BBC: Heavy rain storms across large parts of California triggered floods and mudslides and left three dead as of Christmas night, according to local officials. The storms – which were expected to continue through Friday – brought 11 inches (27 cms) of rainfall to some parts of Los Angeles County, prompted evacuations and shut down […]
BBC: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has given a positive assessment of a conversation he had with US envoys on how to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Zelensky said Thursday’s call with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, which lasted nearly an hour, had yielded “new ideas in terms of formats, meetings, and… timing on how to bring […]
BBC: Turkish authorities say they have disrupted planned attacks on Christmas and New Year’s events after arresting more than 100 suspected members of the so-called Islamic State group. Mass raids were carried out at 124 addresses across Istanbul, the capital’s chief prosecutor said, with firearms, ammunition and “organisational documents” seized. Officials said IS supporters had […]
BBC: Tarique Rahman, the front-runner to be the next prime minister of Bangladesh, has returned to the country after 17 years in exile ahead of landmark general elections. The 60-year-old is the figurehead of the influential Zia family and the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia. The party he leads, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party […]
Al Jazeera: Fourteen countries, including Britain, Canada, Denmark and France, have condemned Israel’s approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying the move was illegal and jeopardised the Gaza ceasefire and “long-term peace and security across the region”. The countries said Israel’s actions “violate international law” and risked undermining the fragile truce in Gaza […]
CNN: North Korea on Thursday released new images of what it claims is its first nuclear-powered submarine, a massive vessel equal in size to some of the United States Navy’s attack subs. The pictures released by state media showed leader Kim Jong Un inspecting the guided-missile submarine at an indoor construction facility, indicating it has […]
BBC: At least five people have been killed in a bomb explosion in a packed mosque in Nigeria’s north-eastern Borno state, a police spokesman has said. Nahum Daso told local media another 35 people were injured in the blast in the Gamboru market of Maiduguri, the state capital, during evening prayers. Unverified footage on social […]
BBC: Eleven suspects have been arrested in connection with a mass shooting that left nine people dead at a tavern in South Africa on Sunday. Police launched a manhunt for the 12 unidentified gunmen who had opened fire at patrons at around 01:00 local time (23:00 GMT Saturday) in the Bekkersdal establishment, near Johannesburg. On Wednesday, provincial […]
(Reuters) BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH, Dec 24 (Reuters) – Military officials from Thailand and Cambodia began talks on Wednesday, both countries said, days after the neighbours agreed to discuss resumption of a ceasefire after 16 days of fierce border clashes that have killed at least 86 people. The talks come two days after a special meeting in […]
(Reuters) DHAKA, Dec 24 – The Bangladesh Nationalist Party aims to gather five million supporters to welcome its leader Tarique Rahman home from nearly 17 years in exile on Thursday, a show of strength as he emerges as a leading contender for prime minister in February elections. Rahman, 60, is the son of ailing former […]