First public comments attributed to Assad claim he never planned to leave Syria

Former champion Gerwyn Price won his match against Keane Barry in the PDC World Darts Championship, while Cameron Menzies suffered an emotional defeat to Leonard Gates. Menzies, visibly distraught during the match, later revealed his emotional state was due to his father's health. Price, ranked 10th, expressed his relief at the win and his desire to do well in the tournament. Other notable results included James Wade being knocked out by Jermaine Wattimena and Connor...

President-elect Donald Trump's Defense Department picks could impact the United States' weapons development, with the Senate advancing an annual $895 billion defense policy bill despite Democratic opposition to a transgender care provision. The bill allocates funds for defense and national security, focusing on quality-of-life improvements for service members and a pay raise for all service members. Controversy arose over a proposal to prohibit Tricare from covering transgender services for minor dependents, leading to concerns about...

Ahang Kelk, the ex-wife of a Woodland Hills doctor, is charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon for hiring a hitman to kill her former husband, Hamid Mirshojae, for financial gain. Kelk enlisted the help of Evan Hardman and Sarallah Jawed to carry out the shooting, which occurred as Mirshojae was leaving his medical practice. Ashley Rose Sweeting is also charged as an accessory to murder, while a fifth suspect, Shawn Randolph, has...

In the UK Parliament, Labour minister Dan Jarvis criticized Tory frontbencher Chris Philp for his party's previous attempts to cozy up to Chinese president Xi Jinping. Philp had accused Keir Starmer of being "sycophantic" towards Xi, but Jarvis defended the PM's recent meeting with the Chinese leader. Despite concerns about China's actions, Starmer emphasized the UK's approach of engagement, cooperation, challenge, and competition in dealing with the country. Full Article

A man has been arrested after a hit-and-run crash involving a stolen Porsche in Smethwick, near Birmingham, where a two-year-old boy died and four adults were injured. The collision occurred on Dartmouth Road late Saturday night, with the driver of the Porsche fleeing the scene. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, while the injured adults are being treated at the hospital, with two in serious condition and two stable....

The security dynamics along Myanmar's border with Bangladesh have shifted as the junta lost control to the Arakan Army (AA) in the strategically important Rakhine province, bordering Bangladesh, which has implications for India. The AA now controls large parts of the region, including areas inside Bangladesh, potentially leading to a confrontation with the Bangladesh Army. The area houses the India-funded Sittwe Port, crucial for connecting India's northeast to the Bay of Bengal and China's port,...