ISIS Claims Responsibility for Attack on Pakistani Embassy in Kabul 

Taliban fighters stand guard near to the site of attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)
Taliban fighters stand guard near to the site of attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)
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ISIS Claims Responsibility for Attack on Pakistani Embassy in Kabul 

Taliban fighters stand guard near to the site of attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)
Taliban fighters stand guard near to the site of attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)

ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack on Pakistan's embassy in the Afghan capital Kabul on Friday, via a statement carried by one of the extremist group's affiliated channels on Telegram on Sunday. 

The embassy came under attack on Friday and a Pakistani security guard was wounded by gunfire in what Islamabad called an attempt to assassinate its head of mission, who was unhurt. 

ISIS claimed the attack was carried out by two of its members armed with "medium and sniper weapons" and was targeting the ambassador and his guards who were present in the courtyard of the embassy. 

Taliban authorities have said they are investigating the attack and that the embassy compound was targeted by gunfire from a nearby building. Police said they had arrested one suspect and recovered two firearms. 

The attack injured at least one guard and caused damage to the building, ISIS said. 

Pakistan's foreign office said it had seen the reports of ISIS's claim of responsibility. 

"Independently and in consultation with the Afghan authorities, we are verifying the veracity of these reports," it said in a statement, adding the attack was a reminder of the risk militant activity posed to the region. 

"We must act resolutely with all our collective might to defeat this menace," the foreign office said. 



Mexican Train Derailment Kills at Least 13 People, 98 Injured

Authorities work at the site of train derailment on the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a railway line connecting Mexico's Pacific and Gulf coasts, where several passengers were killed and injured near Nizanda, Oaxaca state, Mexico, December, 28, 2025. (Reuters)
Authorities work at the site of train derailment on the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a railway line connecting Mexico's Pacific and Gulf coasts, where several passengers were killed and injured near Nizanda, Oaxaca state, Mexico, December, 28, 2025. (Reuters)
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Mexican Train Derailment Kills at Least 13 People, 98 Injured

Authorities work at the site of train derailment on the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a railway line connecting Mexico's Pacific and Gulf coasts, where several passengers were killed and injured near Nizanda, Oaxaca state, Mexico, December, 28, 2025. (Reuters)
Authorities work at the site of train derailment on the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a railway line connecting Mexico's Pacific and Gulf coasts, where several passengers were killed and injured near Nizanda, Oaxaca state, Mexico, December, 28, 2025. (Reuters)

Mexican authorities said on Sunday that at least 13 people ​were killed after an Interoceanic Train carrying 250 people derailed in the southern state of Oaxaca.

The Mexican Navy said the train, which derailed near the town of Nizanda, was carrying nine crew members and 241 passengers.

Of those on board, 139 were reported to be out of ‌danger, while 98 ‌were injured, including 36 ‌who ⁠were ​receiving medical assistance.

President ‌Claudia Sheinbaum said on X that five of the injured were in critical condition, adding that senior officials had been dispatched to the site to assist the families of those killed.

The governor of Oaxaca, Salomon Jara Cruz, expressed condolences to the families ⁠of those killed in the accident and said state authorities ‌were coordinating with federal agencies to ‍assist those affected.

Mexico's Attorney ‍General's Office has already opened an investigation into ‍the incident, Attorney General Ernestina Godoy Ramos said in a social media post.

The Interoceanic Train, inaugurated in 2023 under former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, forms ​part of the broader Interoceanic Corridor project.

The initiative was designed to modernize the rail link across ⁠the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, connecting Mexico's Pacific port of Salina Cruz with Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf Coast.

The Mexican government has sought to develop the isthmus into a strategic trade corridor, expanding ports, railways and industrial infrastructure with the goal of creating a route that could compete with the Panama Canal.

The train service is also part of a broader push to expand passenger and freight rail ‌in southern Mexico and stimulate economic development in the region.


