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Chinese manufacturing contracted for a third consecutive month in December, in the biggest drop since early 2020, as the country battles a nationwide COVID-19 surge after suddenly easing anti-epidemic measures BEIJING -- Chinese manufacturing contracted for a third consecutive month in December, in the biggest drop since early 2020, as the country battles a nationwide COVID-19 surge after suddenly easing anti-epidemic measures. A monthly purchasing managers’ index declined to 47.0 from 48.0 in November, according to data released from the National Bureau of Statistics on Saturday. Numbers below 50 indicate a contraction in activity. The contraction was the biggest since February 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic had just started. The weakening comes as China earlier this month abruptly relaxed COVID-19 restrictions after years of attempts to stamp out the virus. The country of 1.4 billion is now facing a nationwide outbreak and authorities have stopped publishing a daily tally of COVI...

South Korea’s military confirms it test-fired a solid-fueled rocket after its unannounced launch triggered brief public scare of a suspected UFO appearance or a North Korean missile or drone SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea’s military confirmed it test-fired a solid-fueled rocket Friday after its unannounced launch triggered brief public scare of a suspected UFO appearance or a North Korean missile launch. The Defense Ministry said in a statement that the rocket launch was part of its efforts to build a space-based surveillance capability and bolster its defense posture. It said it didn’t notify the general public of the launch in advance because it involved sensitive military security issues. A twisty tendril of vapor in white-to-red ombre could be seen snaking behind a bright white light in parts of South Korea’s sky Friday evening. South Korean social media and internet sites were abuzz with messages by citizens who said they saw a soaring object, rainbow-colored vapor trail or o...

Iran has appointed a new head of its central bank after the country's currency crashed to its lowest level ever against the dollar amid mass protests and ongoing Western sanctions DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Iran appointed a new head of its central bank on Thursday after the currency crashed to its lowest level ever against the dollar amid mass protests and ongoing Western sanctions. Mohammad Reza Farzin, 57, a senior banker and former deputy finance minister, was tapped to replace Ali Salehabadi, who resigned after 15 months at the post, the official IRNA news agency reported. The rial was trading at around 430,000 to the dollar on Thursday, down from 370,000 earlier this month. Already battered by years of Western sanctions over Iran's nuclear program, the rial was trading at 315,000 when anti-government protests erupted in mid-September. The protests were ignited by the death of a woman who was detained by the country's morality police. The demonstrations...

Every year, Venezuela’s socialist government hands out thousands of Christmas presents to the nation’s poorest children CARACAS, Venezuela -- Every year, Venezuela’s socialist government hands out thousands of Christmas presents to the nation’s poorest children, including bicycles, Barbie dolls and plastic trucks imported from China. This holiday season, officials added a new item to their list: an action figure with red tights, a blue cape and a big mustache that fights the U.S. “empire” and is modeled after President Nicolas Maduro. The character goes by the name of “Super Bigote” due to its thick black mustache. For about a year, it's had an animated series on Venezuelan state television, where it fights a Donald Trump-like villain that tries to sow chaos from his base in a faraway mansion that resembles the White House. In the days leading up to Christmas, officials in several parts of Venezuela shared videos of themselves handing out Super Bigote toys to children at ho...

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has presented unspecified goals to further bolster his military power next year at a meeting of the nation's political officials SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presented unspecified goals to further bolster his military power next year at a meeting of top political officials, state media reported Wednesday, in an indication he'll continue his provocative run of weapons displays. Kim’s statement came as animosities with rival South Korea rose sharply this week as the South accused the North of flying drones across the rivals’ border for the first time in five years. This year, North Korea already performed a record number of missile tests in what experts call an attempt to modernize its arsenal and increase its leverage in future dealings with the United States. During the Tuesday session at the ongoing plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party, Kim analyzed new security challenges in international Politics and ...

Officials say Pakistani forces have expanded their search for the perpetrators in multiple attacks that killed six troops and wounded 17 civilians in a restive southwestern province the previous day QUETTA, Pakistan -- Pakistani forces on Monday expanded their search for the perpetrators behind multiple attacks that killed six troops and wounded 17 civilians in a restive southwestern province the previous day. The top government official in the southwestern Baluchistan province, Abdul Aziz Uqaili, said there were a total of nine attacks in the province on Sunday. No civilians were killed in the attacks, he tweeted. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the violence in Baluchistan. Earlier, the Military in a statement said five soldier s, including an army captain, were killed when a roadside bomb exploded near a security forces’ vehicle during a clearance operation in Kahan, a remote area in Baluchistan bordering Afghanistan. No militant group has claimed responsibility for the bom...

Members of France’s Kurdish community and others are holding a silent march Monday to honor three people killed at a Kurdish cultural center in Paris PARIS -- Members of France’s Kurdish community and others are holding a silent march Monday to honor three people killed in a shooting at a Kurdish cultural center in Paris. A 69-year-old Frenchman is facing preliminary charges of racially motivated murder, attempted murder and weapons violations over Friday’s shooting , prosecutors said. The suspect told investigators that he had aimed to kill migrants or foreigners and then had planned to kill himself, and said he had a ‘’pathological’’ hatred of non-European foreigners, according to prosecutors. He was briefly put in psychiatric care but then released back to ordinary police custody, and appeared Monday before an investigating judge. The suspect’s name has not been officially released though he is identified by French media as William K. The shooting shocked and infuriated t...

