World
- WorldBBC
Namibians vote as ruling party seeks to extend 34-year rule
Swapo's Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is seeking to become the country's first female president.
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
High-stakes trial that could derail presidential ambitions of France's Marine Le Pen wraps up
Marine Le Pen’s trial is ending with one key question: will France’s leading far-right figure be able to run in the next presidential race? Defense lawyers are speaking Wednesday for the last time at the trial in Paris on charges of embezzling European Parliament funds. It could declare Le Pen ineligible to seek public office if it finds her guilty.
4 min read - Worlddpa international
Iran welcomes ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon
The Iranian government has welcomed the ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and the Hezbollah militia. Iran will continue to support "the government, the people and the resistance in Lebanon," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai said in Tehran. Now is the time to exert pressure to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza too, Baghai added. Hezbollah was formed in 1982 with Iranian support in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Over the following decades, it developed into a powerful political a
1 min read - Businessdpa international
Volkswagen divests from controversial plant in China's Xinjiang
German carmaker Volkswagen is withdrawing from its controversial involvement in a factory in China's Xinjiang province, which has attracted criticism over alleged human-rights abuses of the Uighur minority. Volkswagen sold the plant in the city of Urumqi, which was jointly operated with the Chinese state-owned company SAIC Motor Corporation as a partner, the Volkswagen Group announced on Wednesday. The buyer is the Chinese state-owned company SMVIC, which is active in the used car business. VW i
2 min read - Worlddpa international
EU's von der Leyen urges higher defence spending
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday urged higher defence expenditure in an address to European Union lawmakers in the French city of Strasbourg. "Russia is spending up to 9% of its GDP [gross domestic product] on defence. Europe is spending on average 1.9%. There is something wrong in this equation," she said, ahead of a confirmation vote for her new team of EU commissioners. "Our defence spending must increase," von der Leyen added. "War is raging on Europe’s borders
1 min read - WorldAFP
Old photo misrepresented as coffins of 'British soldiers killed in Ukraine war'
Misinformation about Western countries' involvement in the war in Ukraine has continued to spread online almost three years after Putin's full-scale invasion. In a recent case, a photo ricocheted across social media posts that falsely claimed it shows coffins of British soldiers killed in the conflict. However, the picture predates the war by more than a decade and was taken after 14 British servicemen died in a 2006 plane crash in Afghanistan.
3 min read - Worlddpa international
Pakistani ex-PM Khan’s supporters call off protest after crackdown
The party of Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday called off a protest in the capital Islamabad after a crackdown by security forces, in which hundreds of supporters were arrested and the rest were forced to flee. Thousands of Khan’s supporters led by his wife converged on Islamabad on Monday from his stronghold province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in the north-west, vowing to force the government to release him. The protesters turned violent and killed at least six members
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Brazilian police say Bolsonaro was part of coup plot against Lula
Brazil's national police said that former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro "directly and actively participated" in plotting a coup to overturn the 2022 election along with his supporters, according to an official report made public on Tuesday. Bolsonaro, who was president from 2019 to 2022, was also "fully aware" of an alleged plan by soldiers to kill Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who defeated him in the election, as well as Lula's vice president and a Supreme Court judge, said the report, which
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Germany's arms shipments to Israel worth more than €130 million
The German government has so far approved arms exports to Israel worth at least €131 million ($137 million) in the current year, according to information recently released by the Economy Ministry in Berlin. The German government has not authorized any war weapons exports since the beginning of March, the ministry said in response to a parliamentary question from a lawmaker of the populist BSW party made available to dpa. According to the latest figures, the German government allowed arms deliver
2 min read - Businessdpa international
Study shows electric and petrol car prices narrowing in Germany
The price gap between electric cars and comparable combustion engine models in Germany is narrowing, according to a new car market study released on Wednesday. The price difference among the 20 top models on the German market shrank by around €1,100 ($1,153) in November compared to October, a study by the private Centre for Automotive Research (Car) showed. On average, new car buyers still have to pay an additional €5,583 for a fully electric battery vehicle compared to a combustion engine one.
