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Hello, I'm Chris Barrow with the BBC News.
The authorities in Nigeria say the remaining 130 victims of one of the country's worst mass kidnappings have been released. The government says all 230 of those abducted are now free, but police say a full head count has not yet been completed. Elektra Naismith reports. The announcement was accompanied by smiling pictures of the youngsters waving and clapping as they've returned to their elated families. November's abduction of more than 250 children and staff from the school in Niger State was one of Nigeria's worst mass kidnappings. It came amid a wave of attacks and abductions, raising already heightened fears over deteriorating security. The authorities said they'd secured the release through sustained security pressure and coordinated efforts. They did not disclose the details of the operation or whether any ransom was paid. The BBC has seen evidence that the military government in Myanmar has been bombing schools and churches in the rebel-held Chin State in the west. BBC correspondents who gained access to the area say civilians have been targeted with airstrikes and drones. Many have left their homes, with some fleeing into India. This woman escaped with her disabled husband and two children. "We had no time to think about what to take with us. We were so terrified. We heard the sound of explosions, of fighter jets dropping bombs. We could see smoke. We grabbed some clothes and food and fled into the jungles nearby." The push comes ahead of the first general election in Myanmar since the army overthrew the government in 2021. Critics describe the vote as a sham. The government has not responded to the BBC. U.S. officials say the Coast Guard is pursuing another oil tanker in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. This is the second such operation this weekend. Joe Inwood reports. Donald Trump had promised a blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil. The reported operation against a second tanker in just 24 hours suggests it is, at least in part, underway. It comes just a fortnight after the first boarding and is a clear attempt to increase pressure on the Latin American country. The government of Venezuela has accused the U.S. of theft and kidnapping. It all comes amidst a continued U.S. military buildup in the region, involving thousands of troops, an aircraft carrier, warships and fighter jets. Colombia's president says his country's navy has seized 27 tons of cocaine in the last two days in collaboration with several other countries. Gustavo Petro said in one joint operation with European police near the Canary Islands in the Atlantic, 18 tons of cocaine had been seized. Nine tons had been seized in other operations in the Pacific carried out in conjunction with Australia, Panama, Costa Rica and El Salvador. Mr. Petro said in total about 20 people had been arrested. This is the world news from the BBC. El Salvador says it's handed prison sentences of hundreds of years to members of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha street gang. They've been accused of murder and enforced disappearance, among other crimes. One individual was sentenced to 1,335 years in prison. Donald Trump's special envoy has described three days of talks in Miami aimed at ending the war in Ukraine as "productive and constructive." Writing on social media, Steve Witkoff said that Ukraine and Russia were fully committed to ending the war. U.S. negotiators met with both sides separately. Some of the talks with Ukrainian envoys included representatives from several European allies. The death has been announced in Austria of the abstract painter Arnulf Rainer. The 96-year-old was considered one of Austria's leading artists of the post-Second World War era. He became renowned for what he called overpainting. Painting over existing works, often images of himself or created by him. His pieces hang in some of the world's major galleries, including London's Tate and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The Africa Cup of Nations football tournament has got underway, with the hosts Morocco beating Comoros 2-0 in the opening match. 24 teams are competing for the trophy, including the holders Ivory Coast. James Kopnall reports from Rabat. More than 60,000 fans in a purpose-built, state-of-the-art stadium saw their Moroccan heroes score two second-half goals with no reply. The second, an overhead kick by Ayoub El Kaabi, was good enough to kick-start any tournament. Morocco are among the favorites. Another contender, Egypt, play their first game against Zimbabwe. Mohamed Salah's future at his club-side Liverpool may be uncertain, but there is no doubt about his determination to win his first continental title for his country. And that's the latest World News from the BBC. |