While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Nov 18, 2024
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US President Joe Biden (right) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in Fasano, Italy, on June 13.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Biden allows Ukraine to use US arms to strike inside Russia
President Joe Biden's administration has allowed Ukraine to use US-made weapons to strike deep into Russia, two US officials and a source familiar with the decision said on Nov 17, in a significant reversal of Washington's policy in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Ukraine plans to conduct its first long-range attacks in the coming days, the sources said, without revealing details due to operational security concerns.
The move comes two months before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan 20 and follows months of pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to allow Ukraine's military to use US weapons to hit Russian military targets far from its border.
Three arrested after flares land near Israel PM’s home: Police
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not at home at the time the flares landed in his home.
Israeli police said on Nov 17 that three suspects were arrested after two flares landed near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in the central town of Caesarea.
“Three suspects were arrested overnight for their involvement in the incident” on Nov 16 evening, the police said in a statement, adding that the suspects would be interrogated jointly with the Shin Bet internal security agency.
The statement added that a court ordered a gag on publishing any details of the investigation or the suspects’ identities for 30 days.
India tightens vehicle entry restrictions as Delhi’s air pollution worsens
India said on Nov 17 that it would tighten restrictions including on construction activities and vehicle movements in New Delhi and surrounding areas from Nov 18 to combat worsening air quality.
The new measures, effective from Nov 18 morning, entail a ban on diesel trucks in Delhi, the closure of educational institutions and a shift to remote working, as advised by the local administration.
Local authorities have also announced plans to sprinkle water with dust suppressants on roads and deploy mechanised sweeping to reduce dust.
Around 1,500 killed in Bangladesh protests that ousted PM Hasina
About 1,500 people died in protests that brought down Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina this year, and as many as 3,500 may have been forcibly abducted during her 15-year rule, interim leader Muhammad Yunus said on Nov 17.
The estimate by the economist and Nobel peace laureate, who is due to organise elections, is higher than the previous official count of about 1,000 deaths in the student-led demonstrations, which drew a ferocious crackdown.
The protests, which began in July as a student-led movement against public sector job quotas, escalated into some of the deadliest unrest since Bangladeshi independence in 1971, forcing Hasina to flee to India.
England thrash Ireland with second-half goal rush
England secured promotion back to the top tier of the Nations League with a 5-0 romp over 10-man Ireland in interim manager Lee Carsley’s last game in charge at Wembley on Nov 17.
After a turgid first half, Harry Kane’s penalty, Anthony Gordon’s volley and a tap-in by Conor Gallagher in the space of five minutes at the start of the second broke Ireland’s resolve.
Jarrod Bowen made it 4-0 with a crisp shot from the edge of the area, his first touch after coming off the bench, before debutant Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed England’s fifth.
