Lithuania investigates deadly plane crash near Vilnius Airport
[unable to retrieve full-text content] A DHL cargo plane crashed near Lithuania’s Vilnius Airport, killing one crew member.
Israel intensifies attacks on Lebanon but claims ceasefire deal ‘close’
Israel’s military launched air attacks across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least a dozen people, even as officials claimed they were nearing an agreement on a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli attacks hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut on Monday as well as in the port city of Tyre, where 12 people were killed – adding to the more than 3,700 people in Lebanon who have been killed by Israeli attacks in this two-month war. Israeli officials said they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut’s southern suburbs, and attacks landed across the city, including metres from a Lebanese police base and the city’s largest public park. Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi, reporting from Beirut on Monday, said Israeli attacks across Lebanon in recent days were “more powerful, more destructive, more frequent and happening more often without warning – leaving people no time to get out of the way of Israeli missiles and drones”. The barrages came as the Israeli ambassador to the United States said a ceasefire deal to end fighting between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah could be reached “within days”. Ambassador Mike Herzog told Israeli Army Radio on Monday that there remain “points to finalise” and any deal requires agreement from the government. But he said, “We are close to a deal”. Israeli officials said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet was set to convene on Tuesday to discuss a proposed ceasefire. Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said Israel would maintain an ability to strike southern Lebanon under any agreement. Lebanon has previously objected to wording that would grant Israel such a right. The US has pushed for a deal to end over a year of hostilities between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel, which erupted in parallel with Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and has drastically escalated over the last two months. In Beirut, Elias Bou Saab, Lebanon’s deputy parliament speaker, told the Reuters news agency there were “no serious obstacles” left to start implementing a US-proposed ceasefire with Israel, “unless Netanyahu changes his mind”. He said the proposal would entail an Israeli military withdrawal from south Lebanon and regular Lebanese soldiers deploying in the border region, long a Hezbollah stronghold, within 60 days. A sticking point on who would monitor compliance with the ceasefire had been resolved in the last 24 hours with an agreement to set up a five-country committee that includes France and is chaired by the US, he said. But Bou Saab also accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment in order to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah because “we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire”. After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, US officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. “We have made significant progress with getting towards a resolution,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. “But we are not done yet. Nothing is final until everything is final.” The French presidency reported “significant progress” in talks on a ceasefire and urged Israel and Hezbollah to “seize this opportunity”. One far-right member of Netanyahu’s security cabinet, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, said he would oppose it. He said on X that a deal with Lebanon would be a “big mistake” and a “missed historic opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah”. But hostilities continue to intensify despite the reported diplomatic progress. Over the weekend, Israel carried out powerful attacks, one of which killed at least 29 people in central Beirut, while Hezbollah unleashed one of its biggest rocket salvos yet on Sunday, firing 250 missiles into Israel. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli attacks since October 2023 have killed 3,768 people in Lebanon and forced more than one million people from their homes. Hezbollah strikes have killed 45 civilians in northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. At least 73 Israeli soldiers have been killed in northern Israel, the Golan Heights and in combat in southern Lebanon, according to Israeli authorities. Al Jazeera’s Basravi said that in past conflicts with Israel, there had been a surge of violence on both sides of the border, followed by a cessation. “People are clinging to the hope that this is that moment,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
One killed, dozens injured as supporters of Imran Khan protest in Pakistan
