US House rejects Trump-backed Mike Johnson as speaker in first ballot
Congress will be unable to certify Donald Trump’s presidential election victory on Jan 6 without a speaker. Read More
Two dead in attacks on either side of Ukraine-Russia border
Three Russian missiles hit a residential area near the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, killing one person. Read More
Syria restricts entry of Lebanese via joint border, sources say
BEIRUT – Syria’s new administration has imposed restrictions on Lebanese crossing their shared border into Syria, a Lebanese security official and a Syrian official said on Friday. Read More
Spanish government rift over shorter working week breaks into the open
MADRID – A split in Spain’s left-wing coalition government over a plan to implement a shorter working week with the same pay broke into the open on Friday after the…
Spats, divisions mar start of Poland’s EU presidency
WARSAW – Poland launched its presidency of the Council of the European Union on Friday mired in a diplomatic row with Hungary that underscored a deepening sense of political disunity…
Finland court upholds seizure of oil tanker in undersea cables probe
HELSINKI – A Finnish court on Friday denied a request for the release of an oil tanker suspected by police of damaging an undersea power line and four telecommunications cables…
US surgeon general urges cancer warnings for alcoholic drinks
WASHINGTON – Alcoholic drinks should carry a label warning consumers about their cancer risks, the U.S. Surgeon General said in an advisory on Friday, noting that their consumption increases the…
Israeli air strikes ramp up Gaza death toll amid new truce push
CAIRO – Israel carried out air strikes on dozens of Hamas targets in Gaza over the past 24 hours, it said on Friday, in attacks that Palestinian health authorities said…
Bereaved orca seen carrying another dead calf in US waters
The endangered orca was spotted carrying her deceased calf on New Year’s Day. Read More
Ghana’s parliament passes provisional budget, averts government shutdown
ACCRA – Ghana’s parliament has passed a provisional budget that allows the government to spend 68.1 billion Ghanaian cedis ($4.65 billion) through March, the chamber’s speaker said, narrowly averting an…