Troubles aside, Xi says China on 'right side of history' December 31, 2022 at 03:06AM

Speaking on national television, Xi largely avoided directly addressing issues confronting the country, pointing instead to successes in agricultural production, poverty elimination and its hosting of the Winter Olympics in February. However, he later turned somewhat obliquely to the challenges facing the world's most populous country and second-largest economy, saying, “The world is not at peace.”

UK's problems won't go away in 2023: Rishi Sunak in New Year message December 31, 2022 at 02:34AM

Explosions ring out in Kyiv after missile warnings December 31, 2022 at 02:23AM

Afghan educator who quit over women ban in universities vows to fight December 30, 2022 at 11:27PM

Ismail Mashal, a lecturer in journalism for more than a decade at three universities in Kabul, shred his qualifications and resigned from the institutions after the ban was issued this month.

1,668 journalists killed worldwide in past 20 years: Media watchdog RSF December 30, 2022 at 11:06PM

​The annual death toll peaked in 2012 and 2013 with 144 and 142 journalists killed, respectively. These peaks, due in large measure to the war in Syria, were followed by a gradual fall and then historically low figures from 2019 onwards.

UK's problems won't go away in 2023, warns PM Rishi Sunak in New Year message December 30, 2022 at 11:18PM

Vatican: Benedict in stable condition, participated in Mass December 30, 2022 at 08:30AM

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was in stable condition Friday after suffering a decline in his health and participated in a private Mass in his room, the Vatican said, as the faithful in Rome honored "this last stretch of his pilgrimage."

Russia follows up day of bombardment with overnight drone attack December 30, 2022 at 05:22AM

Russia attacked Ukraine with 16 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight, Ukrainian officials said on Friday, a day after Moscow fired dozens of missiles in its latest barrage against critical infrastructure.

How US weapons are helping Ukraine in war against Russia December 30, 2022 at 12:26AM

President Joe Biden says the US will keep supplying Ukraine the weapons it needs to fight Russia for “as long as it takes.” Honoring that pledge is forcing the Pentagon and its NATO counterparts to change the way they do business.

Xi tells Putin that road to peace talks on Ukraine will not be smooth December 30, 2022 at 01:48AM

China's President Xi Jinping told Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday that Beijing and Moscow should closely coordinate and cooperate in international affairs, according to Chinese state media.Xi also told Putin in a video call that the road to peace talks on Ukraine would not be smooth and that China would continue to uphold its "objective and fair stance" on the issue, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Putin, Xi hail ties as Russia struggles with war in Ukraine December 30, 2022 at 12:26AM

Russia-China ties are the “best in history” and their strategic partnership is a “stabilizing factor” amid rising geopolitical tensions, the Russian president said in the video call. Russia would seek to strengthen military cooperation with China, Vladimir Putin said.

Russia-Ukraine war: Sirens wail in Kyiv as city hit by drone attack December 29, 2022 at 11:29PM

Residents of Kyiv were urged to head to air raid shelters early on Friday as sirens wailed across the city, a day after Russia carried out one of the biggest aerial assaults since it started the war in February. Ukraine's military said 16 Iranian-made Shahed drones were launched and all destroyed. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said 7 were aimed at city.

Global cold wave: Fog grips north India, snow storms in US, Canada December 29, 2022 at 12:36AM

The winter storm ravaged much of the United States (claiming 62 lives so far) and Canada through Christmas. Cold wave and cold day conditions are predicted to wallop parts of Delhi on New Year's eve and the winter chill would intensify further in early January, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said.

Israel swears in Netanyahu as PM of hard-line government December 29, 2022 at 05:30AM

Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn into office Thursday, taking the helm of the most right-wing and religiously conservative government in Israel’s history and vowing to implement policies that could cause domestic and regional turmoil and alienate the country’s closest allies.

Cambodian casino fire kills 19, dozens more missing December 29, 2022 at 02:43AM

At least 19 people were killed and up to 30 were missing after a huge fire tore through a casino-hotel complex in a Cambodian town on the Thai border, officials said on Thursday. About 400 employees and patrons were in the Grand Diamond City casino and hotel in the town of Poipet when the fire broke out around midnight, and up to 30 were still missing.

