India: A million-dollar challenge to crack the script of early Indians

Every week, Rajesh PN Rao, a computer scientist, gets emails from people claiming they’ve cracked an ancient script that has stumped scholars for generations. These self-proclaimed codebreakers – ranging from…

UK: Sara Sharif’s killers in sentence appeal bid

The father and stepmother of 10-year-old Sara Sharif are seeking permission to appeal against their sentences for her murder. Sara was hooded, burned and beaten during more than two years of abuse…

Pakistan: Imran Khan jailed for 14 years in corruption case

Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 14 years in prison over a corruption case, in the latest of a series of charges laid against him. It…

UK: Trump will want a good deal with London- Darren Jones

President-elect Donald Trump will want to do a good deal with the UK, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones has insisted. Jones, the chancellor’s second-in-command, said he was confident…

Palestine: President Abbas says ready to govern Gaza after ceasefire deal

Palestine’s President Mahmoud Abbas has said that the Palestinian Authority (PA) was ready to assume “full responsibility” in post-war Gaza, in his first statement since a ceasefire deal was announced between…

Lebanon: President Aoun wants Israel out of his country by January 26 deadline

 new president has demanded that Israel must withdraw from his country’s south by the January 26 deadline agreed in last year’s Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire as he met the United Nations chief…

South Korea: Yoon supporters storm court after detention extended

A South Korean court has extended President Yoon Suk-yeol’s detention for up to 20 days, leading to violent protests by hundreds of angry supporters who stormed the court building, smashed…

Yemen: Houthis to halt Israel, Red Sea attacks if Gaza truce comes into force

Houthi rebels have backed the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas, with the Yemeni group’s spokesperson saying they will halt their military operations against Israel as well as commercial ships…

Malaysia: ASEAN tells Myanmar military rulers peace should be priority, not election

South  Asian nations have told Myanmar’s military government its plan to hold an election amid an escalating civil war should not be its priority, urging it to start dialogue and…

Palestine: Israeli forces recover body of soldier held in Gaza since 2014

The Israeli military says special forces have recovered the body of a soldier killed in the 2014 Gaza war, which had been held hostage by Hamas since then. Staff Sgt…