Somalia’s forces kill 29
al-Shabaab militants
Somalia's armed forces have eliminated 29 al-Shabaab militants in the town of Jabad Godane in southeastern Somalia, in coordination with international partners, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Thursday, reports Reuters. Al-Shabaab has waged an insurgency in Somalia since 2007 in a bid to topple the internationally-backed central government and establish its own rule based on its strict interpretation of sharia law. — Reuters
Kim’s daughter in first visit
to symbolic mausoleum
SEOUL, Jan 02: The North Korean leader's daughter Kim Ju Ae has made her first visit to a mausoleum housing her grandfather and great-grandfather, state media images showed Friday, further solidifying her place as her father's successor. The Kim family has ruled North Korea with an iron grip for decades, and a cult of personality surrounding their so-called "Paektu bloodline" dominates daily life in the isolated country. — AFP
Fresh arrest warrant issued against S Korean ex-president
SEOUL, Jan 02: A South Korean court issued a fresh arrest warrant for ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, extending the former leader's detention while facing charges linked to his 2024 attempt to impose martial law. Prosecutors indicted Yoon in November on several charges of aiding the enemy, alleging that he ordered drone flights over North Korea to strengthen his effort to declare military rule. — AFP
Embattled Venezuela releases dozens of jailed dissenters
CARACAS, Jan 02 (AFP): Venezuela Thursday announced the release of 88 people jailed for protesting President Nicolas Maduro's claim to have won July 2024 elections. Maduro claimed to have won a third six-year term even though the opposition published results it said showed a convincing victory for their candidate. — AP
Islamophobic attacks on public
transport growing in UK
LONDON, Jan 02: Islamophobic attacks are on the rise on public transport across Britain, according to new information revealed by The Guardian, as community organizations warn that Muslims are restricting their journeys over fear of abuse and assault. A freedom of information request showed that racial hate crimes recorded by British Transport Police across England, Wales and Scotland grew from 2,827 cases in 2019-2020 to 3,258 in 2024-25. — Arab News
Flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Kabul kill 17 people
KABUL, Jan 02: The season's first heavy rains and snowfall ended a prolonged dry spell but triggered flash floods in several areas of Afghanistan, killing at least 17 people and injuring 11 others, a spokesman for Afghanistan's national disaster management authority said Thursday. The dead included five members of a family in a property where the roof collapsed on Thursday in Kabkan, a district in the Herat province, according to Mohammad Yousaf Saeedi, spokesman for the Herat governor. Two of the victims were children. — AP
Seven dead, many missing as migrant boat sinks off Gambia
BANJUL, Jan 02: At least seven people drowned and many are missing after a boat carrying some 200 people capsized during the night of Wednesday to Thursday off the coast of Gambia, the government said. At least 96 were rescued, many of whom were seriously wounded. "The Government of The Gambia is aware of a tragic maritime incident involving a boat allegedly transporting over two hundred migrants. — AFP
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