1 min read - Worlddpa international
BKA: Islamist attackers use knives as guns hard to get in Germany
Islamist-motivated attackers in Germany often choose knives as their weapon of choice because firearms are harder to get, a leading expert from Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) told the Funke media group. "Even in raids and searches, we very rarely find assault rifles or guns," said Sven Kurenbach, the head of BKA's department focused on Islamist-motivated terrorism and extremism. "It's different in France or Belgium, where Islamist terrorists have repeatedly used firearms," said K
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Israel hits 10 targets at Lebanon-Syria border, rights group says
Israel targeted on Tuesday 10 legal and illegal crossings between Syria and Lebanon in two separate attacks, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported. The al-Arida in the Tartous countryside was targeted for the first time along with the al-Dabusiyah and Joseyeh in the Homs countryside, SOHR told dpa. Unofficial crossings in Wadi Khaled in the Homs countryside, and three bridges on the al-Kabir river separating the Syrian and Lebanese borders were also hit. The attacks killed two
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Macron sees chance for stability in Lebanon with ceasefire deal
France's President Emmanuel Macron described the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia as a chance to stabilize Lebanon. "The cessation of hostilities offers the Lebanese the opportunity to embark, with the support of their partners, on a lasting recovery for the country," the French leader said in a video address posted on X. He called for the "immediate election" of a Lebanese president and a reform of the country's institutions to allow it to recover financiall
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Namibia votes and could have its first female leader. But election upsets have shaken the region
A 72-year-old woman who joined Namibia's independence movement in the 1970s is a strong contender to become its first female leader as the country votes Wednesday in a presidential election. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is the current vice president and the ruling SWAPO party's candidate for president.
4 min read - WorldINSIDER
Ukraine had to recall 100,000 artillery shells amid complaints they'd get stuck in launchers and weren't exploding
Ukraine said it's recalling a batch of 120mm artillery shells, typically used as mortar rounds, as it seeks to boost its ammo-producing industry.
4 min read - WorldTHE WARZONE
An-2 Biplane Caused Major Scare When Russians Thought It Was A Long-Range Kamikaze Drone
Videos purporting to show a Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian oil refinery may actually have been of a wayward civilian An-2 biplane. Whatever the exact circumstances were, the incident highlights the continued utility of the anachronistic, but venerable An-2, with or without a pilot. Clips, seen below, showing what looks to be an An-2 passing very low over an oil refinery in the city of Salavat in Russia’s Bashkortostan region, as well as anti-aircraft guns firing at it, first began circula
5 min read - BusinessAFP
Bolivia announces $1 bn deal with China to build lithium plants
Bolivia said Tuesday it had signed a $1 billion deal with China's CBC, a subsidiary of the world's largest lithium battery producer CATL, to build two lithium carbonate production plants in the country's southwest.Bolivia claims to have the world's largest lithium deposits.
1 min read - EntertainmentGEARJUNKIE
Watch ‘Gabon Uncharted’: Top Kayakers, Vivid Storytelling, Epic Location
The SEND crew goes big paddling down massive rapids in Africa. Exploratory whitewater kayaking and storytelling combine in this new film from RedBull.
2 min read - WorldThe Guardian
Bolsonaro allies nearly launched military coup in 2022, police report says
Senior Brazil military figures backed plot to seize power after Bolsonaro’s election defeat, federal documents allege
6 min read - BusinessFreightWaves
Purolator replacing 70-year-old freighters in Canada with ATR72-500
KF Aerospace is swapping out old Convair cargo planes for more modern ATRs that will fly packages for Purolator in British Columbia. The post Purolator replacing 70-year-old freighters in Canada with ATR72-500 appeared first on FreightWaves.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Netanyahu calls on cabinet to approve ceasefire deal with Hezbollah
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on his security cabinet to approve a ceasefire deal with Lebanon's Hezbollah group to halt the fighting which has been ongoing for more than a year. "Tonight I will bring before the cabinet a plan for a ceasefire in Lebanon," he said in an address to the nation on Tuesday. The duration of the ceasefire "depends on what happens in Lebanon," he said, warning the Iran-backed militia that any violations of the terms of the deal would be met with a
2 min read - WorldBBC
Israeli anger at 'irresponsible and hasty' ceasefire
Many displaced residents of northern Israel feel unease and mistrust over their PM's deal with Lebanon.
3 min read - USTHE DRIVE
Fixing a Semi Truck’s Air Brakes With Zip Ties Is Illegal, Apparently
Let me start off by saying my hands aren’t entirely clean when it comes to making automotive repairs with zip ties. The same can’t be said for this truck driver in Canada who used the beloved (but ultimately weak) fasteners to “fix” his semi-trailer’s air brakes in a pinch. The Waterloo Regional Police openly shamed the trucker on X, posting pictures of the air brake lines they supposedly tied up with a hope and a prayer.
