Author: News Desk

Ghana: Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President and Flag Bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has accepted his defeat in the 2024 Ghana Presidential Election and congratulated opposition leader and Ghana’s former President John Dramani Mahama from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the win. Ahead of the official declaration by the Electoral Commission (EC), supervisors of the presidential election, the NDC announced at a media conference that its internal collation of the provisional results of the election suggests a massive victory for the Party. Addressing the nation, Dr. Bawumia said the NPP’s own internal collation also suggested an…

Damascus, Syria: Syria’s rebel forces, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (HTS) announced the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule after capturing Damascus in a swift offensive that swept across the country. In a televised statement, fighters proclaimed the capital “free of al-Assad” revealing that Assad had fled, though his whereabouts remain unknown. Fighters also released the prisoners held in Sednaya Prison north of Damascus, as they have done in other cities they took during their advance. The opposition’s advance began on November 27, resulting in the capture of major cities like Aleppo and Hama. Videos shared online showed fighters…

Washington DC: US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin has unveiled a $988 million military aid package for Ukraine, emphasizing continued support as the country resists the ongoing Russian invasion. Austin was speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum hosted by the Ronald Reagan Institute, where he discussed the future of America’s national security and the progress achieved over the past four years. This announcement brings total US military aid to Ukraine since February 2022 to $62 billion, showcasing a robust commitment under President Joe Biden’s administration. The new aid package includes drones and munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems…

Paris, France: Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris reopened its doors on November 7th, marking a triumphant milestone in its restoration five years after a devastating fire brought the iconic 12th-century landmark to the brink of collapse. The ceremony, led by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, drew an assembly of global leaders along with French President Emmanuel Macron including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and US President-elect Donald Trump, making his first overseas visit since his recent election victory. The evening ceremony began with Macron addressing the crowd, expressing gratitude to the firefighters, artisans, and donors who contributed nearly $1 billion to the cathedral’s…

Washington: TikTok’s legal battle to prevent a ban or forced sale of its operations in the United States has suffered a major setback. A federal appeals court has rejected the company request to overturn a law that mandates the removal or sale of the app by early 2025, citing national security concerns over its ties to the Chinese government. TikTok had argued that the law, which it claims infringes upon the free speech of its 170 million US users, was unconstitutional. In its appeal, the company described the law as a “staggering” threat to free speech, particularly for its American…

Seoul: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has issued a public apology following his controversial declaration of martial law, which was quickly rescinded after overturned by the National Assembly. The apology came amidst growing political unrest and speculation about his potential impeachment. In a brief television address, President Yoon expressed deep regret stating that, “I am very sorry and would like to sincerely apologise to the people who were shocked.” Yoon confirmed that no further martial law declarations would be made and reassured the public that the situation would be handled by his ruling People Power Party (PPP). The martial…

Seoul: The World Bank has successfully raised nearly $24 billion in a new funding round to support its concessional lending arm, the International Development Association (IDA). The funds, which include loans and grants, will help the World Bank leverage up to $100 billion in total spending power, marking a significant increase in its ability to assist the world’s poorest nations. Donor countries committed a total of $23.7 billion, a slight increase from the previous round three years ago, where $23.5 billion was raised. These funds will be used by the World Bank to borrow from financial markets, allowing the institution…

French Guiana: Europe’s Arianespace has launched the Vega-C rocket, marking a triumphant return for the upgraded Italian launcher, which had failed during its debut commercial mission two years ago. The rocket successfully carried the Sentinel-1C satellite into orbit for the European Union’s Copernicus Earth observation programme. At 6:20 p.m. (2120 GMT) on Thursday, Vega-C blasted off from its launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, soaring into leaden skies. “Parameters on board are normal,” said Jean-Frederic Alasa, the range operations manager, confirming a smooth launch. Prior to reaching orbit, the satellite was placed into “barbecue mode” to…

Melbourne, Australia: Worshippers at Melbourne’s Adass Israel synagogue was forced to flee after it was set on fire in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned as an “act of hate.” The fire, which occurred early on 6th of December morning, left the synagogue severely damaged, with one person injured. Firefighters arrived just after 4:00 AM local time and found the building engulfed in flames. Several people were inside for morning prayers and reported seeing firebombs thrown at the synagogue. Witnesses described hearing banging on the door and window, followed by flames rapidly spreading inside. One individual was injured while…

Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he will appoint a new Prime Minister “in the coming days” after Michel Barnier resigned following a no-confidence vote in parliament. The vote, which saw 331 MPs support the motion against Barnier, marked the first time in more than 60 years that a French government had been voted out of office. Barnier had only been in office for three months after his appointment by Macron, and his resignation was triggered by the New Popular Front (NFP) and Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) uniting to challenge his leadership. In a 10-minute address to…