Skip to main content
Donate to the 95 years appeal
World in brief: March 20, 2025
Coffins are placed next to the graves as people gather at a cemetery for the funeral ceremony of the victims of a massive nightclub fire in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia, March 20, 2025

BRAZIL: Federal police raided the homes of suspected smugglers today who authorities say have brought in 2,000 assault rifles from Miami to supply a criminal organisation in Rio de Janeiro.

Police said they carried out 14 search and seizure warrants in Rio de Janeiro. One man was arrested after shooting at an officer when police attempted to enter his home for the search, they said.

Courts also froze 50 million Brazilian reals (£6.8m) in assets belonging to the group under investigation.

NORTH MACEDONIA: Funeral services were held across North Macedonia today for dozens of victims of last weekend’s devastating nightclub fire, as grieving communities gathered for burials.

The March 16 fire claimed 59 lives, mostly young people, including several members of pop band DNA, who were performing when flames engulfed the venue in the eastern town of Kocani. 

CHINA: Beijing demanded protections for Chinese students in the United States today after a congressional panel asked six US universities to hand over detailed information on their Chinese students, citing national security concerns.

A letter sent to the universities, including Stanford and Carnegie Mellon, alleged that the Chinese government was embedding researchers in top US institutions to gain direct access to sensitive technologies.

SLOVAKIA: A fire that hit a poor Roma settlement in eastern Slovakia has killed five people, four of them children, officials said today.

The town hall in Velky Saris said the fire, which broke out shortly before midnight, destroyed eight houses where 30 people lived.

The cause had not been identified as the Star went to press.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
Similar stories
World / 5 April 2025
5 April 2025
Snippets of news from around the globe
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, sp
World / 19 March 2025
19 March 2025
In this photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Hel
World / 16 March 2025
16 March 2025
Police and forensics gather near the crime scene in Daruvar,
22 July 2024
22 July 2024