2 min read - ScienceSpace
New Japanese rocket engine explodes during testing for 2nd time in 16 months
An engine hot fire test for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's new Epsilon S rocket ended prematurely when the engine caught fire and exploded.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Germany's wild wolf population has grown, with 209 confirmed packs
The number of wild wolf packs confirmed in Germany has risen to 209, according to new figures from the country's Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) published on Tuesday. In total, 1,601 individual wolves were detected across Germany during the monitoring year, which lasted from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024. In the previous monitoring period from 2022 to 2023, the nationwide number of wolf packs was 184. For the current monitoring year, more than 40,000 reports and pieces of evidence f
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Carrefour apologizes to Brazil for CEO's remarks, and beef is headed back to its stores
Brazilian beef was headed back to the shelves of Carrefour-owned grocery stores Tuesday after a brief boycott sparked by remarks from the French company’s chief executive about nations in the South America trade bloc Mercosur. Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard apologized to Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture for social media posts in which he said that Mercosur nations had an unfair competitive advantage due to lower environmental and sanitary standards.
2 min read - WorldSemafor
Nigerian economy surpasses expectations
Nigeria’s economy grew by almost 3.5% in the last quarter, with the services industry expanding at its fastest pace in nearly two years.
2 min read - NewsWLAX La Crosse
Ukrainian immigrants share their story of fleeing the war with area seniors
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – It’s a story of loss, and also new beginnings. The Sabazov immigrated to the Chippewa Valley after fleeing from the war in Ukraine. They shared their story with seniors at Orchard Hills Assisted Living Center. Andrew Sabazov says his family comes from the Kahrkiv Region, just miles from the border between Ukraine and Russia. When war broke out, they fled […]
1 min read - WorldBBC
Five survivors found day after Red Sea tourist boat sinking
Seven people remain unaccounted for after a tourist boat sank on Monday after leaving the Egyptian port of Marsa Alam.
3 min read - ScienceFuturism
NASA Says You Will Have to Ask the Russian Space Program About the Horrid Smell on the Space Station
Silent but Deadly Astronauts on the International Space Station this weekend noticed a rancid stink when Russia's Progress cargo ship docked with it, and NASA says that anyone who wants to know more will have to speak to mother Russia. “For any detailed information on what caused the unusual odor, please contact [Russian cosmonaut agency] […]
2 min read - WorldAFP
Veteran Ethiopian politician’s interview about nationalism taken out of context
Earlier this month, prominent Ethiopian politician Lencho Leta spoke to local media about his political journey. An edited video of his interview was shared with a text overlay claiming that Lencho said his former political party had always renounced Ethiopian nationalism and continued to do so. However, this is misleading: in the interview, Lencho merely said there was no consensus historically about what constituted nationalism in the multi-ethnic state of Ethiopia, but that there were signs t
4 min read - Worlddpa international
Habeck: election could 'ruin' German renewable energy 'success story'
Germany's progress in increasing the share of renewable energy in the country over the past three years has been a success that could be undermined in upcoming elections, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck argued on Tuesday. Habeck, speaking at a German solar industry gathering in Berlin, warned against jeopardizing the energy transition with divisive debate during the campaign: "This must not be allowed to come to an end now." Conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz, for instance, recently des
1 min read - WorldMen's Journal
Soldier Found Guilty of Gaining Weight to Avoid Military Service
A man in South Korea has been found guilty of trying to dodge the draft by gaining an exorbitant amount of weight, The Associated Press and The Korea Herald reported. South Korea requires all “able bodied” men to serve in the country’s military for a minimum of 18 months. The unidentified man was ...
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Beirut hit by massive strikes amid hope of imminent ceasefire
With expectations growing of an imminent ceasefire to stop the fighting in Lebanon, Israel has struck multiple targets in the Lebanese capital Beirut from the air, in particular targeting the city's southern suburbs. More than a year after the start of the war between Israel and the Hezbollah militia, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said on Tuesday that a ceasefire deal was just awaiting a green light from Israel. "In principle, [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu agreed and
4 min read - BusinessJust Auto
Kia India targets doubling CKD exports by 2030
The company is planning to focus on expanding exports to Middle East and Africa markets.
1 min read - WorldBBC
Kenya less open to visitors despite visa-free policy - report
An AU-backed report says new rules mean the country has made things harder for most African visitors.
