December 18, 2024 5:50 pm

Day: December 2, 2024

Najib Razak Takes Stand in 1MDB Trial, Begins Reading 525-Page Witness Statement

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 – Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak testified as the first defence witness in the RM2.28 billion (S$690 million) 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) graft trial at the High Court. Najib’s lead counsel, Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah, informed Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah that Najib requested to personally read his extensive 525-page witness […]

UN Urges $3.5 Trillion Investment to Combat Global Land Degradation

RIYADH – Restoring degraded land and preventing desert expansion will require a global investment of $3.5 trillion (US$2.6 trillion) by 2030, the United Nations announced, quantifying the cost of reversing land degradation for the first time. Speaking ahead of global talks in Riyadh, Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification […]

Why Al Pacino Turned Down the Han Solo Role in Star Wars

This decision could have been a game-changer, but Al Pacino passed on it. “It was mine for the taking, but I didn’t understand the script,” he said. And just like that, one of the most iconic roles in cinema history slipped away from him. In the mid-’70s, Pacino’s career was booming after The Godfather. In […]

Rebels Seize Aleppo in Stunning Offensive, Syrian Government Suffers Major Setback

BEIRUT, Dec 2 – Syrian government forces have lost control of Aleppo, the nation’s second-largest city, after a swift rebel offensive, marking a significant defeat for President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, a war monitor reported. The Islamist-led coalition, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched its assault on Nov 27, overwhelming Iranian- and Russian-backed government troops in […]

Reputed Crime Family Leader Gerard Hutch Narrowly Misses Dublin Parliament Seat

Gerard Hutch Narrowly Misses Dublin Parliament Seat Amid Controversy DUBLIN, Dec 2 – Gerard Hutch, widely known as “The Monk” and alleged leader of a prominent Irish crime family, narrowly missed securing a seat in Ireland’s Parliament on Dec 1, finishing fifth in the four-seat Dublin Central constituency. Hutch, whose candidacy sparked significant public interest, […]

ICC Warrants for Israeli Leaders Amid Growing Gaza Conflict

JERUSALEM, Dec 2 — The ongoing conflict in Gaza has intensified international scrutiny of Israel’s military actions, with the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The warrants, issued in November 2024, highlight the increasingly […]

AIDS Memorial Quilt Displayed at White House for First Time

Biden Hosts Historic Display of AIDS Memorial Quilt at White House on World AIDS Day WASHINGTON, Dec 1 – For the first time in its decades-long history, the AIDS Memorial Quilt was displayed at the White House, as President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted AIDS survivors, advocates, and family members who lost […]

Rohingyas Trained in Bangladesh Camps Join Myanmar Conflicts: Reuters

Rohingyas residing in the world’s largest refugee camp in Kutupalong, Cox’s Bazar, are reportedly undergoing armed training, with many joining Myanmar’s military junta in its ongoing conflicts. This revelation comes from a report by Reuters, based on interviews with 18 individuals from the camps. Thousands of Rohingyas Join Myanmar Junta According to Reuters, thousands of […]