North Korea fired a suspected medium-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea, coinciding with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to South Korea. The missile, launched from Pyongyang, traveled about 684 miles before landing outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Blinken condemned the launch as a violation of U.N. resolutions and emphasized the importance of U.S.-South Korea-Japan cooperation in deterrence. Japan also strongly protested, calling … Continue reading North Korea tests ballistic missile as Blinken visits South Korea

Brazilian police arrested a woman accused of poisoning a Christmas cake with arsenic, resulting in the deaths of three family members and the hospitalization of three others during a December 23 gathering in Torres. Authorities suspect the arrested woman, reportedly the daughter-in-law of the cake’s baker, researched arsenic online before the incident. Toxicology tests revealed extremely high arsenic levels in the victims’ blood and the … Continue reading Woman arrested after arsenic-laced Christmas cake kills 3 family members in Brazil

The Pentagon announced the transfer of 11 Yemeni men from Guantanamo Bay to Oman after over two decades of detention without charge. This marks the Biden administration’s largest effort to reduce the prison’s population before leaving office, bringing the number of detainees to 15—the lowest since 2002. Among those released was Shaqawi al Hajj, who endured years of hunger strikes and hospitalizations. Rights groups have … Continue reading US transfers 11 Guantanamo detainees to Yemen after more than two decades without charge

Hamas has reportedly approved an Israeli list of 34 hostages for a potential ceasefire deal, contingent on Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire, according to a Hamas official cited by Reuters. Israel denied receiving such a list but did not directly refute the report’s details. Indirect ceasefire negotiations are ongoing in Doha, involving US and Israeli officials. Meanwhile, Hamas has increased pressure by releasing … Continue reading Hamas approves Israeli list of hostages for potential exchange

Taiwan suspects China was behind the cutting of an undersea telecom cable early Friday. The cargo ship Shunxin-39, flagged in Cameroon but linked to a Chinese-owned Hong Kong company, was intercepted by Taiwan’s coast guard but escaped due to rough seas. Despite the damage, Chunghwa Telecom rerouted traffic, ensuring uninterrupted service on the $500 million Trans-Pacific Express cable. Taiwan has faced repeated cable disruptions in recent … Continue reading Taiwan suspects China of latest attack on undersea cables

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have captured Masisi, their second town in two days, in DR Congo’s North Kivu province, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis. The group, active since 2021, controls large areas in the mineral-rich east, displacing hundreds of thousands. Mediation efforts by Angola between DR Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame collapsed last month. While the Congolese government remains silent on the … Continue reading Rwanda-backed rebels seize key town in DR Congo

Guatemalan and Salvadoran security forces arrived in Haiti to join the US- and UN-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, aimed at combating the country’s escalating gang violence. High-ranking Haitian officials, including Transitional Council leader Leslie Voltaire and Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, welcomed the troops in Port-au-Prince. Despite the MSS mission, led by Kenyan police, ongoing violence persists, with incidents targeting US Embassy vehicles and … Continue reading Guatemalan and Salvadoran forces arrive in Haiti to join fight against violent gangs