News & Stories

Angry fans attending Lionel Messi's tour of India ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch after his appearance at Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium.

Thousands of adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees (£100; $133) to catch a glimpse of the football star, but were left disappointed when he emerged to walk around the pitch and was obscured by a large group of officials and celebrities. W

hen the Argentina and Inter Miami forward was whisked away early by security after around 20 minutes, elements of the crowd turned hostile. W

est Bengal's chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, said she was "deeply disturbed and shocked" by the events. A

nnouncing an enquiry, Banerjee apologised to Messi and "sports lovers" for the incident at the stadium. "

The [enquiry] committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future," the chief minister said on X. A

spokesperson for Messi said that he fulfilled the time commitment that had been agreed in advance. I

n terms of the organisation of the event itself, he referred the BBC to the apology issued by Banerjee on social media. A

police official told reporters that the event's "chief organiser" had been arrested, without giving any further details, AFP reports. A

uthorities will look into how organisers could refund money to those who bought tickets, the official added. T

Real Madrid have only won two of their last eight matches piling pressure on their manager Xabi Alonso for Alaves trip.

Who: Alaves vs Real Madrid What: Spain’s La Liga Where: Mendizorroza Stadium in Vitoria, Spain When: Sunday, December 14, at 9pm (20:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream. Real

Madrid will hope to ease the pressure on Xabi Alonso when they visit Alaves on Sunday, but the record La Liga winners will know that one more defeat could spell the end of the short-lived tenure of their beleaguered manager. In a

welcome show of solidarity, Los Blancos midfielder Jude Bellingham said on Wednesday, after their defeat by Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, that the players were behind Alonso and no one was “downing tools”. More wel

come news for the Madrid-based club is that Kylian Mbappe is back in contention for Sunday’s game after missing out against City due to injury. Al Jazeera

Sport takes a look at what is surely a must-not-lose for Alonso, but – with Barcelona seven points clear – may well be a must-win. Alonso, whom S

panish media reported was set for the sack if Madrid lost against City, remains at the helm despite a 2-1 defeat at a frustrated, whistling Bernabeu. The hope is th

at the match, despite the outcome, can be a turning point for a team with just two wins in their last eight games across all competitions. Alonso’s playe

rs rallied around him, with not only Bellingham offering public messages of support after the game and even during it, as goalscorer Rodrygo Goes ran over to hug his manager. “The only thing

we can do is change our attitude … and [against City] we saw a change,” said defender Raul Asencio. Goalkeeper Thibaut Cou

Two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter have been killed in Syria in an ambush by an Islamic State gunman, the US Central Command has said.

Officials said three other service members were injured in the attack, during which the gunman was "engaged and killed".

US President Donald Trump wrote on social media that it was "an ISIS attack" against the US and Syria and said there would be "a very serious retaliation".

The identities of those killed are being withheld for 24 hours until their next of kin have been informed, the US Central Command said.

In a post on X, the US Central Command said the attack was "the result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman", while a Pentagon official said initial assessments showed the attack was "likely" to be carried out by the Islamic State group.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attacker was a member of the Syrian security force.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the identity of the gunman has not been released.

The ambush occurred in Palmyra, located in the centre of the country, while the soldiers were "conducting a key leader engagement", according to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell.

A Pentagon official said: "This attack took place in an area where the Syrian president does not have control."

Trump added that the three injured US soldiers were "doing well".

Israel said it killed a senior Hamas commander on Saturday in a strike on a vehicle inside Gaza.

In a joint statement, the Israeli military and security agency Shin Bet announced it had "eliminated" Raed Saad, the head of weapons production for Hamas's military wing, the Qassam Brigades, in Gaza city.

Saad had been regarded as one of the most prominent Qassam commanders and led several brigades during Hamas's 7 October attacks on Israeli communities east of Gaza City.

The Hamas-run Civil Defence spokesman, Mahmoud Basal, told the BBC that four people were killed in the strike.

He said multiple passers-by were also injured by the blast.

A local Hamas official in Gaza told the BBC that the strike also killed Saad's aide and another lower-ranking official identified as Abu Imad al-Laban.

The BBC is prevented by Israel from reporting independently from inside Gaza and is unable to verify details of the incident.

The IDF and ISA joint statement added that Saad had been "responsible for the deaths of many soldiers" killed in the Gaza Strip as the result of explosive devices.

Saad is believed to be a member of the newly formed five-member leadership military council established since a ceasefire took hold in October.

Israel has attempted to kill him on multiple occasions.

Parts of Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos, have been turned into an "open-air gallery", in the words of the organisers of the city's first street art festival.

One of the featured artists, Ashaolu Oluwafemi, told the BBC that the festival brings art "to the people and the community".

