World

One question continues to arise after the recent killing of two US soldiers and a civilian translator in central Syria by a follower of the extremist "Islamic State" group. The killer had infiltrated the Syrian security forces. How many others in the Syrian security forces might hold similarly extreme opinions? The attack "exposes holes in the Syrian government's intelligence capabilities, a known vulnerability given the shortages of personnel and resources, and the country's geographic instability," Syrian researcher and journalist Subhi Franjieh wrote for London-based media outlet Al Majalla shortly afterward. "The Palmyra attack may be used to argue that the Syrian government is compromised and cannot be trusted in key areas like counterterrorism." Franjieh points out that, although...

The actions of the US fleet in the Caribbean are increasingly causing alarm. US warships not only have alleged drug boats in their sights; since early December, they have also been targeting oil tankers. Experts differ in their assessments of Venezuela's role in drug trafficking, but they all agree that oil exports are vitally important to the South American country. Venezuela's economy may be in tatters, but it is sitting on the world's largest known oil reserves, estimated at more than 300 billion barrels. It can safely be assumed that these mineral resources also play a role in the strategic considerations of the oil-friendly US president, Donald Trump. For his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, they act as a lubricant for foreign relations. But the intensification of the US con...

What you need to know The US Food and Drug Administration approved using Wegovy in pill form to treat weight loss Starting dose to be available in January Daily pill could replace weekly injection The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a pill version of the drug Wegovy from Novo Nordisk as a treatment for weight loss. The pill was approved for chronic weight management ‌in adults with obesity or overweight and at least one related health condition. The oral medication contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, which is also made by Novo Nordisk and primarily prescribed for type 2 diabetes. The FDA had already approved an oral semaglutide made by Novo for ⁠diabetes called Rybelsus. Daily pill could replace a weekly injection for weight loss ...

Key points Vince Zampella died after the Ferrari he was driving crashed and caught fire near Los Angeles He was a renowned video developer whose studios have created some of the world's best-selling games One of his crowning achievements was the creation of the 'Call of Duty' franchise Renowned game designer Vince Zampella has died, US video gaming company Electronic Arts said in a statement on Monday. The gaming juggernaut did not mention the cause of death. A separate report by the NBC Los Angeles, however, stated that the 55-year-old had been driving a Ferrari with another passenger on Sunday afternoon when the car slammed into a concrete barrier and caught fire. Zampella died at the scene, while the passenger later died in hospital, the broadcaster said. Police told the LA Ti...

A Mexican navy plane carrying burn patients to a Texas hospital in the United States crashed Monday in the waters of Galveston Bay, killing at least five people, officials said. Mexico's Navy said eight people were on board the twin-turboprop aircraft, including four navy officers and four civilians, one of them a child. The plane was transporting burn patients to Shriners Children's Hospital in Galveston. Cause of the crash under investigation The aircraft, a King Air ANX-1209, departed from Merida in Mexico's Yucatan state and was headed to Galveston Scholes International Airport. The flight was part of a medical mission coordinated with the Michou and Mau Foundation, which arranges emergency transport for children with life-threatening burns to the hospital. Authorities said the c...

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Ju Ae have opened what state media calls an "attractive mountainous tourist resort and leisure ground for the people." According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), five luxury hotels have opened their doors in Samjiyon, a remote northern city near China. Pyongyang promoted its latest luxury hotels, featuring amenities such as barbecue restaurants, hot tubs and leisure spaces, despite widespread economic hardship across the country. Kim toured bedrooms and other facilities at new hotels Kim, who attended the ceremonies on Saturday, declared the resort "clear proof of the rising status of our people," despite the hardships most North Koreans endure. He personally inspected the facilities, even testing the firmness of the ...

The United States on Wednesday announced an arms sales package worth $11.1 billion (€9.45 billion) for Taiwan, making it the largest ever US weapons package for the island. The State Department announced the arms sales package as US President Donald Trump made a televised address. The move is likely to irk China which claims sovereignty over Taiwan. The arms deal comes after Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung made a low-profile trip to the Washington-area last week, which was reported by Taiwanese and Asian media.  The US State Department said the sales serve "US national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient's continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability." What does the arms sales package include? The a...

Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vucic, has long been accused of exercising total control over the Western Balkan country. Now, he has declared that he will personally file criminal charges against everyone he accuses of the "economic sabotage of Serbia." This was prompted by news from the United States that Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and close confidant of US President Donald Trump, has canceled a huge, much-vaunted planned investment in Belgrade. Kushner proposed redeveloping the site of the Yugoslav army's former General Staff building and replacing it with luxury apartments, a hotel and a casino. Serbia's government had backed the project and offered him a 99-year lease. The building, which was the military and defense headquarters of Yugoslavia, was badly damaged by NATO airstrikes...

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday promised to introduce measures aimed at banishing what he called "the evil scourge" of antisemitism from his country. The pledge comes after Sunday's deadly shooting at a Jewish festival at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach. The attack on the celebration for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah killed 15 people, with one of the father-son gunmen also shot dead.Hundreds of mourners gathered at a funeral in Sydney for a 10-year-old girl who was gunned down in the Bondi Beach attackImage: Saeed Khan/AFP Albanese's remarks come as his government faces renewed allegations of having done too little to combat antisemitism in the past years. Australia has seen a marked rise in antisemitic incidents since the October 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israe...