Migrants from southern Mexico's dispersed caravan pin hopes on permits January 04, 2024 at 02:29AM

Thousands from a migrant caravan dispersed as they boarded buses to processing centers in Huixtla near Tapachula to apply for travel permits. Mexican authorities may provide free transit through Mexico for a year and then travel to the US border. Some migrants were waiting for buses in Mapastepec, hoping to obtain humanitarian passes and work permits. More than half a million migrants crossed the dangerous Darien Gap into Central America in 2023, fleeing poverty, crime, and conflict.

Iran vows revenge after biggest attack since 1979 revolution January 04, 2024 at 12:26AM

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards and First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber vowed revenge on Thursday for explosions that killed nearly 100 people at a ceremony to commemorate top commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone in 2020 in Iraq. "A very strong retaliation will be handed to them on the hands of the soldiers of Soleimani," Mokhber told reporters at a hospital were some of the wounded were receiving treatment for the bloodiest attack since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iran revises down blasts death toll to 84 January 04, 2024 at 12:17AM

Iranian authorities on Thursday said twin blasts in the country's south killed 84 people the previous day, revising down an earlier toll from the explosions at a top general's commemoration. The revised death toll was also confirmed by the head of Iran's emergency services, Jafar Miadfar, who said the earlier tally of 95 killed was due to the fact that some bodies had been dismembered and counted "several times". Miadfar said 284 had been injured in what authorities labelled a "terrorist attack".