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Ukrainian Drone Strike Hits Second Russian Oil Refinery in a Week

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A Ukrainian drone strike targeted an oil refinery in Kstovo, Russia, approximately 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the front lines, marking the second attack on Russian energy infrastructure within a week. 

Four drones struck a Lukoil depot, causing significant damage, according to Ukrainian media reports. Videos circulating on social media showed large flames engulfing the industrial facility. 

Gleb Nikitin, governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, confirmed that drone debris fell in the industrial zone but reported no casualties. Separately, Smolensk regional governor Vasily Anokhin stated that a “massive” drone assault targeted civilian infrastructure, though no injuries were immediately reported. He also claimed one drone was intercepted while attempting to strike a nuclear power facility, a claim that has not been independently verified. 

In the Belgorod region, near the Ukrainian border, a mother and her toddler were killed in an attack, while a father and his child were wounded, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. 

The strikes on Kstovo, Smolensk, and Belgorod were part of a broader overnight assault in which Russia reported downing more than 100 Ukrainian drones. The attacks also temporarily shut down operations at airports in St. Petersburg and Kazan. 

This marks one of Ukraine’s largest drone operations since the war began. It follows a similar attack on Friday, when Ukrainian drones hit another Russian oil refinery and targeted Moscow with at least 121 drones. 

Meanwhile, Moscow launched its own overnight air assault, prompting air raid alerts across Ukraine. Ukrainian military officials reported shooting down 29 Russian drones across nine regions. 

As the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches, fighting continues. Russian forces are making incremental advances in eastern Ukraine, moving closer to the strategic city of Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub for Ukrainian troops. 

In contrast, Ukrainian forces maintain control over several hundred square kilometers of territory in Russia’s western Kursk region, where they launched a rapid counteroffensive in August. 

Plane Crash in South Sudan Kills 18, UN Radio Reports

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A plane carrying 21 passengers and crew crashed in South Sudan’s Unity State on Wednesday, killing 18 people, according to United Nations radio station Radio Miraya. 

The aircraft had departed from an oilfield in the northern state before going down, Radio Miraya reported. No further details were immediately available, and South Sudan’s Information Minister Michael Makuei did not respond to requests for comment. 

South Sudan has experienced multiple air disasters in recent years. In September 2018, at least 19 people died when a small aircraft traveling from the capital, Juba, to the city of Yirol crashed. 

In 2015, a Russian-built cargo plane carrying passengers crashed shortly after takeoff from Juba’s airport, killing dozens. 

Authorities have yet to determine the cause of Wednesday’s crash. 

Stampede at India’s Kumbh Mela Leaves Nearly 40 Dead, Officials Say

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Nearly 40 bodies were brought to a hospital morgue following a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in northern India on Wednesday, police sources said, as millions gathered for a sacred river bath on the most auspicious day of the six-week festival. 

Bodies were still arriving at Moti Lal Nehru Medical College hospital more than 12 hours after the tragedy. The government has yet to confirm the official death toll. 

“More bodies are coming in. We have nearly 40 here. We are transferring them to families one by one,” a police source told Reuters. 

A senior police officer, Vaibhav Krishna, said authorities were prioritizing crowd control and could not immediately confirm casualty numbers. 

The stampede occurred as massive crowds surged toward the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Devotees believe immersion in these waters absolves sins and ensures salvation. 

Eyewitnesses reported a sudden push in the dense crowd, with some attributing the crush to closed access routes. Others described a frantic rush as people fell over each other. 

“There was commotion—everyone started pushing, pulling, climbing over one another. My mother collapsed, then my sister-in-law. People ran over them,” said Jagwanti Devi, 40, who sat in an ambulance with the bodies of her relatives. 

Authorities said some victims suffered heart attacks or had pre-existing health conditions. “People came in with fractures, broken bones. Some collapsed on the spot and were brought in dead,” said an official at SRN Hospital, who declined to be named. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, stating that local officials were assisting victims. However, he did not specify the number of casualties. 

Yogi Adityanath, chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, said the stampede began when devotees attempted to jump barricades between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. Wednesday (1930-2030 GMT Tuesday). 

Opposition leaders blamed the tragedy on “mismanagement” and “VIP culture,” criticizing preferential treatment for high-profile attendees. 

