A Canadian tourist lost both hands after a shark attacked her while she attempted to take a selfie in the shallow waters of a Caribbean beach, authorities said.
The 55-year-old woman waded a few yards into the water at Thompson Cove Beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands when a six-foot shark attacked, officials said. She was airlifted to Canada for treatment after suffering severe injuries, including the amputation of one arm below the wrist and the other halfway up her forearm.
Authorities have not confirmed the species of the shark, but local reports suggest it was a bull shark.
Her husband rushed into the water to try to fend off the shark, while other tourists used clothing to stop the bleeding, according to witnesses. Video footage from another tourist showed the shark swimming in the area for about 40 minutes before the attack.
“The shark was estimated to be approximately six feet in length. However, the species is yet to be confirmed. It has been determined that the tourist attempted to engage with the animal from the shallows in an attempt to take photographs,” local authorities said in a statement.
Officials say shark attacks in the Turks and Caicos are uncommon, with only one reported last year. However, Caribbean authorities continue to urge caution when swimming near marine life.
In the Cayman Islands, feeding sharks has been banned since 2022 due to the risks posed to both swimmers and divers.
“Some believe feeding sharks is beneficial for tourism, but conditioning sharks to associate humans with food increases risks for both people and marine life,” Cayman officials said.
Authorities advise visitors to maintain a safe distance from wildlife and avoid behaviors that could provoke dangerous encounters.
A 2-year-old girl and her mother have died from injuries sustained in a car-ramming attack on a labor union demonstration in Munich, German police confirmed on Saturday.
The attack, which occurred on Thursday, left 39 people injured. Authorities arrested a 24-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker at the scene and later stated that he appeared to have an Islamic extremist motive. However, prosecutors found no evidence linking him to a broader radical network.
Initially, police reported that two victims were critically injured. On Saturday, Bavaria’s state criminal police office announced that both had succumbed to their injuries. The victims were identified as a 37-year-old woman from Munich and her 2-year-old daughter, according to the German news agency dpa.
The attack marks the fifth incident in the past nine months involving immigrants, fueling a heated national debate on migration policies ahead of Germany’s February 23 elections.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the attack site on Saturday, laying a white rose at an improvised memorial in tribute to the victims.
Authorities continue to investigate the attacker’s background and potential motives as Germany grapples with concerns over security and integration policies.
Sudan’s military has gained control of a major bridge linking the eastern and southern parts of Khartoum, marking another strategic victory against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as the conflict approaches its second year.
This latest advance comes just days after the army reclaimed parts of northern Khartoum from the RSF, which has controlled large sections of the capital since the war began in April 2023.
Despite the military’s gains, the RSF continues to hold key locations, including the central market, the presidential palace, and several districts in the southern and western parts of Khartoum. The group also maintains strongholds in the central Kordofan region and most of Darfur, where it is besieging government forces in the city of el-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur.
On Friday, residents and medical sources reported that the RSF launched attacks on the famine-stricken Zamzam displacement camp, south of el-Fashir, in an apparent bid to consolidate its control over Darfur.
The war has displaced an estimated 11.4 million people, with more than eight million internally displaced and three million seeking refuge in neighboring countries, according to aid organizations.
“Sudan’s regional neighbors say they want the conflict to end,” Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall reported from Sennar. “Peace efforts have been attempted in Jeddah, Cairo, Addis Ababa, and Geneva, but all have failed.”
Both the RSF and the army have expressed willingness to negotiate but remain unwilling to accept each other’s conditions. Each side still believes it can achieve a decisive military victory.
At a high-level humanitarian conference in Addis Ababa on Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the crisis in Sudan as one of “staggering scale and brutality.”
“This is a catastrophe that demands sustained and urgent attention,” Guterres said, calling for an immediate halt to the flow of weapons into the country.
With nearly 25 million people facing acute hunger, according to UN estimates, aid agencies say a ceasefire is essential to ensuring humanitarian relief reaches those in need.
Guterres urged world leaders to step up peace efforts and humanitarian aid, particularly ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.
“We must do more – and do more now – to help the people of Sudan out of this nightmare.”
Pope Francis will remain in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for ongoing treatment of a respiratory infection, with no set timeline for his release, the Vatican said Saturday.
“We will see how he reacts to treatment,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told reporters, adding that there is no precise discharge date at this time.
Bruni said the 88-year-old pontiff slept well Friday night and did not develop a fever overnight. He is expected to continue receiving diagnostic tests throughout the day. A Vatican official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Francis remained fever-free on Saturday morning.
Pope Francis, who has been battling bronchitis for over a week, was admitted to Gemelli Hospital on Friday morning for treatment. The facility, Rome’s largest hospital, has a special suite reserved for popes and was frequently used by the late Pope John Paul II.
This marks the second time in recent months that Francis has been hospitalized at Gemelli. In June 2023, he spent nine days there recovering from abdominal hernia surgery.
Outside the hospital on Saturday, well-wishers gathered under a statue of Pope John Paul II to pray for Francis’s recovery.
