Israel was behind drone attacks at military plant in Iran, US media report CNN

CNN — US officials believe drone attacks at a military plant in Iran’s central city of Isfahan were carried out by Israel, according to US media reports. Tehran said on Sunday that drones had attacked the plant in Isfahan late the previous evening, calling the operation “unsuccessful.” The Wall Street Journal and the New York … Read more

Iceberg roughly the size of London breaks off in Antarctica CNN

CNN — An iceberg nearly the size of Greater London broke off the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica on Sunday according to the British Antarctic Survey. Scientists first discovered significant cracks in the ice shelf a decade ago, but in the last two years there have been two major breaks. The BAS Halley Research Station … Read more

Nearly 220 million people in Pakistan without power after nationwide outage CNN Business

Islamabad, Pakistan CNN — A nationwide power outage in Pakistan left nearly 220 million people without electricity on Monday, threatening to cause havoc in the South Asian nation already grappling with fuel shortages in the winter months. The country’s Ministry of Energy said in a statement the country’s National Grid went down at 7.34 am … Read more

Lunar New Year tourism hopes fizzle as Chinese stay home

BANGKOK (AP) — A hoped-for boom in Chinese tourism in Asia over next week’s Lunar New Year holidays looks set to be more of a blip as most travelers opt to stay inside China if they go anywhere. From the beaches of Bali to Hokkaido’s powdery ski slopes, the hordes of Chinese often seen in … Read more

Sri Lanka acting president declares emergency amid protests

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s acting president on Monday declared a state of emergency that gives him broad authority amid growing protests demanding his resignation — just two days before the country’s lawmakers are set to elect a new president. Ranil Wickremesinghe became acting president on Friday after his predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled … Read more

Uvalde report: 376 officers but ‘egregiously poor’ decisions

UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Nearly 400 law enforcement officials rushed to a mass shooting at a Uvalde elementary school, but “egregiously poor decision-making” resulted in more than an hour of chaos before the gunman who took 21 lives was finally confronted and killed, according to a damning investigative report released Sunday. The nearly 80-page report … Read more

US Navy destroyer performs freedom of navigation exercise in South China Sea | CNN

Seoul, South Korea CNN – A US Navy destroyer sailed near a disputed South China Sea island chain on Wednesday, challenging the restrictions imposed by China and others on transit through the area. Lt. Nicholas Lingo, a spokesman for the US Navy’s 7th Fleet headquartered in Japan, said it was the second so-called freedom of … Read more

China crushes mass protest by bank depositors demanding their life savings back

Anguished depositors have staged several demonstrations in the city of Zhengzhou, the provincial capital of Henan, over the past two months, but their demands have invariably fallen on deaf ears. On Sunday, more than 1,000 depositors from across China gathered outside the Zhengzhou branch of the country’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China, to … Read more

Indian police arrest Muslim journalist accused of insulting Hindus | CNN Business

New Delhi CNN Business – Delhi police have arrested a prominent Muslim journalist, accusing him of insulting religious beliefs on social media, in a move condemned by free speech advocates. Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of fact-checking website Alt News, which debunks misinformation in the Indian media, was arrested Monday and remanded overnight in police custody, said … Read more

Thousands mourn slain journalist Shireen Abu Akleh as Palestinians call for accountability

Journalists, diplomats, religious leaders, and officials including Arab members of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, attended the memorial procession at the Palestinian Authority President’s residence, which saw Abu Akleh’s Palestinian-flag-draped coffin carried in as honor guards played musical instruments. Crowds that had gathered on the streets outside the residence were heard chanting “the honest voice never … Read more