South Sudan delays first-ever national elections again, to February 11
The election commission moved the vote from December 22 to February 11 without giving a reason, as voter registration opened with only a fraction of the money it asked for.
TT Foreign Desk
World news from The Thursday Times' foreign desk.
Six held after Dalit man is tied to pillar and beaten to death in Surat
Police say Anil Rathod, 27, and a friend were accused of theft, abused with caste slurs, tied to pillars, and beaten with sticks and electric cables. His friend survived.
Czechs plan mass Prague rally over Babiš bid to scrap public media fee
Organisers say Sunday’s rally on Prague’s Letná Plain could be the biggest since 1989, as the government pushes a bill to fund Czech TV and radio from the state budget.
Hundreds detained in Kulgam as police hunt attackers of CRPF checkpoint
Police have questioned hundreds of young men across south Kashmir since Wednesday’s attack, which they blame on 22-year-old Mohammad Lateef Bhat, whom they call the valley’s only active local terrorist.
Zelenskyy says US floated Donbas withdrawal in exchange for NATO membership
US negotiators asked for the first time whether Ukraine would leave Donbas if admitted to NATO, Zelenskyy said, adding that he would put any such offer to the Ukrainian public.
Iranian satirist gets five years in prison for imitating Khamenei’s voice
A Tehran Revolutionary Court convicted Saeed Shakiba of colluding against national security after he posted a video impersonating the late supreme leader, rights groups say.
PMO summons telecom secretary over websites blocked on forged court orders
Officials say Telecom Secretary Amit Agrawal was called in to explain how 129 websites were blocked on fake high court orders, as police seek the ministry’s digital logs.
Trump’s tariff threat looms over 1,500-strong migrant caravan in Mexico
Trump says tariffs on Mexican goods will be doubled unless Mexico stops the caravans. Sheinbaum says no caravan has reached the US border since he returned to office.
Europe picks UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland for Ukraine peace talks
Officials from the EU and the five countries will represent Europe at the next round of talks, as Germany’s Friedrich Merz asked Donald Trump for “no surprises” when he meets Vladimir Putin in China.
Delhi Police plan 50,000 cap and 10-to-5 limit for Ramlila Ground protests
A draft rulebook awaiting approval would also bar marches from the ground, one of three protest sites named after police stopped allowing demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.
