NUEVA LOJA, Ecuador (AP) — Standing beside a stream darkened by crude in Ecuador’s northern Amazon, an Indigenous woman looked on in disbelief as an oily film drifted across the surface and damaged pipes cut through the surrounding forest. In the distance, gas flares blazed above the canopy. Julia Catalina Chumbi, a 76-year-old leader of the Shuar people from the southern Amazon province of Pastaza, had journeyed hundreds of miles to witness the environmental toll left by decades of oil and gas

Stew, a 35-year-old from Montana, has spent the past year and a half casually placing sports bets since downloading the Kalshi app. A few weeks ago, however, after reading online chatter about increased late-night pizza deliveries to the Pentagon, he decided to try something different. He put $10 (£7.50) on a prediction that Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be “out” of power by 1 March. The wager pushed the boundaries of what Americans are legally permitted to bet on. Prediction markets —

On the night of March 14, Russia carried out a large-scale combined strike on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure using attack drones as well as land- and sea-based missiles. According to Ukraine’s Air Force radio-technical units, a total of 498 aerial threats were detected, of which 460 were intercepted. The Air Force reported that the assault included 2 Zircon anti-ship missiles, 13 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles, 25 Kalibr cruise missiles, 24 Kh-101 cruise missiles, 4 Kh-59/69 guided

WASHINGTON (AP) — After military action against Iran sent oil and gasoline prices sharply higher, President Donald Trump has shifted his messaging. Instead of emphasizing low energy costs, he is now portraying rising oil prices as beneficial for the United States. The reversal comes as his administration struggles to present a clear strategy for reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz, where tankers carrying oil and natural gas have been stalled. At the same time, officials have taken a series

Noah Jupe and Sadie Sink are playfully measuring their theatrical résumés. “Noah definitely has more Shakespeare under his belt than I do,” Sink says with a smile. “Oh yes, I’d say so,” Jupe replies. “How many lines did you have?” she presses. “Quite a lot, actually,” he answers. “More than 10!” If Jupe wanted to boast, he could truthfully mention that he took on Hamlet at just 19. Two summers ago, he stood onstage in a replica of Shakespeare’s Globe and delivered “To be or not to be?” in Chloé

At least three people lost their lives in a drone strike that hit Goma in the early hours of Wednesday, according to a spokesperson for the M23 rebel movement. The strike reportedly occurred around 4am in a residential district of the city, which has been under M23 control since January 2025. Lawrence Kanyuka, who speaks for the Congo River Alliance—a coalition of rebel factions that includes M23—denounced the incident and blamed the Congolese government. “A drone strike is currently targeting

Video footage has surfaced that appears to show a US missile striking the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval base located next to the school where Iranian state media report that dozens of children were killed. The newly released clip, published by Mehr News, a semi-official Iranian outlet, is the first to depict missiles hitting the area in Minab in southern Iran on February 28. Filmed from a nearby construction site, the video captures what experts say resembles an American BGM or

It was only when she arrived in San Diego that Elizabeth Gilbert understood how dramatically her life had shifted. She had left home as the author of a modestly successful memoir published the year before, “Eat, Pray, Love,” a deeply personal blend of travel writing, confession, and self-reflection chronicling her post-divorce journey through Italy, India, and Indonesia. While touring to promote the paperback edition, Gilbert remembers speaking to intimate crowds of “10, 15, 20 people.” This

The search for a person liable for military service by the Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support (TCR) may be unlawful. This was stated by Serhii Koshel, a lawyer from the NGO “Public Platform.” According to him, violations of military registration rules qualify as administrative offenses. Under current legislation, a penalty for such an administrative violation may be imposed within three months from the date it is detected. However, if one year has already passed since the

Almost a week into the newest escalation in the Middle East, Iran’s military activity across the region has dropped sharply, while American strikes continue to intensify and Israeli bombardments spark fear in southern Beirut. The Trump administration has cautioned that the conflict, which Lebanese and Iranian state outlets say has already left more than 1,320 people dead, is likely to widen further. NATO allies, though uneasy, are increasingly being drawn into the confrontation. Here is a

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a setback for the Trump administration, a federal judge in New York ruled Wednesday that businesses which paid tariffs invalidated last month by the Supreme Court are entitled to refunds. Judge Richard Eaton of the U.S. Court of International Trade stated that “all importers of record” should “benefit” from the Supreme Court’s decision striking down the broad, double-digit import duties President Donald Trump imposed last year under the 1977 International Emergency Economic

Airfares to Asia from both Europe and Australia have surged sharply following the closure of key Middle Eastern airports amid the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. According to media reports, airline websites show that tickets on many popular routes are sold out several days in advance. Airfares to Asia reach record highs The temporary shutdown of major Gulf airports, including Dubai — the world’s busiest international hub handling more than 1,000 flights daily — has

March 2 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated on Monday that Russia’s armed forces have not achieved the objectives they outlined last year and are unlikely to accomplish the further advances Moscow is reportedly seeking. Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelenskiy said the Kremlin’s ambition to seize the entirety of eastern Ukraine, along with additional southern territories, remains in place. He added that Russia is also aiming to push toward the southeastern city of Dnipro and is

A clear majority of Ukrainians – 70% of those surveyed – do not believe that the current negotiations will lead to a lasting peace. These findings were published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS). According to the report, 70% of respondents say they do not expect the ongoing talks to result in sustainable peace. Meanwhile, 25% believe that such an outcome is possible, and 5% remain undecided. Compared to mid-January 2026, public opinion on this issue has not changed. KIIS

LONDON/ABU DHABI, Feb 28 – The United States and Israel carried out coordinated strikes on Iran on Saturday, aiming at senior leadership targets and triggering a fresh wave of conflict in the Middle East. President Donald Trump said the action was intended to eliminate a security threat and create an opening for Iranians to challenge their government. The developments unsettled neighboring oil-producing Gulf Arab states as concerns about a broader escalation mounted. Tehran responded swiftly,

It’s lunchtime on a frigid Wednesday in Toronto’s Financial District, and the streets feel strangely deserted. Snow sweeps sideways through the corridors of glass and steel, the sky hangs heavy and grey, and visibility is limited. A small number of pedestrians, bundled tightly in oversized parkas, shuffle along the slushy sidewalks of Adelaide Street West, enduring a biting 7F (-14C) windchill beneath looming office towers. Beyond them, there is little movement. A first-time visitor might

Ocado has announced plans to eliminate 1,000 roles as the retail technology group seeks to save £150m through a sweeping restructuring effort. The company said around 5% of its global workforce will be impacted, with approximately two-thirds of the reductions taking place in the UK. Most of the affected positions will be cut from its UK operations, headquartered in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Roughly half of the roles being eliminated are in technology, while the remainder are support positions.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — More than a dozen senior European leaders gathered in Ukraine’s capital on Tuesday to demonstrate solidarity on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion — a somber landmark in a war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and heightened fears across Europe about the breadth of Moscow’s ambitions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy struck a resolute tone despite the immense human and material losses, declaring that Russia has neither “broken