Supporters of the former prime minister are marching to the capital, Islamabad, demanding his release from jail. At least one police officer has been killed and dozens of people injured in Pakistan as supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan have clashed with security forces outside the capital, Islamabad, officials and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party say. Authorities enforced a security lockdown for the past two days in the country after Khan called for the march on parliament and a sit-in to demand his release. On Monday, one police officer was shot and killed, at least 119 others were injured and 22 police vehicles were torched in clashes just outside Islamabad and elsewhere in Punjab province, provincial police chief Usman Anwar said. Two officers were in critical condition, he added. The PTI said scores of its workers have also been injured in the rally so far. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said those responsible for the death of the police officer would face justice. Speaking at the funeral of Constable Muhammad Mubashir in Rawalpindi, Naqvi said it’s not the first time police officers have been killed during political protests. “Last time too they assaulted … our personnel who were martyred, and today we had to have another funeral again,” Naqvi told the media. “Those who called the protesters, they will be held responsible for this death. We will not spare anybody, and there will be cases registered against all of them.” The protest march, which Khan has described as the “final call”, is one of many his party has held to seek his release since he was jailed in August last year. His party said the jailed leader’s third wife, Bushra Bibi, and a key aide, Ali Amin Gandapur, who is the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, led the march that arrived just outside Islamabad on Monday night. “Physically, it has been very challenging to constantly travel in this cold, but our spirits are high, and we look forward to reach our destination later tonight,” PTI leader Asim Arbab told Al Jazeera on arriving at the entry point to Islamabad. Islamabad shut down In response to the PTI’s calls for protests in Islamabad, the government imposed measures such as shutting down the city’s entry and exit points and enforcing internet blackouts. Shipping containers were used to block major roads and streets in the city, and police and paramilitary personnel patrolled in riot gear. Officials and witnesses said all public transport between cities and terminals had also been shut down in the eastern province to keep away the protesters, and gatherings in Islamabad have been banned. All schools in the capital and the adjacent city of Rawalpindi, which were closed on Monday, will also remain closed on Tuesday, authorities said. Naqvi said security forces showed “extreme restraint” in confronting the protesters, some of whom he said had fired live rounds while police used rubber bullets and fired tear gas canisters. “It is easy to respond a bullet with a bullet,” he said. But Khan’s party accused the government of using excessive violence to block the protesters and said hundreds of its workers and leaders had been arrested. “They are even firing live bullets,” one of Khan’s aides, Shaukat Yousafzai, told Geo News. Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told Geo News TV that the government had held talks with PTI leaders to calm down the situation, “but it didn’t yield any results.” Sayed Zulfi Bukhari, a senior PTI leader and close aide to Khan, categorically rejected Asif’s assertion and said no kind of negotiations had occurred with the government. “We have entered Islamabad, and there is no need for us to talk to the government,” he told Al Jazeera. “Our demands are not unreasonable at all, and it is something that every citizen of Pakistan should ask for.” Adblock test (Why?)
Will Eknath Shinde step down as Maharashtra CM? His cryptic post sparks speculation, asks party workers not to…
The Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP factions, secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das hospitalised in Chennai due to…
On Tuesday, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das has been admitted to a corporate hospital
Missouri law requiring photo ID to vote remains intact: ‘Huge win for election security’