North Korea Says It Tested Long-Range Cruise Missiles

A person watches a TV news report at Seoul Station in Seoul, South Korea, 29 December 2025. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), North Korea launched several long-range strategic cruise missiles on 28 December. (EPA)
A person watches a TV news report at Seoul Station in Seoul, South Korea, 29 December 2025. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), North Korea launched several long-range strategic cruise missiles on 28 December. (EPA)
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North Korea Says It Tested Long-Range Cruise Missiles

A person watches a TV news report at Seoul Station in Seoul, South Korea, 29 December 2025. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), North Korea launched several long-range strategic cruise missiles on 28 December. (EPA)
A person watches a TV news report at Seoul Station in Seoul, South Korea, 29 December 2025. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), North Korea launched several long-range strategic cruise missiles on 28 December. (EPA)

North Korea said Monday it fired long-range strategic cruise missiles into the sea to test the country’s nuclear deterrence, days after it showed apparent progress in the construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine.

Sunday’s launches were the latest weapons display by North Korea ahead of its planned ruling Workers’ Party congress early next year. Keen outside attention on the congress, the first of its kind in five years, will be on whether North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will establish new priorities in relations with the US and respond to Washington's calls to resume long-dormant talks.

The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim expressed “great satisfaction” over Sunday's launches, which occurred off the country’s west coast. It said Kim noted that testing the reliability of North Korea's nuclear deterrence and demonstrating its might are “just a responsible exercise of the right to self-defense and war deterrence” in the face of external security threats.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it was aware of several cruise missile launches made from North Korea’s capital region on Sunday morning. It said South Korea maintains a readiness to repel any potential North Korean provocations through its alliance with the United States.

UN Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from launches involving its huge stockpile of ballistic missiles. Its cruise missile tests aren’t banned, but they still pose a threat to the US and South Korea because they are highly maneuverable and fly at low altitudes to avoid radar detection. Analysts say North Korea would aim to use cruise missiles to strike US warships and aircraft carriers in the event of conflict.

Last week, North Korea test-launched new anti-air missiles off its east coast and displayed photos showing a largely completed hull of a developmental nuclear-powered submarine. North Korea implied it would arm the submarine with nuclear missiles.

A nuclear-powered submarine is among a slew of sophisticated weapons systems that Kim has vowed to introduce to cope with what he describes as US-led security threats. Some experts say North Korea’s recent alignment with Russia — including sending thousands of troops and military equipment to support President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine — may have helped it to receive crucial technologies in return.

North Korea has focused on weapons-testing activities to expand its nuclear arsenal since Kim's high-stakes nuclear diplomacy with US President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019.

But in an apparent response to Trump’s repeated outreach, Kim suggested in September that he could return to talks if the US drops “its delusional obsession with denuclearization” of North Korea. Experts say Kim might think his enlarged nuclear arsenal would give him greater leverage to wrest concessions in potential talks with Trump.


ISIS Group Militants Clash with Police During Raid in Türkiye, Wounding 7 Officers

Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
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ISIS Group Militants Clash with Police During Raid in Türkiye, Wounding 7 Officers

Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)

Militants of the ISIS group opened fire on police and wounded seven officers during a raid on the group in northwest Türkiye on Monday, the country's state-run media reported.

The clash broke out in Elmali district in Yalova province, south of Istanbul, as police stormed a house where the militants were hiding, Anadolu Agency said.

Special forces from neighboring Bursa province were dispatched to reinforce the operation.

As the confrontation spread into the streets, five schools in the area were closed for the day, private news channel NTV reported. Authorities also cut off natural gas and electricity supplies as a precaution while civilians and vehicles were barred from entering the neighborhood.

Anadolu said none of the wounded officers were in serious condition.

Last week, police launched scores of simultaneous raids, detaining 115 militants of the extremist group who were allegedly planning attacks targeting Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

Officials said the group had called for action during the celebrations.