The family of soccer icon Pelé were together at his hospital bed on Christmas Eve. Family members of Brazilian soccer superstar Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, gathered by his hospital bed on Christmas Eve as he faces Health challenges. The 82-year-old former forward was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2021. Earlier this week, the Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo said in a statement the colon cancer had advanced and Pelé was in "elevated care" around kidney and heart "dysfunctions." His daughter Kely Nascimento posted an image on Instagram Saturday showing family members sleeping by his side in the hospital. MORE: The Life of a Soccer Legend "We are still here in the fight and with faith. Another night together," she captioned the image. His son Edson Cholbi Nascimento, a coach and former player known as Edinho, also posted an image on Saturday from the hospital, showing the father and son holding hands. "Father... my strength is yo...

The biblical town of Bethlehem is marking what is shaping up to be a merry Christmas BETHLEHEM, West Bank -- The biblical town of Bethlehem marked a merry Christmas on Saturday, with thousands of visitors descending upon the traditional birthplace of Jesus as it rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic. Tourism is the economic lifeblood of this town in the occupied West Bank, and for the past two years, the pandemic kept international visitors away. This year, visitors are back, hotels are full and shopkeepers have reported a brisk Business in the runup to the holiday. Although the numbers have not reached pre- pandemic levels, the return of tourists has palpably raised spirits in Bethlehem. “We are celebrating Christmas this year in a very much different way than last year,” said Palestinian Tourism Minister Rula Maayah. “We're celebrating Christmas with pilgrims coming from all over the world.” Throughout the day, hundreds of people strolled through Manger Square for Christmas E...

Confessed serial killer Charles Sobhraj has arrived in France after being released from a life sentence in a Nepal prison PARIS -- Confessed serial killer Charles Sobhraj arrived in France Saturday after being released from a life sentence in a Nepal prison. Sobhraj, a 78-year-old French citizen, had been serving time for the deaths of American and Canadian backpackers in the 1970s. He has in the past admitted killing several Western tourists around Asia, and was the focus of a series co-produced by the BBC and Netflix called “The Serpent." He arrived Saturday at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on a flight from Nepal via Qatar, his French lawyer, Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, told The Associated Press. She welcomed his release. “I’m very happy but very shocked that it took 19 years to obtain his normal freedom,” she said at the airport. She said his murder conviction in Nepal was a “fabricated case, based on falsified documents.” She said Sobhraj will rest now that he is back in Fran...

As of 7:12 AM EST here in the USA, troops in Belarus are now on the move toward Ukraine and their tanks and other vehicles bear a new combat group designation: “K” Word coming out of the region suggests (but does not confirm) that a new invasion of Ukraine will commence on (western) Christmas Day, December 25-into-26. It is worth noting — in that part of the world, people do not celebrate Christmas on December 25,  they celebrate Orthodox Christmas in early January.   So what is a solemn and holy day for us in the west, is not yet that same holy day for them. Whether or not a secondary invasion will take place, it seems clear from images and information coming out of Belarus, that at least _something_ big seems to be taking place right now. Convoys of Military troops and armor are on the move.  Whatever this is, could prove decisive in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine Special Military Operation. ...

Russian and Chinese warships have practiced joint action in the East China Sea, continuing a series of drills that reflect a growing defense cooperation between the two countries MOSCOW -- Russian and Chinese warships on Thursday practiced joint action in the East China Sea, continuing a series of drills that reflect a growing defense cooperation between the two countries. The Russian Defense Ministry said the Varyag missile cruiser, the Marshal Shaposhnikov destroyer and two corvettes of Russia’s Pacific Fleet were taking part in the drills that began on Wednesday. China has deployed two destroyers, a diesel submarine and several others ships for the exercise. Russian and Chinese aircraft were also taking part in the weeklong maneuvers that will involve firing exercises and anti-submarine drills, according to the ministry. “The main goal of the drills is to strengthen naval cooperation between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China and to maintain peace and s...

There are three “Starbucks” cafes in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, all serving authentic Starbucks coffee in authentic Starbucks cups BAGHDAD -- Everything from the signboard outside down to the napkins bears the official emblem of the top international coffee chain. But in Baghdad, looks are deceiving: The “Starbucks” in the Iraqi capital is unlicensed. Real Starbucks merchandise is imported from neighboring countries to stock the three cafes in the city, but all are operating illegally. Starbucks filed a lawsuit in an attempt to shut down the trademark violation, but the case was halted after the owner allegedly threatened lawyers hired by the coffee house. Be careful, he told them — and boasted of ties to militias and powerful political figures, according to U.S. officials and Iraqi legal sources. “I am a businessman,” Amin Makhsusi, the owner of the fake branches, said in a rare interview in September. He denied making the threats. “I had this ambition to open Starbucks in Iraq.” Aft...