13 Canadians held in China: Official

Ottawa: Thirteen Canadians have been detained in China following the arrest on December 1 of a senior executive from Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei, Ottawa said, with eight subsequently released.

Trump speaks with widow of slain cop

Washington: President Donald Trump spoke with the widow and colleagues of Indian-origin police officer Ronil “Ron” Singh who was shot dead allegedly by an illegal immigrant last week in the US state of California.

7 killed after fiery crash, fuel spill

Fort Lauderdale (US): Two big rigs and two passenger vehicles collided and spilled diesel fuel across a Florida highway, sparking a massive fire that killed seven people, authorities said.

Trump-Imran summit being discussed: Pak

Islamabad: Pakistan and the US are discussing plans to hold a maiden meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Donald Trump but it hinges on the “positive outcome” of the Pakistan-brokered talks to strike a peace deal in Afghanistan, a senior official here said.

Uzbek allows visa-free travel for Germans

Tashkent: Uzbekistan said it will allow German citizens to visit for up to 30 days visa-free to boost tourism as the ex-Soviet country emerges from long-term isolation.

4 likely dead after avalanche in Norway

Copenhagen: Norwegian police say four skiers who went missing after an avalanche in northern Norway this week have most likely died. Police spokesman Morten Pettersen says “we no longer have any hopes of finding anyone alive.”

B’desh politician Islam dies of lung cancer

Dhaka: Former Bangladesh Minister and veteran Awami League leader Syed Ashraful Islam has died of lung cancer.

‘Big data’ help forecast flora prospects

Washington: Taking advantage of ‘big data’ — massive, open-access information resources in research — can help forecast how plant life will fare on an increasingly human-dominated planet.