted by armed men in Kenya said she has been released, hours after the incident. Amnesty International Kenya spokesperson Roland Ebole told the BBC she was “forced” into a vehicle in the capital Nairobi on Sunday afternoon. But Ms Tsehai was released hours later. She shared a…
Read MoreZelensky: Slovakia’s Fico made ‘mistake’ in dealing with Moscow
A controversial trip to Moscow by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has prompted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to further criticize his neighbour. “It was a clear mistake for Fico to believe that he could continue his shady dealings with Moscow indefinitely,” Zelensky said in a post on social media platform X on Sunday. Zelensky’s account…
Read MoreAn Austrian woman has been kidnapped in Niger’s Agadez city, authorities say
NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — An Austrian woman has been kidnapped by gunmen in Niger’s Agadez city, local residents and the Austrian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday, the first time a European citizen is known to have been kidnapped in the conflict-hit West African nation since a military junta took power in 2023. The ministry said…
Read MoreZelensky offers exchange of North Korean soldiers
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is willing to hand over two captured soldiers from North Korea back to their home country in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia. “For those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available,” Zelensky said on social media, adding “those…
Read MoreAustrian woman kidnapped by unknown assailants in Niger
The Austrian foreign ministry says a female citizen has been taken by unknown assailants in the military-ran West African country, Niger. It confirmed the incident to AFP and said they were aware of the “possible kidnapping of an Austrian woman” in Agadez which is 900 km (559 miles) from the capital Niamey. The woman was…
Read MoreGermany backs easing sanctions on Syria, pledges €50 million in aid
Germany has advocated a relaxation of some EU sanctions against Syria following the ouster of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad as Saudi Arabia hosted Sunday an international conference on the situation in the war-shattered country. “We as an international community must not let the chance of a future for Syria pass us by, despite all the…
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