World
- WorldNBC News
20 years after a devastating tsunami, a survivor celebrates what the disaster has given him
The Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami began with a 9.3-magnitude earthquake. A series of waves devastated coastal communities in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand.
6 min read - WorldAFP
Video shows 2018 Chinese theme park Halloween prop, not 'torture' of Hindus in Bangladesh
Religious tensions in Muslim-majority Bangladesh have run high in the aftermath of autocratic leader Sheikh Hasina's toppling and its minority Hindu community has faced attacks for their perceived support of her administration. However, a video that surfaced in neighbouring India does not show a Hindu person being roasted on a spit -- the footage shows a Chinese theme park's Halloween prop from 2018.
3 min read - WorldBBC
Illegal trade booms in South Africa's 'super-strange looking' plants
A biodiversity hotspot has become the stomping ground of poachers.
6 min read - EntertainmentBBC
Boxing Day Tsunami: An elephant took me to safety
Amber Mason says she was caught up in the Thailand tsunami 20 years ago, aged eight.
3 min read - WorldAssociated Press
This Somali migrant watched others around her die at sea. But she wants to try again for Europe
Idil Abdullahi Goley’s journey seeking a better life in Europe started in Somalia with a $6,500 payment to local smugglers. It ended a month later with fellow migrants around her dying at sea, one of them screaming and reciting the Muslim profession of faith. The deaths of 25 migrants last month in boats off the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar brought to light yet another route that some in Africa are taking in dangerous bids for Europe.
4 min read - WorldAFP
Nepal hosts hot air balloon festival
With Nepal's snowy Himalayan peaks as a backdrop, the sky above Pokhara transformed into a vibrant canvas of colours for the country's first hot-air balloon festival."We felt that we must bring a balloon festival like this to Nepal," Sabin Maharjan, an organiser of the event, told AFP. Hot-air balloons from more than 10 countries participated in the festival.
2 min read - WorldAFP
Video shows mosque demolition documentary screening in India, not Bangladesh
As Muslim-majority Bangladesh saw a spate of reprisal attacks against its minority Hindu community, a video was shared online with a false claim that it shows the screening of a documentary in the country about the destruction of a centuries-old mosque in neighbouring India. A member of the political party that hosted the event told AFP it was actually held in India to mark 32 years since the mosque was destroyed.
3 min read - USWBRE
Celebrating first night of Hanukkah in Wilkes-Barre
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Wednesday marked the first night of Hanukkah, the Jewish holiday celebrating a historic victory of light over darkness. At Wednesday’s 48th Annual Christmas Together event in Luzerne County, members of nearby Temple Israel Wilkes-Barre gathered to play music for guests to enjoy. They played a variety of traditional Jewish songs. […]
1 min read - SciencePeople
Scientists Discover 27 New Species in Densely Populated Area Packed with 'Mystery' Animals
Conservation International's expedition in Peru's Alto Mayo Landscape unearthed dozens of species new to science
4 min read - WorldBBC
Hundreds escape Mozambique prison amid election protests
The prisoners took advantage of ongoing political unrest triggered by disputed poll results, police say.
2 min read - WorldThe Hill
Taliban claims Pakistani airstrikes killed 46
A Taliban government official said the airstrikes Pakistan launched on Afghanistan Tuesday killed 46 people, including women and children, according to The Associated Press. Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesperson for the Afghan government, said the strikes hit four locations in the district of Barmal. Pakistani security officials told the AP their mission was to kill…
1 min read - WorldNBC News
Dozens killed as passenger plane crashes in Kazakhstan
Dozens were killed Wednesday when a passenger plane carrying 67 people from Azerbaijan to Russia crashed in Kazakhstan, authorities said.
