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Symptoomloze personen mogen vanaf woensdagmiddag het schip verlaten, maar geïnfecteerden moeten in isolatie blijven.

• Senator Ronald dela Rosa wordt gezocht door het ICC vanwege zijn vermeende rol in de dodelijke aanpak van drugs in het land, waarbij duizenden mensen omkwamen. • Filipijnse autoriteiten proberen berichten te bevestigen dat een wetgever die wordt gezocht door het Internationaal Strafhof (ICC) in het geheim het senaatsgebouw heeft verlaten, waar hij dagenlang de arrestatie had vermeden, aldus een functionaris. • Ondersecretaris van presidentiële communicatie Clare Castro verklaarde tijdens een persconferentie dat de autoriteiten proberen de verblijfplaats van senator Ronald dela Rosa te bevestigen, nadat berichten suggereerden dat hij voor het ochtendgloren onopgemerkt uit het zwaar bewaakte gebouw was geglipt. Lees verder...

Kouri Richins (35) riskeert een levenslange gevangenisstraf voor de moord op haar echtgenoot, en haar drie zonen zeggen dat ze 'bang' voor haar zijn. • De jonge zonen van Kouri Richins, een auteur uit Utah, verklaarden voorafgaand aan haar vonniszitting op woensdag dat ze zich onveilig zouden voelen als hun moeder ooit uit de gevangenis zou worden vrijgelaten, nadat ze in maart schuldig werd bevonden aan de moord op hun vader. • Richins (35) riskeert meerdere decennia tot een levenslange gevangenisstraf voor vijf ernstige misdrijven, waaronder moord met verzwarende omstandigheden. Lees verder...

• Onderzoek wijst uit dat ethyleenoxide (EtO) ongeveer 60 keer kankerverwekkender is dan in 2006 werd gedacht • Een nieuw plan van de regering-Trump om de regelgeving uit 2024 voor giftige ethyleenoxide (EtO)-vervuiling in te trekken, is breder bedoeld om de bevoegdheid van de Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) te beperken om de bescherming van de volksgezondheid rondom gevaarlijke emissies te versterken, en zou kunnen leiden tot de uitstoot van meer van het toxine in de lucht. • Recent onderzoek heeft aangetoond dat EtO ongeveer 60 keer kankerverwekkender is dan men dacht toen de laatste regelgeving in 2006 werd ontwikkeld. In 2024 voerde de Biden-EPA een regel in die de regelgeving verscherpte om de bijgewerkte wetenschap weerspiegelen, en vereiste dat de EtO-uitstoters in het land hun emissies collectief met ongeveer 90% zouden verminderen. Lees verder...

• Een nieuw rapport van het Lowy Institute beschrijft Xi Jinpings blauwdruk voor Taiwan na annexatie, waarbij gedeeltelijke autonomie wordt afgewezen ten gunste van volledige integratie in het politieke systeem van China. • De plannen zouden miljoenen Taiwanezen kunnen uitsluiten van het publieke leven en tienduizenden kunnen opsluiten, tenzij zij trouw zweren aan de CCP en afstand doen van autonomie. • Chinese academici uiten in besloten kring twijfels over de haalbaarheid van het 'Eén land, twee systemen'-model, gezien de diepgewortelde democratie in Taiwan.

Dertig jaar nadat de eerste overdracht van mens op mens werd gedocumenteerd in Patagonië, stellen wetenschappers dat wereldwijde opwarming de blootstelling wereldwijd zou kunnen vergroten. • Een uitbraak in landelijke gemeenschappen 30 jaar geleden in het Patagonië-gebied van Argentinië leidde ertoe dat wetenschappers voor het eerst de overdracht van het hantavirus van mens op mens documenteerden, wat tot die tijd alleen bekend was als een verspreiding via contact met knaagdieren. • Bijna een decennium geleden leverde een andere uitbraak, ook in Patagonië, gedetailleerd bewijs van intermenselijke overdracht toen een besmette 68-jarige landarbeider een verjaardagsfeest bijwoonde in een klein dorp. De infectie verspreidde zich en resulteerde in 11 doden. Lees verder...

