While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Dec 28, 2025
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Shattered bottles lining the floors of a supermarket in Taiwan's north-eastern city of Yilan following a 7-magnitude earthquake on Dec 27.
PHOTO: CTINEWS/FACEBOOK
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Taiwan rattled by 7.0 magnitude quake
A 7-magnitude earthquake struck some 32km off Taiwan’s north-eastern coastal city of Yilan late on Dec 27, the island’s weather administration said, with no immediate reports of major damage.
The quake with a depth of 73km hit at 11.05pm. It was felt across north Taiwan and shook buildings in the capital Taipei, the administration added, assigning it an intensity-four category, meaning there could be minor damage.
Taipei city’s government said there was no major damage reported in the immediate aftermath, with some isolated cases of damage including gas and water leakage and minor damage to buildings.
More than 3,000 homes in Yilan briefly lost power, Taiwan Power Company said. The Yilan County Fire Bureau told AFP there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Voting begins in Myanmar’s restricted election
PHOTO: DANIEL BEREHULAK/NYTIMES
Voting begins on Dec 28 in Myanmar’s heavily restricted polls, with the ruling junta touting the exercise as a return to democracy five years after it ousted the last elected government, triggering civil war.
Former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains jailed and her hugely popular party dissolved after soldiers ended a decade-long democratic experiment in February 2021.
Campaigners, Western diplomats and the UN’s rights chief have all condemned the phased month-long vote, citing a ballot stacked with military allies and a stark crackdown on dissent.
Zelensky talks with allies en route to US as Russia pummels Ukraine
PHOTO: AFP
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky consulted with allies on Dec 27 on his way to a meeting with US President Donald Trump, hours after Russia pummelled Kyiv with drones and missiles in its latest attack on the capital.
During a stopover in Canada en route to Florida for the Trump meeting, the Ukrainian president spoke first with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Then, in a conference call, he briefed EU, NATO and European leaders, who gave him their “full support” according to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Israel seals off Palestinian village in West Bank after deadly attack
PHOTO: EPA
Israeli forces imposed a lockdown on a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank on Dec 27, their second day of operations there after a local resident killed two people in Israel.
“The IDF (Israeli army) is operating forcefully against terror hubs in the village of Qabatiya... accompanied by a lockdown and a complete cordon around the locality,” Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement published by his office on Dec 27.
“We will continue to pursue an uncompromising offensive policy against Palestinian terror,” he added.
Watkins stretches Villa’s winning streak at Chelsea in EPL
PHOTO: AFP
Ollie Watkins came off the bench to maintain Aston Villa’s unexpected Premier League title challenge by scoring twice in a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Dec 27.
The England international had scored just three times all season prior to being unleashed by Unai Emery for a second-half double.
An 11th consecutive victory takes third-placed Villa back within three points of leaders Arsenal, who they face next on Dec 30.
