June 29 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Barry was nearing the eastern Gulf Coast of Mexico on Sunday evening, and was expected to bring heavy rains and flash flooding to the North American nation over the next few days.
Barry was located about 60 miles southeast of Tampico, on Mexico’s eastern coast, in the Gulf of Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in its 7 p.m. CDT update.
It was moving northwest at 8 mph and was on track to make landfall in the next few hours, before moving inland over eastern Mexico Sunday night.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Gulf Coast of Mexico from Boca de Catan southward to Tecolutla.
It is not expected to intensify much more before making landfall, and weakening is forecast to begin shortly after it moves inland, according to a NHC discussion on the storm.
“The primary impact with Barry remains heavy rainfall and flash flooding for the upslope areas of eastern Mexico,” the NHC said.
Between 3 and 6 inches of rainfall are expected with isolated maximum totals of 10 inches across the Mexican states of Veracruz, San Luis Potosi and Tamaulipas through Monday, the forecasters said.
“This rainfall may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain,” it said.
Tropical Storm Barry is the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting between 13 and 19 total named storms for this year.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda have signed a deal to end their long-running conflict.
Years of fighting between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda may be at an end – thanks to a peace deal signed in the United States.
Rwanda has agreed to remove thousands of troops from eastern Congo that were supporting the Rwandan-backed armed group M23, as it took control of major cities and mining areas.
That was widely seen as a major escalation and stoked fears of a regional conflict.
So can this agreement succeed where many others have failed?
And is this deal really about US interests in Congolese minerals?
Presenter: Nick Clark
Guests:
Gatete Nyiringabo Ruhumuliza – Political commentator and writer
Zainab Usman – Senior fellow and director of the Africa Program at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Vava Tampa – Founder and chief campaigner of Save the Congo
DIVE in to scrumptious staycays in England’s eastern counties.
From beautiful beaches in North Norfolk to stunning sustenance in Suffolk, we have it covered.
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The quaint beach huts in Wells-next-the-Sea in NorfolkCredit: Shutterstock
The Nest Farmhouse, King’s Lynn
Beauty Writer Mia Lyndon and boyfriend Jamie found vineyards and seafood feasts in Norfolk.
THE PAD
Tucked away in the rolling fields of North Norfolk, guests are greeted with fizz from neighbouring Cobble Hill Winery at this former barn.
Rooms are bang-on theme with farmhouse-chic decor – ours had a vintage tub, dried flowers, distressed furniture and a spacious balcony from which green vistas extend as far as the eye can see.
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Flock to The Nest FarmhouseCredit: Neeve Photography
Fragrant home-made negronis made from a concoction of aged local spirits and spices, £14, are literally on tap from a miniature barrel in the homely bar.
Then tuck into rich bone marrow and crunchy focaccia, £12, followed by tender local Old Spot pork chop, £28, and barbecued cabbage smothered in a tangy, buttery anchovy dressing, £5.
Fluffy doughnuts dunked in toffee sauce, £10, are the perfect pud, and we splashed out on a bottle of local Cobble Hill Bacchus Reserve, £55.
Birdsong will wake you for an alfresco brekkie of local cheese, cured meats and trout, while you watch ducks bob about in the pond.
EXPLORE
Spy deer in the lush 667 acres of the palatial 18th-century Holkham Estate, before ogling rich tapestries, marble sculptures and the lavish guest rooms where Queen Victoria once slept.
Entry costs from £24 per person (Holkham.co.uk). Later, spot seals frolicking in the surf from the sweeping sand dunes of Holkham Beach.
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Look out for deer in the woods of Holkham Park in North Norfolk
The neighbouring town of Wells-next-the-Sea is postcard-pretty – duck into The Old Station for whimsical ceramics that are made on-site, before sipping on local Crisp Eastern Gold, £2.55 for a half pint, on the rooftop deck at The Globe Inn (Theglobeatwells.co.uk).
Pretty Norfolk coastline has sea lions and award-winning beaches-
REFUEL
Norfolk is renowned for crab, so tuck into a platter at family-run Wells Crab House and feast on creamy dressed crab, crayfish, oak-smoked salmon, juicy prawns, tangy cockles and rollmops, plus indulgent potato salad – £44 for two people.
Start your day with fluffy French toastCredit: Neeve Photography
Meanwhile, in cobble-stoned King’s Lynn, devour giant slabs of buttery ginger cake, £2.50, from indie cafe Norbury’s (Instagram.com/norburysfinefoods).
Then plump for dinner by candlelight at Grade-II-listed The Bank House, a stylish eatery on the banks of the River Ouse.
Order Pineapple Fogs, a blend of honey-lime juice, pineapple and tonic, £5, and savour flaky cod and seafood chowder with mussels, squid and prawn, £22.50 (Thebankhouse.co.uk).
