US Congress passes bill to avert shutdown on December 22, 2024The US Congress averted a Christmastime government shutdown early Saturday after weeks of tense negotiations that went down to the wire, passing a bill to fund federal agencies through mid-March. With the midnight deadline already expired by minutes, senators dropped normal procedure to fast-track the package to a vote, halting government shutdown preparations and saving […]
US drops bounty for Syria’s new leader after Damascus meeting on December 22, 2024Washington is scrapping a long-standing reward for the arrest of Syria’s new leader, a senior U.S. diplomat said Friday, following “positive messages” from a first meeting that included a promise to fight terrorism. Barbara Leaf, Washington’s top diplomat for the Middle East, made the comments after her meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus — the […]
Pope slams ‘cruelty’ of strike killing Gaza children on December 22, 2024Pope Francis on Saturday condemned the bombing of children in Gaza as “cruelty”, a day after the territory’s rescue agency said an Israeli air strike killed seven children from one family. Gaza’s civil defence rescue agency reported that an Israeli air strike killed 10 members of a family on Friday in the northern part of […]
Vanuatu reopening to commercial flights, quake toll hits 12 on December 22, 2024Vanuatu said on Saturday it will lift a suspension on commercial flights to restart its vital tourism industry following an earthquake that killed at least 12 people. The 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the main island on Tuesday, toppling concrete buildings in the capital Port Vila and setting off landslides. It damaged water supplies, knocked out […]
NZ power to 340-run lead in third Test as England crumble on December 16, 2024England’s hopes of a series clean sweep all but evaporated on Sunday as they capitulated on day two of the third Test to trail New Zealand by 340 runs. With fast bowler Will O’Rourke firing the home side skittled England for 143, before the Black Caps reached 136-3 by stumps in their second innings in […]
Kenya’s ‘Maasai Olympics’ offer women visibility through sports on December 16, 2024A crowd erupts in cheers as a young Maasai woman pelts over the finish line, the latest participant in the “Maasai Olympics”, a re-imagining of a traditional coming-of-age rite in the rolling Kenyan grasses. On Saturday, hundreds gathered in the Kimana reserve some 200 kilometres (120 miles) from the capital Nairobi to watch 160 athletes […]
Bucks beat Hawks to reach NBA Cup final against Thunder on December 16, 2024A dominating performance by Giannis Antetokounmpo on Saturday led the Milwaukee Bucks into the NBA Cup final, where they will face Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder for the title. Greek star Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to spark the Bucks over the Atlanta Hawks 110-102 while Canadian guard Gilgeous-Alexander netted […]
Kristoffersen wins Val d’Isere slalom on December 16, 2024Henrik Kristoffersen extended his lead at the top of the overall World Cup standings with his first win of the season in the slalom at Val d’Isere on Sunday. The Norwegian, who tops the discipline standings as well, was second after the first run, 0.32 seconds behind Steven Amiez. However, the 26-year-old Frenchman, son of […]
South Korean democracy holds firm against Yoon’s martial law bid on December 16, 2024South Korea’s swift rebuke of martial law and removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol from office have been hailed in the country as evidence of the strength of its young democratic institutions. Yoon’s bid to suspend civilian rule and claims of a communist conspiracy harkened back to the dark days of dictatorship in South Korea […]
Israel approves plan aiming to double annexed Golan population: statement on December 16, 2024The Israeli government on Sunday approved a plan to double the population of the occupied and annexed Golan Heights, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the prime minister’s office said. The government had “unanimously approved” the 40 million shekel ($11 million) “plan for the demographic development of the Golan… in light of the […]