The government is seeking revisions to the deal, which would see the UK hand over the islands to Mauritius while maintaining a US military base on Diego Garcia.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will announce additional funding for Sudan’s humanitarian crisis during a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, focusing on aid and supporting civil society in the conflict-ridden country.

The cyclone, the strongest in 90 years, devastated entire areas of Mayotte. With more than 75% of its estimated 321,000 people already living below France’s national poverty line

A Palestinian official involved in the negotiations stated that the gap between the two sides had narrowed on most of the agreement’s clauses

Sarkozy had been handed a three-year sentence, with two years suspended and the remaining year to be served under electronic monitoring instead of prison

This marks the highest-ranking Russian military official to be assassinated as the ongoing war in Ukraine enters its third year

The talks focused on supporting low-income countries, reforming multilateral development banks, and addressing global economic challenges.

North Korean forces deployed to support Russia’s invasion suffer significant losses in Ukraine’s push to retake territory

Egypt condemned Israel’s settlement expansion in the Golan Heights as a violation of Syria’s sovereignty and international law, reflecting Israel’s lack of commitment to peace.

During talks with Arab, European, and Turkish diplomats in Aqaba, Blinken advocated for a Syrian-led transition that fosters inclusivity and respects the rights of all Syrians

Moroccans continue their weekly protests in support of Gaza, denouncing Israeli aggression and criticizing normalization efforts with Israel.

South African President Ramaphosa hosted German President Steinmeier in Pretoria to strengthen ties and mark the 30th anniversary of democracy and the Berlin Wall’s fall.

Musk, the world’s richest person, followed by Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos

 The death toll from an Israeli airstrike on Thursday on the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip has risen to 33, with 84 others injured and missing, the Gaza-based Government Media Office said Friday. In a statement, the office condemned the “horrific massacre” targeting a residential block housing dozens of civilians, including women, children, and elderly individuals. “The targeted area was made up of multiple apartment buildings densely populated with displaced individuals who had already fled their homes due to prior bombings,” it said. The attack, it said, is part of a “broader policy of forced displacement and a violation of international law and a crime against humanity.” The media office also pointed to the strain on Gaza’s collapsing health care system, saying that “hospitals and medical centers are being systematically targeted.” During its 14-month-old ongoing war on Gaza, Israel’s repeated attacks on civilian buildings and facilities – mosques and churches, residences, hospitals, and others – have drawn international condemnation and been identified as likely war crimes. In October 2023, Israel launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip that has so far killed more than 44,800 people, mostly women and children. The second year of genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with officials and institutions denouncing the attacks and the blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy the population. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in November issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense chief Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on Gaza.

Russia claims Ukraine rejected Viktor Orban’s initiatives for a Christmas ceasefire and a prisoner of war exchange, which Putin had reportedly supported.

According to Yoon, the opposition parties have “paralyzed” the nation by abusing their majority in the Assembly

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi visited Ireland to discuss the ongoing crisis in Gaza and strengthen bilateral ties with the country.  

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud begin meeting with their delegations

Haiti’s government confirmed the massacre in a statement, pledging to hold those responsible accountable

Chinese Premier Li Qiang pledged Monday to deepen economic reforms and expand domestic demand while reinforcing international cooperation, according to statements released by China’s State Council. Li held a 1+10 Dialogue with the heads of major international economic organizations, including representatives from the New Development Bank, the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He emphasized that strengthening global cooperation is crucial “against the backdrop of an international landscape fraught with instability and changes.” Li expressed support for expanding cooperation with international financial institutions, signaling a willingness to collaborate on project financing, development loans and addressing global challenges like climate change. He stressed the importance of economic globalization and free trade while promising to contribute to global financial stability. He also indicated China’s commitment to supporting developing economies, particularly the BRICS group’s members, thorough economic initiatives.

Israel has violated the 1974 disengagement agreement by sending troops into the Golan Heights buffer zone, prompting a UN condemnation.

A powerful gang leader in Haiti orchestrated a horrific attack on the voodoo community, resulting in the deaths of over 180 people and igniting widespread condemnation.

While U.S. troops will not be deployed for this task, approximately 900 American personnel are expected to remain in eastern Syria to counter ISIS threats

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country on Sunday, bringing a dramatic end to his nearly 14-year struggle to maintain control amid a brutal civil war that turned Syria into a proxy battleground for global powers. Assad’s departure marked a stark contrast to his initial rise to power in 2000, when he was seen as a potential reformist following the three-decade rule of his father, Hafez al-Assad. At the age of 34, Bashar, a Western-educated ophthalmologist, was considered a mild-mannered and tech-savvy leader. However, when protests against his rule erupted in 2011, he resorted to the harsh tactics of his father to suppress dissent, eventually plunging the country into civil war. Over the years, Assad’s government, backed by Iran and Russia, unleashed devastating military campaigns, resulting in widespread torture and extrajudicial killings. The war has killed nearly half a million people and displaced millions. In recent years, Assad regained control over most of Syria, but the northwest remained under opposition control, and the northeast was governed by Kurdish forces. Despite enduring Western sanctions, many neighboring countries had started to accept Assad’s continued grip on power, with Syria’s membership in the Arab League restored in 2023. However, the situation changed quickly when opposition groups in northwest Syria launched a surprise offensive in late November. Assad’s forces quickly collapsed, and his allies, distracted by other conflicts like Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Israeli-Hamas war, were reluctant to intervene. Bashar Assad’s rise to power was unexpected. His father, Hafez, had groomed his older son Basil to be his successor, but Basil’s death in a 1994 car crash led Bashar, then living in London as an ophthalmologist, to return to Syria. He was rapidly groomed for leadership, undergoing military training and elevated to the rank of colonel. When Hafez died in 2000, the Syrian parliament lowered the age requirement for the presidency to 34, allowing Bashar to take power through a nationwide referendum where he was the sole candidate. Hafez’s nearly 30-year rule had been marked by tight control over the country’s economy and political life, and his alliance with Iran and resistance to Israel defined Syria’s foreign policy. Bashar, in contrast to his father’s hard-edged authoritarianism, appeared more open and even liberal in his early years. He allowed some political discourse and briefly encouraged reforms in what was dubbed the “Damascus Spring.” However, after intellectuals pushed for political reform, Assad’s regime cracked down, imprisoning activists and shutting down reform efforts. By the time the Arab Spring protests spread to Syria in 2011, Assad dismissed the possibility of unrest in his own country, claiming his government was in tune with the people. However, as the protests escalated, Assad turned to brutal force to suppress opposition, with his regime using military power to crush uprisings, particularly in cities like Homs and Aleppo. While initially relying on his father’s old allies, Assad increasingly turned to his inner circle, including his brother Maher, who headed the Presidential Guard, and his wife, Asma, who played a key role in his government until she stepped back in 2023 due to health issues. The outbreak of civil war forced millions of Syrians to flee the country, while the violence and suffering persisted for over a decade. Despite numerous attempts to oust him, Assad managed to hold onto power, backed by Russia and Iran, while the international community remained divided over how to respond. As Assad exits the scene, the end of his family’s rule over Syria marks the collapse of a decades-long dynasty that shaped the country’s politics and identity for nearly half a century.