"People don't always have the opportunity to go to exhibitions, so they don't have the opportunity to see art," he said.

The artwork is on display on Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, a busy street in Victoria Island in the heart of the city.

Oluwafemi, who was born and brought up in Lagos, said he and the other artists were telling the story of the city and its rise.

"You have to be wise and strong and brilliant to make it out of Lagos."

Although Lagos is known for its vibrant arts scene, nightlife and creativity, street art is relatively unknown.

"The visibility is not too strong compared to other African nations," painter Ernest Ibe told AFP news agency.

"So, it's a challenge, but the country is evolving.

We are beginning to understand the impact of social murals and how it affects us socially and in our environment in general."

US President Donald Trump's overseas envoy will travel to Germany this weekend to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders for the latest round of high-level talks on ending the war.

Steve Witkoff, who has been leading White House attempts to mediate between Ukraine and Russia, will discuss the latest version of the proposed peace agreement in Berlin.

The Trump administration is pushing for a deal to be in place by Christmas and has held several rounds of talks with Ukrainian and Russian representatives in recent weeks, though there has been little sign a breakthrough is imminent.

It has not yet been confirmed which European leaders will attend the Berlin talks.

The Wall Street Journal, which first reported details of the meeting, said UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz would all take part.

Confirmation of the Witkoff-Zelensky meeting comes days after Ukraine gave the US its revised version of a 20-point peace plan, the latest iteration of a proposal which first emerged in late November and has triggered a flurry of diplomatic activity.

The fate of territory in eastern Ukraine remains one of the most intractable topics in the negotiations, with Kyiv refusing to cede land which has been illegally occupied, and Moscow repeating its intention to take the Donbas region in full by force unless Ukraine withdraws.

Zelensky has reacted sceptically to the White House's latest proposal on resolving the territorial question, which is for Ukraine's army to pull out of the region and for it to be turned into a "special economic zone".

The Ukrainian president told reporters that under the US-proposed terms, the Kremlin would undertake not to advance into the areas vacated by Ukraine's forces, with the land between Russian-controlled parts of the Donbas and Ukraine's defensive lines effectively turned into a demilitarised zone.

The proposal, seemingly an attempt to resolve the question of legal ownership by creating a new status for the land, has been publicly questioned by Zelensky, who said: "What will restrain [Russia] from advancing?

The seizure of the Skipper on Wednesday marked the first US capture of Venezuelan oil cargo since sanctions were imposed in 2019

Venezuelan oil exports have reportedly fallen sharply since the US seized a tanker this week and imposed fresh sanctions on shipping companies and vessels doing business with Caracas, according to shipping data, documents and maritime sources.

The US seizure of the Skipper tanker off Venezuela’s coast on Wednesday was the first US capture of Venezuelan oil cargo since sanctions were imposed in 2019 and marked a sharp escalation in rising tensions between the Trump administration and the government of Nicolás Maduro. Sin

ce the seizure, only tankers chartered by US oil company Chevron have sailed into international waters carrying Venezuelan crude, the data reviewed by the Reuters news agency showed. Che

vron has US government authorisation to operate through joint ventures in the country and export its oil to the US. Oth

er tankers that have loaded about 11m barrels of oil and fuel are stuck in Venezuelan waters, according to the sources and data seen by Reuters. The

US attorney general, Pam Bondi, said this week the Skipper was intercepted and retained under a seizure warrant, while Guyana’s maritime authority said it was falsely flying the country’s flag. The tan

ker is now reportedly heading to Houston, where it will offload its cargo on to smaller ships. Washing

ton is preparing to intercept more ships transporting Venezuelan oil, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday, according to Reuters. Venezue

la has condemned the tanker seizure as “blatant theft” and “international piracy”, saying it would file complaints with international bodies. At the same tim

Mike Waltz warns ‘spoilers’ will be held to account as rebel fighters escalate offensive in South Kivu province The

US has accused Rwanda of violating a US-brokered peace agreement by backing a deadly new rebel offensive in the mineral-rich eastern Congo, and warned action will be taken against “spoilers”. The rema

rks by the US ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, came as more than 400 civilians have been killed since the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels escalated their offensive in eastern Congo’s South Kivu province, according to officials who also say Rwandan special forces were in the strategic city of Uvira. Waltz on F

riday told the UN security council that the US was “profoundly concerned and incredibly disappointed with the renewed outbreak of violence” by M23. “Rwanda is lea

ding the region towards increased instability and war,” Waltz warned. “We will use the t

ools at our disposal to hold to account spoilers to peace.” He called on Rwanda to

respect Congo’s right to defend its territory and invite friendly forces from neighbouring Burundi to fight alongside Congolese forces. He also said the US was

engaging with all sides “to urge restraint and to avoid further escalation”. The rebels’ latest offensive

comes despite a US-mediated peace agreement signed last week by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents in Washington. The accord didn’t include the

rebel group, which is negotiating separately with Congo and agreed earlier this year to a ceasefire that both sides accuse the other of violating. However, it obliges Rwanda to ha

A raccoon that broke into a Virginia store and joyfully drank its way through the liquor aisle is now suspected of a wider crime spree, officials say.

