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US President Donald Trump has said the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia will halt fighting "effective this evening".

Trump made the announcement after telephone conversations with the two leaders following deadly border clashes in recent days which have left at least 20 people dead and half a million displaced.

Neither Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul nor his Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet has commented.

However, after his call with Trump earlier, Charnvirakul told a news conference that a ceasefire would only come about if "Cambodia will cease fire, withdraw its troops, remove all landmines it has planted".

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said both leaders "have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me.

"Both Countries are ready for PEACE and continued Trade with the United States of America."

The long-standing border dispute escalated on 24 July, as Cambodia launched a barrage of rockets into Thailand, which responded with air strikes.

After days of intense fighting which left dozens dead, the neighbouring South East Asian countries agreed to an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" brokered by Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

This week, violence expanded into at least six provinces in north-eastern Thailand and five provinces in Cambodia's north and north-west.

The two countries have been been contesting territorial sovereignty along their 800km land border for more than a century, since the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes and his wife had been under Global Magnitsky sanctions after conviction of ex-president

The US Department of the Treasury has lifted sanctions imposed on the Brazilian supreme court justice who oversaw the conviction of the former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes had been under Global Magnitsky sanctions, which target individuals accused of human rights abuses, since July.

His wife Viviane Barci de Moraes – who was added the sanctions list in September – was also removed from the register on Friday. The

move had been repeatedly requested by Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in negotiations with Donald Trump to roll back the 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports. The dec

ision is a major setback for Bolsonaro and his congressman son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, who left his post in Brazil to lobby in Washington for punitive measures over what he called a “persecution” of his father. Trump impos

ed the punishment shortly after imposing tariffs on Brazil, justifying it as a response to what he claimed was a “witch-hunt” against Bolsonaro. Eduardo Bolsona

ro has alleged that he influenced Trump’s decision. Moraes presided o

ver the trial hearing in September when Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting to overturn Brazil’s 2022 election. Days later, the Mag

nitsky sanctions were extended to the justice’s wife. Bolsonaro’s supporter

More images from the estate of convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein have been released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.

The Democrats said the 19 images came from a tranche of 95,000 photos the committee received from Epstein's estate as part of its ongoing investigation.

US President Donald Trump, former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon are among the high-profile figures featured in the photos.

The images, many of which have been seen before, do not imply wrongdoing.

It comes one week before a deadline for the US justice department to release all Epstein-related documents, which are separate from the images shared by the committee on Friday.

The individuals featured in the images have not yet commented.

Many of them have previously denied wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

In a statement, Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, said: "It is time to end this White House cover-up and bring justice to the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and his powerful friends."

"These disturbing photos raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world.

We will not rest until the American people get the truth.

Citizens told to stay at home while ELN guerrillas carry out exercises in response to US president’s cocaine warning Co

lombia’s ELN guerrilla group has ordered civilians in areas under its control to stay home for three days starting on Sunday, while it carries out military exercises in response to “intervention” threats from Donald Trump. The US p

resident said earlier this month that any country that produces cocaine and sells it to the United States was “subject to attack”. The ELN, the

oldest surviving guerrilla group in the Americas, controls key drug-producing regions of Colombia and vowed on Friday to fight for the country’s “defense” in the face of Trump’s “threats of imperialist intervention”. It urged civilians in ar

eas it controls to stay indoors for 72 hours starting at 6am on Sunday. “It is necessary for civ

ilians not to mix with fighters to avoid accidents,” the group said in a statement. Tensions in the surrounding

region have grown in recent months, as the US has ramped up pressure on Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, putting a $50m bounty on his head and ordering a massive military buildup in the Caribbean – as well as a series of deadly airstrikes on alleged narco vessels, killing more than 80 people. With a force of about 5,800 comba

tants, the ELN – the Spanish acronym for the National Liberation Army – is present in more than a fifth of Colombia’s 1,100-plus municipalities, according to the Insight Crime research center. It has also built a growing presence in

neighbouring Venezuela, where it is present in eight of the country’s 24 states, expanding its finances, territorial control and political influence, the thinktank found in a recent report. “The growth of the ELN and the survival o

f the Maduro regime are now connected. So long as Maduro remains in power, the fav

Angry French farmers are calling for more protests over the government-backed slaughter of cattle herds affected by so-called Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).

