Briefly

UNITED STATES

Chris Christie ends presidential bid

Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie suspended his Republican presidential bid on Wednesday just days before Iowa's leadoff caucuses, ceding to growing pressure to drop out of the race from those desperate to deny Donald Trump a glide path to the nomination. Addressing supporters at a New Hampshire town hall, Christie said he had come to the conclusion that he had no pathway to victory. "My goal has never been to be just a voice against the hate and division and the selfishness of what our party has become under Donald Trump," he said.

JAPAN

Nikkei hits 35,000-mark for first time in 34 years

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei stock index crossed the 35,000 threshold on Thursday morning for the first time in nearly 34 years. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 1.77 percent, or 608.14 points, to 35,049.86 — the first time the index has closed above 35,000 since February 1990. Tokyo shares were lifted by the yen's decline against the dollar and gains in technology issues in the US stock market on Wednesday.

SOMALIA

Extremists kill 1, capture 5 from UN helicopter

Al-Shabaab militants captured a United Nations helicopter carrying two Somali men and several foreigners when it made an emergency landing in an area controlled by the extremist group, a military official said on Wednesday. One passenger was killed and five others were abducted in the incident. Mohamed Abdi Aden Gaboobe, internal security minister of Galmudug state in central Somalia, told The Associated Press that the helicopter made the landing in Xindheere village because of engine failure. He said six foreigners and one Somali national were on board and one was shot dead while trying to escape. One was missing.

Agencies - Xinhua