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Tonga’s Prime Minister Steps Down Ahead of No-Confidence Vote

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Tongan Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni resigned Monday “for the good of the country and moving Tonga forward,” moments before parliament was expected to consider a no-confidence motion against his leadership.

“I’ll be resigning immediately according to the constitution,” Sovaleni announced to parliament, as reported by the Matangi Tonga news website and confirmed in an official livestream. The parliament’s Facebook page later confirmed he had “voluntarily resigned as Tonga’s Prime Minister effective today.”

King Tupou VI accepted the resignation, with parliament scheduled to reconvene December 24 to consider nominations for a new prime minister. Sovaleni will continue serving as a member of parliament.

The resignation marks the latest development in Sovaleni’s complicated relationship with Tonga’s monarchy, following his March apology over a constitutional dispute. As chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum regional bloc, his departure could have broader implications for Pacific regional politics.

REUTERS

Haiti Gang Violence Claims 110 Lives in Weekend Massacre

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A weekend massacre in Haiti’s Cite Soleil slum left at least 110 people dead, the National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) reported Sunday, marking one of the deadliest episodes in the country’s ongoing security crisis.

The rights group said Wharf Jeremie gang leader Monel “Mikano” Felix ordered the killings targeting residents over 60 years old, following a Voodoo priest’s accusations of witchcraft affecting Felix’s now-deceased child. Gang members carried out the killings Friday and Saturday using machetes and knives.

The violence occurred in Cite Soleil, one of Port-au-Prince’s poorest and most dangerous areas, where tight gang control has restricted residents’ ability to communicate about the attacks. The United Nations estimates Felix’s gang comprises some 300 members operating around Fort Dimanche and La Saline.

The massacre follows October’s killing of 115 people in Pont-Sonde by the Gran Grif gang. Haiti’s government, plagued by political instability, has struggled to contain growing gang influence despite requesting international security assistance. A UN-approved mission remains under-resourced due to limited voluntary contributions, while proposals to convert it into a peacekeeping force face opposition from China and Russia.

Jay-Z Accused of Raping 13-Year-Old Girl in Diddy Lawsuit, Denies Allegations in Civil Lawsuit Filing as ‘Blackmail’

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Rapper and business mogul Jay-Z has been accused in a refiled civil lawsuit of drugging and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl at an afterparty in 2000, an allegation he has vehemently denied, calling it a “blackmail attempt.” 

The accuser, identified in court filings as Jane Doe, alleges that the assault occurred after the MTV Video Music Awards and initially filed her claim against Sean “Diddy” Combs in October. The original lawsuit accused Diddy, an unnamed male celebrity, and another female of orchestrating the assault. The amended filing now identifies Jay-Z as the second alleged perpetrator. 

Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, responded with a statement categorically denying the claims. “My only heartbreak is for my family,” Carter said. “My wife and I will have to sit with our children to explain the malice and greed that drive such baseless allegations.” He vowed to “expose [the accuser] for the fraud” he claims the lawsuit represents. 

The lawsuit is part of a growing number of legal challenges facing Diddy, who was arrested and charged with racketeering and sex trafficking earlier this year. Combs is also confronting multiple sexual assault allegations in separate lawsuits, all of which he has denied. 

TMZ reported on the new developments, while Jay-Z’s representatives have not issued further comments. Diddy’s legal team has yet to respond to the updated filing. 

The refiled lawsuit brings new scrutiny to both music industry icons, with potential implications for their careers and reputations. 

TMZ

Burkina Faso Names New Prime Minister After Government Dissolved

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Burkina Faso’s military government appointed Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo as prime minister Saturday, one day after dissolving the previous government and dismissing Premier Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela without explanation.

Ouedraogo, who served as communication minister and government spokesman in the dissolved cabinet, takes leadership following the unexpected reorganization by junta leader Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in September 2022.

The military government provided no reason for removing Tambela, who had served as interim prime minister since Traore’s coup. The shake-up represents the latest political shift in the West African nation under military rule.

Hamas Releases New Video of Israeli Captive Amid Hostage Negotiations

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Hamas released a video Saturday purporting to show Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker in captivity, as diplomatic efforts intensify to secure the release of approximately 100 captives still held in Gaza.

The footage shows a man identifying himself as Zangauker, 24, appealing to Israeli leaders to negotiate a deal for the hostages’ return. The Hostage Families Forum called it “proof of life” and evidence that “after more than 420 days in captivity, there are hostages still alive and enduring severe suffering.”

Israeli officials have typically dismissed such videos as psychological propaganda, though momentum for negotiations has increased following Israel’s recent ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Qatar and other mediating countries see potential for a deal exchanging hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy has traveled to Qatar and Israel to advance the president-elect’s push for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release before his January 20 inauguration, according to a source familiar with the discussions.

The video’s release comes as the conflict enters its fifteenth month, with Hamas periodically releasing similar footage of captives throughout the war.

Iranian Embassy in Damascus Stormed as Assad Government Falls

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Syrian opposition forces stormed Iran’s embassy in Damascus Sunday following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government, Iranian state television reported, marking another dramatic development in Syria’s rapidly changing political landscape.

“It is said that the Iranian embassy was stormed alongside nearby stores by an armed group different from the group now controlling [most of] Syria,” Iranian state TV reported, distinguishing the attackers from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the main rebel force that led recent advances across western Syria.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed Iranian diplomats had evacuated the embassy early Sunday before any assault occurred. Al Arabiya broadcast footage showing damaged windows and ransacked offices with scattered documents and furniture inside the diplomatic compound.

Iran’s state media reported that HTS, formerly affiliated with al-Qaeda until leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani broke ties in 2016, had provided guarantees protecting the Sayeda Zeinab and Sayeda Ruqqaya shrines in Damascus.

These sites, particularly venerated by Shia Muslims, have been crucial rallying points for Iran-backed militias during Syria’s civil war. Iran’s Tasnim news agency confirmed shrine staff had returned to Iran before Damascus fell to opposition forces.

Notre-Dame Cathedral Reopens in Historic Ceremony After Fire Restoration

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Notre-Dame Cathedral officially reopened Saturday in a grand ceremony marked by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich’s three symbolic knocks on its ancient doors with a staff carved from fire-scorched beams, signaling the historic landmark’s resurrection after the devastating 2019 blaze.

The ceremony, beginning at 7 p.m. local time, drew an impressive array of world leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Tech billionaire Elon Musk made a surprise appearance, posting “Magnificat Cathedrale” on X with footage of the restored vaulted roof.

A highlight of the reopening was the first performance of the cathedral’s grand organ since the fire. The restored instrument, featuring 7,952 pipes and a newly renovated console with five keyboards, thundered through the cathedral after Archbishop Ulrich commanded, “Awaken organ, sacred instrument.”

Paris firefighters received a standing ovation during the ceremony, with the word “Merci” projected on the cathedral’s facade in recognition of their crucial role in saving the 12th-century landmark in 2019. “We must treasure this lesson of fragility, humility and will,” Macron said in his address, praising the restoration as proof that “great nations can achieve the impossible.”

The Pope, though absent, sent a message urging free entry for visitors, weighing into a debate over potential admission charges. The Notre-Dame cathedral will hold its first Mass in the restored building Sunday at 10:30 a.m. local time.

South Korean President to Step Down Despite Surviving Impeachment

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South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, center, arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 15 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s ruling party announced Sunday it had “effectively obtained” his promise to step down, despite surviving an impeachment vote over his brief imposition of martial law that sent troops to parliament.

South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, center, arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 15 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

The People Power Party (PPP) leadership revealed the agreement came in exchange for blocking the impeachment motion Saturday night. “Through the orderly early resignation of the president, we will minimise the confusion to South Korea and its people, stably resolve the political situation and recover liberal democracy,” PPP leader Han Dong-hoon declared after meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

Massive protests continued Saturday, with police estimating 150,000 demonstrators gathered outside parliament, while organizers claimed one million attended. “Even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted today, I am neither discouraged nor disappointed because we will get it eventually,” said protester Jo Ah-gyeong, 30.

Police investigations into alleged insurrection intensified with Sunday’s arrest of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who resigned Wednesday. Documents revealed security forces had prepared to “drag out” lawmakers, with a purported arrest list targeting opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and other prominent figures.

The crisis erupted Tuesday when Yoon imposed martial law, claiming to protect South Korea from “North Korea’s communist forces.” Military helicopters landed on parliament’s roof as 300 soldiers attempted to seize the building, but were repelled by staff using furniture and fire extinguishers.

“This is a country we’ve spent our entire lives building,” said Shin Jae-hyung, 66, a democracy activist who endured torture in the 1970s and 80s, highlighting the echoes of South Korea’s authoritarian past.

Russian Media Says Syrian Former Ruler, Assad, Granted Refuge in Moscow After Syrian Collapse

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Former Syrian President Bashar Assad has fled to Moscow and received asylum, Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA reported Sunday, citing an unidentified Kremlin source, as his family’s 50-year rule ended amid a stunning rebel victory in Damascus.

The reports emerged as Syrians flooded Damascus streets in celebration, with crowds gathering at the historic Umayyad Square and other locations across the capital. RIA reported Moscow had secured guarantees from Syrian insurgents regarding the safety of Russian military bases and diplomatic facilities in Syria.

Rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who has renounced his former al-Qaida ties, made his first public appearance at the Umayyad Mosque, calling Assad’s fall “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Using his given name Ahmad al-Sharaa, he accused Assad of making Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.”

“It’s like a dream. I need someone to wake me up,” said opposition fighter Abu Laith, describing how rebels were welcomed into Damascus “with love.” Scenes of celebration recalled the early Arab Spring, with people waving pre-Assad Syrian flags and honking car horns while others entered the abandoned presidential palace.

The rebels moved quickly to establish order, announcing a nighttime curfew and posting guards at government buildings. At the Justice Ministry, Judge Khitam Haddad said forces were protecting official documents from chaos. Commander Anas Salkhadi appeared on state television to reassure minorities, declaring “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.”

Russia has requested an emergency UN Security Council session to discuss the rapidly evolving situation, according to Russia’s UN deputy representative Dmitry Polyansky.

Tottenham 3-4 Chelsea: Palmer Stars in Seven-Goal Premier League Classic

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Chelsea emerged victorious from a pulsating seven-goal thriller at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Sunday, as Cole Palmer’s brace from the penalty spot helped the Blues overcome an early two-goal deficit to triumph 4-3.

Tottenham appeared in control after Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski struck within the opening 11 minutes, taking advantage of Marc Cucurella’s footing issues on the slick surface. However, Jadon Sancho’s 18th-minute response sparked Chelsea’s comeback.

Palmer, who earned man of the match honors, transformed the game in the second half. The 22-year-old England international converted penalties in the 59th and 83rd minutes while also setting up Enzo Fernandez’s 74th-minute strike that gave Chelsea their first lead.

“Palmer, as has often been the case, was Chelsea’s star of the show,” match observers noted of his performance, which included four successful dribbles and four shots alongside his two goals and assist. The former Manchester City youngster’s composure from the spot proved decisive after Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr committed fouls in their own box.

Son Heung-min’s 97th-minute goal created late tension but couldn’t prevent Chelsea’s fifth consecutive victory in all competitions. The result moved the Blues to second place, four points behind Liverpool, while Tottenham remained 11th after their seventh league defeat.

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