Ivory Coast becomes illegal gold mining hotspot

A UN-led event to secure donations to address Ethiopia's humanitarian crisis fell short of its $1 billion target. The East African country has been hit by conflict and extreme weather in recent years.

Chess master, Tunde Onakoya, has embarked on a mission to surpass the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon. The event, which is currently underway at New York City's iconic Times Square, started at 10am on Wednesday, April 17, and is scheduled to end at 8pm on April 19. Onakoya is set to engage in an intense chess marathon, aiming to play for 58 hours without a single defeat.

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As elections near, India's nationalist BJP is trying to wrestle votes away from the opposition in Indian-administrated Kashmir. But standard campaign tactics might not be enough to win over Muslim voters in the region.

ing Abdullah II of Jordan defends his country's actions in shooting down Iranian missiles on Saturday, saying that Jordan's security comes above all else. Also, MPs in the UK back a new bill to ban smoking in the country, but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces rebellion from within the Conservative Party. Finally, Paris Saint-Germain mount a comeback to beat Barcelona and qualify for the Champions League semi-final, with one Spanish newspaper blaming the result on "suspect refereeing".

Authorities in Germany's Bavaria say they want to restrict the use of cannabis at festivals and beer gardens. Germany legalized recreational marijuana earlier this month, a move opposed by the Bavaria-based CSU.