GLOBAL SNAPSHOT
Sandbag kills man
COLUMBUS: A group of teenage friends will remain in an Ohio jail on murder charges after the death of a man struck by a sandbag thrown from an interstate overpass. The boys are accused of killing Marquise Byrd, who was sitting in a vehicle’s passenger seat on Interstate 75 in Toledo on December 19 when a construction sandbag smashed through his windscreen. The 22year-old was rushed to hospital, but died at the weekend.
Snowed under
LONDON: Brits have been plunged into chaos after snow blanketed the UK leaving flights grounded, homes without power and carnage on the roads. Forecasters have warned of snow, rain, sleet and gales in central and southern England. A total of 24,000 homes were left without power after snow fell across the UK overnight on Boxing Day. Western Power Distribution confirmed 13,899 homes were without electricity across southwestern and central parts of the country.
Blast hurts 10
MOSCOW: Ten people have been hurt after a homemade bomb went off at a supermarket in St Petersburg, Russian authorities say. The blast occurred at an outlet of the Perekriostok chain. The Russian Investigative Committee (SKR) said that the explosive device contained the equivalent of 200 grams of TNT and was packed with shrapnel.
Trump station
TEL AVIV: Israel wants to name a train station after Donald Trump to thank him for recognising Jerusalem as its capital, but the proposed site could be as divisive as the US president’s declaration. Transport Minister Israel Katz said he had chosen a proposed subway stop near the
Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City — right in the middle of the area Palestinians want as their own future capital. “I have decided to name the Western Wall station ... after US President Donald Trump for his courageous and historic decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish people and the State of Israel,” Mr Katz said.
China warned
TAIPEI: An increase in the size and frequency of Chinese military operations off the coast of Taiwan has drawn a stern warning over escalating tensions. An annual defence review presented in Taipei stated the military drills posed an “enormous threat” to Taiwan, but also warned Beijing would “pay a very high price” if it attempted to invade. The island of Taiwan was a province of China prior to a civil war in 1949. As Communist forces took control of the mainland, China’s government fled to Taiwan.