Lebanon, Nigeria, Bangladesh

Today's three stories you should know

Lebanon

A television presenter has been killed in an air strike on southern Lebanon as Israel steps up its attacks on the country despite agreeing to a ceasefire more than a year ago. Ali Nour el-Din, who worked for the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV station as a presenter of religious programs, was killed in what Hezbollah said was a targeted assassination. Since the ceasefire deal in November 2024, Israel has killed hundreds of people, including more than 100 civilians, in almost daily attacks. Lebanon this week filed a complaint with the UN about the repeated violations of the agreement, calling on the Security Council to push Israel to stop its attacks and withdraw its forces from Lebanese territory.

More from Al Jazeera here.

Nigeria

A group of Nigerian military officers are to stand trial for plotting a coup to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu, the military said in a statement. At least 16 officers were arrested in October over what the army called at the time “acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations.” A successful coup would have ended 25 years of democracy in Africa’s most populous country. Nigeria also would have joined a slew of West African countries that have been taken over by military juntas in recent years. Tinubu’s government is grappling with multiple security crises, including insurgences from al-Qaeda and ISIS-linked groups, and criminal gangs kidnapping groups of people for ransom.

More from Africa News here.

Bangladesh

Bangladeshis were duped into travelling to Russia under the promise of employment and then forced to fight on the front lines in Ukraine, an AP investigation has found. AP spoke to several men who said they had been forced to sign documents in Russian that turned out to be military contracts, and that they were threatened with violence, imprisonment or death. Three Bangladeshi men told AP they were made to advance ahead of Russian forces, transport supplies, evacuate wounded soldiers and recover the dead. Men from other countries, including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya, South Africa, Jordan and Iraq are reported to have been similarly tricked into signing up to fight.

More from AP here.