4 min read - WorldAssociated Press
UN investigates sexual exploitation allegations against aid workers in Chad following AP story
The United Nations in Chad has launched an internal investigation, following an Associated Press report on allegations of sexual exploitation of Sudanese refugees, which included aid workers. “Refugees are already vulnerable and traumatized by the events that led them to flee their country and under no circumstances should they be the victims of abuse by those who are supposed to help them,” said Francois Batalingaya, the U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator in Chad. The U.N. did not imm
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Germany announces another €65m for Ukrainian energy infrastructure
Germany has once again made funds available to repair Ukraine's energy infrastructure, allocating €65 million ($68 million) to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, Germany's Economy Ministry announced on Tuesday. The fund has been supported by international donors since 2022, following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of the country. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck stressed that Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure continues to be the target of massive Russian air strikes. "A coll
1 min read - WorldOffshore Technology
TotalEnergies eyes new exploration area offshore South Africa
The French oil and gas company’s unit TotalEnergies EP South Africa (TEEPSA) is targeting new exploration areas in the southern part of the DWOB block.
2 min read - Worlddpa international
Lebanese minister says ceasefire deal ready for Israeli green light
More than a year after the start of the war between Israel and the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, an agreement on a ceasefire could be imminent, according to Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. "In principle, [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu agreed and we are agreed as a government," Bou Habib told Italian television station Rai. “The final decision is for the Israeli Cabinet,” the minister said. According to media reports, Netanyahu is convening his security Cabinet later Tu
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Israel says it will not tolerate ceasefire violations
Israel will take tough action against the Lebanese Hezbollah militia even after a ceasefire in the event of violations, the country's defence minister said on Tuesday. "It will no longer be as it was before," said Israel Katz, according to his office, at a meeting with the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. "We will act against any threat, anytime, anywhere," Katz said."Any house in southern Lebanon that is rebuilt and used as a terrorist base will be destroyed," Kat
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Israeli troops reach symbolic Litani River in southern Lebanon
Israeli ground troops have reached the symbolic Litani River during their advance in southern Lebanon, the military said on Tuesday. The Israeli army published a picture on the social media platform X that apparently showed soldiers crossing a bridge over the river. Numerous weapons and enemy infrastructure have been found and destroyed in the area, the message said. As part of a ceasefire deal expected soon, Israel wants the Lebanese Hezbollah militia to withdraw permanently behind the Litani R
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Israel hits targets in southern Beirut suburb
The Israeli air force on Tuesday attacked targets in Beirut, ahead of a possible ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. After issuing evacuation calls to residents in the area, the military attacked Burj al-Barajneh, a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital. Residents reported that large explosions rocked the city. At least six buildings were destroyed in the attack, according to Lebanese security sources. The Israeli army also announced that a commander of the pro-Iranian
1 min read - Worlddpa international
Israel carries out massive strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs
Israel’s air force has carried out massive strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, a hotbed of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement, ahead of a possible ceasefire to end the fighting in Lebanon. Dozens of airstrikes simultaneously hit the Dahiyeh suburbs. The sound of huge explosions echoed throughout the city and caused panic among residents, in the heaviest wave of recent attacks. According to eyewitnesses, thick clouds of smoke rose while parts of the suburbs were engulfed in flames. Israel’s arm
1 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Poland's cash-for-visas investigation finds evidence against senior members of former government
A parliamentary panel investigating Poland’s cash-for-visas scandal said Tuesday it will send evidence of alleged breaches of law by the previous prime minister and other senior members of his former right-wing government to prosecutors. The special panel was set up to probe claims of irregularities at the Foreign Ministry's visa department, especially in the years 2018-2023, when it is alleged Polish consulates in Asia and Africa took thousands of dollars in exchange for issuing work visas, op
1 min read - WorldBBC
Sudan in danger of becoming a failed state, aid chief warns
Sudan is disintegrating after more than 18 months of civil war, aid chief Jan Egeland warns
2 min read - BusinessJust Drinks
LVMH ‘suspends Hennessy China bottling plan’
The luxury-goods group has halted its controversial plan to ship bulk Cognac to China for bottling.
3 min read - WorldINSIDER
The West is struggling to give Ukraine the weapons it needs — but there may be a solution
Several allies are giving money to Ukraine for the development of its homegrown arms industry, The Wall Street Journal reported.
3 min read - WorldBBC
Is Namibia going to elect its first female leader?
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is the candidate for the dominant Swapo party but its popularity has waned.
5 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Russia expels British diplomat after accusing him of spying
Russian authorities on Tuesday ordered a British diplomat to leave the country on allegations of spying that the U.K. dismissed as “baseless” as tensions soar over the conflict in Ukraine. Russia's Federal Security Service, the top domestic security and counterintelligence agency, said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that the diplomat had provided false personal data while seeking permission to enter the country. The agency, known by its Russian acronym FSB, alleged that he has
1 min read