“VIP culture should be curbed, and the government must ensure better arrangements for common devotees,” Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi said on X. 

By Tuesday, nearly 200 million people had attended the 2025 festival. Officials estimated that 50 million had taken a holy dip by Wednesday afternoon. 

Authorities had anticipated a record 100 million visitors on Wednesday, deploying additional security, medical personnel, and AI-based crowd management technology. 

A Rapid Action Force (RAF) unit was called in to restore order. Officials said rescue operations were ongoing. 

Social media posts showed heavy traffic congestion on roads leading into Prayagraj, stranding many travelers. 

“I planned this trip for over a year, but I’ve been stuck in traffic for 19 hours,” American travel blogger Drew Binsky said on Instagram. 

The Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest religious gathering, is held every 12 years. A similar stampede during the 2013 festival killed at least 36 pilgrims, mostly women. 

2 Palestinians Killed by Israeli Fire in West Bank, 12 Arrested as Tensions Escalate

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Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank overnight and into Wednesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. 

A 23-year-old man was shot dead in Tulkarem, while a 25-year-old man was killed in an airstrike on Jenin, where Israeli forces launched a major operation earlier this month. The ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its reports, provided no further details. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. 

Violence in the West Bank has surged since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack from Gaza triggered the ongoing war. According to the Health Ministry, more than 800 Palestinians have been killed, including militants during Israeli raids, protesters, and civilian bystanders. 

The conflict has also seen a rise in settler attacks against Palestinians and Palestinian attacks on Israelis. 

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. Palestinians seek all three territories for a future independent state. 

Meanwhile, Israeli security forces arrested 12 Palestinians in East Jerusalem late Tuesday, accusing them of celebrating the release of prisoners under the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, authorities said. 

Israel’s Shin Bet security service and police said the men were detained after videos showed them waving Hamas flags and firing guns in the air following the release of Palestinian prisoners. Israeli authorities said the detainees violated bans on “expressions of joy” and “identification with Hamas” imposed since the ceasefire began. 

A search uncovered Hamas flags, posters, fireworks, a BB gun, and cash, according to Israeli officials. 

The ceasefire deal includes Hamas releasing 33 hostages captured during the Oct. 7 attack in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including some serving life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis. Palestinians widely regard these prisoners as resistance fighters against Israel’s decades-long occupation. 

Embassies Attacked, Looted in DRC Capital Amid Rising Conflict in Eastern Congo

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Protesters in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, attacked and looted several embassies Tuesday in response to escalating violence in the country’s east, where rebel forces—reportedly backed by Rwandan troops—have launched a major offensive. 

Demonstrators vandalized diplomatic buildings and set fires during chaotic protests against what they called the “inaction” of the international community regarding the conflict in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. The unrest followed a call to action by a youth collective urging a citywide shutdown. 

Hundreds of protesters, traveling on foot and motorcycles, gathered in Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa’s, upscale Gombe district and targeted the embassies of Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, France, Belgium, and the United States. Many accused Rwanda and Uganda of supporting the M23 armed group, which launched an offensive in North Kivu with alleged assistance from Rwandan forces, seizing control of Goma’s airport on Tuesday after intense street battles. 

Protesters also targeted other embassies, blaming them for a lack of diplomatic intervention. The perimeter wall of the French embassy was set on fire, with graffiti reading: “Betrayal over a long period of time … let’s end it now.” 

Outside the Rwandan embassy, one demonstrator shouted, “Enough is enough, we’re going to destroy everything here. Today, we’re going to finish with Rwanda,” as crowds cheered. Nearby, thick black smoke rose from burning tires. 

The Ugandan embassy was looted, with protesters removing furniture on motorcycles and taxis. Demonstrators also stormed the Belgian and U.S. diplomatic missions. 

Stampede at Maha Kumbh Festival in India Leaves Several Feared Dead 

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A stampede at the massive Maha Kumbh festival in northern India’s Prayagraj early Wednesday left several people feared dead and many others injured as tens of thousands of Hindu devotees rushed to take a holy bath, local media reported. 

