Afghan Taliban Insurgency Intensifies

Taliban forces claim they have taken control of the town of Sangin in Helmand province. The Taliban say they have overrun most of the town and the main administrative building has been abandoned.

Amnesty International say that security forces in Burundi “systematically killed” dozens of people during violent repression that took place in the capital Bujumbura on 11 December.

In the Russian city of Barnaul, Barsik the cat has won more than 90% of the vote in an informal online poll ahead of the upcoming mayoral elections. Fed up with local corruption, residents are backing the cat ahead of six human candidates, even though Barsik can't enter the official campaign.