Category World News

Pope Leo heads to Turkiye, Lebanon in first foreign trip as Catholic leader

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Pope Leo will make his first international visit as the leader of the Catholic Church, making stops in Turkiye and Lebanon, where he is expected to make appeals for peace in the Middle East, which are at the center of conflict, and encourage unity among the divided Christian churches.

The pontiff’s first speeches abroad and visits tense cultural sites will be closely watched as he prepares a crowded three-day itinerary in Turkiye starting on Thursday and then travels to Lebanon.

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Foreign travel has grown to be a significant component of the modern papacy, with popes attracting attention from around the world by leading events with crowds of up to 100,000, giving speeches on foreign policy, and running international diplomacy.

Leo, 70, will travel to Turkey’s capital, Ankara, where he will meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and address political leaders, on Thursday at around 06:40 GMT. He was scheduled to leave with his entourage from Rome’s Fiumicino airport.

The landmark early church council in Turkiye, where the Nicene Creed is still revered by the majority of Christians around the world, is where the first pontiff from the United States will travel.

The world’s cardinals elected Leo in a conclave in May to succeed Pope Francis. Before his election, Leo, a relative stranger on the global stage, spent decades as a missionary in Peru before acclimating to the Vatican in 2023.

Francis had planned to travel to Turkiye and Lebanon, but his health was preventing him from doing so.

Leo will then make a brief stop in Istanbul on Thursday evening, which was previously known as Constantinople, the Roman Empire’s capital.

Pope Leo will make his first apostolic trip to Turkiye, according to translation. He is seen arriving at the Fiumicino airport in Rome, where he will board an Italian Airways flight to Ankara.

Leo is the only pope to visit Turkiye after Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1979, Benedict XVI in 2006, and Francis in 2014. In Istanbul, the city’s largest Catholic church at St. Anthony Padua Parish, preparations are in progress.

Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the 260 million Orthodox Christians in the world, resides in Istanbul.

Orthodox and Catholic Christians split in the East-West Schism in 1054, but they have generally made efforts to reunite in recent years.

Leo and Bartholomew will travel to Iznik, a city 140 kilometers (90 miles) southeast of Istanbul, on Friday, where the Nicene Creed, which outlines what are still held by the majority of Christians today, was created. There, it was once called Nicaea, which was 140 kilometers (90 miles) southeast of Istanbul.

Leo is expected to speak English in his speeches in Turkiye in a change from what is customary for popes to speak Italian on official occasions.

Leo will travel to Lebanon, a religiously diverse country, on Sunday after being devastated by an economic and political crisis since 2019 and the target of numerous Israeli bombings in near-daily violations of an agreement reached a year ago to end the war.

Since the breakaway of the truce, Israel has killed more than 330 Lebanese.

In an airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sunday, Israel carried out the murder of Haytham Ali Tabatabai, the Lebanese government’s chief of staff.

Train collision in China kills 11 railway maintenance workers: Reports

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Published On 27 Nov 2025

According to state-run media, a train struck railroad maintenance workers in southwest China killing eleven people and injuring two others.

The train struck the workers early on Thursday morning while traveling along a curved section of track at Luoyangzhen station in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, according to the Xinhua news agency.

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The railway authorities immediately activated the emergency response plan following the accident, according to Xinhua, and coordinated rescue efforts and medical care for the injured with the local government.

The organization claims that a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing.

According to the state news outlet, medical care for the injured is “proceeding in an orderly manner” while Luoyangzhen station’s rail operations are back to normal following the accident.

China, which has one of the largest rail networks in the world, has recently had a number of fatal train accidents, despite the fact that fatal accidents have decreased significantly over the past few decades.

A train reportedly derailed in Guizhou province in 2022 after hitting debris from a landslide, killing a conductor and injuring eight others, according to state media.

According to state media, a train derailment in Chenzhou in the central province of Hunan in 2020 resulted in the deaths of one person and the injuries of 127 others.

In 2011, a high-speed train collided with a stationary locomotive in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, killing 40 people and injuring nearly 200 others, the country’s most recent train disaster.

In 2008, 66 people died when two passenger trains collided near Zibo in eastern China’s Shandong province.

A sleeper is carried by two railway workers at the scene of a 2008 collision between two passenger trains in the Shandong province of eastern China, in Zibo. [File: Ng Kong/EPA] 66 people died and 247 others were hurt when the train from Qingdao to Beijing collided with the Xuzhou-bound train.

National Guardsmen shot in Washington DC: What happened, who’s the suspect?

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After being shot close to the White House, two West Virginia National Guard members received serious injuries. The attack was referred to as a “targeted shooting” by officials.

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, described the shooting as an “act of evil, an act of hatred, and an act of terror.”

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In a busy tourist destination, the shooting took place just one day before Thanksgiving.

What’s known about the shooting, the alleged attacker, and what’s coming next?

What transpired in Washington, D.C.

A lone suspect allegedly opened fire on a member of the National Guard at around 2:15 pm local time (19:15 GMT).

