Top World News

Sep 9, 2026 - World

A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from Moldova to Oslo for the funeral of Norway's King Harald V was almost struck by a drone, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said Wednesday, though Ukraine's own presidency pushed back on the severity of the moment."His flight was almost hit by a drone when it was taking off from Moldova. That is the reality he lives in," Støre told public broadcaster NRK, according to CBS News. He offered no further details.A source in the Ukrainian presidency gave AFP a more measured account, saying, "It was an alert in Moldova when a Russian (drone) entered Moldovan and Romanian airspace." The same source called the suggestion that Zelenskyy was personally at risk "exaggerated."The region has been saturated with such incursions in recent months, with Russian drones repeatedly violating Moldovan airspace and disrupting airports across northern Europe, which complicates any read of what the drone near Zelenskyy's plane was meant to do.Online, the report landed with alarm before those caveats set in. National security journalist Shashank Joshi called it "just one data point, but not encouraging if part of [CIA Director John] Ratcliffe's trip to Moscow was to send a deterrent message to Russia on aggressive and violent actions in Europe." Journalist Christopher Merrill reacted simply: "OMG."Middle East correspondent Amichai Stein reported a sharper claim, writing that a source with knowledge told him the delegation waited out the drone and that "Moldova's authorities think that it was not accidentally." That assessment has not been confirmed by Moldovan officials on the record.Zelenskyy arrived in Oslo on Tuesday evening for talks with Støre on Norwegian military aid, then attended Wednesday's funeral for Harald, who died Aug. 28 at 89, alongside Britain's Prince William, Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and leaders from more than 20 countries.

Sep 9, 2026 - World

Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba announces decision to pull out in post on X, citing tensions over ‘Harry-Meghan nonsense’Uganda is withdrawing from the Duke of Sussex’s Invictus Games, the country’s military chief has said, out of respect for King Charles amid division over the “Harry-Meghan nonsense”.Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of the Ugandan president, made the surprise announcement in a post on X on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Sep 9, 2026 - World

A year after the first batch of Jeffrey Epstein investigative files was released, law enforcement agencies in at least five countries say the Justice Department still has not responded to their formal requests for help.Officials in Poland, Norway, Latvia, the United Kingdom and Germany told the Washington Post that requests for mutual legal assistance — the formal process that allows foreign investigators to obtain evidence, information and testimony from the U.S. — have gone unanswered.No charges have resulted from the files' release in the United States, but the documents exposed Epstein's relationships with influential figures worldwide, including President Donald Trump, and the revelations have prompted international investigations of the late sex offender's networks.The Justice Department disputed any suggestion it is stonewalling. "The Department of Justice has not refused to assist any jurisdiction investigating potential criminal conduct related to Jeffrey Epstein," a DOJ spokesperson told the Telegraph last month, adding that the department "remains committed to cooperating with all jurisdictions pursuing potential crimes."However, officials from those five European nations say their requests to the Trump administration have been met with silence.Poland's National Prosecutor's Office said the Justice Department has not responded to an April request.In Norway, state prosecutor Marianne Bender said her office remains in communication with DOJ officials but "they have not at this time approved the request." Latvia's state police said they have sent "several requests" and "no responses have yet been received." Britain's formal request followed informal talks that DOJ had already failed to advance, according to the Times of London, and German federal police say they remain in contact with the FBI without resolution.The stakes are highest in Norway, where three prominent figures — former diplomats Terje Rød-Larsen and Mona Juul, and former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland — face corruption charges connected to their relationships with Epstein. All deny wrongdoing. Rød-Larsen's attorney said Norwegian prosecutors have specifically sought additional records from DOJ and investigative steps involving the International Peace Institute in New York, where his client previously served as president. Bender called the lack of a U.S. response "very unfortunate for the Norwegian investigation."The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs, which processes such requests, has faced documented operational problems for years.A 2021 inspector general report found it plagued by high staff turnover, outdated technology and oversized caseloads, and a former DOJ attorney who worked in the office said such requests are "inherently complex," particularly when they involve voluminous records or contested redactions.Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers continue pressing DOJ for more transparency domestically, saying Epstein-related documents remain missing or unnecessarily redacted, even after Congress voted overwhelmingly last November to compel their release.

Sep 9, 2026 - World

Andrew Frederick’s body was found in property he was staying at in Grenada in JanuaryThe family of a British father who was found dead in the Caribbean in January is urging authorities in Grenada to work with UK police to uncover the truth about his death.Andrew Frederick’s body was found in the property he was staying at in Grenada on 4 January. An autopsy, performed in the same week by a privately hired pathologist, concluded that the 47-year-old’s death was a homicide. Continue reading...

Sep 9, 2026 - World

Three men are on trial over the death of brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their friend, US citizen Jack Carter Rhoad, in EnsenadaThe father of two Australian surfers killed in Mexico two years ago testified in court on Tuesday that his life had been turned into hell, as the high-profile trial continued into its second day.Three men are charged in the killing of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, aged 30 and 33, respectively, and their 30-year-old American friend Jack Carter Rhoad, who were on a surfing trip to Mexico’s Pacific coast in April 2024. Continue reading...