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Boys Hunting Rats for Food Ignite Fire, Devastating Ugandan Village

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A fire sparked by boys hunting wild rats for food left Lonangat Village in Nabilatuk District in ruins on Thursday, displacing hundreds and destroying property worth millions of Ugandan shillings. 

The fire broke out at midday when the boys, struggling with the severe hunger crisis in the Karamoja region, set bushes ablaze to flush out rats. Strong winds spread the flames rapidly, engulfing homes, granaries, and crops. 

“We saw the fire coming from the bush, and within minutes, it had reached the village,” said Agnes Loli, a resident of Lonangat. “We tried to stop it, but it was too powerful.” 

Police and emergency responders were dispatched to contain the inferno, but it had already wreaked havoc by their arrival, said SP Lewis Mugwisagye, the Officer in Charge of Nabilatuk District Police Station. 

The fire has left hundreds homeless, with many families now camped along the Moroto-Nakapiripirit road without basic necessities. 

“We have nothing left,” lamented Peter Lokol, a father of four who lost his home. “Our children are sleeping in the open. We need clothes, bedding, and food.” 

The tragedy highlights the deepening hunger crisis in Karamoja, where extreme food insecurity is driving families to desperate measures. The practice of hunting wild rats reflects the region’s dire struggle for survival. 

No humanitarian aid had arrived at the time of reporting, leaving residents without support amid the devastation. 

The fire underscores the urgent need for sustainable solutions to Karamoja’s hunger crisis and immediate humanitarian intervention to help displaced families rebuild their lives. 

Libyan Minister Meets Syrian Officials to Discuss Security and Military Cooperation

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Libyan State Minister for Communications and Political Affairs Walid Al-Lafi arrived in Damascus on Saturday for talks with Syrian officials, focusing on military and security cooperation between the two nations. 

At the Al-Shaab Palace, Al-Lafi met with Ahmad al-Sharaa, a key figure in Syria’s leadership, to address the evolving security landscape in the region. 

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Al-Lafi emphasized the importance of the discussions, noting their timing and the shared challenges between Libya and Syria. 

“This was an important meeting, particularly because of the military and security files that connect Libya and Syria,” Al-Lafi said. “We also discussed the broader consequences of the significant events in Syria on the region as a whole.” 

The visit comes as foreign and Arab officials increasingly engage with Syria following the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad. Officials have pledged cooperation on reconstruction efforts and support for a peaceful transition of power in the war-torn nation. 

Angola’s President Pardons Dozens of Prisoners, Including Ex-Leader’s Son

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Angolan President Joao Lourenco has granted pardons to around 50 prisoners, including José Filomeno Dos Santos, the son of former President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, who was serving a five-year sentence for fraud. 

Angolan President Joao Lourenco

José Filomeno, also known as “Zenu,” was convicted in 2020 for his role in transferring $500 million from Angola’s national bank to an account in the United Kingdom. The case, which also led to the conviction of the former governor of Angola’s national bank, was a key part of Lourenco’s anti-corruption campaign. 

The Dos Santos family has dismissed the allegations as a politically motivated campaign against them. 

The pardons, set to take effect on January 1, were announced in a presidential decree shared on social media. The decree cited the “good behavior” of the inmates and stated they posed no “social danger.” 

The decision was tied to next year’s 50th anniversary of Angola’s independence from Portugal. The decree emphasized that the pardons aim to promote “harmony, leniency, and fraternity” in the country. 

The release of José Filomeno Dos Santos and others marks a significant development in Angola’s political and judicial landscape, raising questions about the future of Lourenco’s anti-corruption efforts and the broader reconciliation process within the nation. 

3 Dead, Several Injured in Cape Coast-Accra Highway Accident

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Three people died, and several others were injured in a tragic accident on Friday morning at the Residential Road Junction along the Cape Coast-Accra Highway, near Aggrey Memorial Zion Secondary School. 

The accident, reported at 6:48 a.m., involved a Yutong bus with registration number GW 6231-21 traveling from Takoradi to Accra. The bus, carrying 53 passengers, overturned, trapping several individuals beneath the vehicle. 

A rescue team from the Ghana National Fire Service’s Regional Headquarters and the Cape Coast Metropolitan Fire Station responded promptly to the scene, aided by police and ambulance services. Emergency workers successfully freed all the trapped passengers from the wreckage. 

The injured were transported to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and the University of Cape Coast Hospital for medical care. 

Medical officials at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital confirmed the deaths of three passengers. Twenty-three others remain hospitalized at the facility with varying degrees of injuries, while nine individuals were treated and discharged. 

