All 197 Aboard New Orleans River Cruise Ship Rescued After Tanker Collision
All 197 passengers and crew members aboard a river cruise ship that was struck by a tanker and partially submerged in the Mississippi River at New Orleans on Friday have been accounted for, with no fatalities reported, the Port of New Orleans said. More than 30 people were treated at local hospitals, and no critical injuries were reported.
The American Heritage paddleboat was docked when the Atlantic Asphalt tanker struck it, causing the passenger vessel to sink partially. A portion of the Mississippi remained closed on Saturday as the response continued.
The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans has sued to gain control of the tanker, saying the collision caused at least $1 million in damage to its terminal. A judge issued a warrant on Friday giving federal officials control of the ship for now.
FAA Lifts Nationwide Ground Stop After Communications Failure
The Federal Aviation Administration lifted a nationwide ground stop for departing flights around 8:15 p.m. ET on Friday, ending the longest such stoppage in the United States in 25 years. The order had halted departures across the country after what the agency described as a communication issue affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the stoppage stemmed from a communication issue, and officials later blamed outdated air traffic communications equipment, saying routers had become overloaded with data. There was no evidence of a cyber attack, officials said. The ground stop lasted nearly five hours.
Nearly 7,000 flights were delayed or canceled, according to aviation tracker FlightAware, while France 24 reported more than 8,200 flights, or over 31% of those scheduled in the United States, were canceled. Officials expected a full recovery by Sunday.
Microsoft Restores All Services After Global Outage
Microsoft said on Saturday morning that all services had been fully restored after a global outage that disrupted governments, businesses, courts, healthcare services, airlines and banks in many countries for more than 24 hours. The company had earlier apologised and reported a broad recovery for Outlook and other services.
Governments including those of Japan, Singapore and Australia reported that the hourslong episode had affected some of their operations. In the United Kingdom, the NHS, police and schools were among services affected.
The US homeland security chief confirmed there was no link between Microsoft and the separate nationwide ground stop that disrupted US air travel on Friday.
Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Work at East Potomac Golf Course
US District Judge Ana Reyes on Saturday ordered a temporary suspension of any work at the East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., blocking for now the Trump administration’s plan to close the historic public course for renovation into a championship-level facility. The order imposes a two-week delay while litigation proceeds.
In a 30-page decision, Reyes said the Trump administration would not be responsible for operating the course while the case continued. The ruling is the latest instance of the federal judiciary pushing back against efforts to redesign the nation’s capital.
Two Aircraft Collide on Taxiway at Miami International Airport
The wingtip of a Copa Airlines Boeing 737 struck the nose of a UPS Boeing 767 on a taxiway at Miami International Airport, airport officials said. Two people were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The collision occurred a day after a nationwide ground stop disrupted air travel across the United States.
Cape Verde Votes in Presidential Election With First Female Candidate
Polls opened on Sunday in Cape Verde’s presidential election, where Justice Minister Joana Rosa is seeking to become the African island nation’s first female president. She faces incumbent President José Maria Neves, who is seeking a second term, and four other opposition candidates.
Neves, who won the 2021 presidential election, is favoured to win a second term, according to euronews. The country has had five presidents since independence from Portugal in 1975.
Rory McIlroy Wins Record-Equalling Eighth Race to Dubai Title
Rory McIlroy has won the Race to Dubai for a record-equalling eighth time, securing the season-long European tour title with a second-place finish at the DP World Tour Championship. He finished on 10 under par, edging out Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra, and claimed his fifth consecutive European title.
Tyrrell Hatton won the DP World Tour Championship by five shots.
Australia Win Fourth Consecutive Women’s Rugby League World Cup
Australia beat New Zealand 34-10 in the women’s rugby league World Cup final on Sunday, securing a record-breaking fourth successive title. Jamie Chapman scored a hat-trick in the victory.
South Korea Tax Exam Top Scorer Admits AI Cheating
Han Won-seok, 34, has confessed to using a hidden camera and generative AI to achieve a near-perfect score on South Korea’s national exam for aspiring tax accountants. He admitted sending photographs of questions to an AI tool, answering 160 questions with only one wrong.
The confession followed months of speculation about the score and comes ahead of the national college entrance exam next week, raising fears about cheating.
Jordan Court Sentences Three to Death Over Church Mass Shooting
A Jordanian court on Sunday sentenced three gunmen to death for a terrorist attack on a church funeral procession in the village of Hamoud last month. The attack on a Greek Orthodox church killed nine people and injured 34 others.
The attack prompted retaliatory strikes on “terrorist organisations” in neighbouring Syria.
SpaceX Starship Caught Midair by Launchpad Arms in First
SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft made a successful return to Earth on Saturday, completing its first-ever midair catch by giant mechanical arms at the launchpad in Texas after an aborted recovery attempt. SpaceX officials said the catch demonstrates Starship’s full reusability, which is crucial for rapid, low-cost recycling.
Beijing Weighs Russia Dilemma Amid Talk of Xi-Trump-Putin Summit
China is considering hosting a three-way summit between Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Shenzhen, according to reports. Beijing faces a dilemma as the optics are likely to favour Moscow, risking its image on the global stage.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the planned summit, saying “we think dialogue is a good thing,” even as European leaders expressed reservations. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged the US to work with Europe for peace in Ukraine, warning against major concessions.