On Thursday there were clashes between riot police and demonstrators in the southern Ariège department, after vets were called in to destroy potentially contaminated cattle at a farm. E

lsewhere in the south, farmers have dumped manure outside government buildings and blocked roads. T

he offices of several environmentalist groups were ransacked in the Charente-Maritime department. L

SD is a highly contagious bovine disease which is transmitted mainly by fly-bites. T

he symptoms are fever, mucal discharge and nodules on the skin. T

hough mainly non-fatal, it can badly affect milk-production and the cows are unsaleable. T

he disease arrived in Europe from Africa about ten years ago. F

rance's first outbreak was in the Alps in June, when an infected herd forced the Tour de France cycle race to cut short one of its stages. T

he government's policy of slaughtering entire herds where a single animal has been infected has run up against bitter opposition from two of the three main farmers' unions. C

European Union governments have agreed to immobilise indefinitely Russian assets of up to €210bn (£185bn) that have been frozen in the EU since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Mos

t of Moscow's cash is held in Belgian bank Euroclear, and European leaders are hoping to agree a deal at next week's crunch EU summit that would use the money for a loan to help Kyiv fund its military and economy. Aft

er almost four years of Russia's full-scale war Ukraine is running out of cash, and needs an estimated €135.7bn (£119bn; $159bn) over the next two years. Europe

aims to provide two-thirds of that, but Russian officials accuse the EU of theft. The Ru

ssian Central Bank said on Friday it was suing Belgian bank Euroclear in a Moscow court, in response to the EU loan plan. Russia

's assets in the EU were frozen within days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and €185bn of that is held by Euroclear. The EU a

nd Ukraine argue that money should be used to rebuild what Russia has destroyed: Brussels calls it a "reparations loan" and has come up with a plan to prop up Ukraine's economy to the tune of €90bn. "It's only

fair that Russia's frozen assets should be used to rebuild what Russia has destroyed – and that money then becomes ours," says Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky. German Chanc

ellor Friedrich Merz says the assets will "enable Ukraine to protect itself effectively against future Russian attacks". Russia's cou

rt action was expected in Brussels and European Economic Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Friday that EU financial institutions were "fully protected" from legal proceedings. Belgium is w

Iranian security forces have "violently arrested" Nobel Peace Prize winner and women's rights activist Narges Mohammadi, her foundation has said.

The Narges Foundation said Ms Mohammadi, 53, was detained in the eastern city of Mashhad, along with other activists.

The Nobel Committee said it was "deeply concerned by today's brutal arrest of Narges Mohammadi" and called on the authorities "to immediately clarify Mohammadi's whereabouts, ensure her safety and integrity, and to release her without conditions".

Iran does not appear to have commented.

Ms Mohammadi was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her activism against female oppression in Iran and promoting human rights.

In December 2024, she was given a temporary release from jail for three weeks on medical grounds, after being held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison since 2021.

She was expected to return to prison soon after, where she was serving multiple sentences.

Her latest arrest reportedly came as she attended a memorial ceremony for Khosrow Alikordi, a lawyer found dead in his office last week.

Norway-based group Iran Human Rights had called for an independent inquiry to establish how he died, saying the circumstances around his death were "suspicious".

Several other activists were detained at the ceremony, where it's reported they shouted slogans, including "death to the dictator" and "long live Iran".

Eritrea has withdrawn from East African regional bloc Igad, accusing the organisation of "becoming a tool against" countries like itself.

In a statement on Friday, Eritrea's foreign ministry said Igad had strayed from its founding principles and failed to contribute to regional stability.

The withdrawal comes amid a fierce war of words between Eritrea and neighbouring Ethiopia, leading to fears of renewed armed conflict.

In response to Eritrea's statement, Igad (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) said the country had not made any "tangible proposals" or engaged with reforms.

Igad was established to promote regional stability and food security in East Africa, and also includes Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, and Djibouti.

The government in Eritrea's capital, Asmara, has long accused Igad of siding with Ethiopia in regional disputes.

Eritrea previously left the bloc in 2007, during its border dispute with Ethiopia.

It only rejoined in 2023.

"Eritrea finds itself compelled to withdraw its membership from an organisation that has forfeited its legal mandate and authority; offering no discernible strategic benefit to all its constituencies," Eritrea's foreign ministry said on Friday.

In its response, Igad said that since the country returned to the bloc it had not "participated in IGAD meetings, programmes, or activities".

