World news

World news

Cambodian and Thai officials were in their third day of talks at a border checkpoint on Friday, with defence ministers from both countries scheduled to meet on Saturday. However, Cambodia's defence ministry said Thailand's military carried out a heavy bombardment of disputed border areas in Banteay Meanchey province on Friday morning. From 6.08am to 7.15am, the Thai military deployed F-16 fighter jets to drop as many as 40 bombs, to intensify its bombardment in the area of Chok Chey village, it said in a statement.

A cohort of 168 Palestinian doctors have received their advanced medical certifications in Gaza amid the rubble of what was once the Palestinian territory's largest hospital. The graduation took place in front of the destroyed facade of the al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City on Thursday. It was a symbolic act of resilience as the doctors, calling themselves the Humanity Cohort, completed their Palestinian Board certifications under extraordinary circumstances after two years of Israel's war.

The draft defence budget for the next fiscal year approved on Friday is more than 9tn ($58bn) and 9.4% bigger than the previous budget, which will end in April. The increase comes in the fourth year of Japan's five-year program to double its annual arms spending to 2% of GDP. The budget plan focuses on fortifying strike-back capability and coastal defences with surface-to-ship missiles and unmanned arsenals.

I've always wanted to play in the Ashes, if it's home or away, and this obviously feels very special. Being here at the MCG with all my family in as well makes it even better. The match situation is already stacked in Australia's favour, 46 runs ahead on first innings and batting again on an alarmingly sporty pitch that may now settle on day two.

In 2025, the continent's top Facebook markets reveal where the largest user bases are and how gender shapes social media engagement. Despite increasing competition from short-form video platforms such as TikTok and X, Facebook's combination of low data consumption, wide smartphone compatibility, and deep integration with WhatsApp has preserved its dominance in Africa's digital ecosystem. Based on 2025 data from World Population Review, the African countries with the largest Facebook user bases are:

Diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh have hit a critical juncture with Dhaka suspending visa and consular services at its missions in New Delhi and Agartala on December 22 following protests outside the facilities. India has also suspended visa services at its Chittagong visa application center in Bangladesh following widespread violent protests triggered by the death of prominent Bangledeshi activist Sharif Osman Hadi.

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the demand on Thursday, describing military operations by the Southern Transitional Council (STC) as an unjustified escalation after the group took control of the oil-rich Hadramout and al-Mahra governorates earlier in December. list of 2 itemsend of list The kingdom stresses the importance of cooperation among all Yemeni factions and components to exercise restraint and avoid any measures that could destabilise security and stability, which may result in undesirable consequences, the Foreign Ministry warned.

Algeria's parliament unanimously approved on Wednesday a law declaring France's colonisation of the country a crime, demanding an apology and reparations in a move Paris condemned as "hostile". Standing in the chamber, lawmakers wearing scarves in the colours of the national flag chanted "long live Algeria" as they applauded the passage of the bill, which states that France holds "legal responsibility for its colonial past in Algeria and the tragedies it caused".

Two foreigners seeking medical evacuation are among those killed in the crash on Africa's highest mountain. Five people have been killed in a helicopter crash on Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, authorities say. The accident took place on Wednesday evening on one of the most popular tourist climbing routes in what police said was a rescue mission to pick up patients on the mountain.

Five people have been killed in a firefight between border guards and intruders on Tajikistans border with Afghanistan, the Tajik border protection agency says. Heavily armed raiders from Afghanistan crossed into Tajikistan at the village of Kavo in the Shamsiddin Shokhin district on Tuesday and were located on Wednesday, according to a statement by the border agency published by Tajik news agency Khovar.

Israeli officers closed an event celebrating Christmas on Sunday, confiscating equipment, and arresting the Palestinian Santa Claus, as well as a DJ and a street vendor. In a video, police can be seen pushing the men to the ground and handcuffing them as bystanders watched. The Israeli police said in a statement that the man wearing the Santa Claus costume resisted arrest and assaulted an officer.

This week's review focuses on concrete responses to shared urban challenges, including housing affordability, long-term resilience, and the role of cultural and material innovation in shaping cities. The selection spans regulatory measures affecting housing markets in European cities, high-density residential and mixed-income proposals in New York, and major renewal and planning efforts in London, Barcelona, Ulaanbaatar, and Drammen. It also highlights research-driven and built projects in Chicago, Buenos Aires, Las Vegas, and Riyadh

Opened your presents or waiting for Christmas dinner to be served up? Or simply ready to gloat about your knowledge of the year's happenings?

Sahel countries launch a joint battalion to fight armed groups as they boost ties with Russia amid vulnerable security situation. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have announced the launch of a joint military battalion aimed at fighting armed groups across the Sahel, one of Africa's poorest and most volatile regions. The initiative was announced at the end of the two-day Alliance of Sahel States (AES) summit in the Malian capital, Bamako, as the three countries struggle to improve the security situation amid rising attacks from separatist groups as well as armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS).