Author: Amanda Martinez

At least 180 people, primarily elderly residents, were brutally killed during a weekend massacre in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The killings occurred in the Wharf Jérémie area of the Cité Soleil neighborhood, a gang-controlled location, and shocked the international community. The National Human Rights Defence Network (RNDDH) reported that Monel Felix, known as Mikano, planned the massacre. Felix, a notorious gang leader, targeted elderly locals after consulting a voodoo priest about his son’s mysterious illness. The priest blamed the disease on witchcraft. However, the blame on witchcraft led to Felix accusing the elderly residents of practicing voodoo and causing his son’s death.…

Syria witnessed a historic moment as rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad’s regime after 13 years of civil war. Rebels stormed Damascus. The rebels declared the capital as liberated, which further forced Assad to flee to Moscow. The fall of Assad’s regime marked the end of five decades of authoritative rule. The Military Operations Command, a coalition of Islamist and moderate factions, led the attack. The group led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the head of the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), advanced through Syria in just 11 days. Beginning with Aleppo, rebels seized key cities, including Hama and Homs,…

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol is facing a travel ban after his shirt-lived martial law declaration last Tuesday. This development comes as Yoon narrowly survived an impeachment motion over the weekend. The motion was boycotted by MPs from his ruling People Power Party (PPP), who decided not to support it after Yoon agreed to shorten his term and not get involved in foreign and domestic affairs. Thousands have protested since Yoon’s martial law order, calling for his resignation or impeachment. Several key figures involved in the martial law order have faced action, including former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who…

Jay-Z and Diddy face a lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges they raped a 13-year-old girl in 2000. The lawsuit, filed under New York’s Victims of Gender-Violence Protection Act, accuses the two rappers of assaulting the girl at a party after the MTV Video Music Awards. Jay-Z has dismissed the lawsuit as a blackmail attempt. The accuser, identified as Jane Doe, claims she was dropped off at the VMAs by a friend and approached limousine drivers to try to gain access to the show. One driver told her he worked for Diddy and that she fit what Diddy was looking for. The…

Residents in Cwmtillery, Wales, are worried. A landslide narrowly missed their homes during Storm Bert in November. Now, they’re demanding action from the local council. Dianne Morgan, a resident, wants assurances that the council will maintain the coal tip behind her home. Meanwhile, the Welsh government is introducing new legislation. This law will establish a new authority to manage coal tips. This law will establish a new authority to manage coal tips. The authority will assess, register, and monitor coal tips. This move comes after a landslide in Tylorstown in 2020, which highlighted the need for better coal tip management.…

President Yoon avoids impeachment as South Korea’s National Assembly narrowly failed to gather the votes required after his martial law declaration. The censure bill, requiring 200 votes for approval, fell short of three votes as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted the session. On Tuesday, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law to resolve political gridlock, triggering nationwide protests and outrage. Parliament quickly overturned the declaration, and the government backtracked hours later amid mounting public pressure and demonstrations. People Power Party (PPP) members walked out during the impeachment vote, leaving only three in the chamber. PPP lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae referred to…

President Emmanuel Macron, hopes that the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral will present an opportunity to improve his political standing. Saturday’s celebration will highlight the renowned cathedral’s incredible recovery from a fire that occurred five years ago.  World leaders, including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, will join Macron for the grand reopening. In his speech, Macron will urge the world to view the cathedral’s restoration as a testament to French resilience.  This event coincides with a turbulent time in French politics following the collapse of Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government. While Macron originally envisioned…

Anti-Assad Rebels have made significant gains in southern Syria, capturing most of the Deraa region, which is close to the Jordanian border. This region holds symbolic importance as the birthplace of the 2011 uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that rebels control over 90% of the Derra region. Only the Sanamayn area remains under government control. Rebel sources claim a deal has been reached for the army to withdraw. Rebel forces will provide military officials with safe passage to Damascus. Meanwhile, Islamist-led rebels in northern Syria have reached the outskirts of the city of…

Storm Darragh hits Wales. It brings strong winds and heavy rain, leaving over 35,000 homes and businesses without power. A red weather warning, the highest level, predicts dangerous and potentially life-threatening conditions for 13 countries in Wales. The storm has caused significant disruptions. Multiple roads are closed, and train routes are disrupted. The M4 motorway has several sections closed. Transport for Wales advises rail passengers to check before traveling. The Prince of Wales Bridge and M48 Severn Bridge are closed due to high winds. The Met Office records wind gusts of up to 94 mph in Capel Curig, Conwy country.…

The first round of Romania’s presidential elections was declared invalid by the country’s Constitutional court, forcing a new voting procedure. This followed the declassification of intelligence data indicating that Russia tampered with the vote to support Calin Georgescu. Georgescu, a far-right Nato-sceptic, unexpectedly won the first round with 23% of the vote, defeating opposition candidate Elena Lasconi and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. Intelligence reports claim Georgescu benefited from a foreign influence operation that distorted election results, prompting the court to act. Prime Minister Ciolacu called the annulment “the only correct solution” to safeguard democracy and counter alleged Russian interference. President…

A federal court has denied TikTok’s attempt to overturn a law stating the app’s sale or ban by early 2025. TikTok’s appeal was rejected after the court’s decision was a significant blow to the app, which argued that the law violated constitutional protection for its 170 million US users. Lawyers representing TikTok had previously claimed the ban would significantly restrict free speech and harm millions of users. The US Court of Appeals District of Columbia upheld the law by rejecting the appeal. The ruling emphasized that the law targets foreign advisories and is part of broader efforts against China’s influence. …

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor struck down Boeing’s plea deal, which would have allowed the company to admit guilt for deceiving regulators. The agreement was related to the 737 Max jetliner crash, which involved 346 people and included a $243 million fine and independent monitoring.  The rejected deal would have resolved Boeing’s criminal fraud charges for misleading the Federal Aviation Administration about the 737 Max’s flight control system. According to prosecutors, there is insufficient evidence to directly connect Boeing’s actions to the 2018 and 2019 crashes. Judge O’Connor, however, took issue with the terms of the agreement, especially those that…