Author: Admin

BEIJING — Search and rescue operations continued Wednesday morning in eastern China, where six people remain unaccounted for following a powerful explosion at a chemical plant that killed at least five and injured 19 others. The blast occurred Tuesday at an industrial park in Weifang, Shandong province, sending shockwaves through nearby buildings, shattering windows, and releasing a thick plume of white smoke, as seen in footage circulated on social media. Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the explosion, which took place at a facility operated by Gaomi Youdao Chemical Co. The company, which manufactures pesticides and medical-use chemicals,…

Former French Surgeon Faces 20-Year Sentence in Landmark Child Abuse Trial A former French surgeon is expected to receive a 20-year prison sentence on Wednesday for the sexual abuse of hundreds of young patients, marking the conclusion of the largest child abuse trial in French history. Joël Le Scouarnec, 74, practiced as a digestive surgeon in both public and private hospitals across Brittany and western France, often treating children for conditions such as appendicitis. Over a three-month trial held in Vannes, Brittany, Le Scouarnec was accused of committing 111 rapes and 189 sexual assaults between 1989 and 2014, across a…

Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Ease Restrictions on Deporting Migrants to Third Countries WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Tuesday petitioned the Supreme Court to allow the expedited deportation of certain convicted immigrants to so-called “third countries,” which are not their countries of origin. The request aims to overturn a nationwide injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Massachusetts. Murphy ruled that affected migrants must be given a “meaningful opportunity” to raise concerns about potential torture, persecution, or death before being deported. He later specified that this opportunity must include at least 10 days for individuals to…

Global Heat Records Likely to Be Broken in the Next Five Years, WMO Warns There is an 80% chance that global temperatures will break at least one annual heat record within the next five years, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The rising heat increases the risk of severe droughts, floods, and wildfires around the world. For the first time, the report also suggests a small chance—about 1%—that the planet could experience a year with temperatures 2°C above preindustrial levels before 2030. Scientists called this possibility “shocking,” as such warming was previously thought to be…

Tesla Factory in Adelaide Moves Forward Despite Strong Public Opposition Tesla has cleared a significant hurdle toward establishing a new facility in Adelaide, as the City of Marion council voted to advance plans for a battery-repurposing plant despite widespread community opposition centered on both environmental concerns and disapproval of Elon Musk. At a council meeting on Tuesday night, members voted to seek state government approval to sell a portion of land to a developer planning to construct a Tesla facility. The proposed site would include a battery-recycling plant, showroom, and service center. The land, currently classified as community space, has…

Rep. Mike Flood Faces Heated Town Hall, Admits Overlooking Controversial Bill Provision Republican Congressman Mike Flood of Nebraska faced sharp criticism during a town hall meeting Tuesday evening, where constituents pressed him on a range of issues — including his support for a sweeping House bill that he admitted he hadn’t fully read. The town hall, held at a high school in Seward and livestreamed by News Channel Nebraska — a media outlet founded and owned by Flood — grew tense when he acknowledged missing a provision in the House’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.” The clause in question would make…

Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife’s Gesture as ‘Joking Around’ Emmanuel Macron has dismissed claims that he and his wife, Brigitte, had a disagreement, following the circulation of a viral video promoted by Russian state media and far-right French accounts. The video appeared to show Brigitte pushing the French president in the face as they exited a plane in Vietnam. The footage, captured by an Associated Press camera operator, shows Macron stepping into view at the aircraft’s doorway during a visit to Hanoi. A hand—apparently Brigitte’s—seems to push him backward slightly. Macron regains his balance and waves. As Brigitte’s full…

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes killed at least 52 people across the Gaza Strip on Monday, including 36 who died when a school being used as a shelter was hit while people slept, sparking fires that engulfed their belongings, according to local health officials. The Israeli military said it was targeting militants who were operating from the school. Israel relaunched its offensive in March after a ceasefire with Hamas collapsed. The government has pledged to maintain military pressure until Hamas is either dismantled or disarmed, and until the remaining 58 hostages — a third of whom are believed…

Estonia Embraces Smartphones and AI in Classrooms, Bucking the Ban Trend While schools across England are banning smartphones over concerns about distraction and mental health, Estonia — emerging as Europe’s new education frontrunner — is taking a different path. In Estonian classrooms, students are not only encouraged to use their phones for learning, but starting this September, they’ll be given their own artificial intelligence (AI) accounts. With a population of just 1.4 million, the Baltic nation has quietly risen to the top of Europe’s academic rankings. In the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) conducted by the OECD, Estonia…

Trump Extends EU Tariff Deadline to July 9 President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he had granted an extension on the proposed 50% tariff on the European Union, pushing the deadline to July 9. “Today I received a call from Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, requesting more time beyond the June 1st deadline regarding the 50% tariff on EU trade,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “I agreed to extend it — to July 9, 2025 — and was happy to do so,” he added. Trump had previously imposed 20% tariffs on EU goods under his broad…