Vietnam evacuates hundreds of thousands as storm proceeds
HANOI, Dec 25: Hundreds of thousands of people in Vietnam's Mekong Delta have been evacuated as the region braces for the arrival of Tropical Storm Tembin, which left more than 150 people dead in the Philippines. Weather forecasters say the delta's southern tip will be in Tembin's path, and that heavy rain and strong winds starting Monday night could cause serious damage in the vulnerable region, where facilities are not built to cope with such severe weather. National television station VTV reported that several hundred thousand people were being evacuated from their houses, which are mostly made from tin sheets and wooden panels. — AP
Meghan Markle joins royal family for Christmas service
LONDON, Dec 25: Prince Harry's fiancee Meghan Markle has joined the Royal Family for the Christmas Day service at the Queen's Norfolk estate. The couple arrived at a carol service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham along with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The Queen returned after missing last year's service due to a heavy cold. Princes Philip and Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall also attended, along with other members of the family. After the service, Ms Markle joined members of the family in greeting the crowds - some of whom had been waiting outside since 05:00 GMT. — BBC
Ukraine govt, separatists agree to exchange prisoners
MOSCOW, Dec 25: Ukrainian authorities and separatist rebels have agreed on a major prisoner exchange. Separatist leaders and a Ukrainian government representative said in televised comments on Monday that they would exchange prisoners on Wednesday. They spoke after a meeting in Moscow mediated by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Kiev representative Viktor Medvedchuk says Ukraine is ready to release 306 people and is hoping for the separatists to release 74 people. It is not immediately clear if this covers all prisoners of war. A simmering conflict in eastern Ukraine between Russia-backed separatists and government troops has killed more than 10,000 since 2014. — AP
Delhi’s new ‘driverless’ metro train to keep driver for a year or two
NEW DELHI, Dec 25: India's capital has launched a metro train with driverless technology, though it will operate with a driver for at least a year or two. The 12.6-kilometer (7.8-mile) Magenta Line started service Monday between New Delhi and the satellite city of Noida, an IT hub. The Delhi Metro company has said the highly automated train will run initially with a driver but could be driverless in the future. One of the trains crashed through a wall at a depot last week, sparking concern about the automation technology. However, Delhi Metro said human error was the cause. — AP
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