April 25, 2026 · BBC, Reuters
Coordinated attacks by armed groups — reportedly including JNIM jihadists and FLA Tuareg rebels — struck Mali's capital Bamako, the Kati military base, Gao, Kidal, and Sevare on Saturday. Bamako's international airport was temporarily closed; the US embassy ordered citizens to shelter in place. An analyst at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation called it the largest coordinated jihadist attack on Mali in years. Mali's military says it is fighting "terrorist groups" and the situation is "under control," though unconfirmed reports suggest fighting continues.
Sources: BBC · Reuters
April 25, 2026 · AP, BBC, Al Jazeera
President Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are traveling to Islamabad to meet Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi — but Pakistani officials say no direct US-Iran meeting is planned; Pakistan will convey messages between the delegations. Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday for what Iran described as bilateral and regional talks. The backdrop: the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint. An International Chamber of Shipping director told Al Jazeera that both the US capture of vessels and Iran's seizure of commercial ships violate international law and must end — crews of captured vessels "should be allowed to go about their jobs without fear of imprisonment." The strait handles roughly 20% of global oil shipments.
Sources: AP News · Al Jazeera · Al Jazeera (ships)
April 25, 2026 · BBC, Reuters
A leaked Pentagon email — first reported by Reuters — outlined options to punish allies seen as failing to support the US-Israel campaign against Iran, including suspending Spain from NATO. There is no treaty provision to expel a member, and any action to bar Spain from key civilian or military roles would require unanimous NATO approval. At an EU leaders' summit in Cyprus, Spain's Pedro Sánchez dismissed the reports while allies including the Netherlands and Germany rallied behind Madrid. Dutch PM Rob Jetten: Spain "is and will remain a full NATO member." Italy's Giorgia Meloni — once viewed as close to Trump — also spoke out. The episode underscores the strain the Iran conflict is placing on Western alliances.
Sources: BBC · Reuters
April 25, 2026 · AP News, Al Jazeera
Sam Altman issued a public apology after OpenAI revealed it had identified the Tumbler Ridge shooterJesse Van Rootselaar's ChatGPT account in June 2025 for "furtherance of violent activities," banned the account, but determined the activity did not meet its threshold for reporting to law enforcement. The following February, Van Rootselaar allegedly shot and killed her mother, stepbrother, and five children at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia before killing herself — 25 others were injured. Altman told the community: "I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement." BC Premier David Eby had said it "looks like" OpenAI had an opportunity to prevent the attack. The case raises serious questions about AI platforms' duty to flag threatening behavior to authorities.
Sources: AP News · Al Jazeera
April 25, 2026 · BBC
China's BYD — which overtook Tesla as the world's largest EV seller last year — says it is thriving without access to the US market. "We survive and are successful without the US market today," BYD executive vice president Stella Li told the BBC at the Beijing Auto Show. The company's challenge, she said, is meeting overwhelming demand elsewhere. The Iran war-driven surge in fuel prices has accelerated global EV adoption: BYD's new "flash charging" technology, adding hundreds of kilometres of range in minutes, is being marketed as a game-changer. Chinese automakers now dominate the Beijing Auto Show — the world's largest — with over 1,400 vehicles on display. BYD faces US tariffs and regulatory scrutiny, but is expanding aggressively across Asia, Europe, and Brazil.
Source: BBC
April 25, 2026 · BBC
A UN-supported early flood warning system for the Everest region — installed to protect thousands of villagers from glacial lake bursts — has been left to rust for years without maintenance, Nepalese officials admitted to the BBC. Siren towers have corroded and some batteries have been stolen. Satellite data for the Imja glacial lake — drained in 2016 but now expanding again due to accelerating ice loss — is unreliable. Ice loss rates in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region have doubled since 2000. With glacial lakes expanding dangerously across the Himalayas, the risk of catastrophic outbursts sweeping away downstream villages and trekking routes is growing while the infrastructure to warn people sits neglected.
Source: BBC