NEW CALEDONIA: Two people were killed yesterday during a police operation to apprehend activists suspected of involvement in the deadly unrest against France’s attempt to amend its constitution.

The operation took place in the Saint Louis area near the capital, Noumea, but authorities did not provide more details. It follows extended crackdowns for fears of protests in the French Pacific territory.

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MALI: A plane that was used for humanitarian work by the World Food Programme was damaged during an Islamist attack in the capital of Mali, according to the South African aviation company that owns the plane.

The National Airways Corp said late on Wednesday that the plane “came under terrorist attack” on Tuesday while it was on the ground in Bamako, and all crew and staff were unharmed.

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US: One of America’s largest trade unions, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, has declined to issue a presidential endorsement for the first time since 1996, due to the candidates having “few commitments on top issues.”

The move is a major blow to Kamala Harris’s effort to win over working-class voters in a short time following Donald Trump’s months of campaigning for other unions’ favour.

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SRI LANKA: The public will head to the polls today to vote for a new president amid the country’s fragile economic state, with incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe facing off with left-leaning candidates.

Latest polling results show lagging behind Mr Wickremesinghe at third position, with Anura Kumara Dissanayake leading as favourite, followed by opposition leader Sajith Premadasa as second.