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French peacekeeper killed in southern Lebanon8 hours agoSamantha GranvilleBeirutReutersA French peacekeeper has been killed and three others wounded after a UN patrol came under fire in southern Lebanon, in what officials described as a deliberate attack.The soldier was serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), which confirmed that one peacekeeper had died and three others were injured, two of them seriously, when their patrol came under small-arms fire.French President Emmanuel Macron blamed the attack on Hezbollah. The The Macron ” The Unifil said the patrol had been clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to reconnect isolated positions.Follow the latest updatesWhat we know about the Israel-Lebanon ceasefireCeasefire with Israel brings respite to Lebanon, but obstacles to peace remainThe Lebanese Armed Forces said the incident followed exchanges of fire with armed individuals, adding that it was co-ordinating closely with Unifil during what it described as a sensitive phase in southern Lebanon.Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack and told Macron during a phone call that those responsible would be brought to justice.Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has also ordered an investigation.Hezbollah issued a statement on Saturday denying it was responsible, describing them as “rushed” and “baseless accusations”.It called for “caution in making judgements and assigning blame regarding the incident, pending the Lebanese army’s investigation to determine the full circumstances”.The group urged both Unifil and the Lebanese army to continue co-ordinating with locals on manouevres “under these delicate circumstances”.In late March, three Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in separate incidents – an explosion that destroyed a Unifil vehicle and a projectile strike a day earlier.Unifil warned that under international law “all actors” were obliged to ensure the “safety and security” of UN personnel, adding that “deliberate attacks” on peacekeepers were “grave violations” of international humanitarian law and could amount to war crimes.The peacekeeping force was first established in 1978 by the UN Security Council following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon, with a mandate to confirm Israeli withdrawal, restore peace and assist the Lebanese government in regaining authority in the south.Its role was expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, when Security Council Resolution 1701 strengthened its responsibilities in monitoring the ceasefire along the Blue Line – the de facto border between Lebanon and Israel – in co-ordination with the Lebanese army.More than 330 peacekeepers have been killed since the mission was established.Peacekeepers killed by roadside explosion in Lebanon, initial report findsMiddle EastHezbollahLebanonIran war

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Bodies of 50 Infants Dumped at Trinidad Graveyard46 minutes agoPaulin KolaAFP through Getty ImagesThe remains of 50 infants and 6 adults were dumped in a graveyard on Trinidad, one of two islands that make up the Caribbean nation. A preliminary investigation indicates it may be a “case of an unlawful disposal of unclaimed bodies”, the statement added. It is unclear if this incident is connected to gang violence, as the country has one of Latin America and Caribbean’s highest murder rates. The bodies of 50 infants were found in a graveyard in Trinidad and Tobago. The commissioner said that anyone found to have violated this duty would be held accountable. A state of emergency, which grants police extended powers of arrest and search, has been renewed ever since it was introduced on 2nd March. Since then the US State Department has issued numerous travel advisories due to crime and “a heightened threat of terrorism”. The US State Department has issued several travel advisories since then – due to crime as well as “a heightened risk of terrorism”.

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Pope says ‘tyrants speech’ was not aimed directly at Trump3 hours backMaia DaviesPope Leo said he did not want to debate Donald Trump with his remarks made days after the high-profile spat between the two. He also claimed that the remarks were written a week earlier Pope Leo, who is currently on a tour in Africa, said that a “certain narrative” that was not accurate had developed. He cited “the political situation” created by Trump’s remarks. In response to Pope Leo’s latest remarks US Vice President JD Vance who converted to Catholic Vance said that while the media narrative is always a source of conflict, and yes, there have been and will be disagreements, the reality can often be much more complex. Earlier in the week, Vance had urged Vatican officials to “stick to morality”. “The masters in war pretend to not know that it only takes a moment to devastate, yet often, a lifetime isn’t enough to rebuild,” said Vance. The Pope also condemned an “endless cycle of death and destabilisation” in a “bloodstained region” He had posted his lengthy criticism of Pope Francis after the pontiff voiced concerns about Trump’s threats that “a civilisation would die” if Iran refused to agree to US demands for the end of the war and to open the Strait of Hormuz. The president said he “was not Trump posted an AI-generated picture of himself as Jesus-like, which he removed later. The Catholic leader’s Africa Tour includes stops in eleven cities across four different countries. This is his second major overseas visit since he was elected as papacy in last year. It reflects the importance that Catholicism has in Africa.

