Category Archives: WORLD NEWS

As footage and images of what might have been the maiden flight of China’s sixth-generation fighter jet went viral on Thursday, the country’s official military media appeared to tacitly confirm the rumours. A mysterious aircraft bearing a triangular tailless design was seen flying over Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan province in broad daylight, flanked by a fifth-generation J-20 fighter jet, according to videos shared on Chinese social media . While the jet – speculated by observers to feature cutting-edge stealth and endurance capabilities – has yet to be officially identified or named, a provincial newspaper made reference to the aircraft. “It really looks like a leaf,” the Chengdu-based Defence Times wrote on its Weibo account alongside an image of a ginkgo leaf. The post quickly circulated across social media and was

Rescuers evacuate a wounded child at the site of an Israeli attack in a residential area in the Tuffah neighbourhood, east of Gaza City, on Wednesday [Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP] The Israeli genocide has killed at least 38 more Palestinians in Gaza in the past 24 hours, including five journalists. Gaza’s Ministry of Health on Thursday said the overall death toll in the Palestinian enclave since October last year stood at 45,399, while more than 107,000 have been wounded. On Thursday morning, Israel hit a broadcast van parked close to al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp, killing the five journalists from the al-Quds Today TV channel, Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif reported. The journalists have been identified as Fadi Hassouna, Ibrahim al-Sheikh Ali, Mohammed al-Ladah, Faisal Abu al-Qumsan and Ayman al-Jadi.

Ant Group, the fintech giant affiliated with Alibaba Group Holding, is splitting the business group of its mobile payment platform Alipay into two units, in its latest corporate restructuring move to drive new growth. The company will establish the Digital Payment Business Group and Alipay Business Group, and adopt a “rotating presidential system” for the two units with each president serving a six-month term, according to an internal letter circulated by Ant president Cyril Han Xinyi on Monday, seen by the South China Morning Post. The Digital Payment Business Group will focus on the development of innovative payment products, integrating five departments including the Online Payment Business Unit and Offline Payment Business Unit. The Alipay Business Group, which covers six units including advertising and digital products, will focus on the

The Indian government’s move to impose a three-tiered tax on popcorn, based on its sugar or spice content, has caused tempers to pop during the holiday shopping season, with social media users roasting the decision and experts warning of deeper cracks in the country’s complex tax system. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, chaired by the finance minister and including state representatives, announced on Saturday that with immediate effect, non-branded popcorn mixed with salt and spices would attract a 5 per cent GST, pre-packaged and branded popcorn 12 per cent, and caramel popcorn, categorised as a sugar confectionery, 18 per cent. The announcement was met with scorn online, with local media highlighting a now-deleted viral post made by a start-up founder on social media platform Reddit complaining about the

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