• De dochter van Keira Alexandra Kronvold, Zammi, werd gedwongen bij haar weggehaald toen ze twee uur oud was

‘Onvoorspelbare operatie’ in gang om MV Hondius voor de kust van Tenerife te ontvangen om personen aan boord te beoordelen en te repatriëren

Smart went missing in California after returning from a party, and was declared legally dead in 2002 Authorities plan Thursday to enter the second day of their search of a home connected to the man convicted of killing 19-year-old college student Kristin Smart in 1996, according to law enforcement.The San Luis Obispo county sheriff’s office served the warrant Wednesday in the continuing investigation into Smart’s disappearance. Her remains were never found and she was declared legally dead in 2002. Paul Flores was convicted in October 2022 and ultimately sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Continue reading...

Justice department targets MacArthur Park, which has long struggled with fentanyl use, overdoses and homelessnessFederal authorities arrested 18 people in Los Angeles in a crackdown on drugs in MacArthur Park, the Department of Justice announced on Wednesday.The DoJ said it was targeting an “open-air drug market” in the park near downtown, which has long struggled with fentanyl use and overdoses and has at times had large encampments of unhoused people. Continue reading...

Prosecutors drop two other charges against Jasper Jones author, 43, including allegations he produced child exploitation materialAward‑winning author Craig Silvey has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child exploitation material, while a charge that he produced such material has been dropped.Silvey, 43, was first charged in January after detectives from Western Australia police’s child abuse squad raided his Fremantle home, allegedly catching him communicating online with child exploitation offenders and seizing his electronic devices. Continue reading...

The World Press Freedom Index, which assessed 180 countries, finds established journalism is ‘being asphyxiated’Press freedom around the world is at its lowest ebb in a generation, according to an influential annual index that highlights growing authoritarian pressure on the media.The average score for the 180 countries assessed by the World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), was the lowest in the index’s 25-year history. Continue reading...

Former FBI director indicted over social media post from last year of seashells arranged into ‘86 47’US politics live – latest updatesJames Comey surrendered to authorities on Wednesday at the eastern district of Virginia after the justice department indicted him this week for a second time.The former FBI director was indicted in North Carolina on Tuesday because of a post he made on social media last year of seashells arranged into the numbers “86 47” which the Department of Justice has called a threat against Donald Trump. The number 86 can be used as shorthand for getting rid of something, and Trump is the 47th president. Continue reading...

Massachusetts woman jailed for six months after court heard she admitted to freeing bees on sheriff’s deputiesA beekeeper has been jailed for six months after she set swarms of her insects on sheriff’s deputies attempting to carry out an eviction at a friend’s house.Rebecca Woods insisted she only released her truckload of hives to allow the bees to enjoy the “lovely, flowering landscape” near the home of an elderly friend and cancer patient. Continue reading...

• Anthropic's Mythos AI model, which the company deemed too dangerous for public release, has reportedly been accessed by an unauthorized third party in a significant security breach. • The incident has raised global concerns about AI safety and the security protocols surrounding advanced AI systems, particularly models flagged as high-risk by their developers. • The breach underscores ongoing tensions between AI safety considerations and cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the management of cutting-edge language models.

Lauren Ashley Mastrosa given 18-month community corrections order after book was read by handful of advance readersThe author behind an offensive novel depicting toddler role-play has been convicted but spared jail for penning child abuse material.Lauren Ashley Mastrosa, a 34-year-old former marketing executive for a Christian charity, wrote Daddy’s Little Toy under the pen name Tori Woods and published it through an online pre-release in March 2025. Continue reading...

Man from North Carolina arrested at Florida hotel with a handgun and about 200 rounds of ammo, authorities saySign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxAuthorities say a man suspected of planning a mass shooting at a large New Orleans festival was arrested at a Florida hotel with a handgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.The event was not named, but the New Orleans jazz and heritage festival, commonly known as JazzFest, runs from Thursday through 3 May. The gathering celebrates Louisiana’s music, food and culture, and attracted about 460,000 people last year, organizers said. Continue reading...

• Anthropic is investigating unauthorized access to its Mythos AI tool, a critical cybersecurity system, after reports revealed that an unauthorized group breached the platform via a vendor vulnerability. • The incident raises fresh concerns about security gaps within advanced AI systems and amplifies questions about the trustworthiness of AI tools handling sensitive security functions. • The breach exemplifies broader risks in the interconnected tech ecosystem, where vendor compromises can cascade into exposures of high-value AI infrastructure.

