Desi Bouterse, a dictator convicted of murder who twice ruled Suriname, has died at 79
PARAMARIBO, Suriname (AP) — Desi Bouterse, a dictator convicted of murder who twice ruled Suriname, has died at 79.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname (AP) — Desi Bouterse, a dictator convicted of murder who twice ruled Suriname, has died at 79.
The comments came as Russia continues to make progress ahead of the third anniversary of the war.
Russia has been told by the United States that it has granted approval for the appointment of the new Russian ambassador to Washington, a senior Russian lawmaker told state television on Monday. The new ambassador may be formally appointed in the coming weeks, said Grigory Karasin, head of the International Affairs Committee in the Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament. "The agrément has not yet been received," Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the foreign ministry, told the TASS state news agency.
Israel’s longest war has so far failed to destroy its main enemy, Hamas, which, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself – and a failure for Israel.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong met her Indian and Japanese counterparts in Washington and said the invitation for Quad foreign ministers to attend President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration showed an "iron-clad commitment" to close cooperation in the Indo Pacific region. Republican Senator Marco Rubio appears on track for confirmation as Trump's secretary of state on Monday, clearing the way for a meeting of Quad foreign ministers the following day, people familiar with the matter previously said. The grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the U.S. was formed amid shared concerns about China's growing power.
One of the Israeli hostages freed on the first day of the Gaza ceasefire said Monday in her first comments since being released that she has “returned to life.”
Negotiators are zeroing in on a potential deal to resolve one of the most explosive questions looming over Syria's future: the fate of Kurdish forces that the U.S. considers key allies against Islamic State but neighbouring Turkey regards as a national security threat. Diplomatic and military negotiators from the United States, Turkey, Syria and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are showing more flexibility and patience than their public statements suggest, a dozen sources told Reuters, including five directly involved in the intensive web of discussions in recent weeks. This could set the stage for an accord in the coming months that would see some Kurdish fighters leave Syria's restive northeast and others brought under the authority of the new defense ministry, six of the sources said.
While Ahmed al-Shara consolidates his authority in Damascus, armed conflict is escalating in northern Syria.
What does a second Trump term mean for Taiwan, especially with a Republican-controlled Congress? After Trump was elected in 2016, he initially tried to use Taiwan to gain leverage over Beijing. After taking a congratulatory call from then-Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen, Trump questioned whether the US should continue to adhere to a one-China policy.
Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng has held talks with the US vice-president-elect J.D. Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk at separate meetings in Washington ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to a "long and fruitful" relationship. The meetings came two days after Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping's phone conversation on Friday, when they "discussed balancing trade, fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects", the incoming US president said on his
Sunday's delayed start to the Gaza ceasefire and incidents on Monday in which Israeli troops shot at Palestinians approaching them underline some of the hiccups likely to face a deal that will play out in the shadow of mutual mistrust and bitterness. Qatar and Egypt, which brokered the deal alongside the U.S., have set up a communications hub to tackle any problems, where officials who worked on the deal for months hope to head off new clashes between foes locked in a years-long cycle of Gaza wars. "These kinds of deals are never easy to maintain," said Majed Al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry.
When Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, a new chapter of geopolitical uncertainty will be written, potentially ushering in an intensified rivalry between the US and China under his "America First" policy. For the first time in 40 years, it will be held indoors due to severe weather, foreign leaders will take part and security measures for the swearing-in are some of the most stringent Washington has ever witnessed, with 30 miles (48km) of fencing encircling federal buildings in downtown Washington. The swearing-in ceremony for Trump and vice president-elect J.D. Vance will start at noon inside the US Capitol.
Three hostages were released from Hamas captivity in Gaza and returned to Israel on Sunday, as a highly anticipated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect.
The European Union is considering a step-by-step suspension of multiple economic sanctions targeting Syria as it seeks to support the country’s transition, while retaining some leverage, according to two internal documents seen by Reuters. EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss suspending some Syrian sanctions during a meeting in Brussels on Jan. 27. European capitals began reassessing their Syria policies after the ousting of president Bashar al-Assad by insurgent forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that the United Nations designates a terrorist group.
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on taking office hours before Trump's inauguration in Washington and said he was open to dialogue with the new U.S. administration on Ukraine and nuclear arms. Putin, who said he wanted to secure a long-lasting peace in Ukraine rather than a short ceasefire, made the comments during a meeting of Russia's Security Council that was shown on state TV. "We see the statements by the newly elected president of the United States and members of his team about the desire to restore direct contacts with Russia," said Putin.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping may not have personally accepted US President-elect Donald Trump’s invitation to his inauguration, but Beijing has taken the rare step of dispatching a top official to join the swearing-in ceremony in Washington.
LANGKAWI, Malaysia (Reuters) -Southeast Asian nations told Myanmar's military government on Sunday its plan to hold an election amid an escalating civil war should not be its priority, urging the junta to start dialogue and end hostilities immediately. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations called on the warring sides in member nation Myanmar to stop the fighting and told the junta's representative to allow unhindered humanitarian access, said Malaysia's foreign minister as the country takes over chairing ASEAN this year. "Malaysia wants to know what Myanmar has in mind," Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan told a press conference after a ministerial retreat on the island of Langkawi.
Probably the only reasonable response to such a speech.
The MAGA world wasted no time finding an explanation for Elon Musk’s evocative hand gesture. Musk quickly flung up his hand and after placing it over his heart at a post-inauguration rally, putting his arm at an angle that raised eyebrows across the world. While many were quick to call the gesture a Nazi salute—or a Roman salute, which also has fascist connections—some conservative influencers have countered Musk is merely awkward and it was his way of showing his appreciation to Donald Trump su
Part of Donald Trump’s long list of day one executive orders is a pair of controversial name changes. Trump is set to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” and revert Alaska’s Mt. Denali back to its previous name of Mount McKinley, the New York Post reported. A preview of the orders said the immediate change is to honor “American greatness.”
(Annie) aka Melania, are you OK?