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said a state law requiring a photo ID to vote being upheld in court is a “huge win for election security.” “Missouri proved today how to handle radical activists that come into a state with secure elections and try to undermine them through the legal process,” Bailey said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. Bailey added that this was a huge victory for the Show Me State. “We went to court, we put on the evidence, and radical activists working to undermine our elections FAILED. This is a HUGE win for election security,” Bailey said in a post on X. COURT UPHOLDS RED STATE’S BAN ON TRANS SURGERIES, TREATMENTS FOR MINORS Elon Musk also shared his approval and praise for Missouri’s court ruling. “Congratulations AG Bailey! Now we need this nationwide,” Musk wrote in a post on X. The Missouri court’s decision to uphold the voter ID law came after heavy criticism from groups arguing that such requirements could disenfranchise voters. However, Bailey’s office successfully presented evidence supporting the law’s necessity and effectiveness in maintaining the integrity of the voting process. The court’s ruling confirmed that the voter ID law does not impose a burden on voters. Missouri also provides free non-driver’s licenses for voting for those who do not already have a driver’s license or have a current license. The health department’s Bureau of Vital Records provides free birth certificates to those seeking their first non-driver’s license in order to vote if the applicant does not have a current driver’s license. PENNSYLVANIA DEM GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO SIDES WITH STATE SUPREME COURT RULING NOT TO COUNT CERTAIN MAIL-IN BALLOTS “There is not a severe burden on the right to vote as the State has gone to great lengths to help voters obtain IDs,” Bailey wrote in a previous court brief. In October 2022, Cole County Presiding Judge Jon Beetem had already rejected a lawsuit brought by the Missouri League of Women Voters, NAACP and two voters challenging a law passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature making it mandatory that voters show photo identification to cast a regular ballot. Under the 2022 law, people with a valid government-issued photo ID are still able to submit provisional ballots, which will be counted if they return later that day with a photo ID or if election officials verify their signatures. Republicans said the goal of the 2022 law was to deter voter fraud, but the plaintiffs in the case argued the legislation placed unconstitutional hurdles on voting, suppressing turnout. Before the 2022 midterm elections, it was acceptable for Missourians to present a voter registration card, a student identification card, a bank statement or utility bill or a valid driver’s license to cast their ballots in the state. The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that 36 states request or require identification to vote, of which at least 20 ask for a photo ID. Other Republican-led states are moving in the same direction as Missouri, which could serve as the blueprint for national policy. “I’m proud that Missouri will continue to lead the nation in defense of election security,” Bailey said. Critics argue that such requirements are an overreaction that could disenfranchise eligible voters. Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Delhi pollution: No relief for Delhi-NCR as air quality remains ‘very poor’; schools to conduct classes in…
The air quality of Delhi’s areas like Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, and Wazirpur among others saw slight improvement on Monday, however, it again plummeted to the ‘severe’ category.
President-elect Trump appoints three key positions in White House offices
President-elect Trump announced three key appointments to White House offices on Monday, including two who served during his first term. The announcement included the appointment of James Braid, who will return to the White House as the deputy assistant to the president and director of the Office of Legislative Affairs. Braid worked in legislative affairs at the Office of Management and Budget during Trump’s first term, and since then he has served as the lead policy staffer for Vice President-elect JD Vance in the U.S. Senate. Braid has also served as chief of staff for multiple members of Congress, and has taken on several other senior policy roles on Capitol Hill since 2015. GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? Trump also announced Alex Latcham will return to the White House as the deputy assistant to the president and director of the Office of Public Liaison. Latcham previously served as special assistant to the president and deputy political director during Trump’s first term. For the past eight years, Latcham served Trump as a senior deputy political director for his campaign and for the Republican National Committee. TRUMP NOMINATES FORMER WISCONSIN REP. SEAN DUFFY FOR SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION The third person to be appointed is Matt Brasseaux, who will serve as deputy assistant to the president and director of the Office of Public Affairs. Brasseaux worked as a deputy political director for the Trump campaign and Republican National Committee in 2024. He also served as a regional political director for the Republican National Committee and campaign manager for now-Gov. Joe Lombardo in Nevada.