2 min read - WorldRolling Stone
‘Inhuman’: Russia’s Christmas Day Attack Knocks Out Power Across Ukraine
Russia launched a major drone and missile assault that led to power cuts and outages across Ukraine over the holiday
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Zelensky reports blackouts amid 'inhumane' Russian Christmas attack
Ukraine is experiencing power outages in several regions following a massive Russian aerial assault launched earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X on Wednesday. Zelensky said Ukraine was attacked by more than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, as well as 100 drones on Christmas Day, targeting the country's energy infrastructure. "Today, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?" Zelensky wrot
3 min read - Worlddpa international
Fierce battles over eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk
Russian attackers and Ukrainian defenders have once again engaged in fierce battles over the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine. The General Staff in Kiev said in its Wednesday evening situation report that 35 Russian attacks were reported around the city on the edge of the Donbass during the course of the day. "Three Russian armies are concentrated here against us," regional commander Viktor Trehubov was quoted by the news agency UNIAN as saying. He stated, "The battles
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Israeli Air Force Chief vows tougher response to Houthi attacks
Following another rocket attack on the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, Israeli Air Force chief General Tomer Bar has announced tougher counter-attacks on the Houthi militia in Yemen. Bar stated at a ceremony at the Hatzerim air base in the Negev Desert in southern Israel on Wednesday that they have already attacked the Houthis three times. He said, "We will continue to increase the frequency and intensity of the attacks as needed." According to military reports from Wednesday, Israeli air defences i
1 min read - USINSIDER
Human error blamed for Tokyo plane collision that killed 5
The Japan Transport Safety Board released a report on Wednesday addressing the January 2 collision at Tokyo's Haneda Airport.
2 min read - WorldBBC
Pope urges negotiations to end Ukraine-Russia war
The pontiff also called for a ceasefire in Gaza and the freeing of hostages held by Hamas.
2 min read - ScienceInteresting Engineering
500-million-year-old Ecdysozoan fossil embryos found in China are older than dinosaurs
Scientists in China have just dug up 500-million-year-old embryos that will help us understand the developmental biology of ancient organisms.
4 min read - USFox News
Russia being blamed for Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed hundreds of miles off course, killing dozens
An Azerbaijan Airlines flight from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to Russia crashed, hospitalizing survivors while dozens are feared dead.
3 min read - USFox News
Azerbaijan Airlines plane headed to Russia crashes hundreds of miles off course, dozens dead
An Azerbaijan Airlines flight from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to Russia crashed, hospitalizing survivors while dozens are feared dead.
2 min read - WorldThe Hill
Zelensky condemns Putin for ‘inhumane’ Christmas Day attack
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia’s President Vladimir Putin for greenlighting an “inhumane” Christmas Day attack, including missiles and drones, that damaged Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and left thousands with power outages. “Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack,” Zelensky said in a Wednesday post on social platform X. “What could be more inhumane? Over…
2 min read - USAssociated Press
The organizer of a Christmas fair in southern Mexico is assassinated at his holiday event
The organizer of a Christmas fair in southern Mexico was assassinated at his city’s holiday event, authorities said late Tuesday. The governor of the southern state of Guerrero said gunmen killed the organizer of the annual Christmas and New Year's fair in the state capital of Chilpancingo. Gov. Evelyn Salgado called the Christmas Eve killing of Martín Ramírez Ruíz “an unacceptable act that will not go unpunished.”
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Pope calls for 'weapons to be silenced' in Christmas Day address
Pope Francis has issued an urgent appeal for peace during his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" address on Christmas Day, calling on "all people, all peoples and nations" to "silence the weapons and overcome divisions." Addressing the faithful gathered in St Peter's Square in Rome at the culmination of the Christmas celebrations, the 88-year-old pontiff made particular mention of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. "Let there be silence of the weapons in martyred Ukraine," Francis said from the ba
2 min read - WorldInteresting Engineering
China claims ‘world record’ with powerful 58,000-ton polar-ready cargo ship
Named Fan Zhou 8, China's giant cargo ship has an unprecedented carrying capacity of 58,000 tons.
3 min read - ScienceInteresting Engineering
Oxygen control retains 84% power in lithium batteries even after 700 cycles
Researchers from Korea have come up with an interesting way to extend the lifespan of the lithium ion battery.