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Australia’s most decorated soldier vows to “fight” war crime charges2 hrs agoTabby. WilsonSydneySam Moy/The Sydney Morning Herald/Getty ImagesAustralia’s best-decorated living soldier, Ben Roberts Smith, has publicly denied any allegations against him. He was released on bail Friday and said he would use the charges to “finally clear his name”. I can assure everyone that I have never backed down from a fight. “Roberts Smith, 47, has been accused of being involved with the deaths of unarmed Afghans detainees between 2009 and 2012, either by killing or ordering a subordinate. A former corporal of Australia’s Special Air Service Regiment (SAS), Roberts-Smith said to the media, “while it would have been better if these charges had not been brought, I will take this opportunity to clear my name”. He continued, “I am proud of my service to Afghanistan.” While I was in Afghanistan, I always acted according to my values, my training, and the rules of engagement. He described his arrest as a “sensational” and “unnecessary spectacle”, and refused to take any questions from journalists.Roberts-Smith was arrested at Sydney airport on 7 April, and was released from jail on bail on Friday. The presiding judge noted that his case was “exceptional” and he was likely to spend “possibly years and years” in custody before it went to trial, if not granted bail.What is the decorated Australian soldier accused of?The criminal case against Roberts-Smith follows a 2023 civil defamation case, in which a judge found – on the balance of probabilities – there was “substantial truth” to some of the murder claims against him.Brought by Roberts-Smith against Nine newspapers, which first published allegations of misconduct in 2018, the high-profile trial was the first time in history any court has examined claims of war crimes by Australian forces.The former soldier argued the alleged killings occurred legally during combat or did not happen at all, and last year lost an appeal against the Federal Court finding.He now faces one charge of the war crime of murder, one of jointly commissioning a murder, and three of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring a murder.War in Afghanistan (2001-2021)AfghanistanAustralia

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Harry and Meghan’s tour felt like a royal one, but many Aussies were not interested. The BBC spoke with many Australians who were unaware of or uninterested by the couple’s trip. There was also some backlash after it emerged that Australian taxpayers might be liable for some security costs. Giselle Bastin is an associate professor of Flinders University who has a research interest on Australia’s relationship to the monarchy. “They didn’t show up at big advertised opportunities to view them, at the very least, not in the form walkabouts. So they’ve managed minimising the risk of people having an adverse reaction, or hecklers booing or calling them out or anything like that. “It’s been very carefully planned so that they appear spontaneously at places. “That’s certainly not to say Harry or Meghan haven’t been in their element when such encounters took place, high-fiving and taking selfies. We witnessed this up-close time and time again – like on Friday, where Harry met Michelle Haywood under the sails of Sydney Opera house. Haywood is the granddaughter of Daphne Dunne who was a war widow and servicewoman when she met the Prince during a 2015 visit. She wore her husband’s Victoria Cross. Dunne died in 2019 at the age of 99. Haywood waited for weeks to give Harry a picture of her mother in his army fatigues. Haywood says, “He said ‘Oh my god’ and then gave me a huge hug.” “It was gorgeous. He remembered each time he had met her and reminded me about one of the times it poured with rain. He remembered it vividly. “Getty ImagesMeghan showed her warmth by listening to survivors of the Bondi Beach Attack or telling a boy how much the Australian book Diary of a Wombat meant to her children. And if you call this a connection, it was right on-brand. The word “connection” was used 30 times in the press releases sent to journalists by the Sussexes media team after each day’s visit. These missives were similar to the way royal press officers summarize a day’s engagements during a royal tour. However, they were written with a language that was free of convention and formality. They mentioned “community,” on 21 occasions, and “wellbeing,” eight times. The word “royal” only appears once in these press releases, in the name the Melbourne Children’s Hospital the Sussexes visited at the beginning of the tour. Meghan shared her experiences of being bullied and attacked online for a decade. She also said that she was “the most trolling person in the entire world” during this time. The couple are now openly seeking new opportunities after their deals with Spotify, Netflix and other companies ended. Harry and Meghan have to build and pay for their own life away from royal duties. The Duke spoke at a summit about mental health on life as a Royal after the death his mother, Princess Diana. The VIP tickets for the event cost A$3,199, which is about PS1,725. Meghan was paid for a few hours of appearance at a glitzy weekend retreat for “girls”. The Duchess already has items on her profile that she wore during the Australian tour. While the itinerary for the 2018 mega-tour had 76 engagements over 16 days (in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji), this one was lacking in engagements. It was revealed that evening that she had been filming a MasterChef Australia episode. The trademark was registered last year in Australia in more than 12 product categories, including cookware, table linen, and other household items. For the Sussexes the only acknowledgement that the trip was a business trip came at the end of a five page pre-tour guide. It stated: “As is the case with many visits of this type, a few private engagements were included to support larger commercial, charitable and community objectives. As private citizens, Bastin, an academic, believes that some of the ventures appear “tone-deaf in the cost-of living crisis”. And one Sydney Morning Herald writer declared: “Australia has been good to Harry and Meghan.” Now they want us to be an ATM. Michael Hartung, the chief executive of Invictus Australia – which organized the 2018 Invictus Games, the sporting competition for injured and sick military personnel and veterans founded by Harry in 2014 – said that such a portrayal was “in part” unfair. “Our work will progress years ahead because of their visit. It would have taken us a great deal of hard work and energy to engage with people and audiences.” It makes a real difference. “Unsurprisingly, Harry’s and Meghan’s supporters emphasize that the majority of the time they spent here was spent on good causes and have no problem with the commercial aspect of the trip. Lisa Perry, a Sydney visitor who took a selfie with Harry and Meghan, says that they are entitled to make money the way they want. “They have chosen their life path and if it’s their brand, and they need to earn a living in the way they want, they should be allowed. “Vida, who met the pair in Melbourne, insists that she is “not into negativity”. “They are welcome to visit us at any time. Our Australian arms and hearts will always be open to them, and their children one day. “More about this storyHarry believes that children are an ‘upgrade of their parents’ Meghan says she is the’most trolled in the world’Harry, Meghan and Prince Harry meet Bondi shooting survivorsMeghan Duchess Meghan, Duke of SussexPrince Harry Australia