Category Archives: WORLD NEWS

Republicans in the US Congress mounted a third attempt to avert a government shutdown on Friday with only hours to spare, after two previous plans were scuttled by US president-elect Donald Trump and members of their own party. Republican congressman Ralph Norman told reporters that party leaders planned to hold a vote on a third spending bill, though he did not provide details. Others said they would not try to win over Democrats whose support is likely to be needed to extend funding past midnight on Friday, when it is due to expire. “We’re not working with Democrats,” Republican congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna said. If Congress does not pass a spending package, funding for everything from law enforcement to national parks will be disrupted and millions of federal workers will

‘The doors are open for IS’ – Syria’s Kurds warn over advance by Turkish-backed forces BBC/Matthew Goddard The BBC was granted rare access to the largest prison for IS detainees – Al Sina – which holds some 5,000 men As the new Syria struggles to take shape, old threats are re-emerging. The chaos since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad is “paving the way” for the so-called Islamic State (IS) to make a comeback, according to a leading Kurdish commander who helped defeat the jihadist group in Syria in 2019. He says the comeback has already begun. “Activity by Daesh [IS] has increased significantly, and the danger of a resurgence had doubled’, according to General Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a mainly Kurdish militia alliance backed by

Through the lens: The Citizen’s Picture Editors select the best news photographs from South Africa and around the world. An opposition fighter steps on the decapitated statue of late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in Mezzeh Military Airport in Damascus, Syria 12 December 2024. The Israeli army stated it has conducted airstrikes across Syria targeting strategic weapons stockpiles. Rebels ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad 08 December 2024. Picture: EPA-EFE/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI A whirling dervish performs as Syrians celebrate the fall of the President Bashar al-Assad regime, at Umayyad Square, in Damascus, Syria, 11 December 2024. Syria’s Military Operations Administration announced on 11 December the lifting of the curfew imposed on Damascus following the ouster of Syrian President al-Assad on 08 December. Picture: EPA-EFE/ANTONIO PEDRO SANTOS Boats are seen sitting on the

Defence Ministry says it tracked 53 Chinese military aircraft and 11 navy ships in 24 hours. Taiwan’s presidency has called on China to halt its “provocative acts” after the self-ruled island’s officials accused Chinese forces of ramping up military drills on its doorstep. The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense said on Wednesday it had tracked 53 military aircraft, 11 navy ships and eight civilian vessels near the island in the past 24 hours. “These actions inject uncertainty and risk into the region, creating disruptions for neighbouring countries, and it confirms China’s a troublemaker that undermines peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When asked about the increase in military activity, a Chinese government spokesperson did not directly confirm new exercises but stated that Beijing

A social media post arguing that Singapore is superior to neighbouring Malaysia has brought together Southeast Asians to push back against “gentrification” of their cities, which many tie to growing demand from Western expatriates seeking “affordable luxury” in the region. Locals in Southeast Asian tourist destinations have long complained of rising living costs, as governments in the region seek to lure digital nomads to tropical paradises like Bali and Boracay to live the high life, without the high costs associated with cities like New York or London. The latest online kerfuffle started with a post over the weekend by fitness influencer Alexander Cortes on X, who ranked Malaysia as the best Asian country with its strong command of English, safety and “S-Tier” or super-tier food on par with New York

Reuters A Conservative former minister has called for first-cousin marriage to be banned in the UK. Introducing the proposals in Parliament, Richard Holden said the children of first cousins were at greater risk of birth defects and the practice should be prohibited to protect public health. However, independent MP Iqbal Mohamed argued a ban would be ineffective and said these issues would be better addressed through education programmes to raise awareness of the risks. Downing Street said the expert advice on the risks of first-cousin marriage was clear but indicated that the government had no plans to change the law. “In terms of legislation, the government has set out its priorities,” a No 10 spokesman said. Holden introduced his proposals using the 10-minute rule process, which allows a backbench MP

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Thursday afternoon (Nov 21, 2024) destroyed defective ballot papers printed for the Ahafo and Volta regions for the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections. There were serial number issues with the ballot papers at the press house and so the EC took a decision to destroy all ballot papers meant for the Ahafo and Brong Ahafo regions and print new ones. The ballot papers were burnt at the Adipa Waste Management Centre, near Nsawam in the Eastern Region. It was due to serialisation errors encountered during the printing process. The affected ballots were burnt in the presence of representatives from political parties, the National Intelligence Bureau, Ghana Police Service, the media, and officials from the EC. The destroyed materials included 184 presidential ballot paper bags

Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister, as well as the military commander of Hamas. A statement said a pre-trial chamber had rejected Israel’s challenges to the court’s jurisdiction and issued warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant. A warrant was also issued for Mohammed Deif of Hamas, although Israel has said he was killed in an air strike in Gaza in July. The judges said there were “reasonable grounds” the three men bore “criminal responsibility” for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war between Israel and Hamas. Both Israel and Hamas have rejected the allegations. The Israeli prime minister’s office condemned the ICC’s decision as “antisemitic”, while Hamas said the warrants for Netanyahu

Through the lens: The Citizen’s Picture Editors select the best news photographs from South Africa and around the world. Climate activists perform during a protest action at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, 20 November 2024. The Azerbaijani capital of Baku hosts the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) from 11 to 22 November 2024. Picture: EPA-EFE/ANATOLY MALTSEV We bring you a visual snapshot of the day’s news events, including highlights featuring Israeli military vehicles during the second day of an operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, SpaceX Starship lifting off from Starbase in Boca Chica, Mine Rescue Services personnel prepare for a possible rescue at Stilfontein, and Mexican journalists participating in an ‘Honor and Glory’ evening to pay tribute to murdered colleagues