Acclaimed Brisbane-born writer was known for his work exploring his own childhood, great myths and colonial AustraliaDavid Malouf, the acclaimed Australian author of books including Ransom, An Imaginary Life and the Booker prize-nominated Remembering Babylon, has died aged 92.Malouf died on Wednesday, his publisher, Penguin Random House Australia, said in a statement on Thursday. Continue reading...

Morris pursued dual passions of zoology and surrealist art, presenting BBC documentaries and hosting exhibitionsThe zoologist Desmond Morris, perhaps best known for his book the Naked Ape and his work on the ITV programme Zoo Time, has died aged 98.Morris’s son Jason paid tribute to him after his death on Sunday, praising his many professional achievements as well as his role as a father and grandfather. Continue reading...

Gunman, identified as Shamar Elkins, fatally shot the children – including seven of his own – at two separate housesMass shooting rampage in Louisiana leaves eight children dead and others woundedSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailLouisiana authorities have identified eight children – aged three to 11 – who were killed Sunday during what police described as a “violent domestic incident” in Shreveport that marked the deadliest US mass shooting in more than two years.The Caddo parish coroner’s office identified the children as Jayla Elkins, 3; Shayla Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, 6; and Braylon Snow, 5. Continue reading...

Officials say charity fundraiser that flooded New York with drunk people in Santa costumes every Christmas was a conA SantaCon charity fundraiser that floods New York City with inebriated young people in red and white Santa costumes every holiday season was true to its name: a con, federal authorities said as they arrested its organizer.Stefan Pildes, 50, of Hewitt, New Jersey, was arrested on Wednesday and awaited an appearance in Manhattan federal court, where an indictment charging him with wire fraud was unsealed. Continue reading...

Fiona Hill, a former White House chief adviser, joins ex-Nato chief in criticising Starmer’s leadership on defenceUK politics live – latest updatesA co-author of Britain’s strategic defence review has joined criticism of Keir Starmer’s leadership on military policy, warning of a “bizarre” lack of urgency in defence planning.Fiona Hill, a former chief adviser to the White House on Russia, echoed the concerns of George Robertson, her co-author with Gen Richard Barrons on the strategic defence review (SDR), over what he had called the prime minister’s “corrosive complacency”. Continue reading...

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published a proposed rule on Friday requiring health insurance companies and states to resolve non-urgent prior authorization requests for prescription drugs within 24 hours. • The regulation mandates Medicaid and CHIP insurers, plus state administrators, to publicly disclose denial rates and respond faster to improve patient access. • This addresses delays in medication approvals, potentially benefiting millions enrolled in these programs amid ongoing affordability challenges.

• Israel and Palestinian Authority delegations reconvened ceasefire talks in Cairo on April 12 with US State Department officials facilitating discussions aimed at establishing a lasting truce in Gaza. • Negotiators are discussing humanitarian aid corridors, Israeli security arrangements, and parameters for Palestinian governance, with a tentative framework potentially emerging within two weeks according to US officials. • The talks mark a significant shift after months of stalled diplomacy, though Israeli settlements expansion and Palestinian factional divisions continue to complicate negotiations.

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has authorized direct negotiations with Lebanese representatives, marking a potential diplomatic breakthrough in the broader Middle Eastern conflict landscape alongside US-Iran ceasefire talks. • The parallel diplomatic tracks suggest efforts to compartmentalize various conflicts within the region and create opportunities for broader de-escalation beyond direct US-Iran confrontation. • These negotiations involve coordination with US authorities, reflecting Washington's strategic interest in achieving regional stability across multiple conflict zones simultaneously.

State department said niece and grandniece of Qassem Soleimani, killed in 2020 US drone strike, celebrated attacks against US soldiersUS federal agents have arrested the niece and grandniece of the late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani after the Trump administration’s top diplomat, Marco Rubio, revoked their lawful permanent resident status, officials said on Saturday.“Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” or ICE, the state department said in a statement. Continue reading...

Ballroom is likely to get blessing from the National Capital Planning Commission, which is chaired by ex-Trump lawyerSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxDonald Trump’s White House ballroom project is likely ‌to get a blessing from Washington planning authorities on Thursday, two days after a judge ruled work cannot proceed without Congress’s approval.The National Capital Planning Commission, which ​is chaired by one of Trump’s former lawyers, will deliberate and ​then vote on the “East Wing Modernization Project” on Thursday, ⁠according to a meeting agenda. Continue reading...