Browsing: Main Headlines

Thousands of people across Germany took to the streets on Saturday to protest the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, just weeks before the general election on February 23. Demonstrators in Berlin gathered at the Brandenburg Gate, lighting up their phones, blowing whistles, and singing anti-fascist songs, while in Cologne, protesters carried banners condemning the AfD.  

The M23 rebel group says it has seized control of Goma, a major city in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The announcement follows a rapid advance against Congolese forces on Sunday, which forced tens of thousands of people to flee nearby towns.  

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol has been charged with insurrection following his failed attempt to declare martial law in December. This move triggered a major political crisis, making Yoon the first sitting president in the country’s history to face criminal charges.  

Palestinians have started returning to northern Gaza after Israel announced a deal with Hamas to release six hostages this week. Among those to be freed is Arbel Yehud, a civilian at the centre of recent tensions.  

The US has cancelled planned tariffs on Colombian goods after Colombia agreed to accept deported migrants without restrictions, the White House announced.

A Chinese court has sentenced Zhou Jiasheng, 52, to death for a knife attack that injured a Japanese mother and her child and claimed the life of a Chinese woman who intervened to protect them. The attack occurred on June 24 outside a Japanese school in Suzhou and was one of three attacks targeting foreigners in China last year.

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) has raised its short-term policy rate to “around 0.5%,” marking its highest level in 17 years. This decision follows December’s inflation surge, with core consumer prices rising 3% year-on-year, the fastest pace in 16 months.

A statue of Captain James Cook in Sydney has been defaced with red paint and damaged, just days before the Australia Day weekend. Police have launched an investigation into the incident, marking the second time the monument has been targeted in the past year.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has been elected taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland for the second time, following intense debates in the Dáil (Ireland’s lower house of Parliament). The Dáil faced multiple suspensions on Wednesday due to heated exchanges between the government and opposition parties.  

President Donald Trump has called on Saudi Arabia and other OPEC nations to reduce oil prices, warning that high costs are prolonging the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump expressed surprise that OPEC hadn’t acted to lower prices before the elections, emphasising the impact on global stability.