World
EU President, Ursula Von der Leyen, Condemns Hamas Attack on Israel
The President of the European Union, Ursula Vin Der Leyen, has condemned the unprovoked attack on Israel by Hamas soldiers on Saturday.
The EU boss voiced her opinion via her verified X account hours after the attacks were reported, warning that Israel has Israel has right to defend itself against such heinous attacks.
“I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. It is terrorism in its most despicable form. Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks,” she said.
Recall that Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization, early Saturday morning infiltrated Israeli borders, killing and abducting anyone in sight.
The crises between Palestine and Israel are as old as history. Hamas says it is fighting to reclaim occupied territories by Israel since after the ‘6-days’ war in 1947.
In 1973, the Arab world came close to defeating Israel after Egypt and Syria combined to attack Israel in a 10-day war.
USA
Former US President, Jimmy Carter, Dies at 100
A former President of the United States, the 39th in the series, who was also a former peanut farmer, Jimmy Carter, has died at the age of 100.
According to FOX News, his death, which was announced by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sunday, comes months after he entered hospice care in February 2023.
Carter’s passing follows that of his wife, Rosalynn, who died on 19 November 2023 at the age of 96.
The former president battled health challenges for years, including liver cancer diagnosed in 2015, which had spread throughout his body.
His survival defied expectations, despite a family history of cancer. His father, brother, and two sisters died from pancreatic cancer, while his mother’s breast cancer eventually spread to her pancreas.
Jason Carter, his grandson, revealed in May that the former president was nearing the end of his life’s journey, but Jimmy Carter continued to endure.
Africa
Mozambique Prison Break: 33 Persons Killed, 1500 Inmates Escape
A suspected riot inside a jail in Mozambique’s capital has left at least 33 people dead and 15 injured, while more than 1,500 prisoners escaped, authorities said.
Police General Commander, Bernardino Rafael, confirmed on Wednesday that 150 of the prisoners who fled the prison in Maputo have been recaptured.
Mozambique is experiencing escalating civil unrest linked to October’s disputed election, which extended long-ruling party Frelimo’s stay in power. Opposition groups and their supporters claim the vote was rigged.
While Rafael blamed protests outside the prison for encouraging the riot, Justice Minister Helena Kida told local private broadcaster Miramar TV that the unrest was started inside the prison and had nothing to do with protests outside.
“The confrontations after that resulted in 33 deaths and 15 injured in the vicinity of the jail,” Rafael told a media briefing.
The identities of those killed and injured were unclear.
A report by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) said the prisoners overpowered guards and seized AK-47 rifles, allowing them to escape the correctional facility.
Mozambican journalist, Clemente Carlos, told SABC that the escapees likely took advantage of the Christmas holiday season, when fewer guards were on duty compared with regular working days.
“This shocking incident raises urgent questions about the state of security and the justice system in Mozambique,” Adriano Nuvunga, director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Mozambique, wrote on X on Wednesday.
“Now, more than ever, it is critical for authorities, civil society, and international partners to collaborate to ensure public safety and address the systemic challenges that led to this situation.”
Meanwhile, at least 21 people, including two police officers, were confirmed dead during two days of violence over election results on Monday and Tuesday, including attacks on petrol stations, police stations, and banks.
The fatalities brought the death toll in the country to 151 since October 21, according to Plataforma Decide, an election monitoring group.
Al Jazeera
USA
Trump Insists on Mass Deportation, Unveils Early Agenda
The President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, has vowed to make good on his election promises of mass deportations and new tariffs in his first television interview since his re-election.
Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Trump reiterated his intention to deport every person who had entered the US without authorisation.
“I think you have to do it, and it’s a very tough thing to do, but you have rules, regulations, laws. They came in illegally,” Trump said.
“You know, the people who have been treated unfairly are the people who have been waiting on line for 10 years to come into the country.”
Trump said he was willing to work with Democrats to keep so-called “Dreamers”– undocumented people who came to the US as children and have lived in the US most of their lives – in the country but also suggested that US citizens could be deported along with their undocumented family members.
