03 Jan 2019; DW: Berlin-based Sea-Watch said conditions on the boats had become dangerous, with migrants suffering from severe sea-sickness and post-traumatic stress disorder. The vessels were denied access to ports in Malta and Italy.

German migrant rescue ship Sea-Watch 3 sent a desperate plea on Wednesday for a harbor to dock. Conditions aboard the ship have worsened, after 12 days at sea and bad weather conditions on the Mediterranean, Sea-Watch said in a statement posted on Twitter.

03 Jan 2019; DW: US President Donald Trump said if he were popular in Europe then he would not be doing his job. Trump touted the "tremendous service" the US provides European nations and that in turn, they should respect the US.

BEIRUT, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Caretaker Economy Minister Raed Khoury insisted Wednesday that Lebanon should participate in Syria's reconstruction and benefit from this "huge opportunity", local media reported.

"We should take part in Syria's reconstruction which will witness the participation of all regional countries," Khoury was quoted by Akhbar Al Yawm local agency as saying.

Khoury noted that Lebanon should benefit from Syria's reconstruction, especially after Lebanon has paid "a big cost" as a result of the war in the neighboring country.

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese spacecraft on Thursday made the first-ever landing on the far side of the moon, state media said.

The lunar explorer Chang’e 4 touched down at 10:26 a.m., China Central Television said in a brief announcement at the top of its noon news broadcast.

The far side of the moon faces away from Earth and is relatively unexplored. It is also known as the dark side of the moon.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nancy Pelosi knew this moment would come, even if others had their doubts — or actively worked to stop her.

Pelosi is poised to be elected Thursday as House speaker, the only woman who has held the office and now one of few elected officials who will be returning to it. The last time a speaker regained the gavel was more than a half-century ago.

03 Jan 2019; DW: Up to 270 containers had fallen off the Panamanian-flagged MSC ZOE, one of the world's biggest cargo ships, in rough weather near the German island of Borkum in the North Sea, the Dutch Coast Guard said on Wednesday.

The containers floated southwest toward Dutch waters and by mid-afternoon on Wednesday, more than 20 containers had washed up on the Dutch islands of Terschelling, Ameland and Vlieland.

02 Jan 2019; DW: Chinese President Xi says he will "leave no room" for separatist activities, and that Beijing "reserves the option of taking all necessary means," including the use of force, for the Taiwan "reunification."

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday that the island's "unification" with China was not possible under the "one country, two systems" model. She, however, agreed to start a dialogue with Beijing as an exchange between two sovereign states.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday held firm on his initial request for 5 billion U.S. dollars for funding the construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, hours ahead of a planned meeting with congressional Democrats to bridge their bitter divide, which has dragged a partial government shutdown into the 12th day.

Trump was asked by a reporter at a cabinet meeting Wednesday morning in the White House whether he would accept a bill containing border wall funding below 5 billion dollars.

02 Jan 2019; DW: Indian police used tear gas and stun grenades in clashes against Hindu worshipers in the state of Kerala. The protesters are enraged that two women of child-bearing age had entered a temple of the celibate god Ayyappa.

Religiously fueled protests escalated in the Indian state of Kerala on Wednesday, with police charging Hindu worshipers with batons and using tear gas, water cannon and stun grenades to disperse rioters in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram.

03 Jan 2019; AFP: Disney posted its second best year at the box office ever, raking in $7.325 billion worldwide for everything from "Black Panther" and "Avengers: Infinity War" to hit animated sequel "Incredibles 2" and the latest "Star Wars" film.

Disney remains the only studio to ever post more than $7 billion in annual box office receipts. In 2016, it recorded its best year at $7.6 billion.

MOSCOW, January 2. /TASS/. Aeroflot will offer free Moscow-Magnitogorsk flights to relatives of the people either killed or injured when a section of an apartment block collapsed in a gas explosion in Magnitogorsk, the Russian major air carrier’s press release said on Wednesday.

"Aeroflot will offer free flights from Magnitogorsk and back to the nearest relatives (spouses, parents, brothers and sisters) of the victims of an explosion and partial collapse of an apartment block in that city," the press release says. "The service starts on Friday, January 4."

MOSCOW, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- So far 31 people, including four children, were confirmed dead in a household gas explosion in Russia on Monday, the country's emergency ministry said Wednesday.

The body of the 31st person was recovered from under the debris of the partially collapsed 10-story residential building in Magnitogorsk City, the Chelyabinsk Region, the ministry said.

Rescuers are searching around the clock for 10 people who are believed to be still buried in the rubble.