3 min read - Worlddpa international
Germany's ex-finance minister calls for Syrians to return home
Former German finance minister Christian Lindner has called for Syrian refugees in Germany to return to their home country after the sudden fall of long-time leader Bashar al-Assad. "For those people who came to us from Syria because of the civil war, returning home must be the rule," the leader of the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) told dpa in Berlin. "Those who want to stay can apply for permanent residency under our immigration law," he said. Lindner said remaining in Germany must be tie
3 min read - BusinessTipRanks
SpaceX, Amazon in discussions with IAG SA on Wi-Fi deal, Bloomberg says
IAG SA, which owns British Airways, Spain’s Iberia, and Ireland’s Aer Lingus, is in discussions with Elon Musk’s Starlink to outfit its jet fleet with Wi-Fi service, Kate Duffy of Bloomberg reports. The company has not yet made a final decision and is weighing options with several providers, including Amazon’s Project Kuiper, Annalisa Gigante, the airline group’s head of innovation, told Bloomberg in an interview. Published first on TheFly – the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving break
1 min read - WorldINSIDER
Putin 'deliberately' chose Christmas Day for a massive bombardment of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, Zelenskyy says
A huge bombardment of energy infrastructure that has knocked out power in parts of Ukraine was deliberately planned for Christmas Day, Zelenskyy said.
3 min read - WorldThe Cool Down
Experts sound alarm over joint action by China and Russia in Antarctica: 'Most concerning'
"Other countries could decide that Russia and China's behaviors mean they would have to start implementing decisions among themselves."
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Zelensky reports blackouts amid Russian 'inhumane' Christmas attack
Ukraine is experiencing power outages in several regions following a massive Russian aerial assault launched earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X on Wednesday. Zelensky said Ukraine was attacked by more than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, as well as 100 drones on Christmas Day, targeting the country's energy infrastructure. "Today, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane?" Zelensky wrot
1 min read - WorldBBC
Kent sends 56,000 gift boxes to children globally
Tonbridge volunteers send boxes to Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Initial data shows fewer cash machine explosions in Germany in 2024
The crime of exploding a cash machine to steal its contents had been on the rise in Germany, but police and legal authorities say effective coordination in 2024 has managed to reduce those incidences. The data, published on Wednesday, comes from a survey conducted by dpa among state criminal police offices. The problem had grown larger in recent years, reaching a record level since the data started to be recorded in 2005 of 496 such incidents in 2022. That dropped to 461 cases in 2023. Overall f
3 min read - LifestyleBBC
'This Christmas I'll be counting penguins'
Staff working out in the wilds of Antarctica share their Christmas Day plans.
5 min read - USAFP
Thousands attend Christmas charity dinner in Buenos Aires
Some 3,000 homeless people sat down for a festive Christmas charity dinner on Tuesday in the center of Buenos Aires, at a time when more than half of Argentina's population is affected by poverty, one year into ultra-liberal Javier Milei's term in office.According to the INDEC government statistics agency, in the first half of the year poverty jumped 11 points and reached 52.9 percent, 18.1 percent of whom are homeless.
2 min read - USKLAS articles
How the Las Vegas Jewish community is celebrating Hanukkah amidst Hamas attacks 1 year later
In a calendar rarity, Hanukkah starts this year on Christmas Day and while a time for celebration, many in the Jewish community are still reeling from the impacts of the Hamas attacks.
