Browsing: Main Headlines

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.  

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Linda McMahon, co-founder of WWE and a long-time ally, as his nominee for education secretary. McMahon previously served as head of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first presidency and is known for her significant financial support of his campaigns.

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.  

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.  

An undersea telecommunications cable linking Germany and Finland has been severed, raising concerns amid already heightened tensions in Europe. The 1,170 km (730-mile) C-Lion1 fibreoptic cable connects Helsinki and Rostock, but all fibre connections in the line have been disrupted, according to Finnish network operator Cinia.  

A car drove into a crowd outside Yong’an Primary School in China’s southern Hunan province, leaving several students and adults injured, according to state media. Details on the number of casualties remain unclear, but those injured have been taken to the hospital.  This is the third attack on a public crowd in China within a week, sparking concern over public safety.

A massive protest unfolded in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, as over 35,000 people gathered outside parliament to oppose a controversial bill seeking to redefine the Treaty of Waitangi.  The demonstration marked the conclusion of a nine-day hīkoi (peaceful march), which grew significantly on Tuesday as participants arrived in Wellington.