Friday, 17 Jan, 2025

International

Biden to ask for approval for $1.1bn arms sale to Taiwan: Report

United States President Joe Biden plans to ask Congress to approve an estimated $1.1bn arms sale to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, including 60 anti-ship missiles and 100 air-to-air missiles, according to Politico. The package, which is still in an early stage, includes 60 AGM-84L

Pakistan floods to cost over $10bn, says minister 

Pakistan's planning minister says early estimates show the devastating floods that hit the country have caused at least $10bn (£8.5bn) of damage. His comment comes as another government minister said that one-third of the South Asian nation has been submerged. Separately

IAEA chief says mission to big Ukraine nuclear plant on way

The United Nations nuclear watchdog on Monday injected a ray of hope in the standoff over the beleaguered Zaporizhzhia atomic power plant, announcing that its mission of top experts “is now on its way” to the facility, which has seen relentless shelling as a focal point in the

6 killed in US in separate shootings in USA

Police in the US city of Detroit launched a manhunt Sunday for a suspect believed to have shot four people at "random", killing three of them, authorities said. The Midwestern city's police chief, James White, told media that the first three victims -- two women and a man

Cities near Ukrainian nuclear plant shelled

Russian rocket and artillery strikes hit areas across the Dnieper River from Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, Ukrainian officials said Sunday, as fears persisted that fighting in the vicinity could damage the plant and cause a radiation leak. Russian forces took control of

23 killed in Libya’s Tripoli as fears grow of a wider war

Clashes between militias backed by Libya’s rival governments have killed at least 23 people and wounded dozens more, according to the country’s health ministry. The fighting in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, on Saturday was the worst there in two years and has raised fears

Two US warships sail through Taiwan Strait

Two US warships are passing through the Taiwan Strait, the US Navy has announced. It is the first such operation to take place since tensions between Taiwan and China increased following a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan earlier in August. China reacted by holding

Pakistan appeals to world for flood help amid devastation

Pakistan is appealing for further international assistance after floods wreaked havoc across the country. The US, UK, United Arab Emirates and others have contributed to a monsoon disaster appeal but much more funds are needed, an interior ministry official told the BBC. More than

United States to appoint first Arctic Ambassador

The United States is planning to appoint an Ambassador for the Arctic, amid increased Russian military activity in the region. The Ambassador-at-Large will be put in place to advance US policy in the northern polar region, a Department of State spokesman said. On Friday, Nato chief

Russia blocks nuclear treaty agreement over Ukraine reference

Russia has blocked the adoption of a joint declaration by a United Nations conference on nuclear disarmament. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which is reviewed by its 191 signatories every five years, aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Russia objected to a draft

Ethiopia: 7 killed as airstrike hits playground in Tigray

An airstrike on a children’s playground has killed at least seven people in the capital of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, medical officials there said, in the first such attack after a four-month-old ceasefire collapsed this week. The officials said three children were

FBI cites 'evidence of obstruction' in Trump Florida home search

The FBI told a judge they expected to find "evidence of obstruction" of justice in a search of former President Donald Trump's Florida home, according to newly released court papers. Investigators said top secret files had been stored at Mar-a-Lago along with assorted

Russia burns off gas as Europe's energy bills rocket

As Europe's energy costs skyrocket, Russia is burning off large amounts of natural gas, according to analysis shared with BBC News. They say the plant, near the border with Finland, is burning an estimated $10m (£8.4m) worth of gas every day. Experts say the gas would

Japan to spend $1.83m on ex-PM Abe’s state funeral

Japan will spend $1.83m on a state funeral for slain former leader Shinzo Abe, the government has said, despite growing opposition from a public angered by revelations of the ruling party’s ties to the Unification Church. Abe, Japan’s longest-serving but divisive premier,

Vladimir Putin orders 10% boost in Russian troop numbers

Russia's president has signed a decree which could see 137,000 service personnel added to the country's armed forces in the coming months. Currently Russia has a limit of just over a million military personnel and almost 900,000 civilian staff. Vladimir Putin's decree

Japan national police chief resigns over ex-PM Shinzo Abe's assassination

The head of Japan’s National Police Agency announced his resignation on Thursday after an investigation confirmed “shortcomings” in the security plans for assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Abe, the country’s best-known politician and longest-serving

Uvalde school shooting: Police chief Pete Arredondo fired

A police chief accused of botching the response to the fatal shooting of 19 schoolchildren and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, has been sacked. The local school board voted unanimously to fire Pete Arredondo, who had been on leave since June. His lawyers said in a written statement

Ukraine plans international court to put Putin on trial

Six months into Russia's invasion, Ukrainian officials are drawing up plans to make sure Russian President Vladimir Putin and his top military commanders will be tried for launching the war. The plan for a special international tribunal to investigate Russia's alleged

Russia strikes on Ukrain railway station kills 22, injures dozens

A Russian rocket strike on a Ukrainian train station has killed 22 people, Ukraine says, on the day marking six months since Moscow's invasion began. It says five of the victims of the attack in the eastern town of Chaplyne burnt to death in a vehicle. An 11-year-old boy also was

Zelenskyy on Independence Day: Ukraine reborn, vows to fight until end

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told Ukrainians in a speech to mark 31 years of independence that Ukraine was reborn when Russia started its attacks on February 24 and would recapture annexed Crimea and occupied areas in the east. In the recorded speech aired on Wednesday which marks