Four days after twin earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck near La Guiara on Wednesday, the confirmed death toll rose to 1,430 and more than 50,000 people were reported missing. A 60‑year‑old woman was rescued from a building in Carabayida after 86 hours trapped; El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele said his country’s rescue team and Peruvian USAR personnel worked for eleven hours to free her, and she remained in delicate condition in a Caracas hospital. A Virginia‑based US rescue team recovered a man and his son from a collapsed structure and transported them on a tarp to an ambulance, according to the Associated Press. Late Saturday officials reported an infant rescued from a collapsed building, while Colombian and Mexican authorities said two 11‑year‑old boys were rescued in separate operations. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said at least 33 people had been rescued over the weekend, and the United Nations noted that 2,200 foreign rescue personnel were operating in the country. More than 14,000 military and police members patrolled La Guaira state, where access required special permits. Residents in the Los Palos Grandes neighborhood said civilian volunteers and international teams were conducting search operations, while a Mexican rescue team continued searching for survivors. Aid, including water and food distributions, began to reach the hardest‑hit areas, though many residents remained displaced. The scale of the response highlighted a test for the international community and the government of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, which has cooperated with U.S. rescue teams and pledged $150 million in support, while the European Union contributed €5 million in emergency assistance and deployed satellite imaging to map damage.
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Pakistani airstrikes and ground operations entered Afghanistan's Paktia, Paktika and Kunar provinces on Sunday, killing at least 100 people and wounding more, according to Taliban officials.
The Pakistan government has long accused Afghanistan of providing sanctuary to militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan, a claim the Taliban government denies. The two nations agreed to a ceasefire in October after weeks of fighting, but the arrangement has since broken down. Border clashes and airstrikes in the region have resulted in dozens of deaths in recent months.
Twenty‑nine militants were reported killed in strikes aimed at hideouts, Pakistan's information minister Attaullah Tarar said. He added that the operation was a response to recent terrorist attacks against civilians. Casualties were concentrated in the village of Mandikhel in Paktika province, Taliban officials said. The attacks occurred a day after three members of the Sindh Rangers were killed in Karachi and a suicide attack killed three militants; a fourth individual, described as an Afghan, was arrested. Jamaat‑ul‑Ahrar, a splinter group of the Pakistan Taliban, claimed responsibility for the Saturday attack. Both the Pakistan Taliban and Jamaat‑ul‑Ahrar are listed by the United Nations as banned organizations. Pakistan maintains that its forces targeted militant positions, while the Taliban government asserted that the strikes hit civilian homes. The BBC has not independently verified the casualty figures reported by either side.
The durability of the October ceasefire remains in doubt as both governments continue to exchange accusations.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Kraljevo on June 28, 2026 after President Aleksandar Vucic announced he would resign within weeks and pursue early elections. Vucic made the statement at a rally in Belgrade, saying his Serbian Progressive Party would win more convincingly than ever before, but he did not set a date for his departure or for the vote. Demonstrators expressed doubt that he would relinquish power, noting that he cannot run for another presidential term and may seek the prime ministership to retain influence. The protests follow a roof collapse at a railway station in Novi Sad in late 2024 that killed 16 people, an incident protesters attribute to corruption and poor construction. Vucic denied any wrongdoing and described the demonstrators as foreign agents seeking to topple his government. The demonstrations represent the largest public gatherings in Serbia since the 2000 overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic. Police have detained hundreds of participants during months of unrest, a practice the European Union has condemned as brutal and unlawful. The timeline for the promised resignation and any subsequent elections remains uncertain, and it is unclear whether the protests will alter Vucic’s political trajectory.
Pakistan reported that its security forces killed 29 militants during ground and air operations along the Afghanistan border following attacks that killed three soldiers in Karachi. Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar said the operation targeted hideouts and safe havens of the Pakistan Taliban in the provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Kunar. The strikes were carried out in response to multiple attacks across the country, including a bomb and gun attack on the paramilitary Rangers headquarters in Karachi that killed three soldiers and wounded another assailant, whom the military identified as an Afghan national. Jamaat‑ul‑Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Pakistan Taliban, said it was responsible for the Karachi attack. Tarar said the latest operation was launched after a surge in attacks targeting police and security forces in recent years, which Pakistan attributes to the Pakistan Taliban and allied groups. The Pakistan Taliban, distinct from the Afghan Taliban, have been accused by Pakistan of harboring fighters that carry out attacks inside Pakistan, while Kabul denies the accusations. Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have been strained for months, with repeated cross‑border air strikes and ground operations, including a similar air strike by Pakistan about three weeks earlier. International peace talks mediated by China in April have not resulted in a lasting ceasefire, and both sides have exchanged accusations of violating previous agreements. The escalation follows a period of relative calm after Pakistan described an “open war” between the two countries, though no formal declaration of war has been made.