“We found out yesterday morning with sadness,” said Giovanni Di Muro, an Italian visiting his son at the hospital. “We hope it’s nothing serious and that everything will be fine.”
The Vatican previously stated that diagnostic tests confirmed the pope has a respiratory tract infection.
Pope Francis, who has led the Catholic Church since 2013, has experienced several health challenges in recent years. As a young man, he underwent surgery to remove part of one lung due to pleurisy, making him more vulnerable to respiratory infections.
Since mid-December, he has struggled with ongoing respiratory issues, frequently delegating speeches at public events in January and February to aides while attending in person.
Despite his health setbacks, Francis has continued to fulfill many of his papal duties, but the Vatican has not provided a timeline for his return to full activity.
Russian authorities have detained another U.S. citizen on drug charges, days after a high-profile prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington that was hailed as a diplomatic breakthrough.
Russian media reported Friday that the American traveler was arrested at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport after customs officials allegedly found cannabis-laced marmalade in his luggage. The individual, identified only as K. Byers, 28, had flown in from Istanbul last Friday, according to the Russian Federal Customs Service.
The Interfax news agency cited Russian police as saying the suspect attempted to smuggle a “significant amount” of drugs into the country. The Russian Telegram channel Mash, which has ties to the security services, reported that Byers could face up to seven years in prison if convicted.
There was no immediate comment from the U.S. State Department regarding the arrest.
The detention comes shortly after a rare U.S.-Russia prisoner swap that saw Alexander Vinnik, a Russian cryptocurrency expert accused of Bitcoin fraud, returned to Russia. In exchange, the U.S. secured the release of Marc Fogel, a Pennsylvania teacher arrested in Moscow in 2021 for possessing what his family said was medically prescribed marijuana. Fogel had been serving a 14-year sentence before being designated as “wrongfully detained” by the Biden administration in December.
The latest arrest adds new strain to Washington-Moscow relations at a time when diplomatic efforts between the two nations have appeared to shift. On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a major policy reversal on Ukraine, claiming that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to open negotiations to end the war following a lengthy direct phone call.
The move could have significant implications for ongoing U.S. support for Ukraine as the conflict nears its third year. With the arrest of another American in Russia, tensions between the two nations remain volatile despite recent diplomatic developments.
Hamas-led militants released three Israeli hostages Saturday as Israel freed 369 Palestinian prisoners in the latest exchange under a fragile ceasefire agreement.
The hostages— Iair Horn, 46, a dual Israeli-Argentine citizen; American-Israeli Sagui Dekel Chen, 36; and Russian-Israeli Alexander Sasha Troufanov, 29 — were handed over in southern Gaza before being transported to Israel for medical evaluation and reunification with their families. All three were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023, attack that sparked the ongoing war.
Israeli officials said the men appeared in better physical condition than some of the previously released hostages, who emerged emaciated after months in captivity.
The exchange comes amid growing uncertainty over the ceasefire, which has held for nearly four weeks but faced setbacks due to disputes over aid deliveries to Gaza.
Hamas had threatened to delay hostage releases, accusing Israel of failing to allow sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza, including medical supplies, tents, and fuel. Israel, in response, warned it would resume military operations if hostages were not freed.
US, Egyptian, and Qatari mediators intervened, leading to the latest release. The ceasefire’s future remains uncertain as negotiations over its next phase continue.
As part of the agreement, Israel freed 369 Palestinian detainees. A bus carrying released prisoners arrived in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia, where families and supporters greeted them. Others were transported to Gaza, where large crowds welcomed them in Khan Younis.
Among those freed were 36 individuals serving life sentences for involvement in attacks against Israelis, including Ahmed Barghouti, 48, a close aide to Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti. Israel had sentenced him to life for orchestrating suicide bombings during the Second Intifada.
Twenty-four of the prisoners were exiled abroad, while 12 returned to the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The remaining 333 were sent to Gaza, with Israel agreeing to release over 1,000 detainees in total, provided they were not involved in the October 7 attack.
Of the 251 people abducted on October 7, 73 remain in Gaza, with at least half presumed dead. Most of the remaining captives are men, including Israeli soldiers.
The condition of those still held is raising alarm, especially after three hostages released last week appeared severely malnourished. Keith Siegel, 65, who was among them, described being beaten and deprived of water and light as the conflict intensified.
The ceasefire, in place since January 19, could collapse as early as March if further negotiations stall. While Hamas has signaled willingness to continue hostage exchanges, no substantial talks have taken place regarding the second phase, which could see the release of all remaining hostages in exchange for a complete end to the war.
The conflict has devastated Gaza, displacing 90 percent of its 2.3 million residents and leaving entire neighborhoods in ruins. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 48,000 Palestinians have been killed, though Israel claims 17,000 were militants, a number it has not substantiated.
The ceasefire’s stability is further complicated by former US President Donald Trump’s proposal to resettle over 2 million Palestinians outside Gaza and place the territory under US administration. The plan, which envisions transforming Gaza into the Riviera of the Middle East, has been welcomed by some Israeli officials but strongly rejected by Palestinians and Arab nations, who call it a potential war crime.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right allies are already pushing for a return to full-scale war after the first phase of the ceasefire, aiming to eliminate Hamas and implement Trump’s plan.
