Nigerian retired general abducted with his wife in the north-west
Maj Gen Rabe Abubakar’s kidnapping highlights continuing security challenges facing parts of the country. Source link
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Israel seizes castle in Lebanon as it expands ground offensive
Just over the Litani river line, the IDF has confirmed it has captured one of the key strategic prizes in the area – Beaufort Castle. It was built as a fortress commanding views from high on the cliffs above the Litani river by the Crusaders some 900 years ago, and has been fought over many…
Laos cave survivors help with plan to find last two missing men
So far, five men have been freed from the narrow, flooded cave but efforts are ongoing to locate two more. Source link
Hundreds arrested and dozens of police injured after Champions League riots in France
Nearly 800 people were arrested after clashes with police which saw 219 people injured, including 57 police officers. Source link
South Africa made to look like fools after World Cup visa issues, says minister
According to media reports, the team’s departure for Mexico on Sunday has been delayed due to an “administrative bungle”. Source link
Colombia votes in presidential election that could redefine relations with US
The election is held after months of public recrimination between current left-wing President Gustavo Petro and his US counterpart Donald Trump. Source link
Can Americans spell the National Spelling Bee’s winning words?
The BBC challenged Americans to spell words used in the last three Scripps National Spelling Bee competitions. Shrey Parikh, a 14-year-old, won the competition this year after correctly spelling 32 words in a 90-second lighting round tiebreaker. He defeated 12-year-old Ishaan Gupta, who spelled 25 words correctly. Parikh won out against 247 spellers competing in…
Japan’s defence minister denies militarism and criticises China’s ‘huge arsenal’
Japan has been steadily increasing its defence budget, setting spending records for 12 consecutive years. Its latest budget, approved in December by its cabinet, is for more than 9 trillion yen ($57bn, £42bn) – moving the country closer to its target of spending 2% of its GDP on the military. Source link
How did tattoo artists become legal in South Korea?
Tattoo artists have worked underground in South Korea for decades – until now. For 34 years, only licensed doctors were allowed to ink tattoos and breaking the law could lead to heavy fines or jail. In September, lawmakers had legalised tattooing by non-medical professionals following a sustained artists’ campaign against the fear and harassment they…
US, UK and Australia to develop underwater drone technology
The technology, developed under the Aukus military pact, is aimed at protecting undersea cables and boosting naval defence. Source link