Distressed families gathered outside a makeshift hospital, searching for missing relatives while rescuers assisted the injured. Police struggled to control the large crowds at the scene, where personal belongings such as clothes, blankets, and backpacks lay scattered. The cause of the panic was unclear, and casualty figures remained unconfirmed. Some reports suggested at least 10 fatalities.    

Wednesday marked a significant day in the six-week religious gathering, with authorities expecting a record 100 million pilgrims at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers. The festival’s main attraction includes thousands of ash-covered Hindu ascetics arriving in grand processions to take ritual dips in the sacred waters. 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged devotees to avoid the confluence and instead use other riverbanks. He did not directly mention the stampede but advised people not to believe in rumors.    

The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, began on January 13 and is the world’s largest religious event, with more than 400 million visitors expected in total. To accommodate the crowds, authorities constructed a vast tent city with 3,000 kitchens, 150,000 toilets, roads, electricity, water supply, communication towers, and 11 hospitals. 

Security has been a priority, with 50,000 personnel deployed to maintain order and prevent incidents. Over 2,500 cameras, some equipped with AI, have been installed to monitor crowd density and movement, allowing officials to quickly respond to potential hazards. 

The festival has witnessed deadly incidents in the past. In 2013, at least 40 pilgrims died in a stampede at a Prayagraj train station. Stampedes are common at Indian religious gatherings, where overcrowding and inadequate infrastructure create dangerous conditions. 

In July 2023, at least 116 people—mostly women and children—died in a stampede at a religious event in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. 

M23 Rebels Seize Goma Airport as Violence Escalates in Congo

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M23 rebels have seized control of the airport in Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, cutting off a critical supply route for humanitarian aid as the conflict escalates. The rebel advance has left bodies in the streets and forced thousands to flee. 

The United Nations confirmed the rebels’ presence at the airport, calling the situation “tense and fluid.” UN peacekeepers and personnel have been forced to shelter at their bases, spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said. 

In Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, protesters attacked embassies, including those of Rwanda, France, and the United States, accusing foreign nations of interference. Looters also ransacked Kenya’s embassy. The US State Department ordered non-essential staff to leave the country, sources said.

Gunfire and explosions were reported across Goma, where UN sources say dozens of troops surrendered while others continue to resist. Thousands of civilians, many already displaced by prior fighting, are fleeing toward Rwanda. 

The capture of the airport effectively cuts off supplies for UN agencies, humanitarian groups, and the Congolese military. Christoph Vogel, a Congo researcher, warned that Goma is now isolated, with no viable road or boat access. 

UN humanitarian officials reported bodies in the streets, rapes, looting, and attacks on hospitals. At least 760 people have been treated for injuries, though the true death toll remains unclear. A medicine warehouse was ransacked, and concerns were raised about a laboratory storing dangerous pathogens, including Ebola. 

The M23 insurgency is the latest in a series of ethnic Tutsi-led, Rwandan-backed conflicts in Congo since the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Rwanda argues that exiled Hutu militias in Congo threaten its security, while Congo accuses Rwanda of exploiting rebel groups to plunder mineral resources like coltan, a key component in smartphones. 

The UN fears the crisis could escalate into a regional war, similar to conflicts in 1996-1997 and 1998-2003, which killed millions, mostly due to hunger and disease. 

UN peacekeepers have been caught in the crossfire. South Africa reported that three of its soldiers were killed, with a fourth succumbing to earlier injuries—bringing its total losses in the past week to 13. 

South Korea Plane Fire Triggers Emergency Evacuation at Busan Airport

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An Air Busan Airbus aircraft caught fire at Gimhae International Airport on Tuesday, prompting the emergency evacuation of all 176 people on board, authorities said. 

Fire officials reported that four people sustained injuries while escaping via inflatable slides. The blaze, which started at the tail of the Hong Kong-bound aircraft shortly before takeoff, spread to the fuselage before firefighters arrived within minutes to contain it. 

The incident occurred less than a month after South Korea’s deadliest recent air disaster, when a Jeju Air plane crash-landed at Muan International Airport, killing 179 people. Only two passengers survived that crash. 

The fire at Gimhae International Airport began at approximately 10:26 p.m. local time (1326 GMT), according to South Korea’s fire authorities, as reported by Yonhap news agency. Firefighters reached the scene within eight minutes. Images later surfaced showing emergency crews dousing the burning aircraft with water. 

