130 Nigerian schoolchildren freed after Niger State kidnapping
The Nigerian government has confirmed the release of a further 130 schoolchildren abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State in November, completi...
Russian drone attacks on power facilities in northern and southern Ukraine overnight left nearly 60,000 people without electricity, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowing to retaliate by ordering new strikes inside Russia.
Three and a half years into the war, both sides have stepped up air campaigns. Russia has focused on Ukraine’s energy and transport networks, while Ukraine has struck oil refineries and pipelines across Russia.
After meeting Ukraine’s top general Oleksandr Syrsky, Zelenskyy said operations would continue and “new deep strikes” were planned.
Damage in Odesa
Ukraine’s largest private energy firm DTEK reported four facilities in the Odesa region were hit, leaving 29,000 people without power. Governor Oleh Kiper said the port city of Chornomorsk was the hardest hit, with homes and offices damaged. One person was injured, and infrastructure is running on generators.
A civilian bulk carrier sailing under a Belize flag sustained minor damage after hitting an explosive device near Odesa, two sources told Reuters.
Northern region hit
In Chernihiv, 30,000 households lost power, including parts of the city of Nizhyn, Governor Viacheslav Chaus said. Ukraine’s military reported 142 drones launched by Russia overnight, most shot down, but strikes hit 10 locations.
Moscow said it targeted Ukrainian port infrastructure used for military purposes. Reuters could not independently verify the claims.
Global pressure
The U.S. envoy to Ukraine said the strikes undermined President Donald Trump’s push to end the war. The Kremlin accused European states of blocking peace efforts and insisted its operation would continue until Kyiv showed readiness for talks.
Zelenskyy, in his evening address, said Russia was the only side seeking war and urged the United States, Europe and G20 to maintain pressure. “This war destabilises global processes. Russia must pay for this,” he said.
Pope calls for ceasefire
Pope Leo appealed for dialogue, telling pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square that it was time to “renounce the logic of arms” and pursue peace with international support.
The death toll from Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has risen to 161, after forensic analysis confirmed one more victim among the charred remains at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, more than three weeks after the blaze began, authorities said on Saturday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet President Donald Trump on 29 December in Florida, where he is expected to present a package of military options regarding Iran, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported on Saturday.
The United States seized a second merchant vessel carrying oil off the coast of Venezuela in international waters on Saturday, as part of Washington’s sanctions enforcement campaign, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
US intelligence assessments indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to seek full control of Ukraine and to expand Russia’s influence in parts of Europe formerly under Soviet rule, contradicting repeated claims that Moscow poses no threat to the continent.
A major power outage swept across San Francisco on Saturday, leaving up to 130,000 customers without electricity, disrupting traffic and forcing some businesses to close temporarily, officials said.
Russia’s top foreign policy adviser has criticised recent European and Ukrainian amendments to U.S. proposals for ending the war in Ukraine, saying the changes do not increase the likelihood of peace.
The Nigerian government has confirmed the release of a further 130 schoolchildren abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State in November, completing the rescue of all pupils taken during one of the country’s largest recent mass kidnappings.
As pollution levels in New Delhi reached dangerously high levels over the weekend, residents of the Indian capital sought refuge in the cooler, cleaner air of northern India's hill towns.
Israel’s government has approved the creation of 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that analysts say further undermines the prospects for a viable Palestinian state. The decision comes amid a sustained period of settlement expansion under Israel’s far-right-led government.
Ukrainian negotiators are scheduled to hold another round of talks with U.S. officials on Sunday to discuss efforts to end the ongoing war with Russia. Top Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov expressed hope for progress, highlighting that discussions have been both "constructive and substantive."
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