News brief: Big stories of the day
Story highlights
Big stories of the day.
Both chambers of the US Congress convened for only a few minutes late on Thursday, but took no steps to end a partial federal government shutdown before adjourning until next week.
The United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Damascus Thursday, the latest sign of efforts to bring the Syrian government back into the Arab fold.The UAE broke ties with Syria in February 2012, as the repression of nationwide protests demanding regime change was escalating into a devastating war.
The "yellow vest" anti-government protests that have rocked France will be held on Saturday and New Year's Eve, and continue into 2019, several sources in the movement said Thursday.
The United States and the United Nations on Thursday raised concerns over the looming general election in Bangladesh as the opposition said hundreds more activists had been arrested and attacked.
The 16-storey building is located in suburban Tilak Nagar, where search and rescue operation by the Mumbai Fire Brigade is underway, said the official from the Disaster Management Unit of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).