International News
DR Congo Conflict: Rwandan-Backed Rebels Announce Ceasefire
As fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) threatens to escalate further, the Rwandan-backed armed group M23 has declared a humanitarian ceasefire, effective Tuesday.
The declaration comes just days before a high-stakes crisis summit between Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, set to take place in Tanzania.
The ceasefire follows last week’s dramatic escalation, which saw M23 and Rwandan forces seize Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.
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While hostilities have subsided in Goma, home to over a million people, clashes have spread to neighbouring South Kivu province.
Local sources report that M23 and Rwandan forces are now near the mining town of Nyabibwe, approximately 70 kilometres from Bukavu airport, raising concerns of an advance on Bukavu, South Kivu’s capital.
Despite Tuesday’s ceasefire, reports indicate that both M23 and the Congolese army have been deploying reinforcements and military equipment.
In a statement on Monday, M23 claimed it had “no intention of taking control of Bukavu or other localities,” despite previously declaring an ambition to march toward Kinshasa.
The DRC has endured more than three decades of conflict, with M23’s resurgence exacerbating tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali. The United Nations has documented multiple ceasefires in the ongoing conflict, all of which have been short-lived.
The ceasefire follows warnings from international observers that continued violence could worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations has urged the immediate reopening of Goma airport, calling it a “lifeline” for humanitarian operations. UN Humanitarian Coordinator Bruno Lemarquis stressed that without the airport, evacuating the wounded and delivering medical supplies would be severely hindered.
The humanitarian toll has been devastating. At least 900 people were killed and 2,880 injured in the recent fighting, according to the UN. Meanwhile, over half a million people have been displaced in North and South Kivu since January alone.
The UN Human Rights Council has scheduled a special session on Friday to address the crisis at the request of the Congolese government.
On Tuesday, around 75 Congolese and international NGOs called for investigations into alleged human rights abuses by all parties involved in the fighting.
In Kinshasa, tensions remain high as authorities restrict access to social media and ban protests following previous attacks on embassies.
However, anger has spread beyond the DRC’s borders. Hundreds of Congolese protesters gathered outside the European Union offices in Pretoria, South Africa, demanding sanctions against Rwanda.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed his country’s support for the DRC, despite growing pressure to withdraw troops after 14 South African soldiers were killed in the conflict. Their bodies are expected to be repatriated on Wednesday.
The DRC’s eastern regions are rich in valuable minerals, including coltan, gold, and other resources essential for global technology production.
A UN expert report published last year estimated that Rwanda had up to 4,000 troops in the DRC, allegedly to exploit these resources and maintain influence over M23. Rwanda denies military involvement, instead accusing Kinshasa of backing the FDLR, a militia composed of ethnic Hutu fighters linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
With tensions at a boiling point, the upcoming summit of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Dar es Salaam could prove critical in determining the next steps in this protracted conflict.
However, with a history of failed truces, there is little optimism that this ceasefire will bring lasting peace to the region.
A Memphis man was accidentally shot by his own dog after the pet jumped onto his bed and triggered a loaded firearm, police confirmed on Wednesday.
The incident occurred early Monday morning while the man was asleep alongside his female partner.
According to police reports, the couple’s one-year-old pit bull, Oreo, inadvertently discharged the weapon after getting its paw stuck in the trigger guard.
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The bullet grazed the man’s left thigh, causing a minor injury that was treated at a local hospital.
The victim’s girlfriend, who spoke to Fox 13 Memphis, described Oreo as a playful dog and recounted the shocking moment the firearm discharged.
“The dog is a playful dog, and he likes to jump around and stuff like that, and it just went off,” she said. Reflecting on the incident, she added: “Keep the safety on or use a trigger lock.”
Police have classified the case as an “accidental injury” and have not disclosed the type of firearm involved.
Although gun-related incidents are frequent in the United States, cases involving animals firing weapons are rare.
In a similar case in 2023, a Kansas man was killed when his German shepherd stepped on a hunting rifle.
A comparable incident in 2018 saw an Iowa man accidentally shot in the leg by his pit bull-Labrador mix.
