December2024
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Pope’s sombre message in Christmas under shadow of war
Dec 25, 2024Christmas Wednesday was observed by Christians worldwide, although the atmosphere was soured by wars, a huge Russian attack on Ukraine on Christmas morning, and an aircraft crash in Kazakhstan. Pope Francis was also anticipated to plead... -
Panamanians protest ‘public enemy’ Trump’s canal threat
Dec 25, 2024On Tuesday, protesters in Panama set fire to a picture of US President-elect Donald Trump after he threatened to demand that Washington regain control of the nation’s interoceanic canal. Outside the US embassy, dozens of protesters... -
Ukraine says North Korean troops not had major impact yet on fighting
Dec 25, 2024The presence of North Korean soldiers alongside Russian troops in the Russian region of Kursk has not yet had a major impact on the course of the fighting, a Ukrainian military intelligence official told AFP on... -
Syria authorities say armed groups have agreed to disband
Dec 25, 2024Syria’s new leaders announced Tuesday that they had reached an agreement with the country’s rebel groups on their dissolution and integration under the defence ministry. Absent from the meeting were representatives of the US-backed, Kurdish-led forces... -
Bethlehem marks sombre Christmas under shadow of war
Dec 25, 2024Pope Francis presided over mass in the Vatican on Tuesday as Christians assembled at the Church of the Nativity in the holy city of Bethlehem to commemorate a somber Christmas marred by conflict. For the second... -
Over 200 skiers rescued by helicopter from chairlift in French Alps
Dec 25, 2024A chairlift in the French Alps fell down Tuesday, forcing some 240 skiers to be flown to safety, according to officials. At the well-known Superdevoluy resort in the southern French Alps, the skiers were helicoptered out... -
Iran cyberspace council votes to lift ban on WhatsApp: state media
Dec 25, 2024According to state media, Iran’s highest internet security council decided Tuesday to relax a ban on the widely used messaging program WhatsApp, which has been restricted for more than two years. “The ban on WhatsApp and... -
Two crew members are in hospital after Swiss plane emergency landing
Dec 25, 2024A Swiss Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing the night before because of smoke in the cockpit and cabin, and two crew members were still in the hospital on Tuesday, according to the airline.... -
Taiwan blocks Uber-Foodpanda merger over monopoly concerns
Dec 25, 2024Taiwan said on Wednesday that the merger would seriously hurt market competition and rejected the ride-hailing behemoth Uber’s offer to purchase Delivery Hero’s Foodpanda on the island. By the first half of 2025, the US ride-hailing... -
Gross forex reserves cross $24b: Bangladesh Bank
Dec 25, 2024The gross foreign exchange reserves of Bangladesh have surpassed US$24 billion. The most recent data indicates that foreign exchange reserves total $24.8 billion USD. However, the reserve is more over $20 billion based on the IMF’s...
