Author: Elizabeth Jenrola Oso

South Korea’s former prime minister, Han Duck-soo, has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for his role in an insurrection linked to former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed declaration of martial law. Judge Lee Jin-kwan ordered Han’s immediate detention following the verdict, delivered on Wednesday. Han has the right to appeal. The ruling marks the first judicial finding that the attempted imposition of martial law on 3 December 2024 amounted to an act of insurrection. The court found that Han had actively helped create the appearance of a legitimate cabinet meeting in order to approve an unconstitutional decree. Prosecutors…

Thousands of Australians are expected to perform acts of kindness on Thursday to commemorate the victims of last month’s Bondi terror attack, as the Jewish tradition of mitzvah is embraced across faiths and communities. A mitzvah, a core value in Judaism, is commonly understood as a charitable or good deed. Australians have been encouraged to carry out such acts as part of a national day of mourning. Carole Schlessinger, the chief executive and co-founder of the charity Kids Giving Back, will take part in the initiative. Since the attack, she has run a weekly One Mitzvah for Bondi programme, opening…

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has agreed to join a US-backed “board of peace” proposed by Donald Trump, despite earlier objections from his office over the body’s leadership structure. The initiative, chaired by the US president, was initially described as a small forum of world leaders tasked with overseeing a ceasefire in Gaza. In recent weeks, however, it has expanded significantly, with invitations sent to dozens of countries. Trump’s team has suggested the board could evolve into a broader platform for mediating conflicts beyond the Middle East, raising concerns among diplomats about its potential impact on existing international institutions. Some…

Kurdish-led forces in Syria have announced their withdrawal from a major detention camp in the country’s north-east that houses tens of thousands of people linked to Islamic State, as Syrian government forces continue a rapid advance across the region. The future of al-Hawl camp has become a major concern for neighbouring states and the wider international community. The camp holds families of suspected IS fighters, including some of the group’s most hardline foreign women, and has long been described by security officials as a breeding ground for extremism. A smaller number of female detainees, including Shamima Begum, are held at…

Israeli crews have begun demolishing the Jerusalem headquarters of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees and fired teargas at a UN vocational school in the occupied West Bank. Bulldozers moved into the East Jerusalem compound of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) in the early hours of Tuesday. At the same time, Israeli forces fired teargas at a Unrwa vocational training centre in Qalandia, north of Jerusalem. Israel accuses Unrwa of collaborating with Hamas, an allegation the agency denies. Last year, Israel banned Unrwa from operating on territory it defines as Israeli. The demolition marks the latest…

Chinese tourism to Japan almost halved in December as a diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo deepened over the security of Taiwan. Japan’s transport ministry said arrivals from mainland China fell by about 45 per cent compared with the same month a year earlier, dropping to roughly 330,000 visitors. The decline came despite Japan continuing to attract record numbers of overseas travellers. A total of 42.7 million foreign visitors arrived last year, comfortably surpassing the previous high of nearly 37 million set in 2024. The fall in Chinese arrivals gathered pace towards the end of last year after Japan’s prime…

A global shortage of nearly one million midwives is leaving pregnant women without essential care, increasing the risk of preventable harm, including the deaths of mothers and babies, according to new research. The study found that almost half of the global shortfall is in Africa, where nine in 10 women live in countries with too few midwives to meet demand. Anna af Ugglas, chief executive of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and a co-author of the research, warned that overstretched health systems are struggling to cope. “Nearly one million missing midwives means health systems are stretched beyond capacity,” she…

At least 21 people were killed and 75 others hospitalised after two trains collided in southern Spain on Sunday evening, in what the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, described as “a night of deep pain” for the country. A high-speed Iryo train travelling from Málaga to Madrid derailed near the town of Adamuz and crossed on to the opposite track, where it struck an oncoming Renfe service, Spain’s rail infrastructure body Adif said. The second train was also derailed and plunged down an embankment. The crash occurred about 10 minutes after the Iryo train left Málaga at 6.40pm local time, according…

Senior European diplomats are preparing for emergency talks after Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on eight European countries over their support for Greenland. The move has triggered sharp reactions across the continent, with leaders warning that the dispute risks damaging transatlantic relations and destabilising Nato. Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, described the proposed tariffs as a “mistake”, while the Dutch foreign minister, David van Weel, accused the US president of using “blackmail” against allies. France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, is expected to press the European Union to activate its anti-coercion instrument if Washington follows through on the tariffs, according to…

Far-right members of Israel’s governing coalition have rejected a US-backed plan for postwar governance in Gaza, accusing the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, of failing to annex the territory and establish new Israeli settlements. The criticism followed the White House’s announcement of a new international framework for Gaza, including a so-called “board of peace” and an executive body involving foreign leaders. The inclusion of Turkey and Qatar, both outspoken critics of Israel’s war in Gaza, has angered hardline figures within Netanyahu’s government. Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, described Netanyahu’s approach as a fundamental failure. Writing on X, he said the…