The bus, which sustained severe damage, was en route to Accra when the accident occurred. 

Authorities have not disclosed the cause of the crash, but investigations are ongoing. 

Houthis Claim Missile Attack on Tel Aviv Airport Following Israeli Strikes in Yemen

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Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility Friday for a missile strike on Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, following Israeli airstrikes on Houthi-controlled Sanaa International Airport and other targets in Yemen. 

The Houthis stated they also launched drones at Tel Aviv and targeted a ship in the Arabian Sea. Details of the attacks remain unclear, and no immediate confirmation was available from Israeli authorities. 

The Israeli airstrikes on Thursday came as the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and his team were preparing to depart from Sanaa. Yemen’s civil aviation authority reported that the strikes occurred while the UN aircraft was readying for its scheduled flight. 

Sanaa International Airport, which was temporarily closed after the strikes, planned to reopen on Friday, the aviation authority said. 

The Israeli military has not commented on whether they were aware of the WHO chief’s presence at the time of the attack. 

The Houthi escalation follows a series of confrontations with Israel, including the firing of a missile and two drones earlier this week. The Iran-backed group has intensified its attacks on Israel since late November, coinciding with a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, another Iranian-supported group. 

Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that Thursday’s Israeli strikes killed six people, with earlier Houthi statements reporting fatalities at the airport and Ras Issa port. 

This marks the second time since December 19 that Israel has targeted Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen in response to missile fire directed at Israel. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his resolve against the Houthis, warning that operations would continue “until the job is done.” 

“We are determined to cut this branch of terrorism from the Iranian axis of evil,” Netanyahu said in a video statement. 

Italy Seeks Swift Resolution for Journalist Detained in Iran

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The case of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, detained in Iran, is “complicated,” but Italy is working to secure her release as quickly as possible, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Saturday. 

Sala, 29, a journalist for the Italian newspaper *Il Foglio* and the podcast company Chora Media, was arrested in Tehran on December 19. Her detention was only made public on Friday. 

“We’re trying to solve an issue that’s complicated,” Tajani told the ANSA news agency. He expressed hope for a quick resolution but acknowledged, “It doesn’t depend on us.” 

Sala is reportedly being held in a single cell in Tehran’s Evin prison under conditions that Tajani described as respectful of her personal dignity. “So far, we haven’t had negative feedback,” he said, adding that Italy is monitoring her treatment closely. 

The reason for Sala’s detention remains unclear. Tajani noted that her lawyer is expected to visit her soon to gather more information. Iranian authorities have not officially confirmed her arrest. 

The detention comes amid heightened tensions following the arrest of an Iranian national in Italy earlier this month at the request of the United States. Tajani declined to speculate on whether the two cases might be connected. 

Sala traveled to Iran on December 12 with a valid journalist visa and was scheduled to return to Rome on December 20, according to her employer, Chora Media. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she is following Sala’s case closely, aiming to ensure her swift return. She called on media outlets to approach the situation with “necessary caution.” 

Russia to Halt Gas Exports to Moldova Starting January 1

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Russian energy giant Gazprom announced Saturday that it will suspend gas exports to Moldova beginning at 0500 GMT on January 1, citing unpaid debt as the reason for the cutoff. The move is expected to result in severe power cuts for Moldova. 

Gazprom stated it reserves the right to terminate its supply contract with Moldova entirely. Moldovan officials have yet to issue a statement regarding the announcement. 

The suspension is part of a broader halt to Russian gas exports through Ukraine to Europe. The current transit agreement between Russia and Ukraine, which facilitates gas flow to countries including Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, and Italy, is set to expire on December 31. 

Moldova, which relies heavily on Russian gas, is poised to suffer the most from the shutdown. Russia supplies approximately 2 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Moldova via Ukraine. This supply is piped to the breakaway region of Transdniestria, where it powers a plant generating electricity sold at reduced rates to the rest of Moldova. 

Russia has demanded that Moldova settle a disputed debt, which Gazprom estimates at $709 million. Moldova contests this figure, stating its debt is only $8.6 million. 

In 2022, Moldova and Transdniestria reached an agreement allocating all Russian gas supplies to the breakaway region, which traditionally does not pay for the fuel. A suspension of gas could render the power plant inoperable, leading to prolonged blackouts in both Moldova and Transdniestria. 

Moldova’s 2.5 million residents have been preparing for extended power outages following Ukraine’s decision not to renew its transit contract with Gazprom. Both Moldova and Transdniestria have declared states of emergency in response to the looming energy crisis. 