WHO said the heatwave across Europe has been linked to more than 1,300 excess deaths since 21 June. Germany recorded 41.7C on Sunday, its third consecutive day above 40C, while Poland reached a national record of 40.5C and the Czech Republic measured 41.1C. France reported around 1,000 more deaths than expected since Wednesday, including a 40% rise in home deaths among people aged 65 and older, and at least 74 drownings. WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that heat stress is a silent killer and that European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for such temperatures. Authorities have taken measures such as cancelling the Defqon.1 music festival in the Netherlands, banning takeaway alcohol in Paris and cancelling the city's pride march to ease pressure on emergency services. Climate change is cited as a factor in the prolonged heat dome that has driven temperatures well above historical norms. The WHO called on European nations to implement heat health action plans as part of broader climate adaptation efforts. The heatwave remains in place with forecasts of continued extreme temperatures and potential storms in western regions.
Eleven people died after a light aircraft carrying skydivers crashed in Tomblaine, eastern France, on Sunday morning.
Eleven people died after a light aircraft carrying skydivers crashed in Tomblaine, eastern France, on Sunday morning.
The aircraft, operated by a parachuting school, had taken off from Nancy‑Essey airfield around 11:00 local time and fell almost vertically near a residential area.
The pilot and all ten occupants were killed, including five instructors and five individuals preparing for their first tandem jump, according to local officials.
Family members gathered at the airfield witnessed the crash, and officials reported that some victims died in view of their loved ones, causing significant psychological trauma, as stated by the mayor of nearby Nancy and the president of a regional nursing organization.
French authorities have opened an investigation into the cause of the accident, with the Paris prosecutor’s office leading the inquiry and the interior minister confirming the presence of strong emotion at the site.
Officials said the role of weather, which included an amber heat warning for the region, remained unclear, and no speculation about contributing factors had been made before the official investigation concluded.
The crash represents the deadliest private aircraft accident in French history excluding military and commercial flights, according to the national aviation safety agency.
Two strong earthquakes struck La Guaira, Venezuela, on June 24 and 25, 2026, killing at least 1,450 people and leaving thousands missing four days later.
The tremors, measured at magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, caused the collapse of more than 770 buildings and affected up to 6.8 million of the country's 30 million residents, according to the United Nations.
Rescue operations intensified on June 28 as international teams, including workers from the United States, France and other nations, joined Venezuelan forces. More than 2,600 rescue personnel with trained dogs and heavy equipment arrived, and the government deployed over 14,000 military and police officers to the affected area.
Local volunteers and civilian groups have organized additional search efforts, using digital databases that listed more than 50,000 missing persons, though the number of individuals found remains unclear.
Survivors were extracted from collapsed structures; a man and his son were pulled from a crack in a building and taken to an ambulance for IV hydration, prompting applause from onlookers.
In La Guaira, families such as Helen Guedez continue attempts to rescue their relative, Jesús, after rescue teams deemed the building too unstable for entry.
Hospitals in Caracas reported treating over 3,100 injured individuals, many with crush injuries, aided by donations of medical supplies.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said the search for survivors would continue and announced a commission to assess building damage and determine the safety of returning displaced residents.
International Organization for Migration officials warned that displacement could rise as people seek safety, noting that more than 8 million Venezuelans have migrated in the past decade.
Aftershocks measuring 4.2 and 4.5 occurred on Sunday morning, and the risk of further structural damage remains.
The outcome of the rescue efforts and the long‑term impact on the community remain uncertain as authorities continue to monitor aftershocks and assess infrastructure.
Rescue teams from the United States, France and Venezuela extracted a father and his young son from a collapsed building in La Guaira, Venezuela, on Sunday after they had been trapped for four days following two earthquakes.
The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes struck the northern coast on Wednesday, killing 1,450 people, injuring thousands and leaving many missing. Search teams continued combing rubble for several days with hope diminishing.
On Sunday, a pair of dust‑coated legs was pulled from a hole by rescuers, and the father was carried out onto a black tarp, where he received an intravenous drip. His son, who appeared unresponsive, was lifted over a rescue worker’s shoulders and taken to an ambulance.
Rescue personnel chanted “slow, slow, gentle, gentle” in Spanish and English as they moved the pair through a crowd of onlookers. The extraction was followed by applause from rescue workers and civilians.
U.S. firefighters from the Fairfax County Urban Search & Rescue team and members of the French Civil Security Training and Intervention Regiment assisted in the operation. Local Venezuelan firefighters and volunteers also participated.
