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.
A three-year-old child has been rescued alive from beneath the rubble in Venezuela, six days after two powerful earthquakes devastated parts of the South American nation, offering a glimmer of hope amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The remarkable rescue took place in La Guaira, one of the areas hardest hit by the twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes, which struck less than a minute apart on June 24.
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Rescue workers have continued round-the-clock search operations despite the challenges posed by repeated aftershocks.
The United Nations described the rescue as a powerful reminder that every life matters as emergency teams continue combing collapsed buildings for survivors.
According to Venezuelan authorities, the earthquakes have claimed nearly 2,000 lives, while more than 6,400 people have been rescued since the disaster struck.
Tens of thousands of survivors remain without adequate shelter, with humanitarian agencies warning that urgent needs continue to grow.
The UN refugee agency said the scale of the disaster has left thousands of families in desperate need of emergency assistance, while the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that national and international rescue teams remain active in the affected communities.
UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) teams are also assessing the extent of the destruction and identifying communities most in need of humanitarian support.
Officials said about 1,000 buildings, including hospitals, have either been damaged or completely destroyed.
More than 400 schools and water systems have also been severely affected, worsening living conditions for residents.
To support relief efforts, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered an initial 47-tonne shipment of humanitarian supplies, including emergency medical kits, water purification materials, safe birth supplies, wheelchairs, child-friendly tents and educational materials. The shipment follows an earlier consignment that arrived from Panama.
UNICEF said the combined aid will support more than 100,000 children and their families over the next three months.
Speaking from La Guaira, UNICEF representative Gabriel Vockel said the organisation is working around the clock to reach as many children and families as possible, while appealing for more donations to expand its life-saving operations.
UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Roberto Benes, said many affected families are sleeping outdoors for fear of continued aftershocks and remain in urgent need of clean water, healthcare and safe shelter.
The agency estimates that about 680,000 children across six affected states require humanitarian assistance following what has been described as Venezuela’s most significant earthquake disaster in more than a century.
Authorities also reported that more than 600 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial earthquakes, increasing concerns over further damage and risks to survivors.
UNICEF is seeking $52 million to respond to the earthquake emergency as part of its broader 2026 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal for Venezuela, which remains significantly underfunded.
France has confirmed its first-ever case of Ebola virus disease, triggering concern across Europe as health authorities move swiftly to contain the deadly infection.
The French Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that a doctor returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is currently battling a major Ebola outbreak, tested positive for the virus after arriving in France.
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According to officials, the patient was immediately isolated upon arrival, even before laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis, helping to reduce the risk of transmission.
In a statement, the ministry confirmed the identification of “a first positive case of Ebola virus disease on national territory,” marking the first time the virus has been detected in France.
The development also represents the first confirmed Ebola case recorded outside Africa during the current outbreak, which has affected both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
French authorities disclosed that the case was detected in mainland France, while Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is closely monitoring the situation as health agencies intensify surveillance and response measures.
The current outbreak in the DRC was officially declared on May 15 following a series of unexplained deaths in the eastern Ituri Province.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Despite growing concerns, public health experts have stressed that the risk of widespread global transmission remains low because Ebola is less contagious than many airborne infectious diseases.
The virus spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and contaminated materials.
Ebola is a severe and often fatal haemorrhagic fever that can cause symptoms including high fever, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.
French health authorities have assured the public that all necessary precautions are being taken to contain the case and prevent any further spread of the disease.
The announcement has nevertheless sparked anxiety across Europe, given the deadly nature of the virus and its emergence outside the African continent during the ongoing outbreak.
U.S. President Donald Trump has predicted that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will step down from office, accusing the Labour leader of failing on two critical issues — immigration and energy policy.
Trump made the remarks on Sunday in a post on his Truth Social platform, where he claimed Starmer’s leadership had fallen short in addressing challenges facing the United Kingdom.
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“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom,” Trump wrote. “He failed badly on two very important subjects — IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well!”
The U.S. president did not provide any evidence to support his claim, nor did he reveal the basis for his prediction that Starmer would leave office.
Starmer, who leads the Labour Party, became Prime Minister after securing victory in the UK’s general election.
Since taking office, his government has faced criticism over a range of issues, including migration policies, energy security, and the cost-of-living challenges confronting many Britons.
Trump’s comments come as debates over immigration and energy continue to dominate political discussions in the UK.
However, there has been no official statement from Starmer, his office, or the British government suggesting that he plans to resign.
As of the time of filing this report, Starmer remains in office and continues to lead the government despite the claims made by the American president.
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