A Hanover animal control officer suspects the stripe-tailed mammal also broke into a nearby karate studio and then raided the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for snacks.

"Supposedly, this is the third break-in he's had," said Officer Samantha Martin.

The raccoon, now nicknamed the "trashed panda", was first discovered passed out in the bathroom of the Ashland liquor store two days after Thanksgiving.

After sobering up, the unlikely outlaw was released back into the wild.

A new study found the masked mammals known for rummaging rubbish bins for easy food, are evolving and getting comfortable around humans.

Ms Martin says it's only a matter of time before the masked bandit strikes the shopping centre again.

"This is not the first time he's been in one of the buildings," she told the county government's official podcast, Hear in Hanover, on Thursday.

"He was in the karate studio.

I think he got into the DMV [and] ate some of their snacks one time," she said.

The US ambassador to the UN has accused Rwanda of leading Africa's Great Lakes region toward war, just over a week after a peace deal was signed in Washington to end the decades-long conflict.

US President Donald Trump Trump hailed the deal between DR Congo's President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwanda's President Paul Kagame as "historic" and "a great day for Africa, great day for the world". B

ut the M23 rebel group says it has "fully liberated" the key city of Uvira in an offensive the US and European powers say is backed by Rwanda. U

N experts have previously accused it of having "de facto control" of the rebel force's operations. R

wanda denies the allegations, however, its presence in Washington was a tacit acknowledgment of its influence over the M23. T

he rebels were not signatories to Trump's deal - and have been taking part in a parallel peace process led by Qatar, a US ally. T

he latest fighting risks further escalating an already deeply complex conflict. P

rof Jason Stearns, a Canada-based political scientist who specialises in the region, told the BBC that the view in M23 circles was that "they need more leverage in the negotiations", while the feeling in the Rwandan government is that Tshisekedi cannot be trusted. H

e added that the assault on Uvira, in South Kivu province, "flies in the face of all the negotiations that are under way". "

It appears to humiliate the US government. I

Warehouses supplying the vast majority of Ukraine's pharmacies have been destroyed in a series of Russian attacks over recent months.

Medical supplies worth about $200m (£145m) were destroyed in just two strikes in December and October. A

large warehouse storing medicines in the city of Dnipro was destroyed in a Russian air strike on 6 December. A

s a result, about $110m worth of medicines were destroyed - estimated at up to 30% of Ukraine's monthly supply. "

It was a missile and drone strike against our facility. T

he missiles flew past, but the drones hit it," said Dmytro Babenko, acting director-general of pharmaceutical distributor BADM. "

They caused a fire which unfortunately proved impossible to contain and the whole facility was destroyed." B

ADM is one of two companies that supply about 85% of Ukrainian pharmacies in roughly equal shares. T

he other company is Optima Pharm, whose warehouses have been hit three times this year - on 28 August, 25 October and 15 November. T

he October attack destroyed its main storage facility in Kyiv, and cost the company more than $100m, says Optima Pharm's chief financial officer Artem Suprun. R

A large fire broke out on a Turkish car ferry anchored at the Ukrainian port city of Odesa after it was hit in a strike on Friday.

The company that operates the Cenk T confirmed the attack occurred at 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT) shortly after it docked at the Chornomorsk port.

Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky has blamed the strike on Russia, which has not commented.

The attack came hours after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Russian President Vladimir Putin that a limited ceasefire for energy facilities and ports could be beneficial.

Russia has resisted all calls for a ceasefire.

Moscow has threatened to cut "Ukraine off from the sea" in response to Kyiv's maritime drone attacks on Russia's "shadow fleet" tankers thought to be used to export oil - and a main source for funding the ongoing war.

Cenk Denizcilik, the company that owns the cargo ship that operates on the Karasu-Odesa route across the Black Sea, said on Friday that it had been carrying "essential food supplies" when it was hit shortly after anchoring at the Ukrainian port city.

Emergency response measures were immediately activated with the vessel's crew, port fire brigade and assisting tugboats after a fire broke out on the forward section of the ship, the company's statement added.

"At this stage, there are no reports of casualties or injuries among the crew," it said.

Video footage of the attack's aftermath, which was shared on Zelensky's Telegram account, shows crews attempting to extinguish a large blaze on the vessel.