Fatal North Macedonia nightclub inferno sparks outrage, disbelief and calls for punishment

KOCANI, North Macedonia (AP) — North Macedonia’s leaders are vowing to hold those responsible to account after a nightclub fire in the eastern town of Kocani left 59 people dead and 155 injured. The inferno, sparked by stage pyrotechnics during a live concert, swept through the overcrowded venue, exposing safety violations and alleged corruption. Authorities have detained 15 people and ordered a nationwide review of entertainment venue licenses. People as young as 16 were among the dead, and the toll may still rise. President Gordana Davkova Siljanovska pledged justice as the country observed a week of national mourning.

M23 rebels withdraw from planned talks with Congo government

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The Rwanda-backed rebels who captured key areas of Congo’s mineral-rich east said Monday they were withdrawing from peace talks this week with the Congolese government, saying that international sanctions on the group’s members have undermined such dialogue. The talks scheduled to start in the Angolan capital, Luanda, on Tuesday “have become impracticable” as a result of the sanctions announced by the European Union against some of its members on Monday, M23 rebel group’s spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka said in a statement. Alleged offensives still being carried out in the conflict-hit region by Congo’s military also undermine the talks, he said. Congo’s government, after initially rejecting such talks, said Monday that it would participate in the dialogue in Angola.

Canada’s Carney meets with European allies

LONDON (AP) — New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was meeting with the leaders of Britain and France on Monday during his first official overseas trip. He seeks support from two of Ottawa’s oldest allies as U.S. President Donald Trump targets Canada’s sovereignty and economy. Canadians have criticized the leaders of the two countries that founded Canada for their muted response to Trump’s attacks. Trump has imposed whopping tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and repeatedly commented on turning Canada into the 51st state. Carney has said he doesn’t plan to visit Washington at the moment but hopes to have a call with Trump soon.

Trump warns Iran it will face ‘consequences’ of further attacks from Houthi rebels

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump has explicitly linked the actions of Yemen’s Houthi rebels to the group’s main benefactor, Iran. He’s warning Tehran that it would “suffer the consequences” for further attacks by the group. The comments Monday by Trump on his Truth Social website further escalate his administration’s new campaign of airstrikes targeting the rebels, which killed at least 53 people this weekend alone and appear poised to continue. Meanwhile, Iran continues to weigh how to respond to a letter Trump sent them last week trying to jump-start negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.