Sunday, December 22

World News

Gunmen Kill Policeman Guarding Polio Vaccinators In Pakistan
World News

Gunmen Kill Policeman Guarding Polio Vaccinators In Pakistan

Gunmen shot and killed a policeman deployed as a security detail for polio vaccinators in north-western Pakistan on Tuesday, in yet another attack on health workers. The country struggled to contain the spread of the crippling disease. Another policeman was wounded in the attack that took place in Orakzai district of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bordering Afghanistan, a local police officer said. Police said that at least three militants behind the attack were chased and killed by the security forces. The latest attack came on the second day of a nationwide vaccination campaign targeting 45 million children under five. The country, which had only six cases last year, has so far reported 41 new cases of polio. Officials say that tens of thousands of children missed ...
Israeli Airstrike Destroys Weapons Depot In Syria’s Jableh City
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Israeli Airstrike Destroys Weapons Depot In Syria’s Jableh City

An Israeli drone attack targeted and destroyed a weapons depot in the coastal Syrian city of Jableh before daybreak Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. The attack carried out via drones and warplane missiles levelled the depot and caused massive explosions heard from long distances, said the UK-based watchdog group. It added that the Syrian air defences and Russian forces responded to the attack within 40 to 50 minutes. The depot is situated near the Hmeimim Air Base, the largest Russian air base in Syria, located in the northwestern province of Latakia. No immediate reports of casualties have been reported. While there was no official confirmation, the pro-government Sham FM radio said the sounds heard in the skies over Jableh were the air defences ...
Hundreds Protest Near U.S. Embassy In Iraq After Nasrallah’s Killing
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Hundreds Protest Near U.S. Embassy In Iraq After Nasrallah’s Killing

Following the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, hundreds of supporters of Shiite parties demonstrated in Iraq on Saturday. Gathering in Baghdad at the entrance to the so-called Green Zone, where the U.S. embassy and government buildings are situated, they carried Iraqi and Lebanese flags as well as photos of the slain secretary general of the Lebanese Shiite militia, eyewitnesses reported. In their slogans, they demanded retaliation against Israel. Security forces cordoned off the area to prevent a storming of the Green Zone. The news website Rudaw published footage showing security forces using water cannons to try to push the crowd back. Iranian-supported Shiite parties and militias have significant influence in Iraq. The ...
Trump, Harris Face Pivotal Debate As Election Day Draws Near
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Trump, Harris Face Pivotal Debate As Election Day Draws Near

Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris will meet on Tuesday to debate a phenomenon that may prove pivotal in their pitched battle for the White House.The ABC News-hosted debate at 9:00 p.m. ET (0100 GMT on Wednesday) takes place just eight weeks before the November 5 election, with both candidates locked in a tight race that could still easily swing in either direction. Early voting will start in some states just days after the debate. The encounter is particularly important for Ms Harris, with opinion polls showing that more than a quarter of likely voters feel they do not yet know enough about her, in contrast to the well-known Mr Trump. The nationally televised debate also offers Ms Harris, a former prosecutor, a chance to ...
Iran Condemns U.S. Seizure Of Venezuelan Presidential Plane As Illegal
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Iran Condemns U.S. Seizure Of Venezuelan Presidential Plane As Illegal

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Thursday condemned the U.S. seizure of a plane used by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, calling it a violation of international law. The U.S. Justice Department announced on Monday it had seized a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft in the Dominican Republic, which it said was owned by and operated for Maduro and his associates. Mr Kanaani said the action was unacceptable and contravened international norms, including the Convention on International Civil Aviation. He added that the move represents a continuation of U.S. coercive measures against other countries and could undermine aviation security. Mr Kanaani expressed Iran’s support for Venezuela’s efforts to protect and reclaim its public property, calling for increased co...
Bangladesh PM Resigns, Flees Country Amid Violent Protests
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Bangladesh PM Resigns, Flees Country Amid Violent Protests

An aide told Al Jazeera that Hasina, 76, boarded a military helicopter alongside her sister and fled after crowds ignored a nationwide curfew to besiege the prime minister’s palace in Dhaka, the country’s capital, on Monday. Images showed flames billowing from vehicles near Hasina’s home, with police unable to contain throngs of people marching towards the neighborhood. After news of her resignation broke, thousands took to the streets of Dhaka in celebration. She was in power for a combined 20 years. The demonstrations which began in July were triggered by students seeking an end to a quota system for government jobs. However, clashes with police and pro-government activists escalated. No fewer than 300 people have been reported dead since the protests began. On Sunday, ne...
U.S. Not Involved In Hamas Leader Haniyeh’s Killing, Says Blinken
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U.S. Not Involved In Hamas Leader Haniyeh’s Killing, Says Blinken