With Hamas still in control of Gaza, the group’s willingness to continue hostage releases remains uncertain, as the captives are among its last bargaining chips.
New York State Police have found the body of Sam Nordquist, a missing man who authorities say was tortured for more than a month before being killed and left in a field.
Nordquist, 24, was reported missing on Feb. 9 after losing contact with loved ones. Police say he arrived in New York from Minnesota in September.
“This is by far the worst case of its kind we’ve seen,” said Major Kevin Sucher, commander of the state police troop overseeing the Finger Lakes region. “No human being should have to endure what Sam endured.”
Authorities said five people have been charged with second-degree murder in connection with Nordquist’s death: Precious Arzuaga, 38, and Patrick Goodwin, 30, of Canandaigua; Kyle Sage, 33, of Rochester; Jennifer Quijano, 30, of Geneva; and Emily Motyka, 19, of Lima.
The suspects were taken into custody Thursday after police searched a room at Patty’s Lodge motel in Canandaigua, where Nordquist was last known to have stayed.
Investigators say they are working to determine Nordquist’s relationship with the suspects, as well as the motive behind the crime. When asked if the case is being investigated as a hate crime, Capt. Kelly Swift of the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation said it remains under review.
Swift described the case as one of the most disturbing in her 20-year career, citing a “pattern of abuse” that led to Nordquist’s death.
The suspects remain in custody pending arraignment. It was unclear whether any had obtained legal representation.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to contact New York State Police.
A woman who accused Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexual assault has voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit in New York federal court, according to court documents filed Friday.
The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, filed the dismissal “with prejudice,” legally barring her from refiling the case in the future. The lawsuit had alleged sexual assault incidents from more than 20 years ago, when the plaintiff was a teenager.
Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, declared the dismissal a vindication of his client. “The false case against JAY-Z, that never should have been brought, has been dismissed with prejudice,” Spiro said in a statement. He emphasized that Jay-Z “never settled, he never paid 1 red penny” and “triumphed and cleared his name.”
Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing Jane Doe, declined to comment on the dismissal. Representatives for Combs have not responded to requests for comment.
The dismissal comes amid heightened scrutiny of sexual misconduct allegations in the entertainment industry, particularly regarding incidents from past decades.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday that her government may file a civil lawsuit against Google if it continues referring to the body of water between northeastern Mexico and the southeastern United States as the “Gulf of America.”
The dispute follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration that he would rename the Gulf of Mexico. The region, long recognized internationally as the Gulf of Mexico, has drawn geopolitical attention as a result.
Sheinbaum stated during a news conference that Trump’s decree only applies to the “continental shelf of the United States” and does not affect Mexico’s sovereignty over its portion of the Gulf. “We have sovereignty over our continental shelf,” she said.
Sheinbaum’s administration sent a formal letter to Google objecting to the name change and asserting that “the entire Gulf of Mexico cannot be called the Gulf of America.” Despite this, Google has maintained its updated nomenclature.
Google stated last month on its X account, formerly Twitter, that it follows a “long-standing practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”
As of Thursday, Google Maps displayed different names for the Gulf depending on user location. In the United States, the body of water appears as the Gulf of America, while in Mexico, it remains the Gulf of Mexico. In many countries, it appears as “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).”
Sheinbaum defended the historical name, citing its recognition by the United Nations since 1607. She also referenced Mexico’s 1814 Apatzingán Constitution, which referred to North America as “Mexican America.” She suggested that if the renaming of the Gulf continues, Mexico may request that Google display “Mexican America” on maps when searched.
The dispute is the latest in a history of geographic naming differences between Mexico and the U.S. For instance, the border river between Texas and four Mexican states is called Rio Bravo in Mexico but Rio Grande in the U.S.
Meanwhile, the White House recently restricted Associated Press reporters from certain events, citing AP’s naming policy. The news agency continues to use “Gulf of Mexico” while also acknowledging Trump’s renaming in coverage to ensure global recognition of geographic terms.
A Russian drone strike hit the protective shelter over Chernobyl’s damaged nuclear reactor, causing a fire that was later extinguished, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that radiation levels at the site remained stable, though Oleksandr Titarchuk, the plant’s chief engineer, warned of a potential radioactive leak.
Russia denied targeting Chernobyl, stating its military does not strike Ukrainian nuclear infrastructure. The IAEA confirmed that emergency crews responded quickly, and no casualties were reported.
Zelensky posted footage appearing to show damage to the massive concrete and steel radiation shield, which covers the reactor that exploded in 1986. Hryhoriy Ishchenko, head of the exclusion zone management agency, warned that a strike just 50 feet away could have triggered a radiation accident.
Experts expressed concern over the attack but noted that Chernobyl’s thick concrete containment structure protects against radiation release. Simon Evans, former head of the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, called it “an incredibly reckless attack on a vulnerable nuclear facility.”
The strike comes amid rising tensions around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, where military activity has raised fears of a major nuclear incident.