On Friday, Moldova announced plans to curb power exports and implement measures to cut energy consumption by at least 30% starting January 1. 

President Maia Sandu accused Gazprom of exacerbating the crisis by refusing to supply gas through alternative routes. 

Lebanon Returns 70 Syrian Officers and Soldiers to Syria

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Lebanon deported around 70 Syrian officers and soldiers on Saturday, returning them to Syria after they crossed into Lebanon illegally through informal routes, according to a Lebanese security official and a war monitoring group.

The Syrian personnel, including individuals of various ranks, were apprehended in Lebanon’s northern coastal city of Jbeil after being found in a truck during an inspection by local authorities. The group was subsequently sent back via the Arida crossing on Lebanon’s northern border.

The return follows the recent influx of senior Syrian officials and relatives of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, who fled Syria after the regime’s fall on December 8. Syrian military officials and close associates of the Assad family sought refuge in Lebanon amid the regime’s internal power struggles.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a London-based monitoring group, reported that the returnees were detained by Syria’s new ruling authorities after crossing the border. The new administration has recently launched a major security crackdown targeting what they label as “remnants” of the Assad regime, particularly in areas close to the porous Lebanon-Syria border, including Homs and Tartous provinces.

Lebanese and Syrian officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the incident. Earlier reports indicated that Rifaat al-Assad, a former Syrian vice president, had recently flown from Beirut to Dubai. Rifaat, who faces war crimes charges in Switzerland related to the 1982 massacre, is among several members of the Assad family who have left Lebanon in recent weeks. Additionally, Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi confirmed that top Assad adviser Bouthaina Shaaban had also left Beirut earlier this month after entering Lebanon legally.

Afghan Taliban Retaliates Against Pakistan Following Cross-Border Airstrikes

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The Afghan Taliban targeted “several points” across the disputed border with Pakistan, Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry announced on Saturday, in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes carried out inside Afghan territory earlier this week. 

While the ministry did not explicitly name Pakistan, it referred to the strikes as taking place “beyond the ‘hypothetical line’,” a term Afghan authorities use to describe the contested Durand Line separating the two nations. 

“Several points beyond the hypothetical line, serving as centers and hideouts for malicious elements and their supporters who organized and coordinated attacks in Afghanistan, were targeted in retaliation from the southeastern direction of the country,” the ministry’s statement read. 

The Durand Line, drawn by British colonial authorities in the 19th century, has long been a source of dispute between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Afghan officials do not recognize the line as an official border, complicating relations between the two countries. 

When asked about the statement’s reference to Pakistan, Afghan Defense Ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khowarazmi clarified, “We do not consider it to be the territory of Pakistan, therefore, we cannot confirm the territory, but it was on the other side of the hypothetical line.” 

No details regarding casualties or the exact locations targeted in the strikes were provided. The Pakistani military’s public relations wing and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have yet to issue a response. 

The retaliatory action follows warnings from Afghan officials earlier this week, who accused Pakistan of targeting civilians during its airstrikes along the border. Islamabad stated that its strikes aimed to neutralize militant hideouts linked to cross-border attacks in Pakistan. 

The neighbors share a tense relationship, with Pakistan frequently accusing the Afghan Taliban of harboring militants responsible for attacks within its territory. The Afghan Taliban denies these claims and counters that Pakistan’s operations often harm innocent civilians. 

Putin Apologizes for Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash in Russian Airspace 

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Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on Saturday for a “tragic incident” involving an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane that crashed in Russian airspace amid defense responses to Ukrainian drone attacks. 

The incident occurred on Wednesday when Flight J2-8243 crashed in a fireball near Aktau, Kazakhstan, after diverting from its route in southern Russia. The crash claimed the lives of at least 38 people. 

Preliminary findings from Azerbaijan’s investigation suggest that the plane was mistakenly shot down by Russian air defenses, according to four sources familiar with the case. The defense systems were reportedly responding to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian cities, including Grozny, Mozdok, and Vladikavkaz, the Kremlin stated. 

In a statement, the Kremlin said, “(President) Vladimir Putin apologized for the tragic incident that occurred in Russian airspace and once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.” 

Azerbaijan’s presidential office stated that the Embraer EMBR3.SA passenger jet encountered “external physical and technical interference” in Russian airspace, leading to a complete loss of control and its redirection to Aktau. The flight had originally departed from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, en route to Grozny in Russia’s Chechnya region. 

The apology call between Putin and Aliyev reportedly took place at Putin’s request, as the Kremlin emphasized the ongoing challenges posed by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles targeting Russian cities. 

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