DON’T MISS
Knowledgeable David at Burn Valley Vineyard (which has near-identical soil to the Champagne region), is the perfect host for wine-tasting, £25 a person.
You’ll get to swig six wines – our fave was sweet, acidic Solaris 2023 – before wandering around the vineyard to see where they’re grown (Burnvalleyvineyard.co.uk).
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Mia Lyndon in Norfolk with partner JamieCredit: Mia Lyndon
Writer Sasha Cunningham and husband Grant checked into a foodie haven on Suffolk’s coast.
THE PAD
Nestled in the sleepy town of Orford, you’ll find 21 newly refurbished rooms and an intimate two-AA-Rosette restaurant.
Our bright and spacious deluxe sea-view room had amazing glimpses of Orford Ness National Nature Reserve, plus a large bath, rainfall shower, Temple Spa toiletries and cosy armchairs.
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Experience the charm of The Crown and CastleCredit: Matt Finch
Grab an Aperol Spritz, £9, or a pint of Mosaic lager, £5, before digging into dishes such as the spectacular soy-cured monkfish with glass noodles and sesame, £28.
Mains such as beef blade and fillet on a bed of spelt, celeriac and mushrooms, £32, won’t disappoint, either.
EXPLORE
You’re just over the road from 12th-century Orford Castle, which is well worth a visit for both the views from its tower and its captivating audio guide, £8.10 per adult (English-heritage.org.uk).
Or take a wander down to the River Ore – pick the distance and difficulty of your walk by scanning the hotel’s handy QR codes.
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Brighten up your day at the Orford Ness Lighthouse
Be sure to book your visit to the nature reserve in advance, from £4.50 per adult (Nationaltrust.org.uk).
Once used during WW2 for atomic bomb testing, it’s now home to many species of birds and a colony of 200 grey seals.
REFUEL
Share the griddled fish selection of prawns, squid, sardines and mussels brushed with garlic oil, from £19.50, at Butley Orford Oysterage, a short stroll from your bed (Pinneysoforford.co.uk).
Or hunt out Two Magpies Bakery in the nearby pastel-coloured seaside town of Aldeburgh for rich hot chocolate, £3.45 – it’s the perfect drink for a walk by the beach, where you can snap the giant scallop sculpture (Twomagpiesbakery.co.uk).
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Tuck into fresh oysters with a squeeze of lemon
Later, join a tour of Fishers Gin Distillery for tastings with a sea view, £35 for a 90-minute tour (Fishersgin.com).
DON’T MISS
Stop by Orford’s Pump Street Bakery for bear-claw almond frangipane pastries, £4.50 – just go early before they sell out (Pumpstreetchocolate.com).
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Sasha Cunningham and husband GrantCredit: Supplied by Sasha Cunningham
Fashion Assistant Emily Regan, boyfriend Harry and dog Ragnar enjoyed history and booze in Suffolk’s charming market town.
THE PAD
This central Georgian hotel – once a favourite of Charles Dickens – blends vintage furnishings with modern touches.
Book a Copper Room for a king-size bed, free-standing copper bath and a picturesque view of Abbey Gate.
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Have a heavenly stay at The AngelCredit: Supplied
Then dig into mouth-watering Surrey Farm 10oz sirloin with peppercorn sauce, £34, in the hotel’s lively Eaterie.
Finish with chocolate crémeux, honeycomb and brownie ice cream, £8.50, and a pornstar martini, £14.
Come breakfast, a full English, plus sausage bites for Ragnar, were winners, and there are plenty of other doggy treats and toys on hand, too.
EXPLORE
A five-minute stroll away you’ll find St Edmundsbury Cathedral (Stedscathedral.org) and St Mary’s Church, with its hammer-beam angel roof (Stmaryschurchbse.org).
But to really learn more about the town’s history, join a walking tour around Abbey Gardens and the ruins of an 11th-century monastery, £10 per person for 90 minutes (Burystedmundstourguides.org).
Gift hunters should head to The Parsley Pot with its cute ceramics (Theparsleypot.com), while dogs will love scampering through the scenic woodlands of Nowton Park (Westsuffolk.gov.uk).
REFUEL
For mid-morning pick-me-ups, No.5 Angel Hill has excellent home-made sausage rolls, £4.95, and iced lattes, £3.90 (Fiveangelhill.co.uk).
Discover the town’s hop history on Greene King’s brewery tour – or just lunch on beef and ale pie for under a tenner at its Beer Cafe.
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The Swan at Lavenham serves up cracking food, £28 for two coursesCredit: The Swan/ Instagram
Amnesty International says torture, killings and enforced disappearances have taken place in areas under rebel control.
