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Australia honey bees put in lockdown due to deadly varroa parasite
Millions of Australian bees are in "lockdown" and thousands will be destroyed after a deadly parasite was detected in the country. The varroa destructor was first found at a port near Sydney last week but has since been spotted in hives 100km away. The outbreak threatens to cost the honey and food production industries millions of dollars.
Amtrak derailment: Three killed in Missouri after train hits truck
At least three people have been killed and dozens more are reported injured after a passenger train derailed after hitting a truck in Missouri. About 243 passengers were on board the Los Angeles-Chicago train when it came off the tracks at a rail crossing near the town of Mendon.
Why do so many devastating earthquakes happen in Afghanistan?
At least 1,000 people have died and another 3,000 have been injured in an earthquake in eastern Afghanistan. Hundreds of houses were also destroyed in the event, which took place in the mountainous province of Paktika.
Supreme Court ruling expands US gun rights
The US Supreme Court has struck down a New York law restricting gun-carrying rights, in its most important judgment on guns in over a decade. It expands gun rights amid a fierce national debate over the issue. The decision, which jeopardizes similar regulations in states like California and New Jersey, is expected to allow more people to carry guns legally.
Afghanistan quake: Taliban appeal for international aid
The Taliban in Afghanistan has appealed for international support, as the country deals with the aftermath of a devastating 6.1 magnitude earthquake. More than 1,000 people have been killed and at least 1,500 injured. Unknown numbers are buried in the rubble of ruined, often mud-built homes.
Afghanistan earthquake: At least 250 killed and scores wounded in Paktika province
A powerful earthquake has killed at least 250 people and left scores injured in Afghanistan, a local official has told the BBC. Pictures shared on social media showed people on stretchers, rubble, and ruined homes in Paktika province. A local government official told the BBC the death toll of more than 250 was likely to rise, and that more than 150 others had been injured.
Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov auctions Nobel medal for $103m
The Russian editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta has auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize medal for $103.5 million (£84 million). Dmitry Muratov said all the money from sales will go to help refugees from the war in Ukraine. Muratov was co-awarded the peace prize in 2021 for defending the freedom of expression in Russia.
Dozens killed and millions stranded from India and Bangladesh floods
At least 59 people are known to have died in lightning strikes and landslides triggered by severe monsoon storms in India and Bangladesh. Millions of people have been stranded while emergency workers have struggled to reach those affected. Forecasters are warning that the flooding is expected to get worse over the next few days.
Lavrov: Russia is not squeaky clean and not ashamed
But on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov looked me in the eye and told me things were not as they seemed. "It's a great pity," Mr. Lavrov said, "but international diplomats, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Secretary-General, and other UN representatives, are being put under pressure by the West. And very often they're being used to amplify fake news spread by the West." "Russia is not squeaky clean. Russia is what it is. And we are not ashamed of showing who we are."
Plague: Ancient teeth reveal where Black Death began, researchers say
Researchers believe they have discovered the origins of the Black Death, more than 600 years after it killed tens of millions in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The mid-14th Century health catastrophe is one of the most significant disease episodes in human history. But despite years of research, scientists had been unable to pinpoint where the bubonic plague began.