Browsing: Main Headlines

Each morning we bring you the main headlines from all around the globe. These are the headlines you have to know.

Violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, has surged dramatically, leaving at least 150 dead since November 11 and pushing the country’s death toll for the year past 4,500, according to the United Nations. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk warned of escalating chaos, calling for urgent action to halt the gang violence overwhelming the capital.

Israel launched overnight strikes in three areas north of Gaza which continued until this morning. At least 95 people were killed in less than 24 hours, local media reports. The overnight strikes killed at least 66 people in Beit Lahiya and injured dozens. In Sheikh Radian at least 22 people, including children, were killed in the air strikes and at least 7 people, including one child, were killed in Al-Mawasi.

The United Nations has raised alarm about dire humanitarian conditions in northern Gaza, where no significant aid has been delivered for 40 days due to an ongoing siege by Israeli forces. According to the UN, 65,000 to 75,000 people in areas like Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Jabalia face severe shortages of food and other essentials.

The DOJ has proposed breaking up Google to curb the tech giants’ dominance in online search. In a court filing on Wednesday, the DOJ suggested that Google should be required to sell its Chrome web browser and end contracts that make its search engine the default choice on devices from companies like Apple and Samsung.

A fourth tourist has reportedly died from suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos. Australian teenager Bianca Jones, 19, death was confirmed by her family on Thursday. Earlier in the day, the US State Department confirmed the death of an American man who died in the tourist hotspot of Vang Vieng.

John Prescott, former Labour deputy prime minister has died at the age of 86, his family have confirmed. They said he died peacefully on Wednesday to the sound of jazz music at his care home, where he had been living with Alzheimer’s disease.

The UN Security Council is set to vote on Wednesday on a resolution demanding an “immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza, along with the release of all hostages. However, the United States, a key ally of Israel, may block the draft, which has already drawn criticism from Israeli officials.  

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has halted its medical operations in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, citing escalating violence and a brutal attack on its staff. The decision follows an incident on November 11, when Haitian police, reportedly backed by a paramilitary group, stopped an MSF ambulance, removed two gunshot patients, and executed them outside the hospital grounds.  

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, launched the sixth test of his SpaceX rocket with the US President-elect Donald Trump joining him to watch the launch – but sadly failed to land. Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been set up to make space travel more efficient and cheaper. The purpose behind his deep space project is to make rockets reusable by being able to land again.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed plans to use the military to carry out mass deportations of undocumented migrants, marking one of the most ambitious immigration initiatives in U.S. history. On his Truth Social platform, Trump endorsed claims that he would declare a national emergency to mobilise military resources, including the National Guard, to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the effort.  

EU fails to agree to pause talks with Israel over Gaza EU

The European Union has opted not to suspend its political dialogue with Israel after failing to reach a unanimous agreement at a Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday.  EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell proposed the suspension, citing alleged human rights violations and breaches of international law by Israel in Gaza. However, the measure required the support of all 27 member states and did not achieve consensus.  

Prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for subversion in a landmark trial under China’s controversial national security law (NSL).  They were among the “Hong Kong 47,” a group of activists and lawmakers charged with organising a primary election in 2020 to select opposition candidates for local polls.