“I don’t want to be breaking up families,” Trump said. “So the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back.”
Trump also reiterated his intention to end birthright citizenship, which is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.
Amending the Constitution is a lengthy and difficult process involving Congress and all 50 states, but Trump said he was exploring options including an “executive action” to end what he called a “ridiculous” right.
“I’m looking to make our country great. I’m looking to bring down prices because I won on two things… I won on the border, and I won on groceries,” he said.
Trump said that while he “can’t guarantee” that his plan to impose tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico would not push up prices, tariffs would ultimately help the US economy.
“I’m a big believer in tariffs. Tariffs are beautiful. They’re going to make us rich,” he said.
“Why are we subsidising these countries? If we’re going to subsidise them, let them become a State.”
During the interview, Trump also discussed plans to pull back on US support for Ukraine and said Kyiv should “probably” prepare for less aid.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Washington has approved nearly $183bn in military, humanitarian and other assistance to Ukraine, according to US government data.
Outgoing President Joe Biden has pledged a further $988m in aid and an additional $925m before he leaves office on January 20.
The Republican said he was “actively” trying to end the war in Ukraine but would not confirm how recently he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has spoken about with admiration in the past.
“I don’t want to say anything that could impede the negotiation,” he said.
Trump said that the US would only remain in NATO if members “pay their bills” and if its majority European members “treat the US fairly” by expanding bilateral trade.
The president-elect also said that if he had remained in the White House after the 2020 election, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza would have never happened.
Trump and many of his supporters claim that the 2020 election was “stolen” by Biden and the Democrats.
Anger over the election results later led Trump supporters to storm the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021, in a failed bid to overturn the vote.
During his interview, Trump said he would consider pardoning the 944 people who received criminal sentences for their role in the uprising.
Among them, 562 had been sentenced to prison time as of August, according to the US Justice Department.
“I’m going to look at everything. We’ll look at individual cases, but I’m going to be acting very quickly… the first day,” Trump said.
“These people have been in prison three to four years, and they’re in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn’t even be allowed to be open.”
Trump said that lawmakers who took part in a Congressional investigation into the events of January 6 should go to prison, although he stopped short of saying he would direct the FBI to investigate.
Trump also said he would not stop his chosen FBI director, Kash Patel, from investigating the so-called “deep state”.
“If they think that somebody was dishonest or crooked or a corrupt politician, I think he probably has an obligation to do so,” Trump said.
Trump sidestepped questions about whether he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden, although he separately accused the outgoing president of weaponising the justice system against him.
“I’m looking to make our country successful. Retribution will be through success,” Trump said.
The president-elect also said that if he had remained in the White House after the 2020 election, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza would have never happened.
Trump and many of his supporters claim that the 2020 election was “stolen” by Biden and the Democrats.
Anger over the election results later led Trump supporters to storm the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021, in a failed bid to overturn the vote.
During his interview, Trump said he would consider pardoning the 944 people who received criminal sentences for their role in the uprising.
Among them, 562 had been sentenced to prison time as of August, according to the US Justice Department.
“I’m going to look at everything. We’ll look at individual cases, but I’m going to be acting very quickly… the first day,” Trump said.
“These people have been in prison three to four years, and they’re in a filthy, disgusting place that shouldn’t even be allowed to be open.”
Trump said that lawmakers who took part in a Congressional investigation into the events of January 6 should go to prison, although he stopped short of saying he would direct the FBI to investigate.
Trump also said he would not stop his chosen FBI director, Kash Patel, from investigating the so-called “deep state”.
“If they think that somebody was dishonest or crooked or a corrupt politician, I think he probably has an obligation to do so,” Trump said.
Trump sidestepped questions about whether he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden, although he separately accused the outgoing president of weaponising the justice system against him.
“I’m looking to make our country successful. Retribution will be through success,” Trump said.
Source: Al Jazeera
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