International News
Missing Children Found Alive In Colombian Amazon After 40 Days
President Gustavo Petro announced on Friday that four Indigenous children, who had been missing for over a month following a small plane crash in the Colombian Amazon rainforest, have been discovered alive.
Sharing the news with the media in the capital city of Bogota, Petro described the day as “magical” after revealing the successful rescue of the children.
He said “They are weak. Let’s let the doctors make their assessment.”
Earlier, President Gustavo Petro took to Twitter and shared a photograph depicting several adults, some wearing military fatigues, attending to the children who were seated on tarps in the midst of the jungle. In the image, a rescuer could be seen holding a bottle to the mouth of the youngest child, cradling them in their arms.
“A joy for the whole country! The 4 children who were lost 40 days ago in the Colombian jungle were found alive,” he wrote on Twitter.
Late on Friday, the Defense Ministry shared a video capturing the moment the children were lifted into a hovering helicopter, surrounded by the towering trees in nearly pitch-black darkness.
Belonging to the Huitoto Indigenous group, the children, aged 13, nine, four, and one, had been traversing the jungle alone since May 1, when the Cessna 206 aircraft they were traveling in crashed.
The pilot had alerted authorities about engine issues shortly after departure from the Araracuara region, located around 350 kilometers (217 miles) away from the town of San Jose del Guaviare.
Tragically, the remains of the pilot, the children’s mother, and a local Indigenous leader were discovered at the crash site, where the plane was lodged almost vertically amidst the trees.
Authorities later revealed that the group had been escaping from threats posed by members of an armed group, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding their ill-fated journey.
Since the children went missing, an extensive search operation involving 160 soldiers and 70 Indigenous individuals with deep knowledge of the jungle had been underway, attracting global attention.
The region where the children were lost is inhabited by jaguars, snakes, and other predatory animals, as well as armed drug smuggling groups.
However, ongoing clues such as footprints, a diaper, and partially consumed fruit gave authorities hope that they were on the right path.
Concerned that the children might continue to wander, making it increasingly challenging to locate them, the air force dropped 10,000 flyers into the forest. The flyers contained instructions in both Spanish and the children’s own Indigenous language, urging them to stay in one place.
In addition to instructions, the leaflets provided crucial survival tips, and the military delivered food parcels and bottled water to aid the children in their survival.
Rescuers also took the initiative to broadcast a recorded message from the children’s grandmother, imploring them to remain stationary and await help.
After an arduous search effort, the military reported that the children were discovered approximately five kilometers (three miles) to the west of the crash site, bringing immense relief to all involved.
The Huitoto children, being part of the Huitoto Indigenous group, possess extensive knowledge of hunting, fishing, and gathering in the jungle. The children’s grandfather, Fidencio Valencia, shared with AFP that they are well-versed in navigating and surviving in the wilderness.
The news of the successful rescue coincided with President Gustavo Petro’s return from Cuba. During his visit, he had signed a six-month truce with the ELN, Colombia’s last active guerrilla group. The rescue brought a sense of joy and relief amidst the backdrop of this significant development in the country’s peace efforts.
NATO air defence systems have intercepted a third ballistic missile believed to have been launched from Iran after it entered Turkish airspace, Turkey’s Defence Ministry confirmed on Friday, raising fresh concerns about the growing tensions in the Middle East.
In a statement, the ministry said the missile was neutralised by NATO air and missile defence assets deployed in the eastern Mediterranean after it crossed into Turkish territory.
SEE MORE: WHO Releases Alarming Casualty Figures From US‑Israel‑Iran Conflict
The latest interception triggered security alerts across parts of southern Turkey.
Air raid sirens reportedly sounded at the strategic Incirlik Air Base, a key NATO military facility that hosts United States troops and other allied personnel.
Residents in the nearby city of Adana were awakened around 3:25 a.m. by the warning alarms. Some locals reportedly captured footage showing what appeared to be a fast-moving object on fire streaking across the sky.
Similar sirens were also heard in the eastern Turkish city of Batman around 4:00 a.m., with reports indicating the alarm may have been linked to a nearby military drone base located close to the city’s airport.
The incident marks the third time NATO defence systems have intercepted missiles linked to Iran in recent weeks. The first missile was shot down on March 4, while a second was intercepted earlier this week.
Following Monday’s incident, the United States temporarily shut down its consulate in Adana and urged American citizens to leave southeastern Turkey due to security concerns.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, however, reportedly denied that the missile had been launched from Iran during a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The rising tensions come amid the ongoing conflict that erupted on February 28 involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Since the outbreak of hostilities, Tehran has reportedly carried out retaliatory strikes across several locations in the Middle East.
Incirlik Air Base remains one of NATO’s most important strategic military facilities in the region. The base has hosted US troops for decades and also accommodates military personnel from other NATO member states including Spain and Poland.
Another key NATO installation is located in Kurecik, in Turkey’s Malatya province, where US troops operate an early-warning radar system capable of detecting missile launches from Iran. The radar facility forms part of NATO’s broader ballistic missile defence shield.
Although Turkish authorities have consistently denied that radar data from the base has been shared with Israel, its presence has reportedly raised concerns in Tehran.
Earlier this week, Turkey also confirmed the deployment of a Patriot missile defence system in Malatya as NATO strengthens its regional missile defence posture amid the escalating conflict.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a disturbing update on the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, revealing that thousands of people have been killed or injured in just under two weeks.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that health systems across the Middle East are under “immense strain” and are at risk of complete collapse if the crisis continues.
SEE MORE: US-Israel-Iran War: Day Four Updates from the Middle East
According to WHO reports, Iran has suffered over 1,300 deaths and around 9,000 injuries, while Lebanon has recorded at least 570 deaths and approximately 1,400 injuries.
In Israel, at least 15 people have died and more than 2,100 have been injured since hostilities escalated.
The conflict began on February 28, following a massive joint strike by US and Israeli forces that targeted top Iranian officials, including the country’s Supreme Leader.
The violence has since spread across the region, with retaliatory attacks targeting Israeli sites and US military bases in neighboring countries.
The humanitarian impact is severe. Over 100,000 Iranians and up to 700,000 Lebanese citizens have been displaced, many living in overcrowded conditions with limited access to clean water, sanitation, and medical care.
The WHO warns that these conditions put women and children at particular risk of disease outbreaks.
The organization also highlighted a growing trend of attacks on healthcare infrastructure, reporting dozens of strikes on hospitals and medical facilities across Iran and Lebanon.
Such attacks have not only resulted in deaths but also deprived entire communities of critical medical care when they need it most.
Tedros emphasized the urgent need for all parties to respect international law and protect civilians, calling for unimpeded humanitarian access and immediate measures to prevent the collapse of fragile health systems.
With the conflict continuing to escalate, the WHO has stressed that immediate action is required to protect lives, ensure medical support reaches affected populations, and prevent the humanitarian crisis from worsening.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
SEE MORE: Spain, Portugal Plunge Into Darkness Amid Widespread Power Outage
“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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