26-12-2023 COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s police announced Sunday the arrests of nearly 15,000 people during a week-long military-backed anti-narcotics drive, a crackdown denounced by rights activists. Police said their operation, code-named “Yuktiya” or “Justice”, led to the seizure of almost 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of narcotics, including 272 kg of cannabis, …

26-12-2023 JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the Gaza war has come at a “very heavy price” for his side. The military says more than a dozen soldiers have been killed in the territory since Friday, bringing the total of the ground assault to 154. Saturday was one of …

25-12-2023 VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Sunday lamented that Jesus’ message of peace was being drowned out by the “futile logic of war” in the very land where he was born, as the pontiff led the world’s Roman Catholics into Christmas. Francis, celebrating the 11th Christmas of his pontificate, presided …

25-12-2023 By SJ Jafri + Bureau Report LONDON/ ISLAMABAD: Courts in the UK and Pakistan are involved in a complex legal tussle to decide what should happen to the siblings of Sara Sharif. Sara, 10, was found dead at her home in Woking, Surrey, in August. Her father, stepmother and …

25-12-2023 OCCUPIED WEST BANK/ BETHLEHEM: The atmosphere in Bethlehem is heavy with absence. Christmas celebrations have been cancelled this year and the thousands of tourists and pilgrims who would normally fill Manger Square are nowhere to be found. “The city is empty from happiness, from joy, from kids, from Santa. …

25-12-2023 WASHINGTON/ JERUSALEM: The US has a new diplomatic objective in the Gaza War to convince Israel to scale back its military operations in coming weeks. This is a crucial test of the Biden administration and whether it succeeds could help determine the next phase of the war as well …

25-12-2023 RAFAH/ GAZA STRIP: Israel’s war to destroy Hamas has killed more than 20,000 Palestinians, health officials in Gaza said Friday, as Israel expanded its offensive and ordered tens of thousands more people to leave their homes. The deaths in Gaza amount to nearly 1 percent of the territory’s prewar …

25-12-2023 LONDON: This year’s Antiques Roadshow Christmas special looks back on some of the most memorable stories to have appeared on the show to find out: “What happened next?” The Antiques Roadshow will air in the UK on 24th December on a TV show at 19:00 and will be available …

25-12-2023 KYIV: Ukrainian couple Hanna and Andriy Berezynets were delighted when they found out they were expecting triplets. But on the day the babies were due, war broke out and the little girls were born to the sound of Russian shells falling around them. When Hanna went for her first …

25-12-2023 By SJA Jafri + Agencies LAHORE/ JARANWALA: Four months ago, the Christian community in the city of Jaranwala, in north-eastern Pakistan, saw nearly two dozen churches and tens of homes ransacked by hundreds of protestors. In the aftermath, the government promised money to help rebuild. As they prepare for …