US approves $180 million anti-tank weapons sale to Taiwan December 28, 2022 at 11:30PM

No more optimistic about holding of general elections: Imran Khan December 28, 2022 at 11:16PM

Covid rules for travellers from China around the world December 28, 2022 at 11:04PM

Covid-19: Hong Kong asks Japan to drop airport bans, 60,000 travellers affected December 28, 2022 at 11:06PM

Japan, a top travel destination for those in Hong Kong, said it would limit flights from Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China to Tokyo's two airports, as well as Osaka and Nagoya, from Friday.The decision comes during a peak travel season ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday which begins on Jan. 21.

Mickey’s copyright adventure: Early Disney creation to be public property soon December 28, 2022 at 03:53PM

Chinese hospitals, funeral homes 'busy' as Covid spreads unchecked December 27, 2022 at 06:09PM

Chinese hospitals and funeral homes were under intense pressure on Wednesday as a surging Covid-19 wave drained resources, while the scale of the outbreak and doubts over official data prompted some countries to consider new travel rules on Chinese visitors. In an abrupt change of policy, China this month began dismantling the world's strictest Covid regime of lockdowns and extensive testing.

West Bank settlement expansion top priority for Netanyahu’s incoming hardline govt December 28, 2022 at 03:48PM

Terror attacks in Pakistan up since Taliban took over in Afghanistan: Report December 28, 2022 at 07:37AM

Blast injures four civilians in Afghanistan's Takhar province December 28, 2022 at 04:54AM

Four people were injured as a blast rocked Taluqan city, the capital of northern Takhar province on Wednesday, The Khaama Press reported on Wednesday. Taliban security commander Abdul Mubin Safi in Takhar confirmed the explosion and stated that a bomb was placed under a local administrative staff's desk. He said that four people have been severely injured.

Russia intensifies attacks on liberated Kherson, eastern Ukraine December 28, 2022 at 12:20AM

Bangladesh opens first metro line in traffic-choked capital Dhaka December 27, 2022 at 11:53PM

Top Putin aide visits Ukraine's Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant December 27, 2022 at 10:54PM

Ukraine fighting intensifies as Russia seeks to recapture lost cities December 27, 2022 at 09:13PM

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces says that Russia is attacking populated areas on the right bank of the Dnipro River near Kherson with mortars and artillery. Russia denies targeting civilians. Russian forces abandoned Kherson last month in one of Ukraine's most significant gains in the 11-month war.

4.7 and 5.3 magnitude earthquakes strike Baglung district of Nepal December 27, 2022 at 05:32PM

What’s Zelenskyy’s 10-point formula to end Ukraine war? December 27, 2022 at 04:43PM

Seoul military apologises for not downing North Korea drones December 26, 2022 at 11:32PM

South Korea's military apologised on Tuesday for failing to shoot down five North Korean drones that crossed their shared border after facing wide criticism over its lack of readiness. Monday's incursion prompted Seoul to fire warning shots and deploy fighter jets and attack helicopters to shoot down the drones, one of which flew close to the capital.

Russia says it shot down Ukrainian drone near airbase December 26, 2022 at 02:02AM

The Russian military reported on Monday that it shot down a Ukrainian drone approaching an airbase deep inside Russia, the second time the airbase has been targeted this month, raising questions about the effectiveness of Russia's air defences if drones can fly that far into the country.

Savage US blizzard leaves 32 dead, power outages, travel snarls December 26, 2022 at 01:33AM

A brutal winter storm that brought Christmas chaos to millions of Americans will be slow to dissipate, the US National Weather Service said Monday, after intense snow and frigid cold caused power outages, travel delays and at least 32 deaths across the eastern part of the country. "Much of the eastern United States will remain in a deep freeze through Monday before a moderating trend sets in on Tuesday," the NWS said in its latest advisory.