The suspect, who was also shot during the altercation, is still in police custody and is receiving treatment there.

According to Jeffery Carroll, executive assistant chief, “It appears to be a lone gunman who raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard.”

The suspect approached three National Guard members before opening fire, according to a CNN report. Before appearing to attempt another shot, he shot one guard before striking the next one, standing over the first victim. The third guardsman then opened fire.

Trump was in Florida at the time of the incident.

925 people from the DC National Guard and more than 1,200 from other states have been stationed in the US capital, making up roughly 2,200 National Guard members.

After a shooting occurred in Washington, DC on November 26, 2025, law enforcement units surrounded the area.

The National Guard is what?

The National Guard is a reserve division of the US military that can assist missions abroad and be called up when there are emergencies at home, such as civil unrest or natural disasters.

It has about 431,000 members, making it the second-largest military force in the nation, made up of the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.

Each US state and territory has its own National Guard units, as does Washington, D.C. These departments answer both the federal government and state leaders. This is different from the traditional US military, where active duty personnel are commanded by the president at all times.

West Virginia’s National Guard was the only one of two soldiers who were hurt on Wednesday, according to Governor Patrick Morrisey.

A federal judge ruled that Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, DC was likely unlawful, and a temporary stop was placed last week. The Trump administration fought to have that decision overturned following the shooting.

A member of the U.S. Secret Service stands guard in a cordoned-off area after two National Guard members
After two National Guard members were shot close to the White House, on November 26, 2025, a US Secret Service employee stands guard [Nathan Howard/Reuters].

Where was the location of the shooting?

Farragut Square, a tourist-heavy area close to the White House and a busy transit center, was where the shooting took place.

Farragut Square in downtown Washington, DC, was designed by Pierre L’Enfant in 1791.

The area features two stops on the Washington metro system, fast-casual restaurants, a coffee shop, and wreath-covered holiday holiday lampposts.

The suspect is who?

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is the suspect, according to the investigation.

Lakanwal was reportedly brought back to the US from Afghanistan in September 2021 as part of Operation Allies Welcome, a program that Joe Biden launched to reset Afghans after the Taliban regained control of the country following US withdrawal.

According to Trump, “I can report tonight that the Department of Homeland Security is confident that the suspect in custody is a foreigner who came into our country from Afghanistan – a hellhole on Earth,” according to a video message.

Operation Allies Welcome: What Is It?

Afghans who had fled their nation after the Taliban took control of the US program Operation Allies Welcome were helped by US forces in 2021. Many of these Afghans feared being targeted because they had previously worked as interpreters, drivers, or support personnel for the US. Additionally, women’s rights activists and journalists were in danger.

Tens of thousands of Afghans were transported there as part of the program to undergo medical examinations, vaccinations, and immigration processing. Before being relocated to different communities across the nation, they also passed security checks.

The initiative, which lasted for roughly a year, was supported by the Congressional Research Service, which claimed about 76, 000 Afghans entered the US. Some Republicans who criticized the program later criticized the vetting procedure as being insufficient.

What comes next?

Trump announced plans to increase deportation efforts after the attack, and said his administration would re-examine Afghans who had arrived after the Taliban took control. He said, “We must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan.”

According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, all Afghan immigration requests are being processed “pending further review of security and vetting protocols.”

Separately, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Washington, DC, would be home to an additional 500 National Guard members from a state that has yet to be named to increase security and reassure the general public.

What responses have been received?

Trump stated in his statement that he was “determined to ensure that the animal who committed this atrocity pays the highest possible price.”

He declared, “We are not going to tolerate these kinds of assaults on law and order by people who shouldn’t even be in our country.”

The organization, which supports Afghans who seek to immigrate, has endorsed the president of #AfghanEvac, which claims the attacker should be held accountable and put on trial. He did, however, warn against using the incident to “demonize the Afghan community.”

Former President Joe Biden claimed the shooting left him and his wife, Jill, “heartbroken.”

“We must all stand together against violent behavior of any kind. On X, Biden wrote, “We are praying for the service members and their families.

Former US President Barack Obama blasted the attack in a statement on social media that read, “Violence has no place in America.”

The National Guard’s general, General Steven Nordhaus, stated that he was visiting Guantanamo Bay to spend Thanksgiving with US troops at the military base while he was in Washington, DC.

Hong Kong blaze death toll reaches 45 as rescue operations continue

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by news organizations

One of Hong Kong’s most deadly contemporary fires, which burned through several high-rise buildings at the Tai Po complex in the New Territories region, is currently being battled by firefighters for a second day.

As there were 55 fatalities, including one firefighter, according to authorities, three construction company executives were detained on suspicion of manslaughter. There are still 280 missing people, roughly.

The complex’s proximity to the continental border was causing thick smoke to continue to billow on Thursday at noon.

Seven out of eight buildings were affected by the fire, which started on Wednesday afternoon, with firefighters securing the top four towers. At least 71 people were hurt, primarily from burns and inhaling smoke, and the operation is scheduled to continue until evening.