Associated Press journalists Juan Pablo Arraez and Matias Delacroix observed the scene and noted that many had begun to lose hope. “When somebody makes it out alive, this father and son, it’s more than a glimpse; it’s real hope for people,” Arraez said as helicopters flew overhead.
Other survivors were also rescued. A woman who had been trapped for 70 hours sat up on a stretcher, waved to cheering crowds, and was loaded into an ambulance. A dust‑covered dog was pulled from a crack in the concrete and given water by Venezuelan firefighters.
Authorities reported 1,450 deaths on Sunday, with thousands more injured and many still missing. Rescue operations remained active as crews searched for additional survivors.
The two earthquakes represent the most significant natural disaster to affect Venezuela in recent decades, and the coordinated international response highlighted ongoing humanitarian challenges in the region.
The helicopter crashed at 06:00 local time (03:00 GMT) in Ras Tanura, killing all 14 people aboard, according to Saudi Press Agency.
The aircraft was operated by Saudi Aramco and went down near its major refinery on the eastern coast. Investigations are under way to determine the cause. The Saudi energy ministry expressed its condolences to the victims' families. Aramco has not issued an immediate comment.
State media reported that all 14 victims were Saudi citizens. The crash occurred after Aramco resumed crude oil loading at the refinery on Friday, ending a suspension of almost four months that followed the regional conflict. The company had halted operations in February.
Authorities have not disclosed the cause and have promised a full investigation.
Janet Kapito left Lolo village for South Africa in 2022 to save money for a house in Malawi.
She returned with her eight-month-old baby and little else after anti-foreigner violence forced her to flee.
Her few belongings were stolen on a bus that was transporting returnees ahead of the June 30 deadline.
Kapito said she earned 2,000 rand a month working at a restaurant owned by a Nigerian.
She received 70,000 Malawian kwacha, about $40, after being processed at Kamuzu Stadium.
Malawi officials say the government is facilitating the return of thousands of citizens who have worked for years in South Africa's informal sector.
Local media report that 6,936 Malawians have returned since the repatriation began.
Malawi's Department of Disaster Management Affairs estimates about 10,000 citizens are in distress and has activated a comprehensive response plan.
South African authorities state that 15,162 Malawian nationals have been processed for deportation and repatriation.
Many returnees said they borrowed money at high interest to travel to South Africa and now struggle to repay loans after COVID-19 lockdowns disrupted their livelihoods.
Some described sheltering in an open field in Durban while attacks on foreign nationals intensified.
Thokozani Mphola, 33, from Lomola in Thyolo District, said she fled to survive, adding that she would not return even if protests subside.
She arrived home with only a few clothes and said she hopes to start a small business if she can obtain capital.
Idrissah Akilemu, a father of two, said his Johannesburg house was burned during a night raid by protesters targeting foreigners.
Akilemu described the attacks as occurring at night and said he is grateful to be alive.
Both returnees expressed difficulty reintegrating into Malawi, where formal unemployment remains high.
Community sources in South Africa say election periods often coincide with renewed anti-foreigner rhetoric and violence.
Several returnees declined to speak with journalists.
Malawi is expected to receive thousands more citizens in the coming weeks as the repatriation continues.
An earthquake struck Venezuela on Wednesday, killing at least 1,450 people and leaving tens of thousands missing. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez said 33 people were pulled from debris alive over the weekend, including two 11‑year‑old boys rescued from separate collapsed buildings. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes caused nearly 800 buildings to collapse and triggered aftershocks that have hampered rescue work. Search teams from Mexico, Spain, Qatar, the United States and the United Kingdom have joined Venezuelan and international units, with the United Nations reporting 39 teams and almost 2,000 personnel deployed. Rescue efforts have been slowed by a shortage of heavy machinery, with families digging through rubble by hand and pleading for equipment. After the initial 72‑hour window for finding survivors passed, officials said people could still be located if they have access to food and water. Relatives of the missing have waited for days, and a civilian‑run missing persons site estimates more than 46,000 people remain unreachable. The government has been criticized for a slow and inefficient response, including restrictions on street access that delayed aid. In Caraballeda, a makeshift hospital and donation centre has been set up at a golf course, where displaced residents receive clothing and supplies. Authorities said the armed forces are sorting clothing, medicine and food, and that social services and international aid are available. The search for survivors remains ongoing.
Paris mortuaries reached capacity as a record heat wave caused more than 1,000 deaths in France, as families asked if there was room for one more.
The national public health agency reported more than 1,200 deaths on Wednesday, 1,400 on Thursday and another 1,400 on Friday, compared with a daily death rate of 900 to 1,000 before the heat wave. Eighty‑five percent of the recorded deaths involved people aged 65 and older, and home deaths rose about 40% during the period.