The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday via Channel News Asia that the U.S. was not involved in the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Mr Blinken, during a visit to Singapore, also reiterated the need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to reduce tensions in the Middle East, saying the U.S. would work on it until it’s achieved. He also said that the ceasefire was crucial not only to end the suffering of Palestinians in the region but also to bring the hostages home.
Sierra Leone Jails 11 former Soldiers, Police Officers Over Coup Attempt
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Sierra Leone Jails 11 former Soldiers, Police Officers Over Coup Attempt

A high court in Sierra Leone has sentenced 11 people including former soldiers and police officers to long prison terms for their roles in a failed military coup last year.Gunmen on Nov. 26 attacked military barracks, a prison and other locations in Sierra Leone, freeing about 2,200 inmates and killing more than 20 people. After the coup bid collapsed, 12 people were charged in January with treason. Late on Monday, 11 were convicted in a unanimous jury verdict on 20 counts including treason, murder and unauthorised use of military uniform. The other accused person, Bai Mahmoud Bangura from the opposition All People's Congress (APC) party, is being tried separately due to health issues.Amadu Koita Makalo, a retired army major and former bodyguard to ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma, re...
Trump: It Will Be Easier To Beat Kamala Harris Than Biden
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Trump: It Will Be Easier To Beat Kamala Harris Than Biden

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will try to show swing voters that his likely new rival, Vice-President Kamala Harris, has her fingerprints all over two issues he is counting on for victory in November: immigration and the cost of living.“Harris will be easier to beat than Joe Biden would have been,” Mr Trump told CNN shortly after Mr Biden’s announcement on Sunday. Sources within the Trump campaign said it would cast Ms Harris, the likely Democratic candidate after President Joe Biden quit the race on Sunday, as the “co-pilot” of administration policies, which it says are behind both sources of voter discontent. Mr Biden’s sudden exit and endorsement of Ms Harris upended the race just eight days after Mr Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally. ...
Again, One Killed As Kenyan Anti-Government Protests Intensify
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Again, One Killed As Kenyan Anti-Government Protests Intensify

At least one person was killed in renewed anti-government protests across Kenya on Tuesday, Reuters, said, as police clashed with demonstrators demanding that President William Ruto step down. Youth-led nationwide protests that broke out a month ago against proposed tax hikes have continued even after Mr Ruto withdrew the legislation and fired almost all of his cabinet. Activists say they want Mr Ruto to resign and calling for systemic changes to clean up corruption and address poor governance. At least 50 people have been killed in the protests till date, the government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said on Tuesday. In Kitengela, a town on the southern outskirts of the capital Nairobi, police fired repeatedly in the direction of hundreds of protesters, some...
Gunman Who Shot Donald Trump Identified As 20-Year-Old Thomas Matthew Crooks
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Gunman Who Shot Donald Trump Identified As 20-Year-Old Thomas Matthew Crooks

The gunman who attempted to assassinate former US president Donald Trump at a campaign in Pennsylvania on Saturday evening was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa, a village 40 miles south of where the Butler rally was held, New York Post reported citing sources. He was killed by Secret Service snipers and an AR-style rifle was later recovered. The motive of the attack that left Trump injured, killed one spectator and critically injured two others remains unclear, according to the Washington Post. Explore Crickit, your go-to platform to catch the game, anytime, anywhere. Click here!Crooks was planted on a roof of a manufacturing plant more than 130 yards away from the stage at Butler Farm Show grounds, New York Post reported citing sources. FBI ...
Donald Trump Escapes Assassination Attempt In Pennsylvania
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Donald Trump Escapes Assassination Attempt In Pennsylvania

Donald Trump has survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, where he was addressing supporters. The alleged shooter has been killed, along with at least one bystander, according to the Butler county district attorney. Two others are reported injured. Trump was bundled off stage by Secret Service agents five minutes into his speech. He raised his fist defiantly as he was led away to a waiting car, with blood dripping down his face. The former president later said he had been shot in the ear. A shooter has been “tentatively” identified but not yet confirmed, an FBI official said at a press briefing. The official added that the attack was being treated as an assassination attempt. Another video from the rally shows how witnesses tried to raise the alarm about the ...
Sudanese Police Order All Foreigners To Leave Khartoum
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Sudanese Police Order All Foreigners To Leave Khartoum

Sudanese security authorities have ordered all foreigners to leave the capital, Khartoum and the surrounding region. They have two weeks to do so, according to a statement from the section of the police dealing with foreigners. Foreigners should leave for their own safety amid the fighting still raging between government troops and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, the police said. According to media reports, hostility towards foreigners, especially those from other African countries, has been on the rise following reports of foreign mercenaries in the RSF ranks. Just a few days ago, more than 150 foreigners who did not have valid residence papers were detained. A bloody power struggle has been raging in Sudan for over a year between de facto ruler Abdel Fattah al-Bur...
Voting Begins For Iran’s 14th Presidential Election
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Voting Begins For Iran’s 14th Presidential Election