Authorities are using the Memphis case as a reminder of firearm safety, urging gun owners to secure their weapons properly to prevent unintended discharges.
A deadly measles outbreak in the southwestern United States has claimed two lives and infected at least 228 people, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue a travel advisory.
The outbreak has hit Texas the hardest, with 198 reported cases, while New Mexico has confirmed 30.
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Health officials say both fatalities involved unvaccinated individuals—a child in Texas and an adult in New Mexico who tested positive for measles posthumously.
The CDC has classified both as measles-related deaths.
As the outbreak continues to grow, the CDC is warning that more cases are likely. In a recent Health Alert Network advisory, the agency urged healthcare professionals and public health officials to take precautions.
“With the spring and summer travel season approaching in the United States, CDC emphasizes the important role that clinicians and public health officials play in preventing the spread of measles,” the advisory stated.
“They should be vigilant for cases of febrile rash illness that meet the measles case definition and share effective measles prevention strategies, including vaccination guidance for international travelers.”
Measles, a highly contagious disease, spreads through respiratory droplets and can remain airborne for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.
It causes fever, respiratory symptoms, and a characteristic rash but can also lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, brain inflammation, and death.
Despite the effectiveness of the measles vaccine—providing 93% immunity after one dose and 97% after two—vaccination rates in the U.S. have been on the decline.
The CDC recommends a 95% immunization rate for herd immunity, but coverage among kindergartners fell to 92.7% in the 2023-2024 school year.
The outbreak’s epicenter is in a west Texas county with a large Mennonite community known for vaccine hesitancy.
Religious exemptions have been rising nationwide, contributing to lower immunization rates.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who previously promoted discredited claims linking the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism, has recently shifted his stance.
While he now encourages vaccination, he also continues to advocate for alternative treatments like vitamin A and steroids.
Health experts warn that emphasizing such treatments could divert attention from the urgent need to improve immunization coverage.
The last measles-related death in the U.S. occurred in 2015, when a Washington state woman with a suppressed immune system died from virus-induced pneumonia. Before that, the previous fatality was recorded in 2003.
A South Korean Air Force fighter jet accidentally released eight bombs outside a designated training range during a joint military exercise on Thursday, injuring several civilians and damaging buildings, officials said.
The Air Force confirmed that a KF-16 aircraft had mistakenly dropped eight MK-82 general-purpose bombs in Pocheon, a city located about 25 kilometers (16 miles) south of the heavily fortified border with North Korea.
The incident occurred around 10:00 am local time (0100 GMT) during a joint live-fire exercise involving the South Korean Air Force and Army.
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“We deeply regret the unintended release of the bombs, which resulted in civilian casualties, and wish those injured a swift recovery,” the Air Force said in a statement.
Officials have launched an accident response committee to investigate the incident and promised compensation for damages.
According to South Korea’s National Fire Agency, the misfired bombs struck a village, leading to injuries and displacement among residents.
Four people were seriously wounded, while three others suffered minor injuries
The explosion also caused damage to a church building and sections of two homes.
Local residents described the moment of impact as a terrifying experience. A villager, identified only by the surname Park, told Yonhap News Agency that he was watching television when the explosion occurred.
“I suddenly heard an enormous explosion, like a thunderclap, and the whole house shook. When I went outside, everything was in chaos,” Park said.
Even a senior center located about a kilometer away felt the impact of the blast. The director of the center, surnamed Yu, recounted the panic among the elderly residents.
“A sudden explosion shook the building. The windows shattered, and one of our teachers was injured and taken to the hospital,” Yu said. “Fortunately, none of the seniors were hurt, but they were so frightened that we sent them all home.”
The accident occurred as South Korea and the United States conducted joint live-fire drills in the area. The two allies are preparing for their large-scale annual military exercise, “Freedom Shield,” set to begin later this month.
The Korean Peninsula remains in a state of war since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
The United States maintains tens of thousands of troops in South Korea as part of its defense commitment against potential threats from North Korea.
This is not the first time South Korea has experienced a military mishap. In 2022, a South Korean Hyunmu-2 ballistic missile crashed into a military golf course during a test, though it did not explode and no injuries were reported.
Authorities have assured the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the accidental bomb release and to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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