M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have committed serious abuses against civilians, “including torture, killings and enforced disappearances”, in areas under their control, according to Amnesty International.
“These acts violate international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes,” Amnesty said in a statement on Tuesday.
The allegations come amid a renewed surge in violence that erupted in January, when the Rwandan-backed M23 group captured the strategic city of Goma in North Kivu province. The rebels went on to seize Bukavu in South Kivu in February, escalating a conflict that has displaced hundreds of thousands.
Between February and April, Amnesty researchers spoke to 18 people who had been detained by M23 in Goma and Bukavu. Many said they were held on accusations of supporting the Congolese army or government – claims for which no proof was presented. Several were not told why they were being held.
According to Amnesty, detainees were crammed into overcrowded, unhygienic cells, lacking adequate food, water, sanitation and medical care. Some of those interviewed said they saw fellow prisoners die due to these conditions or from acts of torture.
Witnesses described gruesome scenes, including two detainees being bludgeoned to death with hammers and another shot dead on the spot.
All of the former detainees said they were either tortured or saw others being tortured with wooden sticks, electric cables or engine belts, the rights group said.
Relatives searching for the missing were often turned away by M23 fighters, who denied the detainees were being held – actions Amnesty says amount to enforced disappearances.
Peace deal remains elusive
“M23’s public statements about bringing order to eastern DRC mask their horrific treatment of detainees. They brutally punish those who they believe oppose them and intimidate others, so no one dares to challenge them,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s regional director for East and Southern Africa.
“Regional and international actors must pressure Rwanda to cease its support for M23,” added Chagutah.
The United Nations and DRC’s government say Rwanda has supported M23 by providing arms and sending troops – an accusation Kigali denies.
The UN estimates that about 4,000 Rwandan soldiers support M23.
M23 is among roughly 100 armed groups fighting for control in eastern DRC, a region rich in minerals and bordering Rwanda. The ongoing conflict has driven more than seven million people from their homes, including 100,000 who fled this year alone.
Despite recent pledges by the Congolese army and the rebels to seek a truce, clashes have continued. M23 previously threatened to advance as far as the capital, Kinshasa, more than 1,600km (1,000 miles) away.
In April, Rwanda and DRC agreed to draft a peace deal by May 2, committing to respect each other’s sovereignty and refraining from providing military support to armed groups.
About 50,000 people are still isolated across New South Wales after a powerful weather system dumped months of rain in three days.
Record-breaking floods in eastern Australia have killed four people and stranded tens of thousands after days of relentless rain.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New South Wales Premier Christopher Minns visited affected communities on Friday, some of which have experienced their worst flooding on record this week.
Minns praised emergency workers and volunteers, who have rescued 678 people in recent days – 177 of them in the past 24 hours.
“It’s an amazing, heroic logistical effort where, in very difficult circumstances, many volunteers put themselves in harm’s way to rescue a complete stranger,” Minns told reporters.
“Without the volunteers, we would have had hundreds of deaths and we’re in deep, deep gratitude.”
As well as the four victims killed, one person is reported missing.
About 50,000 people are still isolated across New South Wales, the country’s most populous state. Entire towns remain cut off and roads submerged after a powerful weather system dumped months of rain in three days.
Flash floods tore through rural communities, washing away livestock, damaging homes, and turning streets into rivers. Coastal areas are now littered with debris and dead animals.
Authorities have warned returning residents to remain vigilant.
“Floodwaters have contaminants, there can be vermin, snakes … so you need to assess those risks. Electricity can also pose a danger as well,” said Emergency Services Deputy Commissioner Damien Johnston.
Australia has faced a string of extreme weather events in recent years, a trend experts attribute to climate change.
“What once were rare downpours are now becoming the new normal – climate change is rewriting Australia’s weather patterns, one flood at a time,” said Davide Faranda, a climate researcher at ClimaMeter, in comments carried by the Reuters news agency.
The storm system has now moved south towards Sydney, causing further disruption.
Train services, including airport services, were affected by flooded tracks. Sydney airport shut two of its three runways for an hour on Friday morning, delaying flights.
Officials also warned that Warragamba Dam, which supplies 80 percent of Sydney’s water and is currently at 96 percent capacity, may soon overflow.
Heavy rains in New South Wales have caused record-breaking floods, killing two people and isolating tens of thousands of residents. Authorities warn of more rain and life-threatening flash floods as emergency teams continue rescue efforts.
Explosion reported in Al-Mayadeen, in the Deir az Zor countryside, also wounds several people.
At least three people have been killed in a blast targeting a police station in the eastern Syrian town of Al-Mayadeen, the SANA state news agency has reported, citing a security source.
The explosion in the Deir az Zor countryside on Sunday also injured several people, the report said, without providing further details.
