IN BRIEF

Somalia

At least 19 killed in hotel attack

At least 19 people were killed when extremists launched a car bomb and gun attack on a busy hotel and adjacent restaurant in Mogadishu, a police officer said on Thursday. A car driven by a suicide bomber rammed into the Posh Hotel on Wednesday evening before gunmen rushed into Pizza House, an adjacent restaurant, and took 20 people hostage. Posh Hotel is the only venue with a discotheque in the capital.

Malaysia

Two pilots found dead after crash

Two pilots were found dead after their military plane went missing, triggering a search-and-rescue mission Thursday, an air force spokesperson said. The Hawk 108 fighter jet took off at 11 am and contact was lost half and hour later when the plane was believed to be near the border of the Malaysian states of Pahang and Terengganu. State news agency Bernama reported that the bodies had parachutes attached to them.

Bangladesh

4,500 homeless after mudslides

The government has turned its focus to providing food and other aid to some 4,500 people whose homes were swamped by mud and debris unleashed by landslides in a southeast village on Tuesday. Families were also receiving cash and materials to help them build new homes. Rescuers recovered the body of a woman and were searching on Thursday for several more missing after landslides killed at least 141.

Dprk

Rodman gives Trump's book

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman, on low-key return to Pyongyang, has given the sports minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea a copy of US President Donald Trump's book The Art of the Deal. It wasn't signed by Trump, who was Rodman's boss for two seasons of The Celebrity Apprentice reality TV show. Rodman's arrival on Tuesday came just hours after Pyongyang decided to release Otto Warmbier, a US university student who had been imprisoned for 15 years with hard labor.

Belgium

Power outage hits Brussels airport

A power outage has hit Brussels airport that is causing chaos during the morning rush hour and is set to delay planes throughout the day. Florence Muls of Brussels airport said the outage hit at 5 am on Thursday and specifically affected the luggage and air conditioning systems. Hundreds of passengers were left outside the terminal at dawn and were allowed inside around two hours later.

Afghanistan

IS claims taking Laden's hideout

The Islamic State group said its fighters have captured Osama bin Laden's infamous Tora Bora mountain hideout but the Taliban on Thursday dismissed the claim, saying they were still in control of the cave complex that once housed the former al-Qaida leader. Earlier, IS released an audio recording, saying its signature black flag was flying over the hulking mountain range. The message was broadcast on the militants' Radio Khilafat station in the Pashto language on Wednesday.