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Fierce fighting rages in S Sudan
Bomb attacks kill 44 in Christian areas of Iraq
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Thai PM buckles, proposes ‘reform council’
Anti-riot policemen surrounded by barricades after being detained by protesters during a rally in Bangkok on Wednesday. Reuters
Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood a terror group
Ice storm leaves US, Canada without power
Repair crews worked around the clock to restore power to nearly half a million customers who faced a cold and dark Christmas in parts of the central and northeastern United States and into eastern Canada after a weekend ice storm. At least 24 deaths have been linked to the storm. It appears the bad weather isn't ready to take a break. People walk past an advertising board offering hot pies to those affected by the ice storm in Toronto on Wednesday. REUTERS
Floods dampen Christmas revelries in UK, France
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Fierce fighting rages in S Sudan
JUBA, December 25 "We recaptured Bor yesterday evening, just before sunset, and this morning there are currently operations against some pockets of rebels within the airport area," Information Minister Michael Makwei told AFP. "The army is clearing them up... but most of the rebels who were in the town are on the run," he said, adding that Defence Minister Kuol Manyang had already returned to Bor, his hometown, to lead the operation. But heavy fighting continued in the state capital of oil-producing Upper Nile state Malakal, although the government fiercely rejected rebel claims they had lost control of the town. "There is fighting now in Malakal since morning between the government forces and the rebels," Makuei added. "It is not true that the rebels have taken over." Bor's capture, apparently without major resistance by the rebels, lifted nearly a week-long seige of the town, where some 17,000 civilians fled into the overstretched United Nations peacekeeping compound for protection, severely stretching limited food and supplies. While its recapture is a significant victory for the government, rebel forces still control vast swathes of Jonglei state, and still hold the town of Bentiu, capital of crucial oil-producing Unity state. Oil production, which accounts for more than 95 percent of South Sudan's fledgling economy, has been dented by the violence. — PTI
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Bomb attacks kill 44 in Christian areas of Iraq
BAGHDAD, December 25 The car bomb killed at least 24 people, most of them Christian, when worshippers were leaving the church in the Doura district of southern Baghdad, police sources said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks. The US embassy in Baghdad, issued a statement condemning attacks in Doura "that targeted Christians celebrating Christmas." Other attacks today left nine more people dead. — Agencies
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Thai PM buckles, proposes ‘reform council’
Bangkok, December 25 "It is now time to develop a mechanism to push forward and mobilise national reform," she said in an address to the nation. "My government has listened to suggestions of several sides from the several forums and agrees that reforms are needed in the social, economic and political dimensions." Protest leaders immediately rejected Yingluck's plan, saying she was "not sincere" about reforms. A spokesman for the protesters said the proposed council would be under her influence. "It is certain that she will interfere with the proposed council," he said. Rejecting the opposition's claims, Yingluck insisted that her government would not get involved in the establishment of the council. The PM's Office and the cabinet would only acknowledge the council but not approve it, she said. — PTI
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Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood a terror group
Cairo, December 25 “The Cabinet has declared the Muslim Brotherhood group and its organisation as a terrorist organisation," Hossam Eissa, the Minister of Higher Education said, reading out a statement after a long meeting of the Cabinet. The implications of the declaration were that those who belong to the group, finance it or promote its activities would face punishment, he said. — PTI |
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Ice storm leaves US, Canada without power
Augusta (US), December 25 The US National Weather Service said more snow is forecast to roll into the Great Lakes and Midwest by today morning. In Canada, five people were reported dead from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning. Police said two people in Ontario died after using a gas generator to heat their blacked-out home northeast of Toronto. Police in Quebec said carbon monoxide poisoning was believed to be the cause of three deaths in a chalet on the province's North Shore. Earlier, five people were killed in eastern Canada in highway crashes blamed on severe weather conditions. In the US, the nationwide death toll from the storm reached at least 14 yesterday, when a 50-year-old man in Knox, Maine, was overcome by carbon monoxide fumes from a generator. It was the second reported death attributed to fumes from a generator during the storm. Police in Michigan also attributed two deaths in a traffic collision that happened Monday to the storm. As temperatures plunged into the low single digits (below minus 15 Celsius) in Toronto where some 90,000 customers remained without power yesterday authorities reported a dramatic jump in calls for suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. — AP
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Floods dampen Christmas revelries in UK, France
London, December 25 Tens of thousands of people, mostly in southern England, had no electricity late on Christmas Eve and engineers were working on Christmas Day to restore power. Winds of up to 90 mph (145kph) hit both Britain and France on Dec. 23 and Christmas Eve, with heavy downpours causing cancellations of rail, flight and ferry services. Five people - including a man who tried to rescue his dog from a river - have died in Britain over the last three days due to the high winds and heavy rainfall. Police in Dorset, southwest England, evacuated over 100 residents in the early hours of Wednesday in two separate locations following fears of flooding from a nearby river. — AFP
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Kashmiri scholar accuses Pak supervisor of threats Indian-origin man jailed for human trafficking in UK 3 killed, 2 wounded in shooting at US strip club Egypt police arrest former prime minister WW-II bomb spoils Christmas cheer in Belgian city Armed men kidnap eight coalminers in Pakistan Indian student found dead in Sharjah World's first standing classroom launched in Oz
Nepal EC extends deadline to name lawmakers
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JUBA, December 25
Bangkok, December 25