Voting for Iran’s 14th presidential election started at 8:00 a.m. (0430 GMT) on Friday after President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May. We start the elections” for the country’s 14th presidential elections, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said in a televised address. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei cast the first ballot at a polling station, and made a brief speech calling for the unity of the Iranian people during the election. Authorities estimate that over 61 million people are eligible to vote in the election, which will be held at close to 59,000 polling stations in more than 95 states. Iran’s 14th presidential election, initially set for 2025, was rescheduled following Raisi’s unexpected death. Six candidates were initially qualified to enter the rac...
30 Killed By ADF Rebels In Eastern DR Congo
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30 Killed By ADF Rebels In Eastern DR Congo

No fewer than 30 people were killed late Wednesday in an overnight attack blamed on Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels. The deaths occurred due to the recently launched series of deadly incursions into the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a military spokesman confirmed on Thursday. The DRC military spokesman for Beni Territory said ADF rebels launched an attack in the village of Mayikengo, Lubero Territory, North Kivu Province, Mak Hazukay, confirming the ADF’s first presence in Lubero Territory. According to local sources, most of the victims, women and children, were killed by machetes. This attack came days after several deadly incursions by ADF rebels into the neighbouring Beni Territory and killed 57 on June 3 to 8. This is according to the UN Office ...
Iran’s Ex-Foreign Minister Blames U.S. For President Raisi’s Death In Helicopter Crash
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Iran’s Ex-Foreign Minister Blames U.S. For President Raisi’s Death In Helicopter Crash

Erstwhile Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has blamed the United States for the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage. Mr Raisi and foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian died on Sunday after the helicopter suffered a hard landing due to bad weather in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province while returning from Khoda Afarin country to Tabriz. Mr Zarif, who offered his condolences over the death of Mr Raisi and other officials of the government, alleged that the death occurred because of the U.S. sanctions on Iran’s aviation industry. He stated, “One of the causes of this heartbreaking incident is the United States, which, by sanctioning the sale of the aviation industry to Iran, caused the martyrdom of the president and his companions, an...
Israel Rejects Genocide Accusation Before UN Court
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Israel Rejects Genocide Accusation Before UN Court

Israel has rejected accusations of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, arguing before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that its military operations in the city of Rafah were self-defence. The case brought by South Africa was a “distortion of reality,” the head of Israel’s delegation, Gilad Noam, said on Friday in the courtroom in the Peace Palace in The Hague. South Africa was abusing international law in a “despicable and cynical manner,” according to Mr Noam. At the end of the hearing, one of Israel’s legal representatives was interrupted as a woman shouted “liar” before being led out by security staff. As part of its genocide complaint, South Africa is calling in an urgent appeal for the top UN court to order Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The ICJ mu...
U.S. 3,500 Bomb Delivery To Israel Halted Over Rafah Operation
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U.S. 3,500 Bomb Delivery To Israel Halted Over Rafah Operation

The U.S. arms deliveries to Israel that were halted last week amid mounting concerns over Israel’s operation in the Gaza Strip’s city of Rafah included 1,800 2,000-pound (907-kilogram) bombs, a senior U.S. official. The Axios news website, which reported this, cited the senior U.S. official saying that 1,700 500-pound bombs were among the arms deliveries that were halted. Recently, the United States has been engaged in a dialogue with Israel, with the U.S. seeking clarity on how the humanitarian needs of people would be met in Rafah in the event of the operation, the official said. As the decision on the offensive in Gaza’s southernmost city was mulled by Israeli authorities, the U.S. started to review transfers of weapons that could be potentially used there, eventually putting ...
Chair Cardin Statement Marking One Year Since Onset of Civil War In Sudan
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Chair Cardin Statement Marking One Year Since Onset of Civil War In Sudan

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement marking one year since the beginning of the civil war in Sudan. “Today marks the solemn first anniversary of the brutal civil war that continues to tear Sudan apart, a conflict marked by war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and potentially even genocide. I stand with the Sudanese people, who by the sheer power of peaceful resistance, pressed for the handover of power from a dictatorial regime to ‘mandania’ – the people. Now, amid the rubble and heartbreak of war, these same patriots are bravely providing a lifeline to their brothers and sisters, putting their own lives and scarce resources on the line. Their actions speak far louder than words to remind the world, and ...
Israel Says More Militants Killed In Gaza City Hospital Offensive
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Israel Says More Militants Killed In Gaza City Hospital Offensive

The Israeli army offensive on Gaza City’s al-Shifa hospital has led to further militant deaths, the military reported on Thursday. Over the past day, more than 50 terrorists were eliminated during exchanges of fire,” the military said, adding that more than 140 militants had been eliminated in the area of the hospital since the start of the operation a few days ago. Israeli forces had also found weapons storage facilities, they said. According to the military, civilians, patients, doctors, and medical equipment were not harmed. None of the information could initially be independently verified. Israeli troops entered the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Monday to take action against Hamas and its infrastructure. According to the army, two Israeli s...