SYDNEY, Jan 5, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - An imperious Joe Root hit a magnificent 160 before England were dismissed for 384 at tea on day two of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia on Monday. Root's superb innings was ended courtesy of a brilliant caught-and-bowled by Michael Neser, who ended with 4-60. Will Jacks (27), Brydon Carse (1) and Josh Tongue (0) also departed in the second session at a sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground. Australia lead the series 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes, with England desperate to keep the momentum going after clawing back a win at the previous Test in Melbourne. Jamie Smith lived dangerously and was fortunate to survive after chipping Cameron Green to Labuschagne at cover on 22.

Over 30 killed, several kidnapped in NigeriaLAGOS, Jan 5, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Armed gangs killed more than 30 people and kidnapped others in a raid in Nigeria in the same state where hundreds of schoolchildren were abducted late last year, police said Sunday. "Over 30 victims lost their lives during the attack, some persons were also kidnapped," Wasiu Abiodun, Niger state police spokesman said. Images viewed by AFP showed some of those killed in the raid had their hands tied behind their backs. Gangs -- known in Nigeria as "bandits" -- frequently carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and loot villages in parts of Nigeria. On Christmas Eve, a suspected suicide bomber killed at least five people in an attack on a mosque in northeastern Borno state.

Manchester City's Premier League title challenge suffered a huge setback as managerless Chelsea salvaged a dramatic 1-1 draw, while Harrison Reed's stunning last-gasp strike gave Fulham a 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday. Just days after Chelsea parted company with boss Enzo Maresca, the Blues were managed by Under-21 coach Calum McFarlane. City, who host Brighton on Wednesday, have gone two games without a win following their 0-0 draw at Sunderland on January 1. "We recover people and we see on Wednesday," Guardiola said of City's title chances. Ben Davies put Spurs in front, but they were unable to hold out for just a second home league win since the opening weekend of the season.

HONG KONG, Jan 5, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Asian stocks rose Monday on the back of a fresh rally in tech firms and oil fluctuated as investors weighed the impact of the US ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. In early trade, Asian stocks were up across the board, led by markets with heavy tech presence. Tokyo surged 2.8 percent thanks to tech investor SoftBank's four percent gains and chip equipment maker Tokyo Electron's five percent advance. Trump said the United States will now "run" Venezuela and send US companies to fix its dilapidated oil infrastructure. Investing today also holds little appeal as oil prices are weighed down by a supply glut, and fell last year.

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital of Bangladesh, ranked eighth on the list of cities with the worst air quality, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 159 at 8:57am on Monday. An AQI score between 50 and 100 is considered “moderate,” usually prompting sensitive individuals to limit prolonged outdoor exertion. The AQI is an index for reporting daily air quality. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution. Its air quality typically worsens during winter and improves in the monsoon season.

TOKYO, Jan 5, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A Japanese sushi entrepreneur paid a record $3.2 million for a giant bluefin tuna Monday at an annual prestigious new year auction in Tokyo's main fish market, smashing the previous all-time high. Dave Gershman at the Pew Charitable Trusts' international fisheries team used news of the auction to highlight that stocks of Pacific bluefin tuna were improving after being "near collapse". The 510.3 million yen price at the new year's auction was the highest since comparable data started being collected in 1999. The top bidder last year paid 207 million yen for a 276-kilogramme bluefin. Gershman said in an emailed statement that a 2017 recovery plan "is working, and if decision makers take further action in 2026, the future for Pacific bluefin will be bright".

England all out for 384 in final Ashes TestSYDNEY, Jan 5, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - England were all out for 384 in their first innings of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia on Monday, with Joe Root hitting a majestic 160. The tourists resumed on 211-3 with Root on 72 and Harry Brook 78 at a sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground. Root plundered a 41st century before becoming the ninth wicket to fall. Australia lead the five-Test series 3-1 after victories in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, which saw them retain the urn. England restored pride with a lightning-quick win inside two days at Melbourne.

A mild tremor was felt in different parts of the country. The epicentre was approximately 3 kilometres west of Dhing town and 76 kilometres northeast of the state capital, Guwahati. The first tremor occurred at 2:20:31am, followed by a second at 2:25:14am. The epicentres of both quakes were located in Biyanibazar, a border area between Bangladesh and India in Sylhet’s Jokiganj upazila. Mild tremors were also felt across the country on November 22, 23 and 26, as well as on December 2.

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport relies on uninterrupted air traffic communication for safe aircraft take-off, landing and ground movement. Why air traffic communication mattersAir traffic communication systems are critical for managing aircraft movements, especially during poor visibility caused by fog. Traditionally, satellite-based Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) systems provide a secure and resilient communication backbone for air traffic management. What has changedAccording to aviation experts, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is currently operating its air traffic communication system without active satellite connectivity. Experts warn that unless satellite communication is restored quickly and system redundancy strengthened, the airport could face serious risks during peak fog conditions.

Washington's military intervention in Venezuela has reignited fears for Greenland, which Trump has repeatedly said he wants to annex, given its strategic location in the Arctic. While aboard Air Force One en route to Washington, Trump reiterated the goal. "We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it," he said. Denmark and the European Union have responded with ire to Trump's Greenland agenda. Trump has said the United States will now "run" Venezuela indefinitely and tap its huge oil reserves.

On the Bremerton route, the Walla Walla was pulled on Thursday, Jan. 1 after a propeller broke, with an estimated timeline for repairs of a few weeks, WSF said. The route was on a regular two-boat weekend schedule on Jan. 3 and 4, and will be on the alternate two-boat weekday schedule beginning Jan. 5. To see the current schedules for all WSF sailings, including the adjustments for one-boat service, visit https://wsdot.com/ferries/schedule/. Kitsap Transit fast ferry service into Seattle, which is now on winter hours, is available on weekdays from Southworth and Bremerton. Find the Kitsap Transit fast ferry schedule here, and watch for rider alerts on cancellations here.

SEOUL, Jan 5, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Veteran South Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki, who appeared in more than 170 films over nearly seven decades, died Monday, local media reported. Ahn, who had been battling blood cancer, died surrounded by his family, Yonhap news agency said. He had been receiving treatment in an intensive care unit after choking on food last week, the report said. His life tracked the rise of South Korean cinema from humble beginnings to global prominence culminating in the Oscar success of "Parasite". His 2003 blockbuster "Silmido", based on the true story of a secret special forces unit comprised of former inmates tasked with a mission to assassinate the North Korean leader, became the first South Korean film to surpass 10 million admissions.

“There’s not a shred of doubt in my mind,” said Gable, a University of Minnesota wolf biologist. Native Americans wove wolves into their traditions, with some people regarding wolves as kin. The reentry of wolves, though, didn’t appear to diminish the deer population enough to explain the full decrease in car collisions. Wolves use roads and trails “for basically the same reasons why people would use roads and trails,” Gable said. Leaning on wolf-movement research like Gable’s, economists Parker and Raynor developed a theory of why the presence of wolves was leading to fewer car collisions.

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