- Many casualties are feared after reports of an Israeli attack on an internet access point in central Gaza City.
- Fierce gun battles rage in northern Gaza’s Jabalia and southern Rafah as Israeli military incursions intensify against Palestinian armed groups. Hamas and Israel’s army both claim significant enemy casualties.
- At least 82 Palestinians have been killed in the past 24 hours, the highest death toll in a single day in many weeks, during relentless Israeli air attacks.
Report: Israeli delegation visits Cairo to cool tensions with Egypt
US news outlet Axios reports that a group of Israeli security officials, led by the country’s domestic serucity agency Shin Bet, visited the Egyptian capital for talks with counterpart senior intelligence officials.
The report, citing an unnamed Israeli source, says that the object of this mission is to relieve growing tensions between Israel and Egypt over the Israeli army’s operation in Rafah and the closing of the Rafah border crossing.
The Israeli and Egyptian governments have been trading barbs over responsibility for the continued closure of the crossing, a vital entry point for desperately needed humanitarian aid.
Slovak PM in life-threatening condition after assassination attempt
Summary
- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has been shot a number of times in what officials are calling an assassination attempt
- He is in a life-threatening condition, according to an update on his official social media account
- Local reports say Fico was hit in the stomach, arm and leg - a witness tells the BBC she heard three shots
- His alleged assailant has been detained by the police
- Fico was wounded as he left a government meeting in the central town of Handlova
Attacker detained, Slovak president confirms
More now from Slovakia's outgoing president, who confirms that police have detained the attacker and that officials will be providing more information "as soon as possible".
Zuzana Caputova adds in her statement that the shooting on her political opponent is an "attack on democracy".
Earlier, Caputova condemned the shooting as a "brutal and ruthless" attack.
More now from Slovakia's outgoing president, who confirms that police have detained the attacker and that officials will be providing more information "as soon as possible".
Zuzana Caputova adds in her statement that the shooting on her political opponent is an "attack on democracy".
Earlier, Caputova condemned the shooting as a "brutal and ruthless" attack.
Concerns grow for Chinese citizen journalist after supposed jail release
Zhang Zhan, jailed for reporting on Covid in Wuhan, has made no contact with outside world
Concerns are growing about the wellbeing of one of China’s most prominent citizen journalists who has failed to make contact with the outside world after she was supposed to have been released from prison.
Zhang Zhan, 40, a lawyer turned citizen journalist, was detained in May 2020 after she travelled to Wuhan to report on the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Her videos and social media posts drew attention to the government’s stifling of information about the spread of the disease and the harsh lockdowns that were being imposed.
In December 2020, Zhang was convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and sentenced to four years in prison. Her conviction was widely criticised by human rights organisations.
The race to fix Africa's poor weather forecasting
Most of Africa's 1.3 billion people have little advance knowledge of the weather. But on a continent often hit by extreme weather events, knowing the forecast could save lives.
African nations are particularly vulnerable to severe weather events. These not only cripple economies and people's livelihoods but also cost lives across the continent.
In West Africa, for instance, more than 70% of the population is affected at least once every two years by flood, drought or sandstorms.
But like other less-developed regions, many parts of Africa have gaps in the ability to warn people of both imminent natural disasters, such as flash flooding, or future hazards, such as drought.
French gendarme wounded in New Caledonia riots dies, toll rises to four
A French gendarme who was seriously injured during riots in New Caledonia died of his wounds on Wednesday, said Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, raising the death toll to four. President Emmanuel Macron's office said a state of emergency would be declared in the French Pacific territory after violent protests erupted over the passage of a constitutional reform that angered pro-independence forces.
The death of the French gendarme followed two nights of rioting as protesters demonstrated against a constitutional reform being debated in the national assembly in Paris that aims to expand the electorate in the territory's provincial elections.
Announcing the latest death, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said order will be restored in the French Pacific island.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing justifies violence. Public order will be restored," Darmanin said.
The annoucement came hours after President Emmanuel Macron's office said a state of emergency would be declared in New Caledonia after a cabinet meeting in Paris.
Man suspected of using smart glasses to cheat on university entrance exam
Police plan to refer to prosecutors an 18-year-old man for allegedly using camera-equipped smart glasses to cheat on an entrance exam at Tokyo's prestigious Waseda University, investigative sources said Wednesday.
The Tokyo resident, who was a senior high school student at the time of the alleged offense, could be charged with "obstructing operations" of the private university by taking images of exam papers and posting them on social media with his smartphone on Feb 16 during the entrance test for the School of Creative Science and Engineering.
The suspect allegedly sought assistance from people on X and answered questions based on their responses, according to the sources.
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