Final verdicts in Suu Kyi junta trial set for Friday December 25, 2022 at 11:08PM

Aung San Suu Kyi has been a prisoner since the military toppled her government in February last year, ending the Southeast Asian nation's brief period of democracy. The Nobel laureate, 77, has already been found guilty on 14 charges ranging from corruption to illegally importing walkie-talkies and breaching the Official Secrets Act, and has been jailed for 26 years.

All missing people found alive after Austrian avalanche December 25, 2022 at 11:08PM

The last two people unaccounted for after an avalanche in the Lech/Zuers skiing area in western Austria contacted authorities late on Sunday, and a search and rescue operation was suspended, the Austrian Press Agency (APA) reported on Monday.

South Korea fires warning shots after North drones cross border December 25, 2022 at 10:55PM

Heavy snow in Japan leaves 17 dead, dozens injured December 25, 2022 at 10:33PM

Powerful winter fronts have dumped heavy snow in northern regions since last week, stranding hundreds of vehicles on highways, delaying delivery services and causing 11 deaths by Saturday. More snowfall over the Christmas weekend brought the number of dead to 17 and injured to 93 by Monday morning, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' set to become Nepal's next PM December 25, 2022 at 01:16AM

Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday appointed CPN-Maoist Centre chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' as the new Prime Minister.

World is starving for peace, Pope Francis says in Christmas message December 25, 2022 at 01:23AM

Pope Francis called for an end to the war in Ukraine and other conflicts in his Christmas message on Sunday, saying the world was suffering from a "famine of peace".

At least two killed in Spain after bus plunges into river December 25, 2022 at 12:43AM

At least two people died overnight after a bus plunged into a river while crossing a bridge in Spain's northwestern Galicia region, the emergency services said Sunday.

Putin says Russia ready to negotiate over Ukraine December 25, 2022 at 12:11AM

"We are ready to negotiate with everyone involved about acceptable solutions, but that is up to them - we are not the ones refusing to negotiate, they are," Putin told Rossiya 1 state television in an interview aired on Sunday. Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has triggered the most deadly conflict in Europe since World War Two and the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

Pakistan Taliban kills 6 security personnel in multiple attacks in Balochistan December 25, 2022 at 12:14AM

Smoking laptop forces plane evacuation at New York Airport December 24, 2022 at 11:18PM

The crew of JetBlue Flight 662 reported the smoking computer in the cabin after landing on a flight from Barbados around 8 p.m., WABC-TV reported.

Kurds, anti-racism groups gather after deadly Paris shooting December 24, 2022 at 03:38PM

Members of France's Kurdish community and anti-racism activists joined together in mourning and anger on Saturday in Paris after three people were killed at a Kurdish cultural center in an attack that prosecutors say was racially motivated. The shooting in a bustling neighborhood of central Paris also wounded three people, and stirred up concerns about hate crimes against minority groups at a time when far-right voices have gained prominence in France and around Europe in recent years.

From Biden to Pope Francis, world leaders wish 'Merry Christmas' December 24, 2022 at 04:07PM

18 die as monster storm brings rain, snow, cold across US December 24, 2022 at 03:21PM

A frigid winter storm killed at least 18 people as it swept across the country, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses and leaving millions of people on edge about the possibility of Christmas Eve blackouts. The storm unleashed its full fury on Buffalo, New York, with hurricane-force winds causing whiteout conditions. Emergency response efforts were paralysed and the city's international airport was shut down.

Truck with liquified gas explodes in South Africa, 8 killed December 24, 2022 at 05:42AM

Bethlehem rebounds from pandemic, lifting Christmas spirits December 24, 2022 at 05:06AM

20 dead in fire at Russian nursing home December 23, 2022 at 10:57PM

Russia's emergencies ministry said Saturday that 20 people were killed in a fire at a nursing home in the Siberian city of Kemerovo. The fire broke out before dawn in the two-story wooden building in the city 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) east of Moscow.

2 dead, 2 critical after shooting in central Paris December 23, 2022 at 01:44AM

Three died and four people were wounded, including two critically, after shooting in the vicinity of a Kurdish cultural centre in central Paris, French officials said on Friday.