Fox News Politics: Prosecutorial Pass
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Trump begins endorsing replacements to replenish GOP majority in House as cabinet picks shrink lead -White House insists Biden, Harris have ‘one of most successful administrations in history’ despite 2024 loss -New study finds DEI initiatives creating ‘hostile attribution bias’ Special Counsel Jack Smith is asking a judge to drop all charges against President-elect Donald Trump stemming from Smith’s investigation into the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach, Fox News Digital has learned. Judge Tanya Chutkan will need to approve the request before the case is dismissed. Smith also filed a motion to drop his appeal in his classified records case against Trump–a case that was tossed in July by federal Judge Aileen Cannon. Cannon ruled Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel. The moves come after Smith, earlier this month after Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, signaled he would begin winding down his case against Trump. The filing went live on the Department of Justice docket on Monday afternoon…Read more VISCERAL CRIES: PETA protests Biden turkey pardon with ‘Hell on Wheels’ display with subliminal messaging meant to make people go vegan…Read more PARDONED: Biden does his final White House Thanksgiving turkey pardoning: ‘Last time to speak here as your president’…Read more AG PICK: Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for attorney general, praised as ‘loyal’ and ‘qualified’ for top US prosecutor role…Read more ‘UNLIKELY COALITION’: A criminal reform advocate sees opportunities in a second Trump term…Read more ‘STRONG’ ON ENERGY: Trump planning to lift Biden’s LNG pause, increase oil drilling during first days in office…Read more ‘FIRED UP’: ICE group praises Trump for Homan, Noem picks to lead immigration team: ‘Fired up’…Read more ‘NO NUCLEAR WEAPON’: Here’s how the US and Israel could thwart Iran’s nuclear efforts under a new Trump administration…Read more RAZOR-THIN MARGINS: Size of slim Republican House majority hangs on 3 uncalled races…Read more ‘TOTAL ENDORSEMENT’: Trump urges Florida Republican to mount congressional bid: ‘RUN, RANDY, RUN!’…Read more READY ON ‘DAY ONE’: Ohio congressman vying to replace JD Vance in the Senate says Trump’s agenda must be priority on ‘Day One’…Read more GAETZ SEAT: Fighter pilot, decorated combat veteran Jeff Witt announces bid to fill Florida House seat vacated by Gaetz…Read more NEW NEIGHBOR: Maryland governor defends $190K Trump-centric consulting contract as president-elect moves in next door…Read more THE ‘NEW JOE BIDEN’: NY Dem Rep. Ritchie Torres dubs Gov. Kathy Hochul ‘the new Joe Biden,’ warns of potential 2026 election loss…Read more ‘WE WILL INTERVENE’: Gavin Newsom threatens intervention if Trump kills Biden’s $7.5K EV tax credit…Read more GET OUT OF DENVER: Denver mayor says he’s prepared to go to jail over opposition to Trump deportations of illegal immigrants…Read more Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Court upholds red state’s ban on trans surgeries, treatments for minors
A Missouri state court on Monday upheld a state law banning child mutilation, following a brief two-week trial challenging the legislation. “The Court has left Missouri’s law banning child mutilation in place, a resounding victory for our children. We are the first state in the nation to successfully defend such a law at the trial court level,” state Attorney General Andrew Bailey said in a statement. “I’m extremely proud of the thousands of hours my office put in to shine a light on the lack of evidence supporting these irreversible procedures. We will never stop fighting to ensure Missouri is the safest state in the nation for children.” CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OFFICIAL COMPARED ‘SAVE GIRLS SPORTS’ SHIRT TO SWASTIKA, REBUKED GIRLS WEARING IT: LAWSUIT The ruling in Cole County coincides with the U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming review of U.S. v. Skrmetti, a case in Tennessee set to address the constitutionality of the state’s ban on transgender surgical procedures and medications for minors. The decision in this case could jeopardize the future of so-called “gender-affirming” care for minors nationwide. The Missouri court rejected the argument by the plaintiffs – Emily Noe on behalf of her minor child – stating that “Any person – including a minor – would be able to do anything from meth, to ecstasy, to abortion as long as a single medical professional was willing to recommend it.” The court also noted that such arguments have been routinely dismissed by courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. The law, enacted in 2023, has been the subject of legal challenges from trans minors, their families and health care providers. It prevents medical providers from performing trans surgeries and administering hormone treatments such as puberty blockers to people under 18. TRANSGENDER WOMEN TO BE BANNED FROM CAPITOL HILL FEMALE BATHROOMS UNDER NEW HOUSE GOP PROPOSAL After Monday’s ruling, Missouri became the first state to uphold a ban on such procedures at the trial court level. President-elect Trump also vowed on the campaign trail last year to outlaw “gender-affirming” procedures on minors and allow medical providers to be prosecuted. There are currently 26 states that have enacted laws or policies that ban or restrict trans surgeries and treatments for minors, while 24 states and the District of Columbia allow it and/or have passed “shield” laws to protect access to it.