Author: WTX News

A former Syrian military official who oversaw a prison where alleged human rights abuses took place has been charged with several counts of torture after being arrested in July for visa fraud charges, authorities said Thursday. Samir Ousman al-Sheikh, who oversaw Syria’s infamous Adra Prison from 2005 to 2008 under recently ousted President Bashar Assad, was charged by a federal grand jury with several counts of torture and conspiracy to commit torture. “It’s a huge step toward justice,” said Mouaz Moustafa, executive director of the US-based Syrian Emergency Task Force. “Samir Ousman al-Sheikh’s trial will reiterate that the United States…

The letter from the National Iwi Chairs Forum, representing over 80 tribal leaders, appeals to the King to ensure the New Zealand government upholds its commitments under the Treaty of Waitangi, the country’s founding document.  

Ahmed al-Sharaa, widely known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), declared that the former regime’s notorious security apparatus would be dismantled. The statement, reported by Reuters, came after the fall of Assad’s government.

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the devastated Gaza Strip. One hundred and fifty-eight members voted in favour of the resolution, nine voted against, with 13 abstentions.

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol has defended his decision to declare a short-lived martial law, saying it was a measure to protect the country’s democracy.

The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations has said they will “keep knocking on doors” after the General Assembly backed calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

  South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday defended his decision to declare short-lived martial law saying it was a measure to protect the country’s democracy. The beleaguered president, who is under criminal investigation for alleged insurrection, declared martial law last week, saying he wanted to rid the country of “pro-North Korean forces,” in a move that plunged the country into political turmoil.  Yoon prepared to ‘fight to the end’ Yoon accused the opposition of trying to remove him from office in a televised statement. “I will fight to the end, to prevent the forces and criminal groups that have been…

The South Korean president has defended his martial law decree as an act of governance and denied rebellion charges.

Refugees displaced by Syria’s long civil war are starting to return home following the dramatic fall of former president Bashar al-Assad. The overthrow of Assad by Islamist rebels has intensified global debate about the future of millions of Syrian refugees who fled the conflict, particularly in Europe and the Middle East.

Former South Korean Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, embroiled in a controversy over a failed attempt to impose martial law, has reportedly tried to take his own life, according to officials.

South Korean police on Wednesday searched the office of President Yoon Suk Yeol, as part of a widening investigation into his failed imposition of martial law last week.

Asia-Pacific markets were mixed Wednesday, after major Wall Street benchmarks declined ahead of key inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision. China is reportedly kicking off its annual economic work conference on Wednesday to outline its economic policies and growth targets for next year. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index started the trading session 0.66% higher, while mainland China’s CSI 300 index was flat. In South Korea, the blue-chip Kospi jumped 0.78% and the small-cap Kosdaq rose 2%, a day after the country’s parliament passed a downsized budget of 673.3 trillion won ($470.60 billion) for 2025 late…

Humanitarian aid to North Gaza, where Israel launched a ground offensive on October 6, has largely been blocked for the past 66 days, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

  The Defense Ministry in Taiwan on Wednesday said that it had detected 53 Chinese aircraft and 19 ships near the island over a 24-hour period. The latest movement of Chinese aircraft and vessels around the island comes as Beijing conducts its largest military drills in years. Chinese planes and vessels ‘operating around Taiwan’ “53 PLA aircraft, 11 PLAN vessels and 8 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today,” Taiwan’s defense ministry said in a post on social media platform X.  “23 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern and…

Police are searching South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office, according to reports.

  Vandals set fire to a car and sprayed graffiti with anti-Israel slogans in a Sydney suburb that is home to Australia’s largest Jewish community. Officials condemned Wednesday’s attack as antisemitic. The incident in the eastern suburb of Woollahra came after federal police this week established a task force to investigate increasing antisemitic crimes across the country. Police said they are searching for two suspects, aged between 15 and 20, who were seen at the scene of the attack, wearing face masks, or balaclavas, and dark clothing. This isn’t an attack on a government, this is an attack on people…

Hounslow council introduces new parking restrictions in Chiswick for Sunday’s. The West London Council is ready to introduce Sunday parking restrictions for the first time in the centre of Chiswick, a new year’s gift to the gut for local business. The impact to the Chiswick Sunday market is expected to be significant with local residents branding this as a ‘money-making scheme’. Chiswick Controlled Parking Zone The council is using a controlled review into the Chiswick Controlled Parking Zone which showed a majority of respondents to a survey favoured restrictions operating every day of the week, the council is bringing forward…

Germany has committed to tightening its laws to make facilitating people-smuggling to the UK a criminal offence, as part of a new agreement with Britain to curb illegal Channel crossings.

South Korean prosecutors are seeking to arrest the former defence minister alleged to have colluded with President Yoon Suk Yeol in imposing martial law last week.

Australia’s central bank held interest rates steady at its last meeting of the year but softened its hawkish tone by noting the board is gaining “some confidence” that inflation was heading back to target. The Australian dollar fell 0.8% to $0.6380 and there-year bond futures rallied 5 ticks to 96.26, the highest since October. Swaps now imply there is a split chance of a rate cut in February, with a first easing more than fully priced in by April next year. Wrapping up its December policy meeting, the Reserve Bank of Australia kept the cash rate unchanged at 4.35% where it has been all year.…

Data centres could use more electricity than Ireland’s entire industrial sector by 2030, posing a significant threat to Ireland’s climate commitments, new research has found.Analysis from University College Cork said electricity demand from data centres had grown at an annual rate of 22.6% since 2015. Without them, Ireland’s electricity demand would have seen “minimal growth” over the last decade.Instead, Ireland’s electricity demand has grown at the second fastest rate in the EU, while between 2017 and 2023, all additional wind energy generation has been absorbed by data centres, which means renewables are not delivering net reductions in fossil fuels use.“The…

South Korea’s chief prosecutor from the Corruption Investigation Bureau has imposed a travel ban on President Yoon Suk Yeol as part of an investigation following his shocking martial law declaration last week. Similar bans have been placed on several senior officials in Yoon’s administration.

Tonga’s Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni abruptly resigned in parliament ahead of a planned no-confidence vote in his leadership, capping a period of fraught relations between his government and Tonga’s king.

  Australia and Nauru have announced a landmark security treaty on Monday — a move which is seen as a broader effort by Canberra to push back against China’s influence in the Pacific. The treaty will provide the tiny Pacific island nation with 100 million Australian dollars (€60.6 million, $64 million) in direct budget support over five years. But it also gives Australia the final say over Nauru’s key infrastructure. “It’s a good day for the security and resilience of the Pacific region,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a joint media briefing with Nauru’s President David Adeang. What do…

Police in South Korea are considering an overseas travel ban on President Yoon Suk Yeol as they investigate possible rebellion charges over his brief imposition of martial law last week, according to reports. Mr Yoon’s martial law decree last week, which brought armed special forces troops into Seoul streets, is plunging South Korea into huge political turmoil. On Sunday, he avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him, with most ruling party lawmakers boycotting a floor vote. But the opposition parties vowed to submit a new impeachment motion against him this week. On Monday, Yonhap news agency cited police as saying…