GAMBIA: Security forces in Gambia have arrested two army officers accused of being involved in a coup attempt against President Adama Barrow last week.

The two unnamed officers were arrested on Monday.

On December 21 the government said it had arrested a group of soldiers in connection with the coup attempt.

US: George Santos has admitted that he lied about his job experience and college education during his successful campaign for a New York seat in the US House of Representatives.

Among a series of now debunked claims Mr Santos said he was of Jewish origin.

Mr Santos said: “I never claimed to be Jewish. I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background I said I was ‘Jew-ish’.”

PHILIPPINES: The death toll from heavy rains and floods that devastated parts of the Philippines over the Christmas weekend has risen to 25, with 26 others still missing, the national disaster response agency said Wednesday.

Nearly 400,000 people were affected, with over 81,000 still in shelters and nine others injured, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.

US STORMS: At least 62 people are known to have died in incidents relating to the deadly storm that has battered North America.

The death toll in the New York city of Buffalo alone has risen to 28 with thousands still left without power after the Christmas weekend storm.

Storm-related deaths have been reported across large swathes of the US, including Vermont, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Colorado.