A total of 169 passengers and seven crew members were on board at the time. Officials have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire. 

Air Busan, a low-cost carrier and subsidiary of Asiana Airlines, operates numerous domestic and international routes. Gimhae International Airport, located about 315 kilometers (195 miles) southeast of Seoul, is a major transportation hub for South Korea’s second-largest city. 

Trump Fires Democratic NLRB Members, Halting Labor Board Operations

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U.S. President Donald Trump has removed two Democratic officials from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), effectively halting the agency’s ability to rule on labor disputes and shifting control toward Republicans.

Trump dismissed NLRB Member Gwynne Wilcox and General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, both appointed by former President Joe Biden, late Monday, according to an agency spokesperson. No reason was provided for their removal. 

Abruzzo, who served as the board’s chief prosecutor, was expected to be dismissed. However, Wilcox’s removal is unprecedented, as her term was set to run until August 2028, and it may violate federal labor law. 

Wilcox, the first Black woman on the five-member board, stated she would pursue “all legal avenues” to challenge her firing. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 

With Wilcox’s removal, the board now lacks a quorum, preventing it from issuing rulings, including those on cases involving Amazon, Tesla, Walmart, Apple, and dozens against Starbucks amid an ongoing unionization campaign. The board typically reviews decisions made by in-house administrative judges, but without a quorum, those rulings cannot be enforced. 

The NLRB enforces federal labor laws protecting workers’ rights to organize, negotiate workplace conditions, and form or dissolve unions. Federal law does not allow workers to sue employers over labor violations, making the NLRB the primary avenue for legal recourse. 

Under federal law, NLRB members can only be removed for “neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.” However, several companies, including Amazon and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, have filed lawsuits challenging these protections. They argue that the president should have unrestricted authority to remove board members and that the NLRB’s internal enforcement structure is unconstitutional. 

Musk, a key adviser to Trump, is leading a commission focused on reducing government spending and eliminating federal regulations. 

Trump now has the opportunity to fill two existing vacancies in addition to replacing Wilcox and Abruzzo, which could secure Republican control of the NLRB. The administration has not yet announced nominees for the open positions. 

Democratic lawmakers and labor unions condemned the firings, warning that they would delay justice for workers. Rep. Robert Scott, the top Democrat on the House labor committee, said Wilcox’s removal violated federal labor laws and constitutional due process. 

“Without Member Wilcox, the board cannot issue decisions to hold union-busting companies accountable, further stymieing justice for workers fighting for better conditions,” Scott said. 

Some Republican lawmakers supported Trump’s move. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican, said the board under Abruzzo had “weaponized its authority against American workers, opening them up to intimidation, coercion, and forced unionization.” 

The NLRB, established in 1935, is designed to operate independently of the White House. Its members serve staggered terms, ensuring that control typically shifts a year or more after a new president takes office.

Indiana Man Pardoned by Trump Fatally Shot by Deputy During Traffic Stop

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A man from Hobart, Indiana, who was recently pardoned by former President Donald Trump for his involvement in the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot, was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop on Sunday.

Matthew Huttle, 42, was shot by a deputy from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities said the deputy attempted to arrest Huttle when an altercation occurred, leading to the officer firing his weapon. State police confirmed that Huttle was in possession of a firearm at the time of the incident. No further details about the altercation or the reasons for the traffic stop were released.

Indiana State Police are investigating the incident. “The loss of life is always tragic,” said Sheriff Patrick Williamson, offering condolences to Huttle’s family. “Our thoughts are with those affected.”

Nick Barnes, an attorney who was representing Huttle in pending motor vehicle cases, stated that he was unaware of the circumstances surrounding the shooting but planned to gather more information.

Huttle had been sentenced in 2023 to six months in custody after pleading guilty to entering a restricted area of the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. His conviction was part of a broader crackdown on those involved in the insurrection. Following his release, Huttle received a pardon from President Trump in January 2025.

Defense attorney Andrew Hemmer, who had represented Huttle in the Capitol riot case, described Huttle as someone who did not support any political cause but attended the rally because he saw it as a “historic moment” and had no other commitments after serving a previous jail sentence for a driving offense.

The investigation into the fatal shooting is ongoing.

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