International News

Syrian rebels vow to destroy Assad’s drug empire

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It is known as the “poor man’s cocaine”. The illegal drug Captagon was a major money-maker for the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Now, the rebels who overthrew them are destroying state-run factories producing the stimulant. Reporter Joan Cabases Vega went inside one of the region’s largest and there’s more in this report by … Read more

Two Baltic Sea cables repaired after suspected sabotage – DW – 01/06/2025

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Finnish operator Elisa said two telecommunications cables linking Estonia and Finland have been repaired after suspected sabotage. Finnish authorities are investigating the suspected sabotage of four telecommunications cables and a power cable on December 25, just weeks after other cables in the area were torn down. The cables are steel-reinforced with a diameter of just … Read more

Israel awaits ‘status of hostages’ in Hamas truce offer, WFP condemns strike on Gaza convoy

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Hamas has yet to clarify whether an initial batch of captives it said it was prepared to release were dead or alive, Israel said Monday, amid a months-long attempt to strike a deal to end the fighting in the besieged Palestinian enclave. The negotiations continued as Israel kept up its bombardment of the Gaza Strip, … Read more

Seriously injured Ukrainian soldier gets second chance in America

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Nearly three years ago, just before Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 23-year-old Ukrainian Army Lieutenant Myroslav Pylypchuk was preparing to become a father. Instead, he found himself facing the invaders on the front lines, where he faced death repeatedly, including a head-on encounter with a Russian tank in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. … Read more

Amid counteroffensive in Kursk, Ukraine ‘positioning itself as reasonable, desirable partner for US’

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging allies to boost Ukraine’s air defenses at an upcoming meeting in Germany amid Kyiv’s new counteroffensive in Russia’s Kursk region. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on Ukraine’s latest offensive as they seek to gain favor with the incoming Trump administration, FRANCE 24’s Angela Diffley welcomes Julia Friedrich, … Read more

Steel Ministry wants merger of NMDC and KIOCL, sent proposal to Finance Ministry – steel ministry proposes merger of NMDC and KIOCL to finance ministry

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The government wants to consolidate public sector units in the steel industry. Under this, the Steel Ministry has proposed the merger of NMDC Limited and KIOCL Limited. A government source said that this proposal was submitted to the Finance Ministry about a month ago. A source said on January 6, ‘The proposal for merger of … Read more

‘Palestinians by blood but Syrians at heart’: Residents of Yarmouk refugee camp dream of revival

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The Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus was devastated by the Syrian civil war. The scene of violent clashes between Bashar al-Assad’s regime and rebel militias, including the Islamic State (IS) group, little remains of a once-thriving area but ruins and desolation. Yet a number of its inhabitants have chosen to return, hoping to rebuild … Read more