By Simone McCarthy, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — China has named former naval commander Dong Jun as its new defense minister, two months after removing his predecessor Li Shangfu from the role without explanation following Li’s extended absence from public view. The top body of China’s rubber stamp legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), announced
Continue ReadingWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s armed forces say an unknown airborne object entered the country’s airspace from the direction of Ukraine and subsequently vanished off radars. The Operational Command of the Armed Forces said Friday on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that the unidentified airborne object entered from the side of the border with
Continue ReadingMOSCOW (AP) — An associate of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been sentenced to nine years in prison, the latest move in a relentless Kremlin crackdown on dissent. Ksenia Fadeyeva, a regional legislator who headed a local branch of Navalny’s organization in the Siberian city of Tomsk, was convicted and sentenced on Friday
Continue ReadingBy John Miller, Nicki Brown and Dakin Andone, CNN New York (CNN) — Authorities across the US are working to ensure New Year’s revelers’ security this weekend, particularly in New York, where law enforcement officials say the war in Gaza has contributed to the concern of lone-wolf attacks, though they stress there is “no specific
Continue ReadingCNN, FACEBOOK, WABC, NYPD, WPIX, WCBS, EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ, GETTY IMAGES, POOL, Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images By John Miller, Nicki Brown and Dakin Andone, CNN New York (CNN) — Authorities across the US are working to ensure New Year’s revelers’ security this weekend, particularly in New York, where law enforcement officials say the war in
Continue ReadingBEIJING (AP) — China has appointed a new defense minister after months of uncertainty following the firing of his predecessor for reasons still unexplained. The official Xinhua News Agency announced former navy commander Dong Jun will serve in the largely ceremonial role, but offered no comment on the reasons for the switch or the current
Continue ReadingBy NAJIB JOBAIN, SAMY MAGDY and JACK JEFFERY Associated Press RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Tens of thousands of Palestinians streamed into an already crowded town at the southernmost end of Gaza in recent days, fleeing Israel’s bombardment of the center of the strip, as a senior U.N. official on Friday criticized Israel for continuing
Continue ReadingCNN By Alexandra Banner, CNN (CNN) — As 2024 approaches, you may find yourself in ample reflection and perhaps developing a mantra for the New Year. Scientists have discovered a host of techniques that can help you nail your resolutions if you enjoy setting goals each January 1. Speaking of which, thank you for striving
Continue ReadingBy HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s Defense Minister Shin Wonsik has said that a light-water reactor at North Korea’s main nuclear complex will likely be formally operational by next summer. Shin told local reporters that his country had also spotted similar cooling system-related activities associated with the reactor last
Continue ReadingBy ILLIA NOVIKOV and HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched 122 missiles and dozens of drones against Ukrainian targets, officials said Friday, killing at least 27 civilians across the country in what an air force official called the biggest aerial barrage of the war. At least 144 people were injured and
Continue ReadingBy ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) — European shares opened higher on Friday after a mixed session in Asia on the last trading day of the year for most markets. Germany’s DAX rose 0.3% to 16,745.67 and the CAC 40 in Paris climbed 0.4% to 7,566.11. Britain’s FTSE 100 edged 0.2% higher to
Continue ReadingANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s state-run news agency says security forces have detained 32 people suspected of links to the Islamic State extremist group. The suspects were allegedly planning to carry out attacks on synagogues and churches as well as the Iraqi Embassy in Turkey. Anadolu Agency said the suspects were detained in raids carried
Continue ReadingBy HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s Defense Minister Shin Wonsik has said that a light-water reactor at North Korea’s main nuclear complex will likely be formally operational by next summer. Shin told local reporters that his country had also spotted similar cooling system-related activities associated with the reactor last
Continue ReadingPARIS (AP) — French authorities say an avalanche on Mont Blanc swept two skiers to their deaths and left another injured. A hiker was killed on another slope in the French Alps. The local administration says the avalanche Thursday swept through an off-piste area of the Saint-Gervais-les-Bains ski resort at an altitude of 2,300 meters.
Continue ReadingBy ILLIA NOVIKOV and HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched about 110 missiles as well as drones against Ukrainian targets during the night Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday, killing at least seven civilians in what appeared to be one of the biggest aerial barrages of the 22-month war. Most of
Continue ReadingBy NAJIB JOBAIN and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have streamed into the overwhelmed town of Rafah in the southernmost end of Gaza in recent days, according to the United Nations, as Israeli forces on Friday continued to blast through dense areas in the center
Continue ReadingBy Victoria Butenko, Maria Kostenko, Mariya Knight, Svitlana Vlasova and Christian Edwards, CNN Kyiv, Ukraine (CNN) — Russia has launched the biggest air attack on Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian military told CNN, with an unprecedented number of drones and missiles fired at targets across the country, killing at least
Continue ReadingKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched about 110 missiles overnight as well as drones against Ukrainian targets in one of the biggest barrages of the year, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday. Most of the incoming missiles and drones were shot down but at least seven civilians were killed and an unknown number of people
Continue ReadingBy MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli kibbutz hard-hit by Hamas’ assault on southern Israel announced on Thursday the death of Judih Weinstein — an American-Canadian-Israeli woman who had previously been thought to be held hostage in Gaza. The news came six days after Weinstein’s husband, Gad Haggai, was also
Continue ReadingTEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian media says four people were executed and several others sentenced to prison for having alleged links with Israel’s Mossad security service. Mizan, the news website affiliated with the country’s judiciary, said three men and one woman were executed Friday morning. The four were charged with kidnapping several Iranian security forces
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