City officials installed two temporary storage units with 20 places each for municipal mortuaries and hospitals added 50 places. Zouhaer Hertelli, a mortuary owner, said he has requested permission to place refrigerated containers outside his facility near Orly airport, but approval is pending. He said funeral directors are storing bodies as far as Chartres, about 80 kilometres from Paris.
Funeral directors said many of the deceased were elderly individuals who lived alone and were discovered after death, suggesting heat contributed to the fatalities. Véronique Bertrand, a Paris funeral director, warned that lessons from the 2003 heat wave, which caused about 15,000 deaths, appear to have been forgotten and urged renewed community solidarity.
The agency cautioned that the final death toll may rise as more certificates are processed, and the capacity of mortuaries remains limited as temperatures remain high.
Chinese dissident Dong Guangping arrived in Canada after a 40‑hour journey on a dinghy and subsequent detention in South Korea. He had been imprisoned multiple times in China for activities related to the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown and for distributing leaflets, and he attempted to flee several times before. On May 24 he set out from Weihai, Shandong, in a gray rubber dinghy with an engine, intending to reach Japan. When his phone battery died, he changed his plan to head toward South Korea. The South Korean Coast Guard detained him for alleged immigration violations; a court declined to issue an arrest warrant, saying it was difficult to find sufficient grounds. He was taken to a refugee center in Incheon, where the United Nations refugee agency contacted him via video call and a center manager requested his height, weight and eye color. He later boarded a flight and arrived in Toronto on Friday. Dong said he felt surprised, described his new life as tasting freedom for the first time in over a decade, and said he hopes to work as a truck driver or rideshare driver. He plans to consult a lawyer about suing Thailand and Vietnam for his previous deportations and intends to continue advocacy for Chinese democratization. The Canadian Embassy declined to comment, and the United Nations refugee agency and South Korean authorities did not respond to requests for comment. His ex‑wife and daughter reside in Canada.
Israeli forces killed at least four Palestinians, including a 13-year-old girl, and wounded several others in the Gaza Strip on June 28, 2026, as operations continued in the enclave and the West Bank.
The attacks occurred amid a broader campaign that includes repeated strikes on makeshift tents and ground operations in eastern Gaza City. An Israeli drone struck the al‑Salatin area west of Beit Lahiya, killing two people and wounding one. In southern Gaza, Israeli warplanes bombed a tent in Khan Younis, wounding several people who were taken to hospital; medical staff reported one unidentified man died. A 13‑year‑old girl, identified as Eileen al‑Farra, was killed by shrapnel from tank shelling in southern Gaza.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said it facilitated the transfer of 14 Palestinians released from Israeli custody to Al‑Aqsa Martyrs Hospital and helped them contact their families. The organization noted it has overseen the release of more than 2,500 detainees since 2023 but has been denied access to Palestinians held in Israeli detention centers since October 2023, urging authorities to disclose their whereabouts and allow family visits.
Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum reported that Israeli air strikes intensified on Saturday, targeting makeshift tents in Gaza City and the al‑Mawasi area, which had been designated a safe zone under a ceasefire agreement reached the previous year. He said the strikes coincided with an expansion of ground activity along a yellow demarcation line in eastern Gaza City.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that the conflict has resulted in at least 73,054 Palestinian deaths and 173,480 injuries since October 7, 2023. The ministry added that hospitals received three bodies and treated 43 wounded people in the previous 24 hours.
In occupied East Jerusalem, 110 Israeli settlers entered the Al‑Aqsa Mosque compound through the Mughrabi Gate under police protection, according to the Islamic Waqf Department. The Waqf said settlers performed provocative rituals in the eastern part of the compound while police restricted Palestinian worshippers, blocked some from entering and confiscated identity cards at external gates. In Hebron, Israeli forces prevented the call to prayer at the Ibrahimi Mosque for the eighth consecutive day, according to the mosque’s director. Israeli forces also shot a young Palestinian man in the foot with live ammunition during a raid on Qalandiya camp north of Jerusalem and arrested two others. In Bethlehem governorate, forces arrested two young men after raiding Beit Sahour and searching a family home. In Nablus, forces arrested 11 Palestinians after searching several homes and also detained journalist Anas al‑Hawari in Sebastia, northwest of Nablus, while destroying a vehicle.
Palestinian NGOs have warned that Israel is increasing attacks on medical workers and civil society organizations. The Palestinian NGO Network called for international pressure to secure the release of detained doctors, including Mazen al‑Rantisi, Khaled Ayash and Hussam Abu Safia. The Commission of Detainees and Ex‑Detainees Affairs reported that Palestinian women held in Damon prison face harsh conditions, citing an incident in which detainee Lina Muhammad Wazwaz suffered severe pain from tight handcuffs and a facial injury during a prison raid.