News & Stories

Five men have been arrested in Germany suspected of being involved in a plot to drive a vehicle into people at a Christmas market.

Three Moroccans, an Egyptian and a Syrian were detained on Friday over the plan to target a market in the southern Bavarian state.

Authorities said they suspected an "Islamist motive".

Prosecutors said the Egyptian - a 56-year-old - was alleged to have "called for a vehicle attack... with the aim of killing or injuring as many people as possible".

The Moroccans allegedly agreed to carry out the attack.

Officials in Germany have been on high alert after previous attacks at Christmas markets, including in Magdeburg last December that killed six people.

Authorities did not say when the planned attack was supposed to take place or which market was the target, though said they believed it to be one in the Dingolfing-Landau area, north east of Munich.

German newspaper Bild reported the Egyptian man was an imam at a mosque in the area.

Police said the Moroccan men - aged 30, 28 and 22 - were arrested accused of having agreed to commit murder, while the Syrian man, a 37-year-old, was accused of encouraging the suspects "in their decision to commit the crime".

The five suspects appeared before a magistrate on Saturday and remain in custody.

Rumours of a major prisoner release from Belarus had been swirling for a couple of days.

But no one would reveal the names on the list, or the exact number, until everyone was safely out, finally free.

In total,123 political prisoners have been released, including some of the best-known names among Belarusian opposition politicians, human rights activists and journalists.

Maria Kolesnikova, the protest leader with a famous red-lipsticked smile, was on the release list.

A video of her jumping for joy and hugging other former prisoners, overjoyed to be reunited, was soon flying around social media.

Then came another, on a bus out of Belarus, where she thanked everyone who'd helped bring this moment about.

"It's a feeling of incredible happiness to see those who are dear to me, to hug them and realise we are all free," Masha, as she's best known, told the camera, her lips already painted red again.

The first sunset of her freedom was a thing of great beauty, she said.

"But I also think of those who are not yet free and I await the moment when we can all embrace, when all are free."

Out too is Viktor Babaryka, a banker who tried to run for president in 2020 but was locked up before the elections even began.

MANILA, Philippines — The combined effects of the shear line, the easterlies and the northeast monsoon, or “amihan” is forecast to bring cloudy and rainy weather all over the country on Sunday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said. In its

5 a.m. report, Pagasa said the shear line will bring scattered

Victor Wembanyama and San Antonio progress to the NBA Cup championship game after beating the defending NBA champions.

Victor Wembanyama delivered 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter in his return from a calf injury, and the San Antonio Spurs earned a spot in the NBA Cup final with a 111-109 upset of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Devin Vassell scored 23 points, and De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle added 22 apiece as San Antonio handed the Thunder just their second loss in 26 games this season. Th

e Spurs will play the New York Knicks in Tuesday night’s NBA Cup final. The

Knicks beat the Orlando Magic 132-120 earlier on Saturday in the other semifinal. Shai

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points for the Thunder, who had their franchise-record 16-game winning streak halted. Okla

homa City had not lost since November 5 at Portland. Wemb

anyama returned after a 12-game absence and was limited to 20 minutes. He c

ollected nine rebounds, and San Antonio outscored the Thunder by 21 when Wembanyama was on the floor. Jale

n Williams had 17 points, seven rebounds and four steals, and Chet Holmgren added 17 points for Oklahoma City. Alex

It’s been 30 years since the Bosnia war ended, but the conflict still shapes the country today. Ma

ny key terms, from ‘sniper safaris’ to ethnic cleansing, mark its legacy. Al Jaz

eera’s Alma Milisic explains the ones you should know.

Renewed border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand entered a second week after Bangkok denied US President Donald Trump’s claim that a truce had been agreed to halt the deadly fighting. Th

ai-Cambodia fighting continues despite US ceasefire claim

A manhunt is under way after two students were killed and nine other people were injured in a mass shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

The gunman opened fire in a classroom at around 16:00 local time (21:00 GMT) on Saturday, in a building where exams were taking place.

The university, one of the oldest and most prestigious in the US, was placed into lockdown as police searched for the gunman, who remains at large.

Students in parts of the campus are continuing to be told to shelter in place until police can escort them out of the area.

Officials from Rhode Island Hospital said most of the injured are in a "critical but stable" condition.

The identities of those killed or injured have not yet been released by officials.

"This is a day that we hoped never would come to our community.

It is deeply devastating for all of us," said Brown University President Christina Paxson in a statement.

Police have released limited information about the male suspect, including an identity or motive.

It is not known if he has links to the university.

MANILA, Philippines — For the first time in the country’s history, the traditionally closed-door bicameral conference committee deliberations on the national budget were opened to the public via livestream as the Senate and the House of Representatives convened on Saturday to hammer out differences in their versions of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB). The

ILIGAN CITY, LANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines — With a quiet smile and clutching a certificate, Niñol, stood among the 27 completers of the English Enrichment Course run by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) here for its inmates, also called Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs). The

y were recognized on Dec. 12 as the

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) will allocate P1.04 billion for its Special Needs Education program covering persons with disabilities (PWDs) and students from the indigenous peoples (IPs). Ed

ucation Secretary Sonny Angara said the allocation from DepEd’s proposed 2026 budget as approved by the Senate will be used to “reinforce key programs” that

MANILA, Philippines — Yet “another fishing expedition” was how Vice President Sara Duterte thought of the plunder and other criminal charges that were lodged against her over the alleged misuse of the P612.5 million confidential funds granted to her, for which she was impeached last February. In a s

tatement on Saturday, Duterte said the complaint

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Saturday the arrest of 11 most wanted suspects and the seizure of marijuana and other illegal drugs worth nearly P28 million during a half-day of nationwide operations from 10 p.m. on Thursday to 9 a.m. on Friday. PN

P acting chief Police Lt. Ge

n. Jo

se Melencio