Lawrence Lee waited for news about his wife, who had been stranded in their apartment. I called her on the phone to escape when the fire started. But once she left, the hallway and stairs were strewn with smoke and were dark, leaving her with the choice to return to the apartment, he said from a shelter.

On Wednesday, Winter and Sandy Chung, who successfully left, recalled seeing flying sparks while escaping. Winter Chung, age 75, told The Associated Press, “I couldn’t sleep the entire night.

Police detained two Prestige Construction &amp, Engineering Company directors and an engineering consultant. Senior Superintendent Eileen Chung remarked, “We have reason to believe that the construction company’s managers were grossly negligent.” Documents were seized as evidence during a search of the company’s office by authorities.

Investigators believe that non-compliant materials contributed to the fire’s quick spread. In the unaffected tower, police discovered highly flammable polystyrene foam that had been glued to windows. The fire started on construction netting and bamboo scaffolding outside a 32-story building, which was then accelerated by the windy weather.

Major renovations were taking place in the housing complex from the 1980s, which had about 4,800 residents, many of whom were elderly. 900 people were moved to temporary shelters, or “ask me”

All remodeled housing estates will now be subject to immediate safety inspections, according to Hong Kong leader John Lee. Xi Jinping, the president of China, expressed his condolences and called for efforts to reduce casualties.

Gasfield in northern Iraq hit by drone attack: Reports

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by news organizations

According to media reports, a drone attack on Iraq’s Khor Mor gasfield forced the facility to halt operations, causing power to be cut off for much of northern Iraq’s Kurdish region.

According to the Reuters news agency, the attack took place on Wednesday night at around 11:30 pm local time (20:30 GMT). The organization claimed that it hit several gas storage tanks, causing a large fire and an explosion that left several workers injured.

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There haven’t been any reported injuries.

According to the Joint Operations Command, Iraq’s principal military command, the attack appeared to be a threat to “security and economic stability” in the area.

Local authorities claim that 8 percent of the semi-autonomous region’s power grid has been affected, leading to power outages.

In northern Iraq, between Kirkuk and Sulaimaniyah, the Khor Mor gasfield is managed by Dana Gas, a company from the United Arab Emirates.

The government and Dana Gas have sent teams to investigate the accident, while field engineers estimate that the gas tanks will take two to three days to repair, according to the AFP news agency.

Although the region’s gasfields have previously been the target of enigmatic drone attacks, no one has yet claimed the attack.

A drone attempted to attack the Khor Mor gasfield earlier this week, but security forces prevented it, according to Reuters.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,372

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Published On 27 Nov 2025

On Thursday, November 27, this is how things are going.

Fighting

  • On Wednesday, violent clashes broke out in eastern Ukraine, including those in Slobozhanske, Kupiansk, Lyman, Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk, Huliaipole, and Orikhiv.
  • In the strategic town of Huliaipole in the southeast of Zaporizhia, where forces are battling for “every metre” of land amid rising Russian shelling and drone attacks, the Ukrainian military reported some of the fiercest fighting.
  • Russian airstrikes in Zaporizhzhia city, which were carried out by Russian drones in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, resulted in the deaths of 12 women and a woman.
  • The Ukrainian military claimed that the explosion sparked a fire at a Russian military-industrial complex in Chuvashia.
  • The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ General Staff claimed that 1, 140 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded in the previous day, according to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Additionally, it claimed to have destroyed two aircraft, three armored combat vehicles, 21 artillery units, 214 drones, and one Russian tank.

Diplomacy

    Russian officials expressed caution about the possibility of a quick peace agreement. While negotiations are “ongoing” and “serious,” it is “premature” to suggest a deal is on the table, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

  • Sergey Ryabkov, a deputy foreign minister for Russia, stated that Moscow is not interested in discussing the Trump administration’s recently modified peace plan in public but that it will not disagree with its key demands. He claimed that “the success of this process in general is unknown.”
  • The exact date of the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Russia’s Peskov, is still not known.
  • Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, called the Trump-backed peace plan a “starting point” but called for more work to be done to ensure future Ukrainian and European security.
  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, once more demanded more sanctions on Russia, accusing it of preventing peace efforts.
  • Maria Malmer Stenergard, Sweden’s foreign minister, urged the EU to impose sanctions on Russia as soon as possible.
  • Following a meeting of the EU’s foreign ministers, numerous Baltic states declared their support for Ukraine, with Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stating that peace negotiations must begin with “firm conditions for the aggressor, not the victim.”

Energy

  • The Ukrainian Ministry of Energy warned of emergency outages in some areas where Russian attacks have targeted energy infrastructure and urged the general public to conserve energy.
  • The state will pay for up to 300 kilowatt hours per family per month to help 280, 000 families living in front-line areas “get through the winter period more easily and meet basic needs,” according to the country’s prime minister.
  • Putin made the announcement that Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation is considering constructing a nuclear power plant there during a state visit to Kyrgyzstan.