A video verified by Al Jazeera’s fact-checking unit Sanad shows the aftermath of the explosion.
The incident took place a day after Syrian authorities said security forces killed three ISIL (ISIS) fighters and arrested four others in Aleppo. It was the first time the interim government announced such an operation against the armed group.
The raids, launched by the General Security Department in coordination with the General Intelligence Directorate, targeted multiple ISIL sleeper cells operating across Aleppo, Syria’s Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Saturday. One security officer was killed in the operation, it said.
Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who assumed power in Damascus in December, has long opposed ISIL. His forces battled the group’s self-declared caliphate during the Syrian war.
Al-Sharaa seized power after his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham armed group led a lightning opposition offensive that toppled Syria’s longtime President Bashar al-Assad. Al-Sharaa cut ties with al-Qaeda in 2016.
The recent operation comes just months after Syrian authorities said they had foiled an ISIL bombing plot near the Sayeda Zeinab shrine, a key pilgrimage site for Shia Muslims south of Damascus.
This also comes after US President Donald Trump stunned the world by announcing on Tuesday that the United States was going to lift sanctions on the country – a move that Syrians hope will help their nation reintegrate into the global economy, and bring much-needed investment.
New York’s 38-point victory against Boston Celtics in Game 6 was the largest win in Knicks playoff history.
Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby each scored 23 points as the New York Knicks reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000 by steamrolling the visiting Boston Celtics 119-81 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
Mikal Bridges had 22 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and 12 rebounds for third-seeded New York, which led by as many as 41 points on Friday. The Knicks wrapped up the best-of-seven series with the largest winning playoff margin in franchise history.
“There’s more to go,” Bridges said. “We’re not done. We came out there tonight and played hard and handled business. But our season is not over. We have much more to go.”
New York surpassed a 36-point playoff victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the decisive Game 5 of the 1970 Eastern Division finals.
Josh Hart contributed 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to record New York’s first postseason triple-double since Walt Frazier accomplished the feat in 1972.
“I want to congratulate the Celtics on a terrific season,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Unfortunate injury to Jayson Tatum. They’re a terrific organisation, ownership, front office, Joe Mazzulla is a terrific coach, great players.
“They’re not going to hand you anything. You have to earn it.”
The Knicks will open the conference finals at home against the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
Defending NBA champion Boston was led by Jaylen Brown, who had 20 points, six rebounds and six assists before fouling out late in the third quarter. The Celtics were again short-handed after losing Tatum to a ruptured right Achilles during Game 4 on Monday.
“Upset or not, we beat a great team,” Brunson said. “They obviously lost a huge piece (in Tatum). The way they came out in Game 5, they’re still a good team. Regardless of what anyone thinks – upset or not – we’re just happy to come out of the series with a win and now we’ll prepare for another team.”
Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics during Game 6 [Brian Babineau/Getty Images via AFP]
New York shot 46.2 percent from the field, including 16 of 45 (35.6 percent) from 3-point range. The Knicks held a 55-36 rebounding advantage.
Payton Pritchard scored 11 points and Al Horford added 10 for Boston, which shot 36 percent and was 12 of 40 (30 percent) from 3-point range.
The score was tied at 16 before the Knicks began pulling away.
New York led 26-20 at the end of the first quarter and then opened the second with a 16-4 surge to open up an 18-point lead midway through the period.
After Boston’s Luke Kornet interrupted the burst with a three-point play, the Knicks rattled off 16 of the next 21 points to take a 58-32 lead on a putback dunk by Miles “Deuce” McBride with 1:31 left.
McBride buried a 3-pointer as time expired in the half for a 64-37 lead at the break. That marked New York’s largest halftime advantage at the break since leading the Los Angeles Lakers 69-42 in Game 7 of the 1970 Finals, won by the Knicks.
“You win a championship and you have that target on your back from Day 1,” Celtics guard Derrick White said of falling well short of winning back-to-back NBA titles. “There’s ups and downs through every season. This part sucks and we didn’t complete the goal that we set out to get.”
The contest was effectively over when Brown fouled out with 2:50 left in the third quarter and Boston down by 33. Anunoby poured it on with consecutive 3-pointers to end a 10-0 push as the margin went above 40 at 92-51 with 1:51 remaining in the third.
“They played better than we did,” Mazzulla said. “I’m happy for Thibs [Thibodeau]. He’s been coaching for a long time. That’s the biggest thing. You pay your dues, you put forth everything. That guy is a lifer. He’s what a coach is all about and he deserves it. And they deserve it as a team. You got to take your hat off to them.”
New York Knicks fans celebrate after their team won Game 6 of the NBA playoffs against the reigning champions Boston Celtics outside Madison Square Garden in New York on May 16, 2025 [Leonardo Munoz/ AFP]
