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KATHMANDU — Nepal is confronting a major humanitarian crisis after a devastating flash flood tore through communities near its Himalayan frontier with China, killing hundreds and leaving more than 1,500 people unaccounted for. The disaster has caused widespread destruction across northern Nepal and parts of neighbouring Tibet, with homes, roads, bridges and critical infrastructure swept away by powerful currents carrying mud, rocks and other debris through mountain valleys. Nepalese disaster authorities said the death toll had climbed to 538 , while Chinese officials reported five deaths in Tibet. At the same time, rescue teams have brought thousands of people to safety, but more than 1,500 people are still missing . Rising flood threat disrupts rescue efforts The search for survivors was complicated by the emergence of another serious danger near the border. A landslide and a huge accumulation of debris blocked a river, creating a lake that began to overflow. Authorities feared that ...

  Scientists are getting closer to answering one of the ocean’s most intriguing questions: What are sperm whales saying to one another? A growing body of research suggests that sperm whales communicate using a surprisingly sophisticated system of clicks that may have some striking similarities to the way humans build language. Researchers studying the animals have identified what they describe as a “sperm whale phonetic alphabet” — a system in which different rhythms, tempos and subtle changes in their clicking patterns can be combined to create a large variety of distinct sounds. The discovery is changing scientists’ understanding of how complex animal communication can be. A language made of clicks Sperm whales communicate using sequences of rapid clicks known as codas . For years, researchers knew that these codas carried information, including clues about the identity and social group of individual whales. But scientists increasingly realised that the sounds contained far more...

  KYIV — North Korea is deepening its military support for Russia, with a new deployment of thousands of troops reportedly including hundreds of specialised drone operators who could carry out reconnaissance and attacks against targets inside Ukraine, according to Ukrainian military intelligence. Major General Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, said around 8,500 North Korean troops are currently operating in Russia, mainly in the Kursk region. Among them are approximately 400 drone operators and about 1,000 engineers and demining specialists . The deployment represents a significant expansion of the military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, which has grown substantially since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Drone operators bring a new dimension The involvement of North Korean drone operators could give Pyongyang valuable battlefield experience while providing Russia with additional personnel for its increasingly ...

  LONDON — In a dramatic turn in the story of Britain's most famous royal exiles, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are reportedly preparing to move back to the United Kingdom with their two children after more than six years living in the United States. The couple are expected to relocate from their home near Santa Barbara, California, to a private residence outside London, according to reports discussed by CNN. The move is reportedly being timed so that their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, can begin school in Britain in September. The return marks a remarkable change of direction for Harry, who left Britain with Meghan in 2020 after stepping back from their roles as senior working royals. A royal comeback — but not a return to royal duties Despite the planned move, there is no indication that Harry and Meghan will resume their former royal duties. CNN's royal correspondent Max Foster reported that Harry is not expected to return to an of...

  BUNIA, Democratic Republic of Congo — They enter Ebola treatment wards knowing that a single mistake could cost them their lives. But for some frontline health workers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the danger of the virus is no longer the only thing pushing them to the breaking point. Unpaid wages are threatening to drive health workers away from the Ebola response just as the outbreak continues to spread. Among those caught in the crisis is Micheline Kayimpa, a nurse at the Elikya Ebola Treatment Center in Bunia. Every day, she puts on layers of protective equipment and enters isolation wards to care for patients suffering from one of the world's deadliest diseases. Her work includes administering medication, helping severely ill patients and cleaning areas that may be contaminated with the virus. But despite the risks, Kayimpa says she has not received a government salary for months. “I’ve been working here since June, but I haven’t received a single penny in wages,...

JOHANNESBURG — The criminal case involving suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi and three other accused has been postponed as they await access to the evidence gathered by investigators in an alleged R14 million precious stones theft . Mkhwanazi appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday together with his co-accused, Witness K, Adrian Norman Mackenzie and Keisha Leigh Stols. The four accused are facing charges arising from the alleged theft of precious stones worth approximately R14 million . The case has attracted particular attention because of Mkhwanazi’s senior position within the EMPD. Defence awaits police docket The matter was postponed to 18 September , allowing the defence teams time to obtain and study the police docket. Prosecutors informed the court that the investigation had been completed and that the State was ready to move forward with the prosecution. Access to the docket will allow the accused and th...