Kristi Noem says Ethiopia ‘no longer meets conditions’ for US to provide work authorization and legal protection The

US is ending temporary legal status for citizens of Ethiopia in the United States, according to a government notice on Friday, as the Trump administration continues its crackdown on legal and illegal immigration. “Aft

er reviewing country conditions and consulting with appropriate US government agencies, the secretary determined that Ethiopia no longer continues to meet the conditions for the designation for Temporary Protected Status,” homeland security secretary Kristi Noem said in a notice posted in the Federal Register. Temporar

y protected status is available to people whose home country has experienced a natural disaster, armed conflict or other extraordinary event. It provi

des eligible migrants with work authorization and temporary protection from deportation. The prog

ram was created in 1991, and under Donald Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, it was extended to cover about 600,000 Venezuelans and 521,000 Haitians. Noem rever

sed the extensions in February, saying they were no longer justified. In recent

months, the Trump administration has removed the protective status for people from numerous countries, including Haiti, Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria and Venezuela. In Novembe

r, the president announced the termination of protection for Somalis in Minnesota. Trump has

made controlling immigration a central plank of his second White House term. Canceling

Rookie Michael Ma leaves Conservative party for ‘steady, practical approach’ of Mark Carney’s government Canada

’s ruling Liberals have edged closer to a majority government after a Conservative lawmaker crossed the floor, in yet another blow to the struggling Tories. Rookie l

awmaker Michael Ma said late on Thursday that he had decided to leave the Conservative party, for “the steady, practical approach” of prime minister Mark Carney’s government, which he said would “deliver on the priorities I hear every day, including affordability and the economy”. He added: “After l

istening carefully to the people of Markham–Unionville in recent weeks and reflecting with my family on the direction of our country, I have informed the speaker and the leader of the opposition that I will be joining Prime Minister Mark Carney in the government caucus. This is a time for uni

ty and decisive action for Canada’s future.” Ma made the announcement t

he day after attending the Conservative Christmas party and posing for a photo with Tory leader Pierre Poilievre. He then attended a party h

osted by the Liberals the next evening, appearing on stage with Carney to raucous applause. The Liberals now have 171

seats in parliament: one short of a majority. In a statement on social m

edia, Poilievere said Ma “chose to endorse the very policies he was elected to oppose” and would join a party that was increasing the cost of living. “The people he let down the mo

st are the ones who elected him to fight for an affordable future. He will have to answer to them.”

Torrential rain has caused mudslides, washed out roads and submerged vehicles with more deluges expected on Sunday

The Pacific north-west is reeling from catastrophic flooding that inundated communities across the region this week, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate and prompting a federal emergency declaration.

Torrential rain rapidly filled rivers and triggered flooding on Thursday from Oregon north through Washington state and into British Columbia, causing mudslides and tearing homes from their foundations.

Authorities have closed dozens of roads in response to the emergency and issued evacuation warnings for 100,000 people.

The record flood waters were expected to continue to slowly recede on Saturday, but authorities have warned that water levels will remain high for days, and that there is still danger from potential levee failures or mudslides.

There is also the threat of more rain forecast for Sunday.

No deaths have so far been reported.

Authorities have yet to estimate the costs, but photos and videos show widespread damage, with entire communities or neighborhoods flooded around western and central Washington.

Officials have conducted dozens of water rescues, debris and mudslides have closed highways, and raging torrents have washed out roads and bridges.

The rain arriving on Sunday will cause rivers to rise again, said Robert Ezelle, director of the Washington Military Department’s emergency management division. Bo

Germany has accused Russia of a cyber-attack on air traffic control and attempted electoral interference, and summoned the Russian ambassador.

A foreign ministry spokesman said Russian military intelligence was behind a "cyber-attack against German air traffic control in August 2024".

The spokesman also accused Russia of seeking to influence and destabilise the country's federal election in February this year.

The latest accusations come amid heightened concern in Europe over suspected Russian cyber-attacks since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Russia has "categorically rejected" the claims, saying their alleged involvement in such incidents was "absurd".

"The accusations of Russian state structures' involvement in these incidents and in the activities of hacker groups in general are baseless, unfounded and absurd," Russia's embassy in Berlin said in a statement to AFP news agency.

The foreign ministry in Germany said that Berlin - in close co-ordination with its European partners - would respond with counter-measures to make Russia "pay a price for its hybrid actions".

In the last year, both the UK and Romania have accused Russia of meddling in their domestic affairs, including targeting organisations that deliver foreign assistance to Ukraine and presidential elections.

The spokesman said the August 2024 cyber-attack on Germany could be attributed to the Fancy Bear Russian hacker group.

"Our intelligence findings prove that the Russian military intelligence service GRU bears responsibility for this attack," he added.