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US President Joe Biden approved $571.3 million in defense assistance for Taiwan on Friday, the White House said, as the Democrat prepares to leave office ahead of the January inauguration of Donald Trump.The United States does not officially recognize Taiwan diplomatically but it is the self-ruled island’s strategic ally and largest supplier of weapons.  China, …

US President Biden authorizes $571 million in military aid to Taiwan Read More »

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights on Friday ruled against El Salvador for barring a woman from getting an abortion, despite her life being at risk and her fetus being unviable.It ordered the Salvadoran government to pay compensation, establish guidelines for medical and judicial personnel, and take legal and other steps to guarantee “legal certainty …

Court rules against El Salvador in controversial abortion case Read More »

Washington 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 first …

US drops bounty for Syria’s new leader after Damascus meeting Read More »

German police arrested a Saudi Arabian man after a deadly car-ramming attack on a Christmas market Friday in which an SUV barrelled through a crowd of revellers at high speed, leaving a trail of bloody carnage.At least two people were killed, one of them a young child, and 68 injured, said authorities in the city …

Saudi man arrested after deadly car attack on German Christmas market Read More »

The US House of Representatives voted Friday to avert a government shutdown with just hours to spare, with Democrats joining Republicans to advance a funding bill keeping the lights on through mid-March.Lawmakers sent a package to the Senate that would keep federal agencies running through mid-March — but the upper chamber only has until midnight …

US House passes bill to avert shutdown, Senate vote to follow Read More »

US lawmakers raced Friday to stave off a government shutdown set to bite within hours, after Donald Trump and Elon Musk sabotaged a bipartisan agreement that would have kept the lights on well beyond Christmas.If no deal is struck, the government will cease to be funded at midnight, and non-essential operations will start to grind …

US hours from government shutdown over Christmas Read More »

A French court on Friday handed heavy sentences to several men convicted of having played a role in the jihadist beheading of schoolteacher Samuel Paty in 2020 — a murder that horrified France.Paty, 47, was murdered in October 2020 by an 18-year-old Islamist radical of Chechen origin after showing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in class.His …

French court hands down heavy sentences in teacher beheading trial Read More »

A senior US diplomat told Syria’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday that Washington was scrapping a reward for his arrest, and welcomed “positive messages” from their talks including a promise to fight terrorism.Barbara Leaf, Washington’s top diplomat for the Middle East, made the comments after her meeting with Sharaa in Damascus — the first …

In Damascus meeting, US drops reward for arrest of Syria’s new leader Read More »

Tyson Fury weighed in at the heaviest of his career on Friday as he vowed to go to war with Oleksandr Usyk in their world title rematch.The Englishman, albeit fully clothed, tipped the scales at 281 pounds (127.4kg) — 19lb heavier than when he lost to the Ukrainian in their unification bout in May.Usyk, also …

Bulked-up Fury promises ‘war’ in Usyk rematch Read More »

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday shook up his cabinet, changing one-third of his team as political turmoil threatens his leadership and tensions erupt with incoming US president Donald Trump.The reshuffle came at the end of a chaotic week in Ottawa spurred by the surprise resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who clashed …

Major reshuffle as Trudeau faces party pressure, Trump taunts Read More »