2 min read - WorldWHBF Davenport
Hanukkah begins Wednesday; QC Jewish leader hopes for ‘more light, less darkness’
Peace in the Middle East is on the mind of a local Jewish leader before Hanukkah begins Wednesday night. The Jewish Festival of Lights commemorates the re-dedication of the second temple after the recovery of Jerusalem in the Second Century. Each night for eight nights, Jews light an additional candle on a Menorah. A member […]
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Israel targets Gaza hospital as lawmakers extend state of emergency
The Israeli military on Tuesday reportedly ordered the evacuation of a hospital in the contested northern Gaza Strip, as the Israeli parliament voted to extend the state of emergency in the country for another year. Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that patients had to leave the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia and that Israeli forces were besieging the facility. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they had "conducted and completed a limited operation against terrorist operatives and infr
4 min read - BusinessReuters
Colombia minimum wage to increase 9.54% to $323 per month in 2025
BOGOTA (Reuters) -Colombia's minimum wage will increase by 9.54% in 2025, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro said on Tuesday, announcing the hike by decree after a deal was not reached between the government, business associations and workers unions. The minimum wage in 2025 will rise to 1.4 million pesos ($323.90) per month, Petro said, up from 1.3 million pesos per month this year. At the end of 2023, the government announced the minimum wage for 2024 would increase by 12%.
1 min read - USdpa international
Man causes alarm in German city centre with plastic gun
With Germany on edge after the attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg, a man with a gun caused alarm in the northern city of Hamelin on Tuesday. The 23-year-old man was reportedly walking through a busy pedestrian zone in the city centre with a plastic gun, said a police spokeswoman. The area was also the location of Hamelin's Christmas market, although it was closed at the time. The man did not threaten anyone, and there was no specific danger, but the toy gun appeared like a real weapon. Po
1 min read - WorldCBS News
2,600-year-old shipwreck is raised from waters off Spain
An ancient shipwreck that dates back to the 7th century B.C.E. has been removed from waters off Spain, two decades after its discovery in 1994.
2 min read - WorldBBC
Mozambique's opposition leader vows to install himself as president
Venâncio Mondlane has rejected his electoral defeat, as unrest spreads in the southern African state.
3 min read - BusinessAutoblog
Audi factory scheduled to close, and these models are going with it
Germany's automakers aren't out of the woods yet, with financial issues stemming from China causing Audi and VW to reexamine their production facility needs.
3 min read - BusinessTom's Hardware
South Korea mulls creating 'KSMC' contract chipmaker to compete with TSMC, requires a $13.9 billion investment
South Korea wants to replicate Taiwan's success by establishing KSMC, a government-funded chipmaker.
3 min read - Worlddpa international
Death toll from Cyclone Chido in Mozambique climbs to 120
The death toll from Cyclone Chido in Mozambique has risen to at least 120, authorities said on Tuesday. The cyclone caused huge damage to the French territory of Mayotte before making landfall in Mozambique on December 15 with speeds of up to 240 kilometres per hour. The country's civil protection authority said on Facebook that 110 people died in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, while 868 people were injured nationwide. In total, almost 688,000 people are thought to have been affected by
2 min read - BusinessTipRanks
Marriott in pact to introduce Ritz-Carlton to Xiamen Island in Fujian Province
Marriott (MAR) International announced the signing of an agreement with Xiamen Green Development Investment Group to introduce The Ritz-Carlton to Xiamen Island in Fujian Province. “We are excited to bring The Ritz-Carlton to Xiamen, offering guests the opportunity to indulge in our legendary luxury services and transformative experiences in this dynamic coastal city,” said Gavin Yu, Chief Development Officer, Greater China, Marriott International. “The signing underscores our unwavering dedicat
1 min read - USNBC News
Meet the Grinch who stole Christmas ... from alleged drug dealers
The Grinch is not just stealing Christmas this year, he's busting criminals in Peru as well.
2 min read - BusinessInteresting Engineering
China unveils first 1,450 ton carrying capacity hydrogen-powered container ship
In a boost to hydrogen-powered maritime trade, China plans to deploy a container ship on an inland route by 2025.
3 min read - WorldBBC
Sudan slides deeper into famine, experts say
Famine has spread to five areas in the war-hit country, a UN-backed group says.
2 min read - WorldINSIDER
A Russian cargo ship that may have been part of an evacuation run to Syria sank
The Ursa Major ship went down after an explosion in the engine room, Russia's foreign ministry said.
2 min read
