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The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree: The good, the bad and the ugly

3Dec

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Life Style

The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree: The good, the bad and the ugly

Every December, Christmas traditions take over London – whether you’re in the mood for disappointing light switch-ons, stress-inducing shopping centre trips or Instagram-worthy ice rinks. Another Christmas tradition is that of the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree. Since 1947, the people of Oslo have gifted London with a Norwegian spruce tree as a thank-you for Britain’s support during WWII. It’s a thoughtful gesture, but each year the tree provides Londoners with some light comic relief thanks to its appearance. On Monday, December 2, the 77th Norwegian spruce – also known as the Queen of the Forest – was erected, and it wasn’t long before the taunts rolled in. “It’s here. Well half of it anyway,” said one X user. “Hopefully it looks better when it’s up”,” said another of its flat branches,...

Martial law has left South Korea in chaos – but its government has been in turmoil for some time | World News

3Dec

By Aditi PawarNo Comments

Business

Martial law has left South Korea in chaos – but its government has been in turmoil for some time | World News

Across the Indo-Pacific and around the world the shock of this snap decision to impose martial law in the democratic country of South Korea is still sinking in.Troops on the street, opposition politicians massed outside the National Assembly and a state of absolute political chaos in South Korea has left the country reeling. But the government had been in turmoil for some time. Image: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers a speech to declare martial law. Pic: Reuters After losing an election earlier this year and being forced to form a minority government, President Yoon Suk Yeol has been on the back foot ever since.Follow latest: Soldiers clash with protesters as martial law declared in South Korea He's been under ...

Live: South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law

3Dec

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World News

Live: South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law

Soldiers try to enter the National Assembly building in Seoul on December 4 2024, after South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. Photo: AFP / Jung Yeon-je Martial law has been declared in South Korea in a shock move by President Yoon Suk Yeol. It follows a major political battle with the opposition-controlled legislature. Troops made a brief attempt to enter parliament as lawmakers and protesters quickly voiced opposition to the move. In a surprise late-night TV address, Yoon said opposition parties had taken the parliamentary process hostage. He vowed to eradicate "shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces" and said he had no choice but to take the measure to safeguard constitutional order. Follow the latest with RNZ's live updates: Source link

Trump joke on Canada becoming U.S. 51st state was ‘silly talk’: ministers – National

3Dec

By Aditi PawarNo Comments

Politics

Trump joke on Canada becoming U.S. 51st state was ‘silly talk’: ministers – National

U.S president-elect Donald Trump’s reported joke during a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Canada should become a 51st American state in the face of tariffs was “in no way a serious comment,” Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said. In a surprise visit, Trudeau flew to Florida on Friday, where he met and had dinner with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago property. The meeting came just days after Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian products coming into the United States.Details of their discussion remain scarce, but Trump said it was a “very productive meeting” and Trudeau called it an “excellent conversation.”On Monday, Fox News, citing anonymous sources, reported that Trump suggested to Trudeau that if the tariffs would kill the Canadian economy then m...

Donald Trump says there will be ‘hell to pay’ if hostages held in Gaza not released before inauguration | World News

3Dec

By Aditi PawarNo Comments

Business

Donald Trump says there will be ‘hell to pay’ if hostages held in Gaza not released before inauguration | World News

Donald Trump has said there would be "hell to pay" unless the hostages held in Gaza were released ahead of his inauguration.Writing on his Truth Social platform, the president-elect said that if his demand was not met: "Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied history of the United States of America." The statement did not mention Hamas by name, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Mr Trump for his message, while one of his ministers said it was "refreshing".Mr Trump said: "Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire world, in the Middle East - but it's all talk, and no action!"It is believed there could be around 100 Israeli hostages still in Gaza afte...

Live: South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law, slams domestic opponents

3Dec

By No Comments

World News

Live: South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law, slams domestic opponents

Soldiers try to enter the National Assembly building in Seoul on December 4 2024, after South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. Photo: AFP / Jung Yeon-je Martial law has been declared in South Korea in a shock move by President Yoon Suk Yeol. It follows a major political battle with the opposition-controlled legislature. Troops have been at the country's National Assembly building. In a surprise late-night TV address, Yoon said opposition parties had taken the parliamentary process hostage. He vowed to eradicate "shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces" and said he had no choice but to take the measure to safeguard constitutional order. Follow the latest with RNZ's live updates: Source link

Joe Biden’s overdue trip to Africa in final weeks of his presidency shows how out of touch the US is there | World News

3Dec

By Aditi PawarNo Comments

Business

Joe Biden’s overdue trip to Africa in final weeks of his presidency shows how out of touch the US is there | World News

Joe Biden is on a trip to Angola that the US State Department is calling "historic".This is the first time a sitting US president has visited sub-Saharan Africa in close to a decade. But rather than salvage his legacy in Africa, the trip has cemented that the US is not only losing influence here - it is also violently out of touch.As Mr Biden landed in Angola's capital Luanda, news broke that deadly missiles targeted displaced communities in the famine-ridden Zamzam camp in North Darfur, Sudan.The culprits are a paramilitary group born out of the janjaweed militias that terrorised Darfur in the early 2000s. Engaged in a brutal war with Sudan's army for territorial control, the Rapid Support Forces is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity across the country.As a senator, Joe Bid...

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law | World News

3Dec

By Aditi PawarNo Comments

Business

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law | World News

The president of South Korea has declared "emergency martial law", accusing the country's opposition of controlling the parliament and sympathising with North Korea.Yoon Suk Yeol announced he was taking the step, which enacts temporary rule by the military, during a televised briefing on Tuesday, saying it was critical for defending the country's constitutional order. "I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean anti-state forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect the free constitutional order," Mr Yoon said.South Korea martial law: Follow live updates It was not immediately clear how the steps will affect the country's governance and democ...

South Korean president has declared martial law. Here’s why – National

3Dec

By Aditi PawarNo Comments

Politics

South Korean president has declared martial law. Here’s why – National

Descrease article font size Increase article font size South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared an “emergency martial law,” Tuesday accusing the country’s opposition of controlling the parliament, sympathizing with North Korea and paralyzing the government with anti-state activities. Yoon made the announcement in a televised briefing, vowing to “eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic order.”It wasn’t immediately clear how Yoon’s step would affect the country’s governance and democracy. The move drew immediate opposition from politicians, including the leader of his own conservative party, Han Dong-hoon, who called the decision “wrong” and vowed to “stop it with the people.” Opposition leader Lee Jae-my...

Three climbers missing after trip to New Zealand’s highest mountain | World News

3Dec

By Aditi PawarNo Comments

Business

Three climbers missing after trip to New Zealand’s highest mountain | World News

Three climbers are missing after failing to return from a planned ascent of New Zealand's highest peak, authorities say.Two Americans and a Canadian flew to a hut part way up the Aoraki mountain on Saturday to begin their climb, but failed to meet their prearranged transport on Monday after their trek. Both Kurt Blair, 56, from Colorado, and Carlos Romero, 50, from California, are certified alpine guides, according to the website of the American Mountain Guides Association.New Zealand police did not name the Canadian climber, saying his family needed to be notified.Hours after they were reported missing on Monday, searchers found climbing-related items that belonged to the men but no sign of them. Deteriorating weather conditions on the mountain - with heavy rain and snow forecast - meant ...