BIG Wrap

(BBC News) Myanmar's military junta has continued to bomb parts of the war-torn country following the major earthquake there on Friday, which has killed more than 1,600 people. The UN has described the attacks as "completely outrageous and unacceptable". Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews told the BBC that it was "nothing short of incredible" that the military was continuing to "drop bombs when you are trying to rescue people" after the earthquake. He called on the military regime,...

(BBC News) Vice-President JD Vance's comments at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland were nothing we have not heard before – but are sure to raise eyebrows among some US allies, particularly in Copenhagen. We have heard the assertion that Denmark has been "under-investing" in Greenland's security from Vance, Donald Trump and others – not just about Greenland but European security in general. We also saw shades of that with this week's publication of the now-infamous Signals chat with...

(Al Jazeera Media Network) A powerful earthquake has hit Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand, destroying buildings, damaging infrastructure and killing more than 150 people. Myanmar’s state-run MRTV reported that at least 144 people were killed on Friday and 732 were injured in the country. The quake also hit Thailand, where at least nine people were killed in the capital, Bangkok, according to local authorities. A magnitude 7.7 quake struck just outside Myanmar’s ancient capital Mandalay at 12.50pm (06:20 GMT)....

(BBC News) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that Canada's old relationship with the United States, "based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation, is over." Speaking to reporters in Ottawa after a cabinet meeting, Carney said Canadians must "fundamentally reimagine our economy" in the face of US President Donald Trump's tariffs. He said Canada would respond with retaliatory tariffs that will have "maximum impact" on the US. Trump announced on Wednesday he...

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Geopolitical rivalries are intensifying in the Arctic, but Russia is willing to co-operate with foreign partners, including from the West, in economic ventures there that will benefit all sides, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. In a major speech on Thursday, Putin said US President Donald Trump’s stated intention to acquire Greenland was “serious”, and it was clear that the US would continue to promote its interests in the Arctic. The Greenland question had...

(BBC News) Russia has said some western sanctions must be lifted before it begins a maritime ceasefire with Ukraine. Within hours of the US announcing the two sides had agreed to halt strikes in the Black Sea in separate deals, the Kremlin said it would only take place once sanctions on a number of Russian banks were lifted. The demands include revoking sanctions on the state agricultural bank Rosselkhozbank and restoring the firms' access to the...

(BBC News) An Israeli air strike on a hospital in Gaza killed a senior Hamas leader and an aide on Sunday evening, a Hamas official told the BBC. Ismail Barhoum, the head of the group's financial affairs, was killed in the strike on Nasser Hospital, the main medical facility in Khan Younis. He was receiving treatment at the hospital after being wounded in an air strike four days ago, the official said. Israel's military said it had struck...

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney has moved to dissolve Parliament and trigger a snap election on April 28. The widely anticipated decision on Sunday kicks off an election race less than two weeks after Carney took up his post, succeeding Justin Trudeau at a time of soaring tensions with the United States. “We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our...

(BBC News) Israel has carried out multiple air strikes on Lebanon after several rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel, in the worst violence since a ceasefire came into effect in November. The Israeli military said it had hit dozens of rocket launchers and a command centre belonging to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia and political group, in southern Lebanon. Lebanon's health ministry said seven people, including a child, were killed and 40 injured in the air...

(Al Jazeera Media Network) Israel’s military assault on the Gaza Strip has continued for a fourth day as its ground forces expand their operations in northern and southern Gaza and the Israeli defence minister threatens to seize land in the coastal enclave. Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that Israeli forces would “intensify” the military campaign against Hamas and use “all military and civilian pressure, including evacuation